Characteristics of Bupleurum falcatum plants propagated through somatic embryogenesis of callus cultures.

Various characteristics including the saponin content in the root of Bupleurum falcatum plants propagated in vitro through somatic embryogenesis of callus cultures were compared with those of the plants propagated by seeds. The asexually propagated plants had an aerial part of more uniform characteristics than those of sexually propagated ones. However, both the mean and variance of root weight of the former were significantly larger than those of the latter. As for the saponin content of the root on a dry weight basis, there was little difference between the two groups. The amounts of saikosaponins c and d in a root were significantly larger in the asexually propagated plants than in the sexually propagated ones.