Assessment of genetic fidelity of encapsulated microshoots of Picrorhiza kurrooa

In vitro grown microshoots of Picrrhiza kurrooa were encapsulated in the alginate beads. Regrowth of encapsulated microshoots, using alginate encapsulation, of P. kurrooa reached 89.33% following 3 months of storage. Amongst developing plantlets, 42.66% exhibited formation of multiple shoots at the onset of regrowth and 21.43% demonstrated simultaneous formation of shoots and roots. Healthy root formation was observed in plantlets following 2 weeks of their transfer to half-strength Murashige and Skoog medium containing 1 μM α-naphthalene acetic acid. Plants were transplanted to the greenhouse in three batches with 95% frequency of survival. The genetic fidelity of P. kurrooa plants growing out after storage in encapsulated form was ascertained by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Molecular analysis of randomly selected plants from each batch was conducted using 45 random decamer primers. Of 45 primes tested, 14 produced scorable amplified products. Total 68 bands were observed amongst them 7.35% bands were polymorphic. Cluster analysis of the RAPD profile revealed an average similarity coefficient of 0.966 thus confirming genetic stability of plants derived from encapsulated microshoots following 3 months of storage.