Production of plant virus inhibitor by Phytolacca americana suspension culture.

The inhibitory activity of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection was assayed with the extracts of various callus tissues derived from the intact plants. Phytolacca americana callus was selected as a producer of the virus inhibitor and its cultural conditions in suspension were examined for cell growth and the inhibitor production. A modified liquid medium containing twofold concentrations of all components in that of Murashige and Skoog plus2,4-D (1.0 mg/liter) and sucrose (6%), but without any vitamins and glycine was chosen for production of higher levels of the inhibitor. TMV infections in tobacco, bean, and tomato plants were markedly inhibited by the introduction of the disrupted whole broth of suspension cultured P. americana.