- SHORT COMMUNICATION - Micropropagation of Emilia zeylanica C.B. Clarke, by using explants of inflorescence rachis PHILIP J. ROBINSON1, JOHN S. BRITTO1*, JOSEPH SEBASTINRAJ1, VINOTH D. KUMAR1 and SENTHIL S. KUMAR2 1 The Rapinat Herbarium and Centre for Molecular Systematics, St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli 620 002, South India 2 Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli 620 002, South India Abstract Tissue culture techniques are useful for ex situ conservation of rare, endemic or threatened plant species. This report describes a protocol for micropropagation of Emilia zeylanica (Compositae), an endangered plant species, using segments of inflorescence rachis, as explants. Only 15% of the explants were contaminated by using this material to start the in vitro culture. The highest shoot proliferation was obtained on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium supplemented with 0.05 mg l-1 6-benzylaminopurine. Shoot length gradually decreased by addition of increasing concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine. Maximum number of roots was obtained in Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium supplemented with 0.1 mg l-1 indole-3-butyric acid. High survival percentage, over 75%, was obtained when the plantlets were transferred to greenhouse conditions. Emilia zeylanica can be successfully micropropagated with a single inflorescence rachis and without a significant damage to the mother plant.   < back .