The effects of plant growth regulators and culture conditions on the growth and the alkaloid content of callus cultures of Cinchona pubescens.

Studies were performed on the growth and the alkaloid content of stem callus cultures of Cinchona pubescens Vahl concerning the influence of plant growth regulators in the medium. After two months the increase of fresh weight of cultures grown in the dark was less than those incubated with illumination. A number of quinoline and indole alkaloids could be detected by means of TLC. Media F (zeatin: 1 microM, indole-3-butyric acid: 1 microM) and H (zeatin: 1 microM, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid: 1 microM) showed the best alkaloid production and tissue growth.