Phytochemical Screening and In Vitro Micropropagation of sea-holly (Eryngium maritimum)

Sea-holly (Eryngium maritimum) is listed in the Red Data Book of the Baltic Region and commercial collection of herbs in the wild is therefore prohibited. However, the plant has potential applications for herbal treatment, food consumption, and in cosmetics, which is the most important precondition for their commercial cultivation. Seeds are difficult to germinate, therefore, in vitro methods of micro-propagation are needed as an alternative to seed propagation. The species are poorly studied in the Baltic stateʼs region and are not commercially grown. Therefore, the aim of the study was to develop methods for species propagation in vitro and subsequent adaptation ex vitro and cultivation in field conditions as well as to determine the phytochemical composition of the plantʼs aboveground and belowground parts. Experimental variants for the micropropagation included both different combinations of various cytokinins and auxins at various concentrations as well as various nitrogen source concentrations of the media. The composition of the medium significantly influenced the number of shoots. Shoots cultured on 0.5 mg/L meta-topolin and 0.1 mg/L Indole-3-acetic acid had the highest propagation rate. Various concentrations of Indole-3-acetic acid and nitrogen source were tested for rooting. Addition of auxin slightly increased the number of roots. E. maritimum revealed the presence of triterpenoid saponins, phenolic compounds, chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid and essential oil. The headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry method was found to be the best choice as a rapid screening method to obtain results from fresh micropropagation plant samples, without complicated sample preparation. Research is funded by ERDF 1.1.1.1/19/A/083.

Publication History

Article published online:
12 December 2022