TRANSFORMING PLANT SECONDARY METABOLITE PRODUCTION THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF PTC AND ELICITOR TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

Plant tissue culture is an in-vitro culture technique for the production of plant cells. It is a very good, attractive and cost effective technique for the production of secondary metabolites. Plants produce counter response against the environmental threats like bacteria, virus, fungi, insects etc. and some physically harsh environmental conditions such as salinity, temperature, exposure to ultra violet radiation. Plants produce responses against the signals obtained through sensors, receptors and defense responses which are stabilized against these stresses. These trigger responses elucidate the production of secondary metabolites (alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, resins and tannins) which are useful for the survival, persistence and competitiveness of the plant. These secondary metabolites are useful in various areas such as food additive, pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals and therapeutic industries. The present review discusses about the types of biotic (physical, chemical and hormonal elicitors) and abiotic elicitors (lipopolysaccharides, polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, protein, complex composition and oregano extract). These elicitors are used for enhancing the yield of secondary metabolites in the medicinal plants which are useful in various area of research and are also useful in different industries.