Effect of sucrose and mannitol on Ajmalicine production from leaves induced callus of Catharanthus roseus L. G. Don in vitro

Abstract

An experiment on the effect of sucrose and mannitol on leave induced callus of Catharanthus roseus was conducted from February 2011 to May 2012. Callus induction was achieved by culturing leaves of the plant on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg /L 2,4-D and 1mg / L Kin, The best medium to maintain callus was on MS medium modified with 0.5 mg /L 2,4-D and 1.5 mg / L Kin. when different levels were added to MS medium for each Mannitol 0, 6000 ,8000 ,10000 mg /L and Sucrose 40, 60 ,80, 100 g /L in split experimental and control treatment was MS medium supplemented with 30 g/L sucrose. The results showed that medium supplemented with 100 gL of sucrose gave the highest quantity of Ajmalicine 32.27 µg/100 mg fresh weight of callus,as well as medium supplemented with 8000 mgL of Mannitol gave the highest value of Ajmalicine 120.19 µg/100 mg fresh weight of callus. The concentrations of Ajmalicine, derived from the leaves of the plants grown in pot, were lowest than the concentrations produced by the callus grown in vitro it was 0.047 µg/100 fresh weight of the leaves.