PHOTOAUTOTROPHIC GROWTH IN CELL-SUSPENSION CULTURE FROM THE LIVERWORT, MARCHANTIA-PALEACEA VAR DIPTERA

When chlorophyllous cells of the liverwort Marchantia paleacea var. diptera that had been grown heterotrophically in the dark were transferred to photoautotrophic conditions, these cells started to grow photoautotrophically without a lag phase. They showed optimum growth under an irradiance of 6 W m-2 and above, and a CO2 atmosphere of 2.5 % (v/v). High chlorophyll content [17 to 25 g (kg dry weight)-1] and high photosynthetic activity [7 to 88 mol O2 (kg chlorophyll)-1h-1] were observed during a growth cycle. When photoautotrophic cells were returned to heterotrophic growth conditions in the dark, the cells reverted to heterotrophic growth. © 1990, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart. All rights reserved.