NaCl-Induced Elicitation Alters Physiology and Increases Accumulation of Phenolic Compounds in Melissa officinalis L.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Sławomir Dresler¹  Ireneusz Sowa¹  Magdalena Wójciak¹  Maria Stasińska-Jakubas²  Barbara Hawrylak-Nowak²  Renata Matraszek-Gawron² 

[1] Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 4a, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Environmental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 15, 20-950 Lublin, Poland;

关键词: phenolic metabolites;    lemon balm;    chlorophyll fluorescence;    medicinal plants;    secondary metabolites;    abiotic elicitors;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms22136844

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

In nature, plants usually produce secondary metabolites as a defense mechanism against environmental stresses. Different stresses determine the chemical diversity of plant-specialized metabolism products. In this study, we applied an abiotic elicitor, i.e., NaCl, to enhance the biosynthesis and accumulation of phenolic secondary metabolites in Melissa officinalis L. Plants were subjected to salt stress treatment by application of NaCl solutions (0, 50, or 100 mM) to the pots. Generally, the NaCl treatments were found to inhibit the growth of plants, simultaneously enhancing the accumulation of phenolic compounds (total phenolics, soluble flavonols, anthocyanins, phenolic acids), especially at 100 mM NaCl. However, the salt stress did not disturb the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments and proper functioning of the PS II photosystem. Therefore, the proposed method of elicitation represents a convenient alternative to cell suspension or hydroponic techniques as it is easier and cheaper with simple application in lemon balm pot cultivation. The improvement of lemon balm quality by NaCl elicitation can potentially increase the level of health-promoting phytochemicals and the bioactivity of low-processed herbal products.

【 授权许可】

Unknown