Abstract: In this study, five kinds of inorganic salts were added to Murashige and Skoog (MS) culture medium to determine their effects on the growth rate, physiological indexes, and secondary metabolite contents of licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) callus. The hypocotyledonary axis of sterile licorice seedlings was used as the experimental material. The culture medium consisted of MS+6-benyzlaminopurine (0.5 mg/L)+2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (0.5 mg/L)+naphthalene acetic acid (0.5 mg/L)+kinetin (0.4 mg/L)+agar (8 g/L)+sugar (30 g/L). Tissue culture and ultraviolet spectrophotometry methods were used to study the effects of inorganic salts at various concentrations in the culture medium on the growth and characteristics of licorice callus. Increasing amounts of KNO₃ and MnSO₄·4H₂O in the medium increased the biomass of licorice callus. Increasing concentrations of CaCl₂·2H₂O in the medium led to increased accumulation of soluble sugars and total flavonoids. The highest peroxidase activity was in callus in medium containing 2533 mg/L KNO₃. Callus growth and total flavonoid content increased significantly as the KH₂PO₄ concentration increased from 170 mg/L to 226 mg/L. The presence of MgSO₄·7H₂O in the MS medium promoted licorice callus growth and flavonoid synthesis. However, callus growth and total flavonoid synthesis were affected by the interactions among various inorganic salts. The results of an orthogonal test and range analysis indicated that the optimal combination of salts for growth and secondary product accumulation in licorice callus was as follows: MgSO₄·7H₂O 493 mg/L; MnSO₄·4H₂O 7 mg/L; KNO₃ 2533 mg/L; KH₂PO₄ 170 mg/L; and CaCl₂·2H₂O 733 mg/L.