KINETIC EXPRESSION FOR PIGMENT PRODUCTION IN CULTURE OF RED BEET HAIRY ROOTS

A kinetic model was proposed to represent the profile of pigment produ ction associated with the growth of red beet hairy roots. This model w as constructed on the basis of a concept of cellular age distribution arising from a linear growth mode of the roots. The kinetics of root p roliferation were formulated using a Monod-type rate equation of root elongation with intracellular phosphorus as a limiting substrate. A po sitional dependence of pigment content was observed along with the hai ry roots; namely, content increased with increasing distance from the root tips and gradually approached a saturated value correlated with i ntracellular phosphorus content. The kinetics of pigment formation of hairy roots were presented by considering the variation in pigment con tent along the roots and the intracellular phosphorus effect. It was d emonstrated that the model made it possible to describe the kinetic be haviors of growth and pigmentation during hairy root culture in a ferm enter.