IMPROVEMENT OF STEPHANIA-GLABRA (ROXB) MIERS CELL-CULTURE PRODUCTIVITY

The possibility of improving the alkaloid stepharine production in a s uspension culture of the tropical plant Stephania glabra (Roxb) Miers. by physiological and genetic methods is shown. The cultivation condit ions of the initial strain VILR Sg-6 were optimized. The productivity of four clone populations obtained by treatment with mutagen and use o f a selective medium with p-fluorophenylalanine was studied. The new s train VILR Sg-48 was established during clonal propagation, having a g rowth rate comparable to that of the VILR Sg-6 strain and a stepharine content two to three times higher. Combined application of the physio logical and genetical methods is considered to be the most effective w ay to increase tissue productivity.