DETERMINATION OF THE STEROL STATE OF GENERATIVE PLANTS OF HEATH SPOTTED-ORCHID (DACTY-LORHIZA MACULATA (L.) SOÓ) (ORCHIDACEAE) BY GC-MS

Abstract

For the first time, the phytosterol state of the underground and aboveground organs of the tuberoid species of the orchid Dactylorhiza maculata (L.) Soó (Orchidaceae), which grows in the natural conditions of the Central European part of Russia, was studied using gas chromatography with a mass spectrometric detector. The plant material contains cycloartenol, cycloeukalenol, campesterol, brassicasterin, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol and ergosterol, which was found in underground organs and belong to mycosymbiont. The ergosterol content in the adventitious roots is five times higher compared to the endings of stem root tuberoids. The phytosterols content of the aboveground organs of D. maculata is more diverse than that of the underground organs. The basic sterol of D. maculata is β-sitosterol (60%), which is present in all organs. Also a high amount was noted for cycloartenol (20%), which is absent in the stem. Cycloeukalenol (7%) was found in inflorescences and leaves, campesterol (2%) in inflorescences, brassicasterin (5%) in the adventitious roots, stigmasterol (5%) in the leaves. Differences in the sterol statuses of organs can be explained by the biochemical characteristics of their tissues and the uneven functional significance of the identified compounds for the growth and development of generative individuals of D. maculata in the budding phase. The results obtained indicate the diversity of phytosterol compounds and their uneven content in various organs of the studied plant object.