Promotion by tryptophan of growth and root formation in lowbush blueberry pericarp callus cultures
Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) pericarp callus grew slowly and formed normal tetraploid roots on Nitsch's medium containing L-tryptophan and kinetin. Both growth and rooting depended on the levels of these two substances in the medium. Rooting declined but callus growth rates changed little over successive subcultures. When tryptophan was replaced by indoleacetic acid, indolebutyric acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, or naphthaleneacetic acid, callus growth rates increased but no roots formed. Tryptophan medium did not support callus growth or induce rooting unless the tryptophan was autoclaved with the rest of the medium; thus suggesting that an active substance is produced by reaction of the tryptophan with some other constitutent(s) of the medium during heating.