Abstract:
Cell, tissue, and organ growth and multiplication on specific solid or liquid media in a
sterile and controlled setting are known as plant tissue culture. For the preparation of the
media used in tissue culture methods, a variety of expensive chemicals are used.
Researchers have found that coconut water is also used as a natural hormone or
supplement to improve the regeneration of plant cells, to enhance callus induction, shoot
development and multiplication. Young coconut nuts (about 6 months old) will be used to
collect coconut water obtained from in Divulapitiya area. MS control media (T6) was
prepared by adding macronutrients, micronutrients, MS Miner, Vitamins, 0.1g/l Inositol,
30g/l Sugar, 7g/l Agar, 2ml BAP and 0.2ml NAA to the MS solution. Other treatment
media were prepared by adding 50 ml (T1), 150 ml (T2), 250 ml (T3) and 350 ml (T4) of
the coconut water to the MS media solution. The pH of the media was set to 5.6.
Turmeric (Curcuma domestica) plant was selected for this experimental as an experiment
plant. Good quality sub-cultured plants (plant size 3cm and disease free) selected from
the 8th sub-cultured cycle and established in prepared treatments. The shoot
multiplication of turmeric plants was observed at one week intervals by measuring the
first shoot appearance date, the number of new shoots, the new shoot height and the
number of leaves per plant. The data were analyzed using SAS in which one -way
ANOVA was performed at a significance level of (p<0.05) at a 95% confidence limit. ln
this experiment, the shoot multiplication is higher in the medium made by using coconut
water than in the normal MS medium, because of the presence of hormones in coconut
water which are necessary for plant growth. The results showed that the mean of emerged
shoot number at 5% CW concentration was significantly higher than the control and all
the other. treatments (F= 5.09; df=4,45; P<0.05). The highest mean shoot height was
recorded from the untreated control as 1.97 cm and there was no significant difference
was observed between the untreated control. The highest leaf number of 2 was recorded
with the untreated control and 35% CW treatment, while the lowest was recorded as 1
with 5%,15% and 25% CW concentration treatments.
