In Vivo and In Vitro Studies of Withania somnifera L. (Dunal) under Copper Stress

The biophasic effects of Cu²⁺ on growth and some biochemical parameters of W. Somnifera were studied. W. Somnifera seeds were grown in ½ MS medium then transferred to MS (normal, CuSO₄.5H₂O. Concentration 0.025mg/l)Cu deficient MS (CuSO₄.5H₂O. Concentraion-0mg/l) and Cu surplus MS (CuSO₄.5H₂O. Concentraion-0.050mg/l) medium serially and maintained by subculture. The result showed that Cu²⁺ concentration increases percentage of callus response. The callus response recorded in 16 weeks. The maximum callus growth were observed in Cu²⁺ MS medium and minimum in Cu deficient medium. There after the growth, biochemical parameters were significantly compared to untreated control in vivo plants. Furthermore, the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, Peroxidase and superoxidedismutase were also increases in Cu surplus condition. The catalase activity is simultaneously decreases from Cu surplus (0.980) and in MS medium(0.820) were observed. The protein content was also highinvivo sample then Cu²⁺ MS, MS and Cu⁻ MS medium. It was concluded that higher and lower concentration of Cu significantly affect the callus growth, Catalase activity and protein content of the plant.