EFFECT OF ADJUVANT ON IN VITRO SHOOT PRODUCTION OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA

Different adjuvant showed variation in shoot proliferation rate during in vitro propagation of Azadirachta indica (Neem). Shoot proliferation is a crucial stage of in vitro propagation for commercial viability of the technique. Maximum shoot proliferation occurred from nodal explants of 1-year-old plants placed on Driver & Kuniyuki medium (1984) containing 0.22 µM 6-benzyladenine and 500 mg/l polyvinyl pyrrollidone. It is estimated that, using this protocol, more than 15,000 shoots can be produced within 9 months from a single node, of 1-year-old plant of Neem.