EFFECT OF TYROSINE ON THE PRODUCTION OF ALKALOIDS IN THE HIGH-YIELDING CELL-LINES OF PAPAVER-SOMNIFERUM TISSUE-CULTURE

The high yielding cell lines were isolated from the heterogenous callu s culture of Papaver somniferum established on modified Murashige and Skoog's medium. These cell lines were transferred to liquid medium, an d maintained for six months by frequent subculturing. The tissues were supplied with different concentrations (12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/100 m i) of tyrosine and analysed quantitatively for their alkaloidal conten ts. Six major opium alkaloids-morphine, codeine, thebaine, narceine, n arcotine and papaverine, were identified. The tissue grown on liquid m edium supplemented with 12.5 mg tyrosine/100 mi showed maximum percent age of alkaloids and therefore this concentration is considered as the most favourable condition and can be utilized for the large scale pro duction of alkaloids from the cell lines.