Narcissus and Daffodil

224 C. Codina
Kinetin
As observed in the experiment with BA, the control shoots developed narrow
leaves and a well formed bulb, as well as roots. On the contrary, bulbs subjected to
high doses of kinetin (5 and 10 mg/l) had a necrotic and even vitrified appearance,
like shoot-clumps treated with the same concentrations of BA.
Accumulation of alkaloids in the liquid medium
The release of alkaloids into the liquid medium of the shoot-clumps treated with
kinetin was similar to that observed in the clusters grown in media supplemented
with BA. However, what was notable was the high proportion of the alkaloids
galanthamine and haemanthamine released into the medium by the explants
treated with 10 mg/l of kinetin four weeks after starting the culture, which reached
values of up to 73.6 and 95.6 µg/g fresh weight (FW), respectively (Figure 7.7).
µg/g FW
µg/g FW
25
20
15
10
5
0
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
N-formylnorgalanthamine
2 4 6
Time (weeks)
0mg/l 1mg/l 3mg/l
5mg/l 10mg/l
Haemanthamine
2 4 6 8
Time (weeks)
0mg/l 1mg/l 3mg/l
5mg/l 10mg/l
8
µg/g FW
µg/g FW
100
25
20
15
10
80
60
40
20
5
0
0
Galanthamine
2 4 6 8
Time (weeks)
0mg/l 1mg/l 3mg/l
5mg/l 10mg/l
Tazettine
2 4 6 8
Time (weeks)
0mg/l 1mg/l 3mg/l
5mg/l 10mg/l
Figure 7.7 Levels of alkaloids released by shoot-clumps treated with kinetin into the culture
medium throughout the experiment (bars represent the SD calculated from
three replicates).