Essential oil composition of Melissa officinalis L. in vitro produced under the influence of growth regulators

It was investigated the effects of indole-3-acetic acid (11.42 mu mol L-1), benzylaminopurine (8.87 mu mol L-1) on essential oil composition and on the growth of Melissa officinalis in vitro plants. In vitro plantlets developed on MS media, showed 1.4 times in the proportion of nerol and 4.1 of geraniol, when compared with ex vitro plants. Treatments with 11.42 mu mol L-1 indole-3-acetic acid plus 8.87 mu mol L-1 benzylaminopurine led to 1.7 and 2.2 fold in proportion of nerol and geraniol, respectively in 60-day-old whole plants. These increases might be associated with the action of growth regulators wich stimulate plant growth (shoot organogenesis and elongation) and delaying the alcohol oxidation to aldehydes.