Celosia argentea (Var.) cristata (Amaranthaceae) is a widely
cultivated ornamental plant, which has antibacterial, astringent, haemostatic,
hypertensive, ophthalmic, and parasitic significance. This study describes a protocol
for in vitro callus induction and plant regeneration from leaf and stem explants of
C. argentea using Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Callus culture was initiated
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established from seedling, leaf, and stem explants. Explants were cultured on MS
medium supplemented with auxin alone (0.5 mg/L Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 2,
4-Dicholorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D). Green and red compact callus (98%) were
induced using MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L NAA and 1.0 mg/L Benzyladenine
(BA). Two different concentrations (1.0 mg/L BA + 0.5 mg/L NAA and 1.0 mg/L BA + 1.0
mg/L NAA) successfully induced plant regeneration with multiple shoots (1.5 and 0.9
shoots per explants, respectively). Successful shoots were transferred to rooting
medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (80%) at 35th
day. Acclimatization was done, which resulted in 90% of the plantlets surviving in
garden soil. This protocol could be used to micropropagate C. argentea for
conservation, commercial natural product production. The high frequency of callus
indicated potential of C. argentea for secondary metabolite production (celosin) in
pharmaceutical industry.