Efficient plant regeneration in arrowroot (Maranta arundinacae L.) for mass multiplication and in vitro germplasm conservation

Arrowroot is a tuber crop gaining global importance as a potential source of high-quality natural starch, cultivated throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The present study aimed to standardize an efficient micropropagation protocol for rapid mass multiplication and in vitro germplasm conservation of arrowroot. Among the genotypes evaluated, the number of shoots per explant was highest (2.40) in the genotype M7 and was on par with M4 (2.21). Maximum regeneration was observed on the MS medium supplemented with 4.0 mg/l BAP and 0.5 mg/l NAA. The average number of shoots per explant (4.17±1.40), shoot length (3.78±0.37 cm) and number of leaves (6.92±2.23) were recorded maximum on the same medium. Whereas, the addition of TDZ at varying concentrations and combinations to the MS medium was found to be inhibitory to in vitro regeneration. Rooting of regenerated shoots was achieved on MS basal medium devoid of plant growth regulators. The regenerants were successfully acclimatized on a sterile mixture of soil, sand and farmyard manure at a 1:1:1 ratio before transferring to the main field.