Callus Induction and Bioactive Compounds Production from Various Cultivars of Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa)

Abstract

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) belongs to fabacaea family widely grown in Turkey. It is rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, flavonoid, essential amino acids (threonine, leucine, lysine, and valine) and tannins, vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E) or β-carotene. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the impact of secondary metabolite content of explants on callus biomass. For this purpose, cotyledon explants were obtained under sterile conditions, and transferred to standard MS medium containing 1 mg/L 2,4-D (Dichlorophenoxy Acetic Acid) and 0.0125 mg/L kinetin to induce callus formation. The phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents of the explants were also determined. Leaves and cotyledons explants of 74 M. sativa L. cultivars have been used for callus biomass. The 74 tested alfalfa cultivars varied in their callus growth and callus biomass formation. Van-22, Konya-Ereğli, Alsancak, Gözlü-1 and Iside cultivars were observed with higher callus biomass: Conversely, Van Gevaş, Bitlis Hizan and Van-Çaldıran responded with lower callus biomass in tissue culture. A high-callus biomass cultivar of alfalfa has been shown to have higher total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin content activity than the lower-callus biomass cultivar in terms of leaf explants under tissue culture conditions. Total phenolic content activity was significantly increased in cotyledon explants with higher callus biomass as compared to lower callus biomass. The accumulation of leaf tannin and flavonoid was strongly linked to callus biomass. Cotyledon phenolic and flavonoid content exhibited an increasing trend in response to the increasing biomass of callus.