Production of rosmarinic acid in hairy root cultures of Salvia reuterana

It was the first time that hairy roots were initiated from Salvia reuterana by infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain ATTC 15834. Confirmatory studies were carried out by direct detection of inserted T-DNA by the polymerase chain reaction. These hairy root cultures had the ability to produce rosmarinic acid. The effect of six different basic media including B5 ¡½ B5 ¡MS ¡½ MS ¡White’s and WPM on the root growth and rosmarinic acid production was studied. Results showed that maximum fresh weight (41.4 g/LP-1P) and dry weight (3.7 g/LP-1P) were found in MS medium. Despite the maximum rosmarinic acid production (52.2 mg/g DW) was achieved in B5 medium, the highest amount of rosmarinic acid yield (0.13 g/LP-1P) was observed in MS medium. Therefore MS medium was suggested as the best culture medium for growth and rosmarinic acid production in hairy root culture of Salvia reuterana.