RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the induction of hairy roots and anthraquinone production in Rheum palmatum.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Leaf blades, hypocotyls and petioles of R. palmatum were infected by Agrobacterium rhizogenes LBA9402 and A. rhizogenes R1601, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Hairy roots were induced by two strains of A. rhizogenes, and LBA9402 showed stronger infective ability than R1601. Three clones of hairy roots were cultured. DH7a was induced by R1601, DH5a and DH5c were induced by LBA9402. DH7a grew faster than DH5a and DH5c, and all of them grew faster obviously than normal root (NOR). There were significant differences in anthraquinone composition and content among four kinds of roots. Emodin physcion and chrysophanol were predominant anthraquinone in DH5a, DH5c and NOR respectivly. Aloe-emodin content was the lowest in all root cultures compared with other four anthraquinones.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The in vitro culture system of the established hairy roots laid a foundation for mass production of anthraquinone by hairy root culture.</p>