• S Banerjee, N Upadhyay, A K Kukreja, P S Ahuja, S Kumar, G C Saha, R P Sharma, and S K Chattopadhyay.
• Division of Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, India.
• Planta Med. 1996 Aug 1; 62 (4): 329-31.

AbstractCulture conditions have been standardized for initiation of callus cultures of Himalayan yew (Taxus wallichiana) using young stem and needle explants from mature trees. Cultures were established on a modified Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with various levels of auxins (2.4-D, NAA) and cytokinin (kinetin). A medium containing 0.25 mg/l kinetin and 5.0 mg/l 2.4-D was optimal for stem callus growth whereas the presence of 0.25 mg/l kinetin along with 3.0 mg/l NAA in the medium supported optimal needle callus growth. Growth of stem callus was faster than needle callus growth. Supplementation of ascorbic acid (30 mg/l) amongst various anti-phenolic agents tested significantly reduced browning of initiated callus. Two taxanes (2-deacetoxytaxinine 1 and 2'-deacetoxyaustrospicatine) known to occur in stem bark, have also been isolated from undifferentiated tissue of T. wallichiana in equal or higher yields, for the first time.

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