In Vitro Propagation of Cannabis sativa L. Using meta-Topolin

Cannabis sativa is one of the oldest known domesticated plants belonging to the family Cannabaceae. It is extensively cultivated throughout the world for its psychoactive properties, durable fiber and seeds. The plant is reported to have several medicinal properties. The present study describes a simple, efficient and one step regeneration system for rapid axillary shoot proliferation and in vitro rooting of C. sativa nodal explants using meta-Topolin (mT), an aromatic natural cytokinin. The highest shoot proliferation frequency was obtained from nodal explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal salts supplemented with 0.5 mg l^–1 meta-topolin (mT) generating an optimal number of shoots with suitable morphological features. Shoots multiplied on the same medium for two subcultures of three weeks each, were able to induce healthy roots. Regenerated plantlets were successfully acclimatized and hardened off inside the culture room and then transferred to a greenhouse with 100% survival rate.