Explant type and natural ventilation systems influence growth and content of carvacrol and thymol of Lippia gracilis Schauer

• Published in: Plant cell, tissue and organ culture Vol. 137; no. 1; pp. 33 - 43
• Main Authors: Lazzarini, Luiz Eduardo Santos, Bertolucci, Suzan Kelly Vilela, de Carvalho, Alexandre Alves, Santiago, Alexsandro Carvalho, Pacheco, Fernanda Ventorim, Yucesan, Buhara, Pinto, José Eduardo Brasil Pereira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 15-04-2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carvacrol; Caryophyllene; Chemical analysis; Cultivation; Explants; Flasks; Leaf area; Leaves; Life Sciences; Lippia; Membranes; Organic chemistry; Original Article; p-Cymene; Photosynthesis; Photosynthetic pigments; Pigments; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plantlets; Terpinene; Thymol; Ventilation; Volatile compounds; Volatile fraction; Micropropagation; Alternative membrane; Medicinal plant
• ISSN: 0167-6857; 1573-5044
• DOI: 10.1007/s11240-018-01548-5

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different natural ventilation systems and explant types on the growth and volatile compound content of
Lippia gracilis
cultured in vitro. The treatments consisted of four membrane systems (without membrane, with one, two, and four porous membranes) and two explant types (nodal segments with and without a pair of leaves). The evaluation of growth, photosynthetic pigments and chemical analysis of the volatile fraction were performed at 35 days of cultivation in half strength MS basal medium. Natural ventilation systems significantly influenced the in vitro growth and volatile fraction of
L. gracilis
. Explants with a pair of leaves obtained the best experimental responses. The natural ventilation system with four membranes provided the best growth parameters and leaf area response of
L. gracilis
explants with leaves. The photosynthetic pigments decreased with an increase in the number of porous membranes in the culture flask. Variations in the number, content, and profile of volatile compounds under the influence of natural ventilation systems were observed. Major constituents such as ρ-cymene, γ-terpinene, thymol, carvacrol, and
E
-caryophyllene, regardless of experimental conditions, were identified. The highest carvacrol and thymol contents were observed in plantlets grown in culture flasks with four porous membranes. To maximize the content of carvacrol and thymol from the in vitro culture of
L. gracili
s, explants with a pair of leaves and four porous membranes in culture flasks are recommended for use.