TROPANE ALKALOID PRODUCTION IN TRANSFORMED ROOT CULTURES OF BRUGMANSIA-CANDIDA

Transformed root cultures of Brugmansia candida were established by in fection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes LBA 9402. Several clones with di fferent growth index and tropane alkaloid pattern and content were obt ained and two were examined in depth. The alkaloid content and pattern changed during the time course. At 21 days of culture clone 1 reveale d an alkaloid spectrum dominated by 3alpha-acetoxytropane (about 50 % of the total alkaloid) and hyoscyamine (about 25 %), with a ratio of h yoscyamine to scopolamine of 11.2. In clone 40 this ratio was 1.5 and the content of 3alpha-acetoxytropane was low (2 %). The maximum concen trations of hyoscyamine were obtained at 3 weeks of culture, and were 700 and 500 mug/g FW in clone 1 and 40, respectively.