Seeds were taken out using forceps, washed with tap water, then treated with 0.1% copper oxychloride for 10min and rinsed three times with distilled water. This was followed by surface sterilization with systemic fungicide, 0.1 % Bavistin, under aseptic conditions for 5 min, followed by several washes with sterile distilled water. The surface-sterilized seeds were inoculated in petri plates containing sterile filter paper soaked in sterile distilled water and incubated in the culture room for 7-10 days at 25±2 °C. After germination, the seeds were transferred to culture tubes containing MS basal medium [12] and allowed to grow for one week. These plants were used for multiple shoot induction