Jasmonic acid improves ginsenoside accumulation in adventitious root culture of Panax ginseng CA Meyer

This study was initiated to investigate the impacts of jasmonic acid on the adventitious root growth of Panax ginseng and saponin synthesis during flask and bioreactor cultures. In flask culture, ginsenoside content increased significantly by the addition of 10 mg l(-1) jasmonic acid. However, the root growth was strongly inhibited by increasing jasmonic acid concentration. Fresh weight, dry weight, and growth rate of the roots decreased as jasmonic acid concentration increased. The highest ginsenoside yield was obtained at 2.0 mg l(-1) jasmonic acid. In a two-stage culture in a balloon type airlift bioreactor, the content of total ginsenoside and protopanaxadiol ginsenosides increased by over five times after 7 days of jasmonic acid treatment but the contents of Rg group ginsenosides increased insignificantly. The results suggested that the enzymes involved in biosynthetic pathway of Rb group ginsenosides are preferentially responded to jasmonic acid treatment. Further works are required to investigate these enzymes. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.