Regeneration of plants and production of volatiles from callus cultures of Melissa officinalis L. -: 5.: Investigations on the subspecies altissima

Callus cultures of Melissa officinalis ssp. altissima were established and cultured on MURASHIGE and SKOOG (1962) media supplemented with various phytohormones. Root cultures obtained from root callus with IBA treatment were regenerated to intact plants on MS-medium, supplemented with IBA and NAA respectively 2,5-D. Most of the identified volatiles are known from callus cultures of the ssp. officinalis, but several compounds were detected in callus cultures of Melissa officinalis ssp. altissima for the first time. Growth of sprouts and roots, and the composition of the essential leaf oil can be altered by addition of selected phytohormones to the nutrition medium. The accumulation of monoterpenes is reduced. sesquiterpene accumulation can be enhanced by ABA. The essential oil is normally dominated by sesquiterpenehydrocarbons. By addition of appropriate amounts of NAA. the composition changes to an essential oil, dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes.