Leaf sheath culture of Crocus sativus L and crocin family biosynthesis

Crocus sativus L, a Chinese precious herbal medicine, has important medical value. Because of their difficult cultivation, cell culture is one of the most important ways of producing crocin family medicine. The leaf sheath could form callus by dedifferentiating culture. The callus showed yellow or orange, and included crocin family as same as those in capitals of Crocus sativus . The formation of Crocus sativus callus was advanced in the condition of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, 0.5mg/L BA, 2.0mg/L IAA, dark, at 20℃, and in this condition the weight of Crocus sativus callus increased over five times in 25 days. The condition of 20℃ was also in favour of the crocin family biosynthesis.