Elicitation of secondary metabolism in Echinacea purpurea L. by gibberellic acid and triazoles |
| |
| Authors: | A Maxwell P Jones Praveen K Saxena Susan J Murch |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Biology, University of British Colombia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7;2. Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1;3. Departments of Chemistry, Earth & Environmental Sciences University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 |
| |
| Abstract: | In vitro bioreactor production of Echinacea purpurea L. was used to facilitate the screening of compounds capable of eliciting increased secondary metabolite production. Based on previous experience with various bioreactors, the Southern Sun Liquid Lab Rocker was selected for this study as it produces healthy, vigorous, whole plants. The focus of the present study was to quantify the concentration of the medicinally important secondary metabolites caftaric acid and cichoric acid and to study the effect of growth regulators on the production of these compounds in this system. Both marker compounds were produced at levels that compared favorably to field grown plants. Application of gibberellic acid (GA3), paclobutrazol, uniconazole and a combined treatment of GA3 with paclobutrazol to the in vitro plants generally increased the concentration of caftaric acid in the roots with little effect on the concentration in the shoots. The concentration of cichoric acid was higher in the roots of treated plants than in the roots of control plants, but lower in corresponding shoots. The present study highlights the use of in vitro production of whole plants as a model system for studying the regulation of plant secondary metabolism in a controlled environment. |
| |
| Keywords: | Echinacea purpurea Bioreactor Elicitor Gibberellic acid Triazoles |
|
|
