ESTABLISHMENT OF CALLUS AND CELL SUSPENSION CULTURES OF CASSIA BICAPSULARIS L.

Callus cultures were initiated from leaf of Cassia bicapsularis L. on solid Murashige Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with different growth regulators. Excellent growth of callus was obtained in medium supplemented with 1 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4- D) and grown in the dark. The obtained callus was subcultured every 4 weeks in the dark at 25°C. The Callus was compact, yellowish brown in colour and used for establishment of cell suspension cultures. Maximum growth of suspension cultures was achieved in medium supplemented with 1 mg/l 2,4-D and 0.1 mg/l kinetin. The growth rate of cells was initially slow but as the cultures proceeded, the growth increased significantly over a period of 22 days then the growth of cells was stable for 35 days.