Carbohydrate-limited Growth Kinetics of Tobacco ( Nicotiana rustica L.) Callus

Abstract

Logistic curves were fitted to sigmoidal growth data obtained from tobacco (Nicotiana rustica L.) callus grown on media prepared with 0.1, 0.03, 0.01, and 0.003 m sucrose. Analysis of the growth curves indicated that final yields and specific growth rates were influenced by the initial sucrose concentration. Growth yields from the four treatments were similar (0.61 +/- 0.04 gram dry tissue per gram sucrose supplied). Initial specific growth rates exhibited a Michaelis-Menten dependency on initial sucrose concentration such that the V(max) = 0.18 g g(-1) day(-1) and Km = 0.0037 m sucrose.