Effects of age and growth regulators on growth and alkaloid production in Cinchona ledgeriana leaf-shoot organ cultures

CINCHONA LEDGERIANA Moens et Trimen leaf-shoot organ cultures established and maintained on Murashige and Skoog's medium containing benzyladenine (BA 5 mg/l) were used to study the effects of age and growth regulators on alkaloid production. The total and individual alkaloid content of the leaf-shoot organ cultures increased with age and resembled closely that of the 1-year-old plant which favored quinine production. The 32-week-old tissue cultures contained the same amount of alkaloid as that of the 1-year-old plant (350 mg%). Quinine production was favored by the presence of benzyladenine (5 mg/l), gibberellic acid (5 mg/l) and/or shoots. Quinidine production was high in the presence of indole-3-acetic acid (5 mg/l), the absence of benzyladenine, and/or the presence of roots. High concentrations of abscisic acid and mefluidide inhibited growth and alkaloid production.