Callus induction and secondary metabolite production studies in Centaurea tchihatcheffii Fisch . & C . A . Mey

Centaurea tchihatcheffii Fisch. & C.A. Mey. (Mediterranean knapweed, in Turkish yanardoner) is an annual, appealing endemic species, which grows only very little location in the Golbasi district of Ankara-Turkey. Therefore it is very important to produce and multiply valuable endemic species biotechnologically. In order to induce callus, pappus of a group of the seeds was cut (pappus-cut-off seeds) and the other group of the seeds was left intact. Pappus-cut-off seeds germinated in vitro in 3 days whereas intact seeds germinated in 7 days. The best calli were induced from the cotyledons of aseptic seedlings on MS media with the application of cytokinins (benzyl adenine, kinetin). Phytochemicals of the calli and the flowering aerial parts of C. tchihatcheffii were evaluated by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Our studies demonstrated that both the calli and the plant have a secondary metabolite groups, flavonoids and terpenoids. Phytochemical profiles of the callus cultures changed by subculturing. Less polar substances were produced in subcultures I and polar substances in subcultures II. Phytochemical profiles of callus extracts were similar to the plant extracts. Callus induction and secondary metabolite production of C. tchihatcheffii have been studied for the first time.