summary This review attempts to present an overall strategy for the production of useful secondary metabolites by cultured plant cells. After consideration of the nature and utility of secondary metabolites and the possible role of these substances to the plant, the review focuses attention on the properties of the plant cells in culture and how the cell populations and their physical and chemical environment can be manipulated to encourage the synthesis and accumulation of secondary products. Finally, consideration is given to the involvement of genetic engineering in the production of cells to perform particular metabolic tasks and how these techniques might contribute to the development of a new strategy to enable the production of useful secondary metabolites on a commercial scale.

Posters mononetin (1)20.09 mm, and glycyrrhetinic acid 40 mm. In the present study, C. glabra suspension cultures produced mainly formononetin and not glycyrrhizin or glycyrrhetic acid. Fig. 1 shows the time course of growth and formononetin production in cell suspension cultures. The maximum cell mass of 10.03 g dry weight/I was attained 12 days after the transfer. The content of formononetin in cells began to increase at the late linear growth stage, and the maximum yield of 9.60mg formononetinlg dry weight was observed on day 15, after the cessation of cell growth. Once the maximum was reached the formononetin content declined in the stationary phase.

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