Adventitious roots of ginseng were treated with methyl jasmonate (MJ) up to 150μm and cultured for 40days. Up to 100μm MJ inhibited the root growth but increase ginsenoside accumulation. In a two-stage bioreactor culture, total ginsenosides, after elicitation with 100 μm MJ peaked after 10days at 48mgg−1 dry wt and then dropped sharply. Of the two groups of ginsenosides (Rb and Rg), higher amounts of Rb accumulated in the adventitious roots.