Effect of methyl jasmonate on the production of furanocoumarins in cell suspension cultures of Ruta graveolens L

Abstract

This research project aimed to study the eliciting effect of different concentrations of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) (0.0, 25, 50, 75 µM L−1) on the production of furanocoumarins (psoralen and bergapten) by harvested cells of batch cultures of Ruta graveolens L. grown in liquid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2.0 mg L−1 2,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) combined with 0.5 mg L−1 Kinetin (Kin), during three incubation periods (7, 14 and 21 days). The highest concentration of Psoralen recorded was 3.220 mg g−1 in the nutritional medium in a culture treated with 25 µM L−1 MeJA after 21 days incubation. Bergapten reached its highest concentration of 8.223 mg g−1 in the medium after 21 days incubation in a culture treated with 50 µM L−1 MeJA. Harvested cells showed a different picture, Psoralen highest concentration (3.495 mg g−1) was achieved after 14 days incubation in a culture treated with 75 µM L−1 MeJA, while the highest concentration of bergapten (7.110 mg g−1) was recorded after 21 days of incubation with 50 µM L−1 MeJA. These data support the potential use of cell suspension cultures as an alternative source for the field plants in the production of furanocoumarins from Ruta graveolens. Cell Suspension cultures are an excellent alternative source for field plants in the production of secondary metabolites from Ruta graveolens.