POLYACETYLENES IN HAIRY ROOTS OF PLATYCODON GRANDIFLORUM

Hairy roots of Korean balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum) were in duced from root tissues infected with Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC 15 834. Growth and polyacetylene (lobetyol, lobetyolin and lobetyolinin) production of 10 hairy roots clones cultured in 1/4 Gamborg B5 (B5) li quid medium were determined. One selected hairy root clone (D6) grew w ell in hormone-free B5 liquid medium and showed maximum content of pol yacetylenes at week 6 for lobetyol (0.375% dry wt) and at week 7 for l obetyolin and lobetyolinin (3.030 and 0.206% dry wt, respectively) who se levels were much higher than those of the intact plant root (lobety ol: 0.019%; lobetyolin: 0.077% dry wt; lobetyolinin was not detected).