• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.2
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• pp.178-182
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• 2007

Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz is a medicinal plant and an endangered tropical rainforest plant species. Since the field cultivation that aims to fulfill the industrial needs is never accomplished, tissue culture appears to be the most feasible way to improve the quality and quantity of R. serpentina. This experiment used two kinds of explants (roots and shoots) to induce optimal root formation in different combinations of auxin and photoperiod. Each explants exhibited different responses on given treatments. Differentiated root could be produced from explants cultured in IBA 20 mg/L with and without light. The highest number of roots, root length and root weight induced from shoot explants were effective on MS medium containing IBA 20 mg/L and incubated under dark condition, while highest total weight (callus and root) from root explants cultured on MS medium supplemented 10 mg/L IBA and 10 mg/L NAA and incubated under day length (11/13 hr). The root induced from shoot explants produced the highest major alkaloid content. The highest content of ajmaline (2.17 ppm fresh weight) and reserpine (1.30 ppm fresh weight) were observed in shoot explants cultured in MS medium containing combination of IBA 10 mg/L and NAA 10 mg/L and incubated under dark condition, yohimbine (1.47 ppm fresh weight) was in the shoot explants cultured in MS medium containing NAA 20 mg/L and incubated under day length, while serpentine was absent.