Variations in the Leaf Alkaloid Content of Androgenic Diploid Plants of Datura innoxia

Abstract

Anther culture of Datura innoxia Mill, has permitted the obtention of spontaneous diploid androgenic plants which produced the tropane alkaloids. The source plants (zygotic diploid) showed no significant variations in the leaf alkaloid content. On the contrary, androgenic diploid plants obtained after the first cycle of androgenesis showed important quantitative and qualitative variations in the leaf alkaloid content. Thus, androgenesis was found to induce a large variation in the accumulation of these secondary metabolites in the leaves. It has also permitted the obtention of tropane alkaloid-overproductive plants, particularly rich in scopolamine. The analyses of zygotic plants obtained from seed germination of the first cycle androgenic plants have shown that this variability is transmissible by simple cross-pollination. The analyses of androgenic diploid plants obtained after the second cycle of androgenesis also showed variations in the leaf alkaloid content. In vitro androgenesis, therefore, clearly induced variability in the leaf alkaloid content of the androgenic plants. The role of in vitro androgenesis in inducing variability has been discussed.