GROWTH AND THE UPTAKE OF SUCROSE AND MINERAL IONS BY TRANSFORMED ROOT CULTURES OF DATURA-STRAMONIUM, DATURA-CANDIDA X AUREA, DATURA-WRIGHTII, HYOSCYAMUS-MUTICUS AND ATROPA-BELLADONNA

Growth and the uptake of sucrose, anions (Cl-, NO3-, PO43- and SO42-), and cations (K+, Na+, 4 Mg2+, Ca2+, and NH4+) by transformed roots of Datura stramonium, Datura wrightii, Datura candida x Datura aurea hybrid, Hyoscyamus muticus, and Atropa belladonna were examined during batch culture over 28 days in modified 14 litre stirred tank reactors containing Gamborg's B5 salts medium. All cultures completely removed NH4+ and PO43- from the medium, and Mg2+ was totally removed by the Datura cultures. The other ions were consumed at different rates depending on the culture but were never totally removed from the medium. Amounts for each ion consumed per gram increase in biomass are presented and compared between the different cultures. More NO3- than any other ion was consumed by each of the cultures. Concomitant with the uptake of sucrose was a slow release of glucose into the medium. Roots were found to contain only low levels of free sugars. Total hyoscyamine production ranged from 115 mg to 633 mg per reactor.