Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 21(1): 35-43, 2011 (June)

Effect of Mannitol and Sodium Chloride on Some Total Secondary Metabolites Fenugreek Calli Cultured In vitro

Esam A. Hussein*¹ and Esam M. Aqlan¹

Botany and Microbiol. Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

Key words: Trigonella foenum-gaecum, Callus, Abiotic stress, Secondary metabolites

Abastract

Hypocotyls of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) were cut into 5 mm long segments and used as explants. For obtaining callus under various water and salt stress levels, MS supplemented with 2.0 mg/l BA and 1.0 mg/l NAA was prepared; then divided into nine portions, the first of which was kept as control while to the other portions mannitol (0.1 and 0.3% w/v) and sodium chloride (0.1 and 0.3% w/v) were added separately and interacted. Callus formation was allowed to take place for a period of six weeks in the dark at 250C. Calli from various treatments were then harvested and subjected to growth, total phenolics, total flavonoids and total tannin contents determinations. Results of the present study have shown that the lower concentration of mannitol enhanced growth while the higher concentration enhanced growth, total phenolics and total flavonoid contents in comparison to the control. Mild salt stress which was created by the lower sodium chloride concentration reduced growth with concomitant increase in total phenolics, total flavonoids and total tannins while the higher salt concentration significantly decreased growth and secondary metabolite accumulation as well. Interaction treatments between mannitol and sodium chloride exhibited various effects on calli growth and secondary metabolites levels. This study throws some light on the behavior of cultured fenugreek cells grown under water and salt stress.

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