The Impact of the Content of Macro- and Microelements in the Culture Medium on the Productivity of Withania coagulans Hairy Root Cultures

Abstract Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dunal is a valuable medicinal plant with prospects for use not only in medicine, but also in the food industry. The hairy roots of withania are a more promising source of biologically active substances than the roots of plants grown in natural conditions. There is evidence of a positive effect of the compounds KNO3, KH2PO4, MgSO4, and CaCl2 on the growth of the roots of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, cobalt salts on the growth of the roots of Angelica archangelica L., and increased agar concentration on the growth of the roots of A. thaliana. In this work, the effect of these compounds on the growth of hairy roots of W. coagulans was studied for the first time. It has been shown that changing the composition of the MS medium does not contribute to an increase in the dry mass of the roots. An increase in the concentration of divalent cobalt inhibits root growth, while trivalent cobalt in a concentration of up to 100 μM prolongs the viability of roots. The addition of [Co(NH3)]6Cl3 can be used for long-term storage of withania root cultures without passages.