Effect of culture media on the production of betalains from hairy root cultures of four cacti species [Efecto del medio de cultivo en la producción de betalaínas en raíces transformadas de cuatro especies de cactáceas]

Plants of the Cactaceae family are characterized by producing metabolites of interest for the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. Among these are betalains, which are a class of pigments. However, many of cacti species are small in size, slow growing and threatened or endangered. An alternative for the production of metabolites are biotechnological systems, being transformed roots one of the most interesting. The objective of this study was to determine the most favorable conditions to increment betalains content on in vitro hairy root (HR) cultures of Escobaria chaffeyi, Turbinicarpus laui, T. lophophoroides and T. pseudopectinatus, obtained with the A4 strain of Agrobacterium rhizogenes, as well as the influence of seven basal media on growth and betalain production. Biomass accumulation, betalain production and root morphology were strongly affected by the basal culture media. The total nitrogen content of the medium influenced significantly biomass accumulation, but not betalain production. The low-phosphate media increased the production of betalains. In general, Driver and Kuniyuki basal media favored the highest biomass yield and production of betalains. These results will optimize the production of betalains in the hairy roots of cacti in order to design an efficient system for producing these pigments. © 2019, Colegio de Postgraduados.

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