Abbas Dekami - Plant Bio-Product group, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran. Iran
Forough Sanjarian - Plant Bio-Product group, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran. Iran
Mehrdad Chaichi - Department of Seed and Plant Improvement Research, Hamedan, Agricultural and Natural Resources, Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Hamedan, Iran
Bahman Hosseini - Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Hassan Rahnama - Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran

The tissue culture of Nigella arvensis L. was carried out on an MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of auxins and cytokinins. Media fortified with different concentrations (۰.۰, ۰.۵, ۱.۰ and ۱.۵ mg/L) of ۲, ۴-D, NAA or IBA in combination with kinetin or BAP (۱.۵ mg/L and ۲ mg/L) were used to induce and grow callus in present and absent of light. The experimental design was performed as a randomized block factorial design with three replications. Following callus culture, antioxidant enzymes activity and total phenolic contents were evaluated. The maximum callus induction (۸۰.۹%) was obtained with ۱.۰ mg/L ۲, ۴-D and ۱.۵ mg/L/ kinetin in the presence of light. Plant growth regulators combination and concentration, as well as photoperiod, affected the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The highest activities of catalase and peroxidase and total phenolic contents were measured in media with BAP combinations. On the contrary, the activity of superoxide dismutase was at the least in all BAP combinations. Overall, light intensified the activities of enzymes, but it had a negative effect on total phenolic contents.

Antioxidant enzyme, Nigella arvensis, plant growth regulators, Plant cell culture, Total phenolic content