Morphogenic response and proline content in Bacopa monniera cultures grownunder copper stress

Presence of copper sulphate (25-100 mu M) in the medium, MS (sucrose 2%) su pplemented with NAA (0.2 mg l(-1)), BAP (0.5 mg l(-1)) and glutamine (50 mg l(-1)) significantly enhanced the growth of regenerants of Bacopa monniera . Higher concentrations (200-600 mu M), however, inhibited shoot and root g rowth for 16 weeks, although the regenerants resumed growth thereafter. Mor phogenic response of regenerants was monitored in terms of number, height o f shoots, total fresh weight (FW) and root formation. That these cultures, maintained on CuSO4-supplemented medium for the last 3 years, failed to gro w on being transferred to CuSO4-free media indicates their adaptation to co pper stress. Copper stress increased proline content. The amount of CuSO4 a ccumulated on the cell wall was considerably higher than that in the cytopl asmic fraction. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.