Abstract: | Thymus vulgaris L. (thyme), belonging to the family Lamiaceae (Labiate), is a species originating in the Mediterranean region, having been grown as medicinal and spice plant since antiquity. The bioactive compounds identified in thyme plants are represented by flavonoids, thymol, carvacrol, eugenol, phenols, luteolin, tymol, terpenoids that cause such effects as antispasmodic, bactericide, antiseptic, antioxidant, having anthelmintic properties and having been lately recommended as substitute for cancer prevention agents. Due to its economic importance, the purpose of our research was to highlight the in vitro reaction of this species by observations on the morphogenetic response of a series of explants on various nutritive variants. In view of initiating the in vitro cultures, the biological material used in our research consisted of Thymus vulgaris seeds, disinfested with chloramine-T 5% solution, for 20 minutes. After the removal of disinfesting solutions (by rinsing in distilled water), the seeds were inoculated on Murashige-Skoog (MS) without hormones. The plants obtained from the seeds were used as a source of explants (phytoinocul), represented by shoot apexes and nodes, were inoculated into nutrient media supplemented with the phytohormones from the category of auxins and cytokinins in different combinations and concentrations. Our observations led to the following conclusions: the best reaction highlighted was caulogenesis, followed by rhizogenesis and, to a small percentage by callusogenesis. The media BA1 - 1mg/l BAP (benzylaminopurine) + 0.5 mg/l IAA (indole-3-acetic acid), and BB2 - 1mg/l BAP (benzylaminopurine) + 0.1 mg/l IBA (indole-3-butyric acid) proved to be the most favourable to the regeneration of shoots, followed by the versions BA2 - 1mg/l BAP (benzylaminopurine) + 0.1 mg/l IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) and BB1- 1mg/l BAP (benzylaminopurine) + 0.5 mg/l IBA (indole-3-butyric acid), where the shooting phenomenon was intense, but the shoots were frail, with smaller leaves and thinner stems. Thyme callus formation was highlighted in the medium version NAA1, the callus showing low proliferation and organogenetic capacity. |
