Effects of LED on Growth, Morphogenesis and Eleutheroside Contents of in vitro Cultured Plantlets of Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim

The effects of red, blue, and far-red light by illumination of light emitting diodes (LEDs) on growth, morphogenesis and eleutheroside contents of in vitro plantlets of Eleutherococcus senticosus were examined. As a control, plantlets were grown under a broad spectrum white fluorescent lamp (16/8 h illumination). The length of plantlets grown under the red/blue LEDs was taller than those under fluorescent lamps. Leaf area, root length and fresh weight of plantlets were highest under blue light compared to other kinds of light sources. Chlorophyll contents in plantlets grown under fluorescent lamps were higher than those in plantlets grown under LED illumination. Production of eleuthroside B and E in plantlets was highest under blue LED. However, production of eleuthroside E1 was highest under fluorescent lamps. These results suggest that plant growth and eleuthroside accumulation can be controlled by wave length of light under LED illumination system.