In vitro Propagation of Silybum marianum L.

Silybum marianum l. is a wild medicinal herbal plant found in jordan. in vitro propagation of this medicinal crop was achieved by using explants from seedlings produced in vitro from seeds. seeds were surface-sterilized and inoculated on the surface of hormone-free murashige and skoog, 1962 (ms) medium until full germination occurred. ms medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l kinetin and 0.1 mg/l naa was used for multiplication of mother stock obtained from developed seedlings. proliferation was experimented with different levels (0.0, 0.4, 1.0, 1.6 or 2.0 mg/l) of kinetin, ba, or 2ip. highest proliferation of s. marianum was obtained when ba and 2ip were used at (2.0 and 0.4 mg/l; respectively). kinetin gave highest proliferation at 1.6 mg/l. rooting was experimented at different levels (0.0, 0.4, 1.0, 1.6 or 2.0 mg/l) of iba, iaa and naa. highest root number (4.0) and length (6.14 cm) was achieved at 1.0 mg/l naa, and no roots were shown on ms media supplemented with iaa or iba. rooted transplants were acclimatized ex vitro successfully with 70% survival.