Biochemical Characterization of Root and Shoot Differentiation from Callus Cultures in Dioscorea deltoidea Wall

The present investigation was aimed to study the biochemical basis of differentiation. Depending on fresh and dry weight of callus, high growth value callus was observed on MS medium supplemented with 2, 4-D (2.0 mg/l) in D. deltoidea. Regeneration of roots (8 days) was observed on RT medium + IAA (1.0 mg/l) and shoots (12 days) on RT medium supple-mented with BAP (1.0 mg/l) + NAA (0.5 mg/l). All the metabolites (Reducing sugar, free ami-no acid, phenols and starch) decreased during the process of roots and shoots differentia-tion except total soluble sugar and proteins which increased during the differentiation process. Enzyme activities viz. α-amylase, acid invertase, acid phosphatase and acid protease activity increased and peroxidase activity de-creased during differentiation. Six polypeptide bands (93.35, 58.7, 47.86, 33.9, 31.69 and 24.84 kDa) appeared during differentiation of roots and five polypeptide bands (93.35, 58.7, 47.86, 24.84 and 16.98 kDa) during shoots differentia-tion. There was disappearance of 2 polypeptide bands (42.69 and 16.98 kDa) during roots differ-entiation and 6 polypeptide bands (67.66, 42.69, 36.31, 33.9, 31.69 and 24.84 kDa) during shoots differentiation.