Optimization of suitable culture medium and hormone combinations for callus induction and cell suspension culture establishment of Bunium persicum (Boiss.) B. Fedtsch.

Nowadays production of secondary metabolites from plant cell suspension cultures has become an attractive subject. In this study, callus induction of black zira, an important medicinal plant, was investigated in two MS and B5 solid media, supplemented with 2 mg/l NAA + 0.5 mg/l BA, and 2 mg/l 2,4-D + 0.5 mg/l Kin. Another experiment was also carried out for callus culture in MS liquid medium with four different combinations of plant growth regulators, 2,4-D (2 and 0.5 mg/l) + 0.5 mg/l Kin, and NAA (2 and 0.5 mg/l) + 0.5 mg/l BA. For the cell suspension cultures, the hormonal combinations, as above mentioned in callus induction, were used in liquid MS medium. Results showed that the best response for the callus induction percentage and callus dry weight in solid medium as well as callus fresh weight in liquid medium was obtained from MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/l NAA + 0.5 mg/l BA. It was also found that liquid MS medium with 2 mg/l NAA + 0.5 mg/l BA was suitable for the cell suspension cultures of black zira due to the higher cell dry weight in this stage compared to other treatments. The stationary phase in growth course was observed in MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/l 2,4-D + 0.5 mg/l Kin and 2 mg/l NAA + 0.5 mg/l BA after three and four weeks, respectively.