polypropylene bags. In laboratory, the suckers were
washed thoroughly under running tap water. The roots
and outer leaves were removed until the shoot measured
3.0-3.5 cm in length and 1.0-1.5 cm width at the base.
The pale white tissue block (3.0x1.5 cm) containing
meristem and rhizomatous base were taken in a beaker.
Surface sterilized with 70% ethanol, 0.1% mercuric
chloride solution and diluted Tween-20 solution. After
that, the explants were rinsed three to four times with
sterile distilled water (Bhojwani and Razdan, 1983;
Razdan, 1993; Shiragi et al., 2008).