Thc effect of light and phylohormonc on the belalaln synthesis was tested using the suspension culture of a rod(bclalaln produulng) cell line from Phytolacca esculenta V. Houtte. Betalain synthesis of rod-cell 1ine was strongly dependent on the irradiation of blue light, but induced by hormone, IAA and/or kinetin, in dark conditions. In a light condition, however, 2 mg/l of IAA increased the betalain content about 30% (per gram fresh weight), whereas more than 0.5mg/l of kinetin remarkably decreased. The hairy root derived from the same plant was also observed for the blue light-dependent pigmentation in the root-tips. When the hairy root grown in dark was transferred to the light condition, the accumulation of betalain was initiated after 12hours. Such pigmentation was completely inhabited by addition of a protein synthesis inhibitor.