Effect of Hormones (IBA & IAA) on the Propagation of Himalayan Yew in Pakistan: A Conservation Approach

Background Himalayan yew (Taxus wallichiana) is one of the endangered medicinal plants species having great importance due to the presence of anticancer drug Taxol. This metabolite is mainly used for the treatment of ovarian, breast, AIDS-related cancers, and other indications. The study being reported here was conducted for the propagation of Himalayan yew by using two different trials of Indole Butyric acid (IBA) and Indole acetic acid (IAA) hormones treatments (2000–7000 ppm) through stem cuttings (140 each). In the same way, 3840 cuttings were treated with IBA and IAA from November 2016 to November 2017 at Lalku valley, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Results The influence of IBA treatment (7000 ppm) showed a survival of 85.22% (average number of roots = 10.4, average length of roots = 15.5 cm, average number of leaves = 92.4 and average number of sprouts = 3.3) while that of IAA treatment (7000 ppm) the survival of 81.11% (average number of roots = 9.1, average length of roots = 14.6 cm, average number of leaves = 84.0 and average number of sprout = 3.0) were more significant followed by 2000–6000 ppm (IBA and IAA). Lowest survival 40–45% (average number of roots = 4.2, average length of roots = 8.0 cm, average number of leaves = 32.2, average number of sprouts = 1.7) was noticed for controlled cuttings. Conclusion The present study enhanced the potential of conservation and propagation of T. wallichiana. Hence our study suggests and recommends the application of IBA (7000 ppm) as a better hormone for the conservation and propagation of Himalayan yew.

Genetic variation in Taxus baccata (Himalayan Yew) central Nepal

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Adventitious root formation in branch cuttings of Taxus wallichiana Zucc.(Himalayan yew): A clonal approach to conserve the scarce resource

Himalayan yew (<em>Taxus wallichiana</em> Zucc.), is an economically valuable plant and critically endangered due to overexploitation for the isolation of Taxol,an exciting anticancer drug from its bark and leaves. Since the species is unisexual and due to its long seed dormancy period and rapid loss of viability coupled with low survival percentage, its natural regeneration from seeds is very poor. As the seed raised plants add little growth, propagation by stem cuttings was tried under natural conditions and a considerable success was achieved after making use of different auxins (Indole-3- Acetic Acid-IAA, Indole Butyric Acid-IBA and Naphthalene Acetic Acid-NAA) in different concentrations. A Randomized block design (RBD) was adopted for laying the experiment of the present study. Of the ten treatments studied, IBA at 500ppm performed best of all the treatments and registered higher callusing percentage, rooting percentage, number of roots and length of roots in the juvenile shoot cuttings of the species. The results achieved through the application ofplant growth regulators (PGRs)by way of adventitious root formation (ARF) could be useful for the management of this understory coniferous tree species, whether for conservation, habitat restoration or for the production of Taxol,a promising anti-cancer agent. The technique evolved will be the most handy, quickest, inexpensive and can be applied any where in its natural habitat for the restoration and restocking of this valuable plant, which is otherwise facing the peril of extinction throughout the range of its distribution including Indian Himalayas.