Abstract

Cost-reduction and simplification of conventional tissue culture procedures were applied for the micropropagation of Kaempferia galanga. It was demonstrated that routine plant tissue culture procedures can be carried out by undergraduates with very little training. A simple sterile hood was used in this study instead of a laminnar flow bench and a pressure cooker instead of the autoclave. Laboratory grade chemicals and tap water were used for preparation of tissue culture media. Plantlets could be raised in low-cost polypropylene bags modified in shape and size using a heat sealer. Liquid medium was found to be adequate for culturing multiple shoots. Incubation of cultures was also carried out at room temperature using sunlight as the only light source. Plantlets were rooted in the multiplication media itself and transferred to soil after a few days of hardening. All the modified procedures were successfully carried out by an undergraduate technician after about two months of training. Ten selected undergraduate trainees were also given a one-week training course at the end of the project period to disseminate the techniques developed in the project