Effect of magnesium on phenolics content in cryptococoryne minima cultures

Abstract

It well known that phenolic compounds are plant secondary metabolites that responsible for pigmentation, growth, resistance to pathogens and many other functions. Previous study showed that plant nutrition affected the synthesis of secondary metabolites in plants. This study was determined the effect of Mg on total phenolics content in Cryptocoryne minima cultures, an aquatic plant that has been established as aquarium ornamental plant. The C. minima was propagated in Gamborg's BS medium and maintained for 2 weeks before the Mg treatment. It's plantlets were exposed to various concentration of Mg for eight weeks and the total phenolics, flavonoids, flavones and anthocyanins content were measured every seven days interval. The result showed that higher Mg concentration was significantly increased the plant growth, with plants treated in 36.8 mM Mg, containing greater fresh weight than other treatment. Total phenolics, flavonoids, flavones and anthocyanins showed significantly differences with different concentration of Mg. Thus, it was concluded that C. minima grown in tissue cultures can growth in broad range of Mg concentration. The present of Mg also contributed to the biosynthesis of phenolics compound in this plant. Besides, the ratio of different phenolics compound does not influence with various concentration of Mg with flavonoids/ total phenolics showed highest ratio followed by flavones/ total phenolics and anthocyanins/ total phenolics.