Production of tumours and roots by Ephedra following Agrobacterium rhizogenes infection

Abstract

This paper contains the first report that stems of the Gnetophyte Ephedra respond to infection by Agrobacterium rhizogenes by producing roots and tumours in vivo and in vitro. Of the bacterial strains employed, the wild-type Ar2629 gave the maximum response, and strain LBA9402 was also effective. In no case did heat-treated A. rhizogenes produce tumours or roots. Excised tumour tissues were cultured for more than 2 years in the absence of exogenous plant-growth regulators without any deterioration in growth rate. In vivo tumours of Ephedra fragilis and Ephedra minima contained up to 0.3% dry weight l-ephedrine, and slow-growing in vitro cultured tumours of E. fragilis contained up to 0.01% l-ephedrine, but alkaloid was not detected in faster growing isolates. Key words: Agrobacterium rhizogenes, alkaloid, Ephedra, l-ephedrine, Gnetophytes, gymnosperm, tumours.