PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON TISSUE CULTURE OF PANAX GINSENG

The callus was derived from the stem segments bearing buds (5-year-old) of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer in 1975. The growth of the callus was the best on 67-V medium. The optimum temperature and pH for callus growth were 23±1℃ and about 6 respectively under our experimental conditions. Light apparently inhibited the growth of callus.The growth curve of ginseng callus for the cultural period was Sigmoid. Maximum growth of cultured callus was obtained during the period from the 4 th to the 6 th weeks after inoculation.The effects of various growth substances such as 2, 4-D, NAA, kinetin and humic acid were not the same with respect to the growth of callus as well as to the content of ginseng saponin. Among them, the growth of callus was the best when 67-V medium was supplemented with 5mg/L 2, 4-D. The cultureal medium with the addition of natural supplemental substances such as extracts of barley sprouts, soybean sprouts, cotton seed meal and coconut cake promoted the growth of the callus. However, extract of coconut cake was the only exception which decreased the content of ginseng saponin in the cultured callus. At present, the growth rate of ginseng callus cultured on the solid medium was over 16 times per month.Identification by thin-layer chromatography-photo-electric colorimetry demonstrated that the quantities of ginseng saponin both in cultivated ginseng root (6-year-old) and in the callus masses are about 4%.