Enhanced efficient micropropagation and reduced abnormal phenomena in Phyllanthus amarus plantlets cultured on medium containing silver nanoparticles

Abstract

Phyllanthus amarus is a valuable medicinal plant that is used to manufacture medications that treat viral hepatitis and improve liver function. Due to excessive ethylene production, micropropagation of P. amarus frequently results in abnormal phenomena such as leaf abscission, leaf yellowing, shoot with callus and vitrification. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was supplemented to the shoot multiplication medium to promoted growth, reduced ethylene content and abnormal phenomena in micropropagation of P. amarus. The results indicated that 7 mg/L AgNPs in shoot multiplication medium enhanced the shoot growth consists of number of shoots (7.33 shoots), shoots higher than 3 cm in height (5.67 shoots), shoot height (5.17 cm) fresh weight (215.32 mg) and dry weight (28.36 mg) were higher than those others after 30 days of culture. Besides, 7 mg/L AgNPs derived- shoots reduced abnormal phenomena; especially, 7 mg/L AgNPs treatment reduced about 4.5-fold leaf abscission, 1.5-fold leaf yellowing, 2-fold shoot with callus and 5-fold ethylene content as compared to those in control. The subsequent growth, acclimatization and accumulation of hypophyllanthin (48.51 µg/g) and phyllanthin (213.08 µg/g) contents of AgNPs derived- plantlets were higher than those in the control.