Tissue Culture in Ochna integerrima Achieves Success in SCBG

Ochna integerrima belongs to Ochnaceae. It is a high ornamental and medicinal plant and all parts of the plant can be used as Chinese medicine. The bark can be used for treatment of digestive diseases; the roots are an insect repellent herb and the leaves and branches contain a variety of flavonoids. Bioassay displays that some flavonoids extract from leaves and twigs of O. integerrima have the anti-HIV-1 active EtCAc. Now O. integerrima has been listed as a rare and endangered plant in China.

Prof. MA Guohua from Biotechnology Research Group of South China Botanical Garden induced adventitious shoot and somatic embryogenesis via different explants (Cotyledons, leaves and shoots) of O. integerrima. The study shows that a low concentration of Thidiazuron (TDZ) could induce adventitious shoots whereas high concentration of TDZ could induce both somatic embryogenesis and adventitious shoot formation. An efficient mass propagation and plant regeneration system of O. integerrima has been established. The results of the study not only strengthen the efficient propagation and conservation of the species, but also promote its development in physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology.It demonstrates biotechnological scientific values and feasible uses in the conservation and utilization of the endangered medicinal plant.

Now the above study results have been published in international journals, Propagation of Ornamental Plants (2006: 145-148) and Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture (2010: DIO 10.1007/s11240-010-9812-7).

Ochna integerrima