Effect of culture media and growth regulators on micropropagation of medicinal plant Urtica dioica L

Urtica dioica L. is dioecious plant and cross pollination with active components and special medicinal properties with economic values. Due to high level of heterozygosity of the species, homogeneity in fiber production and harvesting of selected plants is not guaranteed by seed propagation. For this reason micropropagation and asexual proliferation is suggested for production of selected plants. For micropropagation of the species, apical buds of Nettle shoots were used as explant. After sterilization, the explants were transferred into MS medium containing BAP, 2iP and IBA. Then, to evaluate the culture conditions, the explants were located on culturing mediums (MS, DKW, WPM) with different concentrations of growth regulators (IBA, 2,4-D, BAP, KIN, 2iP , TDZ) in a factorial experimental model based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The best medium for shooting initiation was WPM culture. Between rooting treatments, the best root number and secondary roots belonged to KIN (0.5 mgl-1) IBA (0.5 and 1 mgl-1) and BAP (0.5 mgl-1) IBA (0.5 mgl-1) treatments, respectively. Then rooted plantlets transferred to the greenhouse and successfully were acclimatized (55.5%).