In vitro rooted plantlets were taken out from culture vessels and
washed with sterile water to remove adherent nutrient and transferred
to glass bottles (400 ml) containing sterile soilrite moistened
with one-fourth strength of MS macro salts solution. The capped
bottles containing in vitro rooted plantlets were kept in the greenhouse
near the pad section for initial acclimatization with 70–80%
RH and about 12 h d−1 photoperiod, 120–180 mol m−2 s−1 PPF
light intensity and 28 ± 2 ◦C to 25 ± 2 ◦C day/night temperature
regime. After 4 weeks, the in vitro and ex vitro rooted plantlets
were acclimatized in greenhouse by gradually loosening the caps
of bottles. The caps were then removed, exposing the plants to the
greenhouse environment for another 4 weeks. During this period,
the bottles were gradually shifted from the pad section (low
temperature, 28 ± 2 ◦C and high humidity zone, 70–80%) towards
the fan section (high temperature, 32 ± 2 ◦C and low humidity
zone, 55–65%) in the greenhouse. For the acclimatization, 24
plantlets were taken as one replicate and experiments were
repeated 3 times. After acclimatization, plantlets were transferred
to the pot (18 cm height × 12 cm diameter) containing mixture
of clay, sand and vermicompost in 1:1:1 ratio, and shifted to
the nursery with 30–40% RH and about 12 h d−1 photoperiod,
300–400 mol m−2 s−1 PPF light intensity (shaded sunlight) and
35 ± 2 ◦C to 30 ± 2 ◦C day/night temperature.