EFFECT OF PICLORAM AND METHYL JASMONATE ON GROWTH AND TAXANE ACCUMULATION IN CALLUS-CULTURE OF TAXUS X MEDIA VAR HATFIELDII

We have analysed the effect of some culture conditions and media compo nents on callus growth rate and production of taxanes in callus of Tax us x media var. Hatfieldii. For callus induction and maintenance a Gam borg B5 medium and a White-Rangaswamy medium (WR) with different modif ications were used. On an improved WR medium (containing 10 mu M piclo ram) the callus growth factor increased up to 5.8 fold (fresh weight). Picloram only enhanced the growth of callus, but not taxane productio n. On WR medium with (100 mu M) methyl jasmonate the paclitaxel conten t increased from 2.37 mu g g(-1) to 90 mu g g(-1) and cephalomannine f rom 5.14 mu g g(-1) to 29.14 mu g g(-1) (dry weight), whereas growth o f the cultures ceased. The presence of paclitaxel and cephalomannine w as established by high performance liquid chromatography.