Production of diosgenin by hairy root cultures of Trigonella foenum-graecum L
1997
Merkli, A. | Christen, P. | Kapetanidis, I.
Hairy root cultures of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. were established with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain A4. The hairy roots produce diosgenin, an important spirostanol for the semi-synthesis of steroid hormones. Fourteen different liquid media were investigated. The fastest growth was obtained in McCown's woody plant (WP) medium supplemented with 3% sucrose; the highest diosgenin content was observed in half-strength WP medium with 1% sucrose (0.040% dry weight), which represents almost twice the amount detected in the 8-month-old non-transformed roots (0.024%). A time-course study in WP liquid media supplemented with 3% sucrose was undertaken. In these conditions, 17 micrograms diosgenin/g fresh weight were produced. The influence of cholesterol, medium pH and chitosan on diosgenin production was tested. The addition of 40 mg/l chitosan elevated the diosgenin content to three times that found in non-elicited hairy roots.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Library