IN VITRO PROPAGATION OF DIPTERIS WALLICHII (R.BR.) T. MOORE: A HOPE FOR CONSERVATION OF AN ENDANGERED PTERIDOPHYTE

The pteridophytes include the fern and fern allies which jointly create the necessary environment for human life on earth with other green plants. Dipteris wallichii (R.Br.) T. Moore is a rare and endemic pteridophyte of North East India. It is also facing severe threats due to its habitat destruction. Tribals destroy the plant in large numbers for preparing their wine drinking pipes. An in vitro protocol for micropropagation of D.wallichii Moore was carried out using standard Murashige and Skoog medium for spore germination and further cell proliferation. It was observed that supplementation of phytohormones mainly auxins (Indole-3-Acetic Acid) were favourable for sporophyte development from prothallus. Further growth and differentiation of the prothallus and sporophyte were recorded for various hormone concentrations and combinations and was observed to be best in 0.15 mg/L IAA + 0.20 mg/L KIN.