Effect of growth regulators on growth, essential oils content and anthocyanin accumulation in basil, [ocimum americanum L.] shoot cultures

ABSTRACT

Shoot tips of aseptically growing seedlings of O. americanum were cultured on plant growth regulators-free culture medium [control] or on media containing 0.25 mg/l IAA and different concentrations [1,2 and 3 mg/l] of BA. The morphogenic response of the cultured shoot tips in the tested media were evaluated. Composition of the volatile oil from both shoot cultures and intact plant leaves of 0. americanum were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry [GC-MS]. The volatile oil content and anthocyanin accumulation were determined. Clear differences between tested treatments of the produced plantlets were observed in terms of growth data after 6 weeks of culture. According to the respective growth indexes, the plantlets grown in free-growth regulators medium was the best in growth. However, Qualitative and quantitative changes in essential oil content and composition of plantlet oil were also observed in response to the effect of BA level in the culture medium. These results also indicated that anthocyanin synthesis was most active in basil shoot cultures grown in medium with BA not more than 1 mg/l with 0.25 mg/l IAA