Effect of IAA on Biochemical and Phytochemical Content of Catharanthus

Medicinal plants constitute nearly 25% of the prescribed drugs. In recent years, screening of such plants for biological activities has resulted in the development of therapeutics used in the treatment of cancer, AIDS and others diseases. A large number of medicinal plants are exploited from the natural flora for the commercial production of drug. Catharanthus roseus (L). G. Don was selected for the present study owing to its high active principles such as vincristine, vinblastine, ajmalicine in curing cancer in humans. As Catharanthus is a drought tolerant and slow growing plant, healthy seeds were purchased and sown in earthen pots and seedlings were shifted to daylight conditions for the growth. The present study is aimed to understand the role of IAA in influencing the growth, biochemical and phytochemical content of Catharanthus roseus (L). G. Don. For this purose, four different concentrations viz, 50, 100, 150 and 200ppm of IAA were used as foliar spray. Catharanthus showed better response at 150ppm and 200ppm level of IAA in terms of increase in shoot length, fresh weight, dry weight, leaf area, photosynthetic pigment, soluble sugar and starch than the other treated plants