Callus induction of red ginger (Zingiber officinale var. rubrum) with 2,4-D and Kinetin combination to enhance total phenolic and flavonoid content

Plant tissue culture perform as in vitro technique which use any parts of plants under environmental and nutritional control. Tissue culture provides a competitive systems for effective secondary metabolites production, including in red ginger which has many functional properties with high demand in health and pharmaceutical sectors. This study aims to develop an appropriate procedure to cultivate red ginger with in vitro technique to enhance its phenolic and flavonoid content. The rhizome buds were use as explants for callus induction by MS medium with some combination of 2,4-D and kinetin (1:0; 1:1; 1:5; and 5:1). The 70 ethanol, 5,25 sodium hypochlorite, and 10 povidone iodine were used for surface sterilization of bud explants. The result reveals that in 1:0 combination of 2,4-D and Kinetin, the compact callus were initiated on day-16. The other three combinations showed shorter callus forming time in day-14 and they were friable. The 1:1 combination showed the highest percentage (70) of callus formation compared to other three combinations. In this combination also indicated no contamination occurs. From this in vitro tissue culture, the methanolic extract of callus obtained highest total phenolic content (204,793 μg/mL) than rhizome (130.77 μg/mL). Though, the total flavonoid content of callus extract (0,289 μg/mL) was lower than rhizome extract (6.74 μg/mL). This study showed that the in vitro tissue culture was quite appropriate to enhance total phenolic content in red ginger, although not at the flavonoid content. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.