Indirect Organogenesis of Withania somnifera - Poshita Variety.

Withania somnifera cv. Poshita is an ethanomedicinally important plant. Seeds of the plant, sterilized and inoculated on � MS basal medium supplemented with 3% sucrose and 100 mgl-1myoinositol germinated well within three days of incubation. The leaf explants excised from the seedlings after 10 days of culture, on transfer to MS medium containing 0.2mgl-1TDZ and 1mgl-1BAP induced well proliferating callus, which on further maintenance in the same medium regenerated roots and shoots. Histological study of the organogenesis in the callus, demonstrated differentiation of meristemoids from the peripheral layers of the callus; the meristamatic cells of the meristemoids containing deeply stained protoplasm and prominent nuclei, under event repeated divisions, and organized into shoot and root meristems. The shoot meristems were later connected with the root meristem with well defined vasculature, resulting in full fledged healthy plants which can be successfully established in the field