A b s t r a c tCallus growth and the production of anthocyanins were sustained on the salts and vitamins of Murashige and Skoog. Callus growth was stimulated at a concentration of 8-32 gM ct-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Benzyladenine (BA) and zeatin at 8 gM inhibited callus growth whereas isopentenyladenine (iP) stimulated callus growth. NAA repressed anthocyanin production with an increase in NAA from 8-32 gM. Anthocyanin synthesis was promoted by an increase in 2,4-D from 0.5 to 2 gM and decreased thereafter up to a concentration 32 gM 2,4-D. A concentration of 8 gM BA, thidiazuron and zeatin, respectively stimulated pigment production. Sucrose stimulated callus growth at 60 mM and pigment production at 120-360 mM.Abbreviations: BA -6-benzyladenine, 2,4-D -2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, NAA -c~-naphthaleneacetic acid, iP -isopentenyladenine, TZ -thidiazuron -N-phenyl-N'-1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl-urea, Bu-HC1 -Butanol-2N HC1, BAW -Butanol-acetic acid-water
I n t r o d u c t i o nAnthocyanins are currently studied anew as a source of colorants due to public pressure against the use of synthetic dyes. The small biomass produced by members of the Oxalidaceae does not make it economically feasible to produce pigments on a large scale from plants. Recently cyanidin-3-glucoside was isolated from in vitro cultured Oxalis linearis Jacq. callus (Crouch et al. 1993). This paper deals with the effect of growth regulators, and nutrients on the growth of callus and the yield of anthocyanin produced in vitro by selected callus cultures of Oxalis linearis.
M a t e r i a l s a n d m e t h o d sThe basal medium consisted of MS salts and vitamins (Murashige & Skoog 1962) supplemented with 60 mM sucrose and solidified with 0.2% Gelrite. The pH of the medium was adjusted to 5.7 before autoclaving for 20 min at 121°C. Shoots obtained from mature Oxalis linearis plants were surface sterilised for 10 min in 0.2% HgC12 followed by five rinses in sterile distilled water. One cm long explants were placed on a shoot initiation medium in glass tubes (24 mm ~b × 100 mm long) and sealed with parafilm. The shoot initiation medium consisted of the basal medium supplemented with 25 gM BA and 1 gM NAA. Red pigmented callus was isolated and transferred onto the basal medium containing 8 gM NAA and incubated in the dark to produce non-pigmented callus stock. The effect of growth regulators on callus growth and anthocyanin production was determined by subjecting dark grown callus to 0-32 gM NAA in combination with 0 and 8 gM BA as well as NAA (8 gM) containing medium with 8 gM BA, TZ, iP, kinetin or zeatin. To determine whether 2,4-D repressed anthocyanin production dark grown callus was incubated on 0.5-32 gM 2,4-D. The optimal sucrose concentration for anthocyanin production was