Is a blue–red light a good elicitor of phenolic compounds in the family Droseraceae? A comparative study

Abstract

Plants from the family Droseraceae, especially Drosera sp. and Dionaea sp., are naturally rich in phenolic derivatives such as plumbagin, among others. Plumbagin is known both for its pharmacological significance and its protective properties against light stress. Light stress – high light intensity or/and light spectral composition – activates plants' response mechanisms including, among others, hormonal (salicylic acid, jasmonic acid) pathways and secondary metabolite (phenolic compounds, proline) pathways. Short-wavelength radiation, due to its high energy, will induce the synthesis of protective secondary metabolites, including those with pharmaceutical properties. The aim of the study was to describe and compare acclimation strategies of Drosera peltata and Dionaea muscipula to blue–red light in the context of phenolic compound accumulation, and salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and proline synthesis.For the first time, differences in the responses of D. muscipula and D. peltata to blue–red light (in the ratio 6:1) were established. In Dionaea sp., it was associated with the use of redox equivalents (in particular, plastoquinone pool) for the synthesis of primary metabolites used in the process of growth and development. In Drosera sp., a rapid adjustment of redox state led to the synthesis of secondary metabolites, constituting a reservoir of carbon skeletons and allowing for a quick defence response to stress factors. In both species, blue–red light did not induce the jasmonic acid pathway. However, the salicylic acid pathway was induced as an alternative to the phenolic compound synthesis pathway. Nevertheless, the applied blue–red light was not an effective elicitor of phenolic compounds in the plants examined.