TISSUE CULTURE OF SMILAX ZEYLANICA L.

Callus cultures were established from stem explants of Smilax zeylanica L. on a modified basal medium of Murashige and Skoog (1962) supplemented with 5 mg/l Kn + 2 mg/l NAA + 1 mg/l 2,4-D + 2.5 mg/l IBA. Shoot buds develop after 8 weeks in the BM containing 5 mg/l Kn + 2.5 mg/l IBA. Combination of 1 mg/l BA + 0.05 mg/l 2,4-D was most suitable for shoot multiplication and development from differentiating calli. Rooting was induced when shoots were transferred to half strength MS inorganic salts supplemented with 2 mg/l IBA. The undifferentiated and differentiating calli contain higher content of diosgenin than the shoots.