Plant Tissue Cult. 11(1) : 77-84, 2001(June)

In vitro Synthesis of Hecogenin from Sisal (Agave sisalana Perrine ex Engelm.)

S. K. Hazra¹, A. K. Das and Sudripta Das

Crop Improvement Division, Central Research Institute for Jute & Allied Fibres, Barrackpore-743 101, West Bengal, India

Key words: Agave sisalana, Hecogenin, Synthesis, Suspension culture

Abastract

Calli, induced on leaf and rhizome explants of sisal (Agave sisalana Perrine ex. Engelm.), on MS basal media containing 1.1 ?M 2,4-D and 9.3 ?M Kn or NAA (13.4 ?M) had a slower growth rate. Modifying the inorganic nitrogen content of MS medium led to improved calli growth. In comparison to other media, Gamborg?s B5 containing NAA (5.3 ?M) was most effective for suspension cultures established from such calli. Actively growing suspension cultures were best established on Gamborg?s B5 medium with 2% sucrose and 5.3 ?M NAA at pH 5.0. The suspension culture growth rate increased dramatically after four weeks, and thereafter was nearly exponential. Differential response of suspension cultures to different media with respect to cell growth was observed. No hecogenic was detected in cell lines from suspension cultures of rhizome calli, while hecogenic was detected in suspension cultures of leaf calli. Of the 102 leaf derived cell lines evaluated for hecogenin presence 76 were hecogenin positive.

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