Diversity in callus organization in Eclipta alba Hassak

Callus development has been regarded as a pre-requisite condition for effective micro propagation. Eclipta alba a wild medicinal plant seems to follow this principle quite readily and effectively. This plant can be effectively propagated on defined culture media (MS, supplemented with NAA (1mg/L) and BAP ( 2 mg/L) . During present study an attempt has been made to evaluate the response of different plant part of Eclipta alba in micro- propagation. Attempt has also been made to report the type of callus formed during propagation. It has been noticed that callus formation in sub-cultured plant is more rapid, less time consuming (20 days) and exhibits diversity in structural organisation. The type of callus formed has been found to be deep black and tightly packed, light black spreading and diffused, transparent white, transparent white mixed with green, and transparent grey. Growing seed after 30 days of incubation, induced unorganized mass of cells of two different colours. These were transparent grey (Large) and transparent white (Minute attached to the media) in colour. The sub-cultured plant exhibited profusely growing transparent and white calluses. The node ex-plant developed a bulbous callus which was rooty and shooty to a limited extent. When leaf ex-plant was used it yielded calluses of different kind such as green, white minute grey and minute nodular callus.