From propagation to production: In vitro studies on Gloriosa superba

The research was undertaken with the objective to study the response of the valuable medicinal plant, to in vitro manipulations aimed at mass multiplication and in vitro production of the medicinal compound colchicine, naturally synthesized by the species, from cell and organ culture. The study indicated the possible modes of in vitro regeneration and production of colchicine with some amount of success. Further in-depth studies on this invaluable plant species is highly mandated in areas such as micropropagation through multiple shoot induction for mass multiplication of true to type plants, microtuberisation as a source of planting material as well as a possible source of colchicine recovery and on perfecting the RLS and suspension culture parameters to induce higher recovery by determining the more effective concentrations and combinations of the elicitors (especially fungal elicitors) that showed promising response. Integration of upcoming technologies and refinements for further scale-up of the secondary metabolite yield from G. superba cultures is also of prime importance.