Somatic embryogenesis and in vitro rosmarinic acid accumulation in Salvia officinalis and S. fruticosa leaf callus cultures

• Published in: Plant cell reports 1999-02, Vol.18 (6), p.462-466
• Main Authors: KINTZIOS, S, NIKOLAOU, A, SKOULA, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2,4-D; 6-benzyladenine; Acid production; Acids; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Embryonic growth stage; Embryos; Establishment of new cell lines, improvement of cultural methods, mass culture; Eukaryotic cell cultures; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Growth regulators; kinetin; Leaves; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; naphthaleneacetic acid; Plant cells and fungal cells; Plant growth; Plants; rosmarinic acid; Salvia fruticosa; Salvia officinalis
• ISSN: 0721-7714; 1432-203X
• DOI: 10.1007/s002990050604

The effect of explant age, plant growth regulators and culture conditions on somatic embryogenesis and rosmarinic acid production from leaf explants of Salvia officinalis and S. fruticosa plants collected in Greece was investigated. Embryogenic callus with numerous spherical somatic embryos could be induced on explants derived from both species and cultured for 3 weeks on a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.8-18 μm 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and kinetin (Kin) or 10.5-21 μm 1-naphthalenacetic acid and 6-benzyladenine. Only explants from young plants (with six to eight leaves) responded to the culture treatments and, in general, low light intensities (50 μmol m^sup -2^ s^sup -1^) favoured callus formation and induction of somatic embryos. Somatic embryos were further developed on the same medium. Heart- and torpedo-shaped embryos (1-2 mm long) were subcultured on a growth-regulator-free MS medium for maturation. Maximum rosmarinic acid accumulation in S. officinalis and S. fruticosa callus cultured on 4.5 μm 2,4-D and 4.5 μm Kin was 25.9 and 29.0 g/l, respectively.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]