The effect of BA and IBA on the secondary metabolite production by shoot culture of Thymus vulgaris L.

Abstract

Karalija, E., Parić, A.: The effect of BA and IBA on the secondary metabolite production by shoot cultureof Thymus vulgaris L.. Biologica Nyssana, 2 (1), September 2011: 29-35.

In vitro shoots of the common thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) were established, and the effects of differentconcentrations of the cytokinin BA and the auxin IBA on secondary metabolite production were investigated.The highest number of shoots was obtained through cultivation on the MS medium containing 2 mg/L BAand 0.1 mg/L IBA and 4 mg/L BA and 0.1 mg/L IBA (14.3 and 13.3 respectively). Quantitative changes inchlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid content were recorded in response to the effect of varyingconcentrations of growth regulators in the medium. Furthermore, after addition of plant growth regulators(0.5 mg/L BA + 0.1 mg/L IBA) to the medium, elicitation of phenolic compounds was recorded in plantlets.The concentration range of BA from 2 to 4 mg/L improved the production of flavonoids (0.61 and 0.64 mg/gFW). In contrast, plantlets cultivated on the same treatment, showed a decrease in monomeric anthocyanins.

Key words: common thyme, in vitro, micropropagation, secondary metabolite production