PROPAGATION OF MORINGA OLEIFERA IN VITRO AND EFFECT OF LASER RADIATION ON GROWTH IN VIVO

Abstract

The present study was carried out at the Experimental Nursery of the Ornamental Horticulture Department, and Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory of Vegetable Crops Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University and , Cairo university, to study the micro propagation behavior and investigate the effect of helium neon laser radiation on stimulation of vegetative growth and anatomical structure of Moringa oleifera seeds by using different power levels (5, 10 and 15) with different time exposure (1, 3 and 5 min.). The results showed that the best survival rate of sterilized seeds was obtained when using 1.5% NaOCl with 30 min. soaking period. 1/2 MS-medium supplemented with 3 mM BA and1 mM Kin treatment produced the highest number of shoots. The greatest rooting percentage was recorded on medium supplemented with 2.5NAA mM without adding IBA. The combination treatment between 0.5 mM IBA and 2.5 mM NAA achieved the largest number of roots. Treating the moringa seeds by He-Ne laser to 5min. time exposure led to the best results in number of branches and leaves for both seasons. 15mW at 3 min. gave the highest value of root length. Treatment that was not exposed to He–Ne laser, produced the best shoot parameters (plant height, leaves fresh weight and stem diameter) which it might have benefit in dwarfing of moringa trees. Exposing Moringa oleifera seeds to He-Ne laser at 5 mW power in the first and second season resulted in significantly highest mean values in Chlorophyll a and total carbohydrates percentage. The maximum percentage of phosphorus and potassium were obtained when using 15 mW power of helium neon laser in two seasons. All He-Ne laser treatments caused increment in leaf anatomical structure of moringa. The highest values of thickness of lamina, thickness of palisade tissue and thickness of spongy tissue were recorded by treated seeds with 15mw He-Ne laser power combined with 5 min. time exposure. Whereas Expose seeds to 5 mW laser power for 5 min. time exposure led to the highest value of thickness of midvein and midvein bundle (length- width).