In vitro micropropagation of malunggay (Moringa oleifera Lam.): a preliminary report
2008
Manohar, S.K. | Gabertan, H.A., BPI-LBNCRDC, Los Baños 4030, Laguna (Philippines)
The Philippine Food Fortification Program (Republic Act 8976) mandates food and processed-food producers to fortify their products with essential nutrients to match the required RDA. The traditionally used indigenous vegetable malunggay (Moringa oleifera Lam.) is now recognized as being especially rich in Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Proteins and Vitamins, hence it can be a suitable candidate for this purpose. During the last decade its use has provided an inexpensive, sustainable solution to malnutrition in many African countries by remarkably improving the African diet. In addition, the recent increasing demand for its mineral and vitamin-loaded leaves and pods for use as efficient dietary supplements, and seeds for extraction for valuable oil, as well as its potential use in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetics industries have given rise to an urgent need of greatly increasing its production. The usual propagation by seeds or by vegetative means is time consuming and inadequate. This necessitates the establishment of in vitro protocols for its mass propagation to meet the demand. This project aims to develop micropropagation protocols for mass production of malunggay using induced calli and organogenesis methods. Different explants from aseptically germinated seeds and greenhouse-grown seedlings were tested for their response to plant growth regulators for callus formation and regeneration experiments. Explants from lower branches from mature trees and meristems are being tested in experiments for multiple shooting and eventual rooting and establishment in the greenhouse and field. This study describes the preliminary results obtained in callus production and future activities of the project.
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