Optimization of the mineral composition of in vitro culture media

Abstract

Plant tissue culture requires the optimization of growth media. The effect of eight different macronutrient formulations on the in vitro culture of Gatharanthus roseus nodes was investigated: the caulogenesis rate decreased with the overall ion concentration and the ammonium content of the growth medium. The methodology proposed for the optimization of the mineral composition of the growth medium is based upon the adjustment of the macronutrients contents to the plant requirements. Such an approach was used for the comparison between the effects of the optimized growth medium and those of the usual Murashige and Skoog solution in the growth of the multiple shoots issued from Solatium paludosum root calluses. The new formulation MH1 [with a diminution of the ionic concentration, nitrogen (N) supplied in the form of nitrate and calcium (Ca) in larger amounts than potassium (K)] doubled the biomass production and tripled the yield of solamargine, a secondary metabolite.

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