Thidiazuron as an Elicitor in the Production of Secondary Metabolite

Abstract

The secondary metabolites are known to play a major role in the adaptation of plants to their environment. They are also used by humans as food additives and as pharmaceuticals. Various strategies have been developed to improve the production of secondary metabolites in plant cell and tissue culture. Strain improvement, methods for the selection of high-producing cell lines, medium optimizations, and treatment of the undifferentiated cells with abiotic or biotic elicitors such as heavy metals, chitosan, methyljasmonate, salicylic acid, and thidiazuron (TDZ) can lead to an enhancement in secondary metabolite production. TDZ, a substituted phenylurea (N-phenyl-1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl urea), has gained a considerable attention during the past decades due to its efficient role in plant cell and tissue culture. TDZ has shown both auxin- and cytokinin-like effects, although, chemically, it is totally different from commonly used auxins and cytokinins. A number of physiological and biochemical events in cells are induced or enhanced by TDZ. To attain continuous and quick industrial production, when used in the appropriate concentration, the addition of stimulants such as TDZ to the growing medium will contribute to production of secondary metabolites.