To induce ginseng callus, stem segments and leaf pieces of 62 plants were kept on B5 medium containing NAA (2 mg/l), 2,4-D (2.25 mg/l) and kinetine (2.12 mg/l). After 8 weeks the calluses were transferred to MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D (1 mg/l). Each plant cultures were incubated at two conditions: in darkness and in the light and subcultured at 4-week intervals. Embryogenic calluses were transferred on MS medium with GA3 (1 mg/l) and BAP (1 mg/l) and kept in the light. Mature embryoids (2–3 mm long) were separated from the callus and planted on ½ MS medium with IBA (0.1 mg/l) to obtain further development. Callus formation was observed after 4 weeks of culture. Young callus grew very slowly. The obtained results showed a positive effect of darkness on callus induction and further development. The frequency of embryogenic callus pieces (estimated after 3 months) was low (4.2–6.4%). The percentage of genotypes forming
embryogenic callus was higher in the dark (25.8–27.4) than in the light (22.6–24.2). Only single embryos developed into morphologically normal plants. Many plants formed inadequate roots.