Influence of light on the accumulation of anthocyanins in callus culture of Vaccinium corymbosum L. cv. Sunt Blue Giant

Abstract

Blueberry is considered as a health-promoting food with a high content of anthocyanins. The extraction of anthocyanins from callus has been used to solve some problems of anthocyanins production, being more effective for commercial application and high production of anthocyanins. One of the most important aims of our study is to enhance anthocyanin synthesis in callus cultures. The results showed that callus induction from the highbush blueberry V. corymbosum L. cv. Sunt Blue Giant depends on the type of explant (leaf, root, and stem segments) and culture medium. Maximum callus induction was established on Woody Plant nutrient Medium (WPM) containing 2.0 mg/L ɑ–naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) in combination with 1.0 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine/benzyl adenine (BAP) from all used explants and the maximum fresh weight (for leaf, 1.03; root, 1.0; and stem, 0.8 g/jar) was recorded. After four subcultures on the same medium composition, we studied the effect of different light types on the accumulation of anthocyanins in callus culture. The highest levels of anthocyanin content were observed in callus from root origin (5.7 fold) and leaf origin (4.8 fold) grown under red light comparing with callus grown in dark as a control. The anthocyanins composition were evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography, under the influence of red light the qualitative composition of anthocyanins significantly expanded in comparison with the dark condition. In addition, the red light increased the qualitative composition of anthocyanins in callus obtained from leaf origin largely than in callus obtained from root origin. From callus cultures obtained from root and leaf origin growing under red light were isolated ten anthocyanins and three proanthocyanidins. The present study could suggest an important protocol for improving the production of anthocyanins from callus culture of V. corymbosum L. cv. Sunt Blue Giant.