Fig: Rooted microshoots
Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus Linn) is a major cut flower crop. Multiplication of carnation is mainly through shoot tip cuttings. A large number of mother plants need to be maintained for production of shoot tip cuttings.
An alternate strategy has been developed that can result in 30% profit over the existing method of carnation multiplication considering the resource, space and time required. This alternate strategy combines the advantages of tissue culture with that of vegetative multiplication. Protocol has been developed to produce maximum microshoots through tissue culture. Appropriate media and source of explants has been worked out to maximize the production of microshoots. Right media and conditions for rooting of these microshoots as shoot tip cuttings has also been worked out. Adopting this strategy, a single plant can be multiplied into about 240 plants in a month’s span. Benefit cost ratio for this strategy has been worked out to 3:1