Characteristics of Callus and Cell Suspension Cultures of Highbush Blueberry (<i>Vaccinium corymbosum</i> L.) Cultivated in the Presence of Different Concentrations of 2,4-D and BAP in a Nutrient Medium

Abstract

In this work, cultures of callus and suspension cells originating from leaves of sterile highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) plants were obtained and characterized. For their active growth and production of phenolic compounds, a combination of 2,4-D at a concentration of 0.34–2.25 µM and BAP at a concentration of 0.45–2.25 µM is effective. An increase in the phytohormone concentration leads to a slowdown in culture formation and reduces their ability to synthesize phenolic compounds. When cultivating V. corymbosum suspension cells over a year (12 passages), they not only retain the ability to synthesize phenolic compounds but also enhance it. By the 12th passage, the content of TSPC in suspension cells reaches 150 mg/g DW, the content of flavonoids reaches 100 mg/g DW, the content of flavans reaches 40 mg/g DW, and the content of proanthocyanidins reaches 30 mg/g DW. The high content of phenolic compounds may be due to the high expression of genes in flavonoid biosynthesis enzymes. V. corymbosum suspension cells accumulate a high level of phenolic compounds during a passage. The ability of V. corymbosum callus and cell suspension cultures in the presence of low concentrations of phytohormones to grow and accumulate biologically active phenolic compounds determines their high economic significance and prospects for organizing a biotechnological method for obtaining phenolic compounds.

Keywords

• auxins
• cytokinins
• phenolic compounds
• flavonoids
• flavans
• proanthocyanidins