Effect of methyl jasmonate on production of 20-hydroxyecdysone and turkesterone in hairy roots of Silene linicola C.C.Gmelin

Methyl jasmonate (MeJ) affects the regulation of secondary metabolism, and it is considered to be a promising elicitor in the culture of cells, tissues and plant organs. High-performance liquid chromatography method was used to identify the composition of ecdysteroids in hairy roots of Silene linicola. MeJ was found to have a stimulating effect on ecdysteroid biosynthesis in this culture. Addition of MeJ at a concentration of 100 μM increased the biosynthesis of 20-hydroxyecdysone by 74% (day 3), and that of turkesterone by 35% (day 6). The share of turkesterone in total ecdysteroid content in the investigated samples was up to 60%, and the content of 20-hydroxyecdysone was up to 30%. The study shows that MeJ is a promising stimulator of ecdysteroid biosynthesis in hairy roots of S. linicola