Effect of biotic elicitors on the physiology, redox system, and secondary metabolite composition of Lippia alba cultivated in vitro
Pamela Thaís de Souza Silva, Lindomar Maria de Souza, Marciana Bizerra de Morais, Marcílio Martins de Moraes, Cláudio Augusto Gomes da Câmara, Cláudia Ulisses
Abstract
Lippia alba (Mill.) N. E. Br. ex P. Wilson is found in the Brazilian northeastern semiarid region, and its leaves are rich in essential oils that are relevant in the pharmaceutic and cosmetic industries for their proven antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. This study evaluated the influence of elicitors on the in vitro development and production of secondary compounds in Lippia alba. Cuttings from this species were inoculated in Murashige and Skoog (1962) semi-solid medium supplemented with methyl jasmonate (100, 200, and 300 µM L−1), chitosan, and yeast extract (200, 400, and 600 mg L−1) for 5 and 10 days. Elicitation for 10 days was shown to affect the growth and development of the plants, and the addition of 400 or 600 mg L−1 of chitosan and 400 mg L−1 of yeast extract for 5 days to the medium promoted an increase in plant height and leaf biomass. Furthermore, elicitation promoted the synthesis of 5-methylene-2-norbornene, ethyl pent-4-enoate, p-cymene and limonene in the essential oil of plants. Therefore, for in vitro elicitation of L. alba, we indicate the application of 400 or 600 mg L−1 of chitosan to the culture medium for 5 days.