In vitro propagation of Catalpa ovata G. Don

Plants of C. ovata were regenerated in vitro from shoot tips and nodal expl ants as well as from cotyledon-derived calluses. For shoot proliferation fr om shoot tips and nodal segments, Schenk and Hildebrandt (1972) or Lloyd an d McCown (1980) basal media, supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (2.2-22.2 mu M) alone or in combination with indole-3-acetic acid (0.6 mu M), were used . Shoot regeneration through organogenesis was achieved by culturing cotyle dons on Schenk and Hildebrandt medium containing indole-3-acetic acid (0.6 mu M) and 6-benzyladenine (4.4 mu M) or zeatin (22.8 mu M). TLC and HPLC an alysis showed that the multiple shoots and micropropagated plants exhibited similar iridoid patterns as those of the leaves of original plants of C. o vata. The highest levels of catalpol and catalposide (8.2 and 2.4 % of dry weight, respectively) were found in aerial parts of three-month-old in vitr o regenerated plants.