Effect of Agrobacterium rhizogenes on the development and alkaloid biosynthesis of Catharanthus roseus growing in an aeroponic system

Abstract

The aim of this study is to improve the biomass and the content of secondary metabolites of the Catharanthus roseus using an aeroponic system with the addition of Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The results showed that the growth of Catharanthus roseus on the aeroponic system with the addition of A. rhizogennes into the nutrition medium at the concentration of 10⁹ CFU/mL was better than the treatments without addition of A. rhizogennes. The leaf samples of plants having bud and fruits were extracted and analysed the content of vincristine and vinblastine by HPLC system. Higher content of vincristine and vinblastine was obtained from the treatment with addition of A. rhizogenes.