Elicitation based enhancement of solasodine production in in-vitro cultures of different Solanum species

Abstract

Aim: To study the enhancement of solasodine content using elicitors such as NaCl, pectin, salicylic acid and yeast extract in cell suspension cultures of Solanum incanum, Solanum nigrum, Solanum surattense and Solanum villosum. Methodology: In-vitro callus induction from leaf explants was carried out on MS media supplemented with auxin, 2, 4- Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2.0 mg l-1). MS liquid medium supplemented with 2, 4-D (2.0 mg l-1) and varied concentrations of different elicitors were used for cell suspension culture. Results: The elicitor NaCl (150 mM) indicated maximum increment in solasodine production in three Solanum species studied. Salicylic acid with 75 μM resulted in considerable elevation in solasodine content in Solanum spp. Response to elicitation by pectin was high at different concentrations for different species of Solanum. Biotic elicitor yeast extract at 3.0 g l-1 concentration considerably increased solasodine production in S. nigrum and S. villosum. Solanum villosum exhibited best results in terms of solasodine concentration enhancement in response to pectin and yeast extract elicitors whereas Solanum incanum responded best to pectin followed by NaCl. Interpretation: The current results indicated that NaCl, pectin, salicylic acid and yeast extract can be effectively applied as influential elicitors for the enhancing the production of solasodine in cell suspension culture of different Solanum species. Key words: Callus, Cell suspension culture, Elicitors, Solanum, Solasodine, Steroidal alkaloids