PRODUCTION OF INDICAN FROM THE CALLUS CULTURES OF INDIGOFERA TINCTORIA LINN

Indigoferatinctoria Linn.has been extensively used as a source for the extraction of indigo, which is highly priced as a natural blue dye. The plant accumulates large quantities of indican, the colourless starting compound of indigo production. Indican content was analysed in calluses derived from leaf, petiole, cotyledons, stem and root explants cultured on MS medium fortified with 1mg/l 2,4-D and 0.5mg/l BA at three different phases of growth using HPLC. The stationary phase leaf callus showed a maximum of 910 ?g/gm of indican. MS medium was found to be superior over WPM in inducing indican accumulation. Among different auxins used, IAA was found to induce maximum indican accumulation. Lower concentrations of cytokinins viz. BA (0.5 mg/l), KIN (1mg/l) and 2-ip (2mg/l) were found to be effective in the production of indican. Combinatorial effect of BA along with auxins (IAA, NAA, or IBA) was found to enhance the production of indican. 2, 4-D alone or in combination with cytokinins was found to inhibit indican production. Maximum accumulation of indican was recorded in presence of IAA (1.5mg/l) and BA (0.5mg/l) from stationary phase callus. L- tryptophan (100mg/l) was found to enhance intracellular accumulation of indican.