Micropropagation and Enhancement of Total Terpenoid Content in Artemisia lactiflora Using Tissue Culture Technique

Abstract

Plant propagation and medicinal enrichment using tissue culture is the production approach of chemical-free herbs with consistent and large quantities of essential substances for the future pharmaceutical industry. This research aimed to determine the optimal medium for multiplication and enhancing total terpenoid content in white mugwort using the elicitors under aseptic conditions. The appropriate medium for shoots multiplication from nodal segments and shoot tips were also optimized. Tissues of nodal segments and shoot tips were cultured on solid MS medium supplemented with 0, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 12 mg/l of BA for 4 weeks. The results showed that nodal segments cultured on solid MS medium without BA produced an average of 12.2 shoots per nodal segment. Shoot tips had a similar result with an average of 11.6 shoots per shoot tip. For acclimatization, white mugwort with healthy roots and stems were transferred to room temperature for 3, 5, 7 and 10 days. One month after transplantation, the survival rate was 100% in every condition. Then, the 3-month-old plantlets with healthy stems and roots from tissue culture were cultured in a liquid MS medium supplemented with 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 3.0 and 5.0 mM of salicylic acid (the major factor) for 1, 3 and 5 days (the minor factor). The total terpenoid content was analyzed by using a spectrophotometer. The use of 0.1 mM salicylic acid as an elicitor for one day resulted in a total terpenoid content of 23.05 mg/100g, was 1.1 times higher than that of field-grown plants