Effects of culture temperature on microtuber formation of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. and aconitine-type alkaloid contents

The clonally propagated Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. was used for the investigation of microtubering. The rooting condition of propagated shoots affected the establishment of transplantation to soil indicating the Murashige-Skoog medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l of IAA and the cultivation at 20°C are the best. Culturing at 15°C under the dark enhanced microtubering rather than 10°C or 20°C. The temperature affected the production of aconitine-type alkaloids, demonstrating that the contents of mesaconitine and hypaconitine were higher at 20°C than at 15 and 10°C.