The paper studied the effect of the homogenate of Candida utilis on the production of anthracene derivatives by the callus and suspension culture of Rheum palmatum L. of different age and origin. The culture was cultivated on a Murashige-Skoog medium with an addition of 10 mg.l -1 of a-naphthylacetic acid. A positive effect on the production was caused mainly by the elicitation of the suspension culture. The maximal content of anthracene derivatives (1.346%), found by photo- metric determination according to PhBs 4, was demonstrated after 6-hour action of the homogenate of Candida utilis of a concentration of 0.143 mg/30 ml of the medium in an eight-year old culture derived from the root of the intact plant Rheum palmatum. A one-year-old culture derived from the root of the intact and germinating plant reacted to elicitation more sensitively as there was an increase in production up to 228 % in comparison with the control. However, the content of anthracene derivatives was lower than in the eight-year-old culture. In contrast to the suspension culture, the production of anthracene derivatives in the callus culture was influenced by elicitation only in the minimal extent.

        Key words: Rheum palmatum L. – callus and suspension culture – anthracene derivatives – biotic elicitation – Candida utilis