EFFECT OF NUTRIENT LIMITATION ON BIO-SYNTHESIS OF CAPSAICIN

Capsaicin biosynthesis was studied in callus cultures derived from root tip and shoot tip of Capsicum annuumvariety Indra. In callus cultures, the activity of two enzymes, viz. PAL and CS increased till 15 or 12 days when induced on media supplemented with 2mgl-1 2,4-D and 0.5mgl-1 kin. Capsaicin content in root-tip derived callus cultures was much higher than that in shoot-tip derived callus cultures. Capsaicin content was maximum in root-tip derived callus cultures of Indra (79 mgg-1 DW). When the callus cultures were induced on media which was supplemented with NAA, the activity of all the enzymes and capsaicin content was higher than that observed in only 2,4-D and kin. Sucrose and phosphorus depleted media showed a marginal increase in capsaicin content and activity of enzymes in both the root tip and shoot-tip derived callus cultures of both varieties. Nitrogen depleted (ammonium nitrate and potassium nitrate) medium showed about 6.8 fold increase in capsaicin content and upto 15 and 6 fold increase was observed in activity of CS and PAL enzymes respectively.