Establishment of Inula helenium hairy root culture with the use of Agrobacterium rhizogenes

ABSTRACT: Elecampane (Inula helenium L, composite) is one of the medicinal plants whose roots have secondary metabolites such as Inulin, helenin and sesquiterpene lactones. In this research, hairy root culture of I. helenium was established by inoculation of the leaf and stem explants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains (AR15834 and A4). The emergence of the hairy roots was observed 7-10 days after inoculation on the wounded sites of the explants. The hairy roots transformation was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis with the use of rolB specific primers. The highest transformation frequency was obtained (80%) in the stem explants with AR15834. The growth rate of the hairy roots was 10-fold as compared to control root in the same condition.