In vitro regeneration of bitter gourd from seedling explants

A combination of 1.0 mgl-1 2,4-D and 1.0 mgl-1 BAP produced the highest callus frequency in nodal (93.75%), leaf (78.75%) and roots (75.00%) segments. In case of root tips 1.0 mgl-1 2,4-D combined with 0.5 mgl-1 BAP produced the highest callus (72.5%). Nodal segments required minimum number of 8.25 days while root tips required the maximum 32 days for callus induction. A combination of 2.5 mgl-1 BAP and 0.6 mgl-1 NAA produced the highest callus frequency (86.25%) in nodal segments followed by root segments (85.00%). Among the combinations 1.0 mgl-1 2, 4-D and 1.0 mgl-1 BAP was the most suitable for producing greenish friable callus and 2.0 or 2.5 mgl-1 BAP and 0.30 or 0.60 mgl-1 NAA was suitable for callus induction. A combination of 1.0 mgl-1 2, 4-D and 1.0 mgl-1 BAP exhibited 75.00% and 56.0% shoot direct regeneration from nodal segments and leaf segments, respectively. Nodal segments had 70% shoot regeneration via callus on medium with 2.0 mgl-1 BAP and 0.5 mg L-1 IBA + 0.2 mgl-1 GA3. Leaf segments and root tips had equal percentage (65.0) of shoot regeneration upon culture on medium with 2.0 mgl-1 BAP and 0.2 mgl-1 IAA.