A simple, reproducible and efficient micropropagation protocol was developed for three different varieties of greater yam ( Dioscorea alata L.) viz., Sree Roopa, Sree Keerthi and Sree Shilpa using nodalsegments for axillary shoot proliferation at Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram,India. The effect of different explants, surface sterilants and different combinations and concentrationsof Benzyl Adenine (BA) and Napthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) on different parameters
viz.
, number of shoots, shoot length, number of roots, root length, number of leaves and number of nodal meristems were evaluated. The use of nodes from young, vigorously growing vines of sprouted tubers as well as4 - 8 nodes from the tip of field grown plants proved to be the best explant source which gave a quick response. Minimal risk of contamination was observed with 0.08% mercuric chloride (HgCl
2
), whichwas found to be an effective surface sterilant. For
in vitro
regeneration, MS media with 0.5 mg l
-1
NAAand 0.75 mg l
-1
BA with 0.1% activated charcoal was found to be the best. A high percentage of shoots were seen rooted in the same medium containing 0.1% activated charcoal (92%). Regeneratedplants were successfully hardened and transplanted. About 90% of plantlets survived under net houseconditions.