A survey of the effect of explants type, plant growth regulators and activated charcoal on callus induction in Papaver bracteatum

Callus culture is necessary for production of suspension cell culture in plant breeding programs. Regarding to the application of Papaver bracteatum as an important medicinal plant in production of benzophenantridine alkaloids, this study was performed to find the most suitable hormone combination and explant type for achieving to high percentage of callus induction fresh weight and somatic embryogenesis in this plant. For this purpose, hypocotyl explants were cultured in ½MS media containing active charcoal (2 and 4 mgL-1) in combination of different concentrations of NAA, 2,4-D (0, 1, 2, 3 and 5 mgL-1) and BA (0, 0.1 and 0.5 mgL-1). The seed explants were cultured in same treatments without active charcoal. Also, somatic embryogesis induction using seed explants in ½MS media containing different concentrations of NAA and 2,4-D (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mgL-1) with BA 0.5 mgL-1 were investigated. The results showed that the highest percentage of callus induction (43.6%, 54%) in hypocotyls explants were obtained in the ½MS media containing 2 mgL-1 active charcoal and 2 mgL-1 2,4-D and 5 mgL-1 NAA in companion with BA 0.5 mgL-1 respectively. The maximum callus induction (84%) was obtained in ½MS medium with 1 mgL-1 2,4-D without active charcoal. The highest callus fresh weight (0.35%) was obtained in MS media with 0.5 mgL-1 2,4-D andthe maximum rate of somatic embryogenesis induction (77%) was observed in ½MS media containing 1 mgL-1 2,4-D with 0.5 mgL-1 BA.