Enhancement of Secondary Metabolites in a Medicinal Plant Oxalis corniculata L. by Whole Plant Elicitation Using Methyl Jasmonate

Abstract

Whole plant elicitation was done in field grown Oxalis corniculata for enhancing the accumulation of secondary metabolites using different concentrations of Methyl Jasmonate (MeJA). Shoot tissues were subjected to extraction process by three different solvents methanol, ethanol and water. Extracts were tested for the examination of total phenolic compound (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and the DPPH activity. Untreated plants considered as control.  The highest (47.06 ± 2.05 mg/g) amount of TPC of gallic acid equivalent was recorded in the shoot tissue extract prepared in water. In this case the concentration of MeJA was 500-750 ppm with a treatment period of 8-12 days. On the other hand, methanolic extract of shoot tissues gave 42.087 ± 2.49 mg/g TPC at a concentrations of 1000 ppm MeJA with a treatment period of 12 days. TPC level was increased about 4 folds when compared with the highest levels of TPC in the control 12.863 ± 0.52 mg/g. Highest level (95.32 ± 6.730) of Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) was found in ethanol and water extracts. Here the concentration of MeJA was 750-1000 ppm and the treatment period was 12 days. TFC levels also increased about 4 folds when compare to the highest levels (18.8 ± 2.75) of TFC in control. The DPPH activity of shoot tissue extracts in three different solvents had no statistical difference between treatments and control. These studies are helpful to conduct further experiments in field conditions for producing large amounts of TPC and TFC as raw materials.

Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 36(1): 259-267, 2026 (June)