In Vitro Effects of Brassinosteroids on the Growth and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in Groundnut

This paper deals with the in vitro effects of brassinosteroids (BRs) on growth in the form of multiple shoots, chlorophyll content, Hill reaction activity (HRA), activities of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), polyphenol oxidase (PPX), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in Arachis hypogaea L. genotypes (M-13 and PBS24030). In vitro impact of BR on shoot multiplication potential was found to be the best at 1?mL?L-1 with BA (3?mg?L-1) in both the cultivars. Flowering was observed in PBS24030 on the medium containing 2.0?mL?L-1 BR with 3?mg?L-1 BA. Rhizogenesis was noticed in the presence of BR alone. Total chlorophyll content and HRA were highest at 2.0?mL?L-1 with BA in M-13 and 1.0?mL?L-1 with BA in PBS24030. Antioxidant enzyme activities were increased in the presence of BR whether alone or in combination with BA in both the cultivars. However, progressive decline was observed in case of MDA content. The results obtained in the study clearly indicated not only the in vitro establishment of groundnut cultivars in the presence of BR alone and in combination with BA but also its effect on various growth promotory physiological parameters.