Kinza Nazir*, Muhammad Umair, Waseem Akram, Mareeha Sabir and Iqra Rafique
Institute of Botany, University of the Punjab Lahore 54590, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: nazirkinza1@gmail.com
Nitrogen is universally recognized as a fundamental nutrient required for optimal plant growth and development. Among various nitrogen sources, amino acids serve as a primary reservoir of organic nitrogen in tissue culture media, thus effectively supporting plant growth. The current study was designed to determine the influence of the amino acid arginine on the in vitro growth of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) plants. The experimental setup employed a completely randomized block design, incorporating four distinct treatments with varying concentrations of arginine (0, 1.5, 2.5, and 3.0ppm). Findings indicated that supplementation with 2.5 and 3.0ppm arginine resulted in marked callus induction rates (90% and 80%, respectively) and robust shoot proliferation from nodal explants. Notably, root development was not observed by the 180th day of culture. Additionally, arginine application at different concentrations exhibited varied effects on biochemical parameters. Elevated levels of arginine (2.5, 3.0ppm) significantly enhanced total soluble protein content (57.3 and 65.8mg/g, respectively) while simultaneously reducing total soluble sugar (7.43 and 4.97mg/mL) and proline content (9.39 and 8.30µg/mL) compared to the control group (36.93mg/g, 8.62mg/mL, 22.05µg/mL, respectively). Overall, the data suggest that arginine plays a pivotal role in early plant developmental stages and influences key biochemical processes. The present research highlights the potential utility of arginine as a growth-promoting agent in plant tissue culture, laying the groundwork for further exploration in this field.