Leaf explants of Celastrus paniculatus initially inoculated on MS medium devoid of plant growth regulators evoked no response in terms of adventitious shoot bud differentiation. Incorporation of cytokinins like Kinetin (Kn) and BAP induced shoot buds at their various concentrations. Shoot buds were visible after 3 weeks on petiolated leaf explants (PL) while non- petiolated leaf explants (DL) took 6 weeks to have similar response. Shoot bud differentiation was much better on BAP media as compared to Kn. BAP alone at its 2.0 mgl-1 concentration produced a maximum of 11 shoots buds on PL explants while more than 13 shoot buds per explants could be obtained when both BAP and Kn at 0.5 mgl-1 concentration each were incorporated in the medium. Although shoot buds could be differentiated from both PL and DL explants, there was a great degree of difference in their response to PGR treatments. Leaves derived from in vitro multiplying shoots responded equally, irrespective of their size and position on shoots. However, leaf explants with petioles were more responsive in terms of adventitious shoot bud differentiation. Most of the shoot buds originated from petiolar region while occasional development of shoot buds was also observed from leaf apices and margins of leaf lamina. In case of DL explants buds originated from shoot apices and margins of leaf lamina though most regeneration events occurred from midrib and depetiolated leaf base. PL explants showed cent percent regeneration while 66% response was observed with DL explants. Shoot buds differentiated from various explants could be elongated during their sub-culture for 2 passages of three weeks each and the shoots were subsequently multiplied at a rate of 3.0 - fold. Elongated shoots could be easily rooted and plantlets successfully hardened using previously described procedure.
