title: Field evaluation of in vitro-induced tetraploid and diploid Centella asiatica (L.) Urban.
abstract: Centella asiatica-a medicinal plant that produces high-value active triterpenoids-is in increasing demand by the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The aim of this study was to field-test one induced tetraploid and three diploid C. asiatica lines for the selection of high-quality plants with high phytomass and triterpenoid content and to determine their optimal harvesting time. All tested C. asiatica were micropropagated using an established protocol. One-month-old plantlets were acclimatized for the field experiment. The plants were grown in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications, ten plantlets per replication, and the experimental bed site was 0.6 × 1.0 m. Growth parameters, phytomass and the amounts of four active triterpenoids were evaluated. All lines exhibited the highest growth, yields and triterpenoids at 4 months after cultivation. The tetraploid line showed significantly better characteristics, i.e., larger leaf area, leaf width, petiole length, and greater yields, than diploid lines. Dry weight per cultivated area (77.53 ± 3.07 g/m(2)) and total triterpenoids (15.38 ± 0.76 % dry weight) were increased significantly in tetraploid plants of C. asiatica. Furthermore, the harvesting time had an effect on the yield and triterpenoid content (P < 0.001). In all tetraploid and diploid lines, the yields and triterpenoid content per cultivated area reached their maximum at 4 months after planting. Our results demonstrated that polyploidy induction is a beneficial tool that can be used to improve the medicinal value of C. asiatica.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, 447 Sri-ayudthaya Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
authors.forename: Wachiraporn
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Thong-On
authors.forename: Panida
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arimatsu
authors.forename: Supaporn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pitiporn
authors.forename: Noppamas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Soonthornchareonnon
authors.forename: Sompop
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prathanturarug
mesh_terms: D028041:Centella / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004171:Diploidy; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D057891:Tetraploidy; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014315:Triterpenes