Differential Hormonal Requirements for Clonal Propagation of Male and Female Jojoba Plants

Abstract

Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba), a dioecious shrub of arid zone is emerging as an agronomically valuable crop. Its seeds store liquid wax (40–60% by dry weignt), similar in properties to sperm whale oil and is thus extensively employed as a high pressure lubricant in heavy machineries, in pharmaceuticals as well as in cosmetic industries all over the globe. Till date, only one paper has appeared on clonal propagation of jojoba by Chaturvedi & Sharma (1989). They have mentioned that male and female plants respond alike in culture. In view of its great economic importance, it is imperative to develop protocols for in vitro clonal propagation of elite male and female plants of this taxon. Present paper reports the differential hormonal requirements for in vitro clonal propagation of physiologically mature male and female plants.