Prevention of Browning during in vitro Cultures of Verbascum scamandri

Browning, a common problem in plant tissue cultures, can hinder callus production and the synthesis of secondary metabolites. This study investigates browning in the in vitro callus culture of Verbascum scamandri, a plant species with significant medicinal potential. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of various browning inhibitors. In the study, leaf explants from 15-week-old plants grown in vitro were used to investigate browning in callus cultures. Explants were cultured in MS basal medium supplemented with 3% sucrose, 0.7% phyto agar and 2 mg/L Kinetin, which was chosen for its high callus proliferation. Treatments included various concentrations (50, 100, 200 and 300 mg/L) and combinations of browning inhibitors (PEG, PVP, AA, CA, AC and AA+CA), as well as dark culture conditions. The density of browning and callus was recorded and calculated after 28 days including texture and color data of induced calli. According to the results, it was found that the most effective treatment for the prevention of browning is culturing in dark conditions. Additionally, it was observed that in this treatment, the density of callus induction was higher and the induced calli did not brown and had a compact texture. © 2025 World Researchers Associations. All rights reserved.