Volume: 3, 2024
3rd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: P017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL3.P017
Published online: 24 April 2024
ICDSUPL, 3, P017 (2024)
Foliar application of elicitors as an approach to improve secondary metabolism in Hypericum perforatum L.
Maria Stasińska-Jakubas1*, Barbara Hawrylak-Nowak2
1 Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Environmental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
2 Sub-department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Environmental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: maria.jakubas@up.lublin.pl
Abstract
Hypericum perforatum L., commonly known as Saint John’s wort, is a popular medicinal plant valued in the pharmaceutical market for its wide spectrum of secondary metabolites and multidirectional biological activity. However, plant resources are limited and in order to meet the growing demands of the industry, it is necessary to look for methods to optimize plant production. Elicitation stands out as one of the most effective and environmentally friendly approaches that uses beneficial effects of moderate (a)biotic stress in plants to increase the production of desired secondary metabolites. In this study, we applied three chemically different elicitors to improve the phytochemical properties of H. perforatum: chitosan lactate (ChL) as a biotic elicitor, salicylic acid (SA) as an abiotic elicitor from the group of phytohormones, and sodium selenite (Se) as an abiotic elicitor from the group of trace elements. The plants were cultivated in an air-conditioned phytotron equipped with fluorescent lamps, maintaining a 14-hour photoperiod and day/night temperature 27/23°C with a relative humidity of 60–65%. The elicitors were foliar-applied twice (10 mL/pot) with concentrations of 0 (control), 100 mg/L ChL, 150 mg/L SA or 10 mg/L Se. 10 days after the first application of elicitors, selected physiological and phytochemical parameters were analyzed in the plant material. The experiment revealed a diverse response of H. perforatum plants to the foliar application of different types of elicitors. The stimulation of the analyzed secondary metabolites biosynthesis (flavonoids, phenolic acids, naphthodianthrones, and xanthones) varied depending on the chemical group that they represented. Generally, the application of the elicitors had a positive effect on the accumulation of flavonoids, with a particularly eliciting effect observed in the content of rutoside, which increased by almost 60% after SA application. In turn, the concentration of hypericins decreased during the elicitation. Moreover, the application of elicitors did not impact plant biomass or result in visible symptoms of phytotoxicity. These results suggest that the foliar application of elicitors, particularly SA and Se, can modulate the secondary metabolites biosynthesis in H. perforatum. However, further research is still needed to confirm the efficacy of this method in enhancing the accumulation of selected secondary metabolites in H. perforatum in vivo.
Keywords: chitosan, selenium, salicylic acid, Saint John’s wort, secondary metabolites
How to cite
M. Stasińska-Jakubas, B. Hawrylak-Nowak, 2024. Foliar application of elicitors as an approach to improve secondary metabolism in Hypericum perforatum L.. In: 3rd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL3.P017