Hairy Root Culture for In Vitro Production of Secondary Metabolites: A Promising Biotechnological Approach

Abstract

Hairy root culture (HRC)-based in vitro production system has become a promising biotechnological approach in recent years. The hairy root formation is the result of Agrobacterium rhizogenes-induced pathogenesis in plants, characterized by high growth rate, growth in hormone-free media besides genetic stability. These roots can imitate intact plants in the production of secondary metabolites and also amenable to upscaling in the bioreactor. HRCs are being harnessed as one of the methods of choice in tissue culture for high yield of valuable secondary metabolites of medicinal and other commercial importance. Many secondary metabolites, which were earlier extracted from wild plants from their natural habitat, are now being produced using plant cell cultures including HRCs. This book chapter is focussed mainly on the development of hairy root culture in different medicinal plants and its application, challenges, and prospects in the production of valuable secondary metabolites.