Published in Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies, Vol. XIX
Written by Krasimira TASHEVA, Zornica KATEROVA, Georgina KOSTURKOVA
Increasing production of secondary metabolites from medicinal plants is highly important for food and pharmacology. The plant cell and tissue culture methods offer an integrated approach for valuable substances production. Biosynthesis could be enhanced by different chemical and physical stimuli including UV radiation. Some investigations demonstrated increase of metabolite components in cultivated plant cells and tissues after their irradiation, particularly with UV-B (280-315 nm) and UV-C (200-280 nm) However, in vitro cultures potential to produce secondary metabolites after UV exposure is not extensively studied giving a perspective to enlarge the investigations on the role of UV light as elicitor. In this respect medicinal plants are promising. Golden root is a wildly used medicinal plant, containing a range of antioxidant compounds. The aim of this work was to study the effect of low doses UV radiation on the process of callus formation and in vitro growth. Plants, calli and explants cultivated in vitro on different nutrient media were irradiated with low doses UV-B (280-315 nm) and UV-C (200-280 nm). Irradiation exposure to UV-B light was for 3, 5 and 7 minutes and to UV-C light for 1 and 2 minutes. Irradiation caused changes in callus growth, structure and color without influencing calli and plants viability. Lethal effect was observed only for leaf explants exposed to UV-C for 2 min and UV-B for 7 min.
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