Effect of sucrose and potassium nitrate on biomass and saponin content of Talinum paniculatum Gaertn. hairy root in balloon-type bubble bioreactor

ObjectiveTo increase biomass and saponin production in hairy root culture of Talinum paniculatum Gaertn. (T. paniculatum) in balloon-type bubble bioreactor (BTBB).MethodsHairy roots which were collected from leaf explants of T. paniculatum were infected by Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain LB510. The hairy roots were cultivated at 400 mL Murashige and Skoog liquid medium without growth regulator (MS0) in 1 000 mL BTBB. Each BTBB had 2 g hairy roots as initial inoculum and these cultures were treated with various concentrations of sucrose (3%, 4%, 5%, 6% w/v) and potassium nitrate (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 strength of MS medium). Cultures were maintained for 14 days. Fresh and dry weights of hairy roots at the end of culture were investigated.ResultsVarious concentrations of sucrose influenced the biomass accumulation of hairy roots. Maximum biomass was reached by MS medium supplemented with 6% sucrose and it was approximately threefold higher than control. Culture supplemented with potassium nitrate at 2.0 strength of MS0 could increase biomass accumulation of hairy roots until 0.14 g dry weight and it was almost threefold higher than control. However, the maximum saponin content was obtained by MS medium supplemented with 5% sucrose and 2.0 strength potassium nitrate of MS.ConclusionsBased on this research, those conditions can be used to produce biomass and saponin of hairy root of T. paniculatum in the large scale.