The effect of two abiotic elicitors –two newly synthetized compounds (substituted anilides of pyrazine-2-carboxylic acids)–on the formation of flavonoids in the callus culture of Ononis arvensis L.was tested.The compounds markedly influenced the production of flavonoids in an in vitro culture. Particularly after elicitation with a solution of compound No.1 (4-hydroxyanilide 6-chloro-5-terc.butylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid)in a concentration of 3.32.10 –7 mol.l –1 and within 48 hours of elicitation an increase in flavonoid formation by 976 %versus the control took place.

        Key words: Ononis arvensis –flavonoids –elicitation –substituted anilides of 2-carboxylic acids