ESTABLISHMENT OF CALLUS AND SUSPENSION CULTURE IN JATROPHA CURCAS

Callus cultures were initiated from leaf and hypocotyl explants isolated from 4 days old seedling of jatropha curcas L., on Murashige & Skoog (1962) basal medium supplemented with different growth regulator formulations including 2.4-D, BA, GA3, and coconut milk. Excellent growth of callus was obtained in medium supplemented with 0.5mg/L 2, 4-D alone and with 2% v/v coconut milk in gypocotyl explants. Callus produced from hypocotyl explants grew faster during 7 to 30 days of culture then stabilized at a low growth rate. Calli cultured on this medium showed 8 fold increase in fresh weight by the fourth week of incubation. Callus was soft, friable, globular. lush green in color. Hypocotyl explant and 0.5mg/L 2, 4-D proved to be mose effective in inducing of callus on a large scale in short period of time. The friable green callus was then used for establishment of homogeneous and chlorophyllous suspension culture. Maximum growth of suspension culture was achieved in medium supplemented with 0.5mg/L 2, 4-D, with initial inoculum cell density of 1%. The growth rates of cells were initially slow but as the cultures proceeded, the growth increased significantly and accumulated a great amout of fresh weight (5fold) over a period of 21 days then the growth of cells was stable for 30 days. The fresh weight was balanced in terms of dry weight which almost corresponded to fresh weight. Total chlorophyll content in cell culture varied between 50.7 to 75.7ug/g FW with in growth cycle of these cultures.