Nicotiana tabacum callus growth (fresh weight) was measured after culture in the light (16-hour photoperiod) or in darkness for four different culture media, differing in iron chelate type or concentration. All media contained MS basal medium supplemented with 30 g·L–1 sucrose, 2 mg·L–1 IAA, 0.2 mg·L–1 KIN, and 7 g·L–1 agar, pH 5.8. Three of the media contained iron-metalosate (Albion Laboratories), an organic iron chelate, at 100, 200, and 400 micromolar concentrations, and the fourth medium contained 100 μm Fe-EDTA. Twenty-five culture tubes were prepared for each of the 4 different media concentrations and 2 light treatments (8 treatments total). A 1-cm3 callus explant was used for each treatment and cultured for 56 days at 20°C. About 20-fold increases in callus fresh weight were observed for cultures incubated in light or in darkness. In addition, callus growth was not significantly affected by iron chelate type, suggesting the potential utility of this organic chelator in tissue culture media to alleviate potential problems of light-induced EDTA instability and subsequent IAA inactivation. These cultures are being maintained to examine the influence of iron chelate type on organogenesis.
A Comparison between Synthetic and Organic Iron Chelators on in Vitro Growth of Nicotiana tabacum Callus Cultures