Agrotechnology

Influence of electro stimulation of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) in vitro micro shoots on acclimatization

3^rd International Conference on Agriculture & Horticulture

October 27-29, 2014 Hyderabad International Convention Centre, India

Sunitha Vaidya, Neelima Badhuri K K R, Sathya Divya B V, Rukmini Priyanka S R and Poorna Sri Devi B P

Posters: Agrotechnol

Abstract:

Neem in vitro micro shoots of A1variety were electro stimulated for 9 days at 18 μA, 1 Hz, 2 V by an agrotron R-50 which generates alternate current of minute intensity. The hardening efficacy of electro stimulated and control micro shoots were assessed by rooting efficiency, biomass, chlorophyll content, rate of water loss and superoxide dismutase activity . Early rooting occurred in electro stimulated micro shoots (15 days) than control (25-28 days) and no of roots were more and longer in length in different stages of acclimatization which helped to acclimatize faster than control plants. Electro stimulated plants showed optimum root, shoot biomass and root shoot ratio. Chlorophyll content was more in electro stimulated plants than controls in different stages of growth which helps to increase photosynthetic efficiency and to switch over to autotrophic mode of nutrition during acclimatization. Percentage of water loss was less in electro treated plants in all stages of acclimatization and facilitated plants to withstand the water stress condition. Superoxide dismutase activity increased in plantlets during different stages of acclimatization and higher in electro treated plants and indicates that tolerance mechanism is more to face the stresses of open field environment. So high rooting efficiency, more biomass, higher chlorophyll content, less percentage of water loss, higher SOD activity helped electro stimulated plants to acclimatize faster. So this experiment proves that it is a suitable technique for efficient production of hardened plants with a good potential for photosynthesis and growth.