Studies on some factors affecting solasodine contents in tissue cultures of Solanum nigrum

Tissue cultures of Solanum nigrum L. were initiated from leaf explants on a solid medium containing inorganic salts Murashige and Skoog (1962), Physiol. Plant. 15: 473–497], vitamins Gamborg et al. (1968) Exp. Cell Res. 50:151–158], 3% sucrose and combinations of indoleacetic acid and benzyladenine. Solasodine content was determined in differentiated and undifferentiated (callus) tissues by a colorimetric technique and thin layer chromatography. Indoleacetic acid and sucrose in the medium markedly stimulated the production of solasodine in the tissue cultures. In the cultures grown in darkness the differentiated tissues produced significantly more (anywhere from 1.5 to 10 times) solasodine than the callus in several media. When sucrose concentration was increased to 4, 6 and 10% level in the medium which contained 10 μ M benzyladenine as the sole growth regulator, a significant increase of solasodine production in cultures was found.