SHOOT PROLIFERATION AND PLANT REGENERATION FROM GIANT TARO (Alocasia macrorrhiza L.) SCHOTT AND ENOL)

Alocasia macrorrlliza is an ornamental plant with decorative foliage. A
procedure for propagation of Alocasia from shoot tip, axillary buds, stem pith, root and
leaf petiole explants is described. Shoot tip and axillary buds were excised from
mature plants and cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with
B.B 11M benzyladenine (BA) and 0.5 11M naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and incubated
for eight weeks. Produced shoots were quartered. or left intact and cultured on MS
alone or supplemented with 2.2, 4.4, B.8, 13.2, 17.6, 22.0, 26.4, 30.8, 35.2 11M BA with
0.5 11M NAA. Shoot regeneration was obtained from stem pith explants cultured on
MS alone or supplemented with 0.9. 2.2, 4.4. 8.8.13.3,17.6,22.0 JIM BA with 0.5 11M
NAA. Callus was produced from shoot tip, leaf, root and stem pith explants cultured
on MS supplemented with different concentration from 2,4-0, pidoram or NAA. Shoot
regeneration from callus occurred upon transfer into MS containing 2.2 JIM SA.
Produced shoots were rooted, acdimatized, and normal plants were successfully
established in soil.