Abstract:
Eustoma grandiflorum, also known as Lisianthus, is a member of the Gentianaceae family and is
highly valued in the global floriculture industry due to its unique characteristics, particularly its
exceptional shelf life. Since lisianthus has the qualities of an “ideal cut flower”, its demand is
increasing throughout the world. This study was aimed to develop cost effective, uniform plants for
commercial production of Lisianthus throughout the year by using in-vitro techniques. The effects of
different combinations and concentrations of plant growth regulators (PGR) and charcoal on new
shoot and root induction of Lisianthus explants was studied. The experiment was arranged as two
factor-factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) along with 15 replicates. The half strength MS
medium supplemented with 0.75 mgLˉˡ Indole-3-Butyric Acid (IBA) + 0.5 mgLˉˡ Napthalene Acetic
Acid (NAA) + 0.5 mgLˉˡ Gibberellic Acid (GA3) with charcoal was the best media for the new shoot
initiation and increment of shoot height of Lisianthus. The MS medium with 0.5 mgLˉˡ Thidiazuron
(TDZ ) + 2 mgLˉˡ Indole-3-Butyric Acid (IBA) with charcoal recorded as the best media for both root
initiation and increment of root length of Lisianthus (p<0.05). The application of these protocols in
commercial production of this valuable cut flower species can be cost-effective, as they involve
minimal use of PGR compared to existing literature.
