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Manju M. George*
Department of Botany, Union Christian College (Autonomous), Aluva,
Ernakulam District, Kerala – 683 102, India
Email: manju@uccollege.edu.in
Received-27.04.2026, Revised-13.05.2026, Accepted-28.05.2026
Abstract: Barleria lupulina Lindl. is a medicinally important shrub native to Southeast Asia, valued in Thai folk medicine for anti-inflammatory, anti-amoebic, and diuretic properties. Overexploitation and limited natural regeneration have created an urgent need for reliable in vitro propagation protocols. In the present study, callus was induced from leaf, petiole, and stem explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with combinations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Leaf explants showed the highest callus induction frequency. Established callus was transferred to MS medium containing BAP and/or kinetin (Kn), alone or with low concentrations of auxins, to initiate shoot organogenesis. The present study reports the first systematic account of callus-mediated shoot regeneration in B. lupulina and establishes a framework for clonal multiplication, germplasm conservation, and future genetic improvement of this species.
Keywords: Barleria lupulina, Callus culture, Acanthaceae, Plant growth regulators
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