In Vitro Propagation of Salt-Tolerant Wild Rice Relative, Porteresia coarctata Tateoka.

Micropropagation of Porteresia coarctata Tateoka, a wild relative of rice with useful genetic traits of salinity and submergence tolerance, was achieved through nodal segment culture. Woody Plant (WP) medium supplemented with benzyladenine (5.5 µm) and kinetin (2.3 µm) gave the greatest response to initiation and multiplication. The multiplication rate of 11 shoots/explant with an average shoot length of 3.5 cm was observed after 8 weeks of culture period. The rooting response was observed simultaneously in the multiplication media, but subsequent establishment was poor. When the in vitro raised shoots were transferred to optimal 1/2 WP and 1/2 MS media with 10.7 µm alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid, the rooting response was enhanced. Such rooted plants were hardened successfully under field conditions. Key Words. Conservation-Mangrove associates-Micropropagation-Nodal explants-Porteresia coarctata-Salt tolerance