Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

STUDIES ON TISSUE CULTURE OF SALT MARSH HALOPHYTE, SUAEDA MARITIMA (LINNAEUS) FOR THE APPLICATION OF EFFLUENT TREATMENT IN COASTAL AQUACULTURE

Mahesh Kumar Kandaswamy, P. Devi and R. Moses Inbaraj

Abstract

Salt marsh plants often form mono-specific patches and zones between mean sea level (MSL) and highest astronomical tide level (HAT). Suaeda maritima (Linnaeus) is a plant which tolerates high levels of sodium chloride in its environment and accumulates these ions in its shoots. Most species are confined to saline or alkaline soil habitats, such as coastal salt-flats and tidal wetlands. Many species have thick, succulent leaves, a characteristic seen in various plant genera that thrive in salty habitats (halophile plants). The halophyte S. maritima accumulates, without injury, concentrations of NaCl in its leaves. The halophyte serves as a very important Bio - filters for the effluents from aquaculture farm. Thus, the callus formed can sustain in varying salt concentration and the wetland can be formed near the aquaculture farm in order to manage the effluent from the farm. The salt marsh habitat also acts as a very good importer of nutrients to the aquaculture farm. The restoration of wetland by implanting plantlets of the study plant can support the management of effluents from the culture field. A study was carried out in order to bring out the micropropagation of the salt marsh plant, S. maritima. The tissue culture of the study plant was carried out with different concentration of growth hormones. 2, 4- Dichlorophenoxy Acetic Acid and Indole Acetic Acid were two different auxins that were used and Benzyl adenine is the cytokinin that was used to enhance the micropropagation of the study plant. The callus was observed when the 2,4-Dichlorophenoxy Acetic Acid and Benzyl adenine were used in the medium. Whereas, the medium with Indole Acetic Acid and Benzyl adenine was not effective in micropropagation. Moreover, 1.5mg/L concentration of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxy Acetic Acid was found effective in bringing out the callus formation within 11 days of incubation. The culture was successful when 30% of sucrose was used as carbon source. The further development in hardening the callus can prove to restore the wetland there by pollution due to the effluents from the aquaculture can be monitored and it can support ecofriendly form of aquaculture.