Elicitor treatments play an important role in inducing some protective signal transmitter enzymes in cells and regulating phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of elicitors [silver nitrate (AgNO3), salicylic acid (SA) and yeast extract (YE)], which were added individually or in combination to Ocimum basilicum L. cell suspension cultures, on the production and antioxidant activity of secondary metabolites (SMs). Calluses were obtained from the leaves of O. basilicum kept on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.5 mg/l kinetin (KIN) + 2.5 mg/l naphthalene-acetic acid (NAA) and cell suspension cultures were initiated. Then elicitors were applied to the cell suspension cultures individually or in combination, and cells were harvested at the end of the second, fourth, and eighth days. Compared with the control culture, the maximum rosmarinic and chicoric acid production was obtained at the end of the 4th day from SA (24 µM) + YE (80 mg/l) treatment as 20.19 mg/g DW (118%) and 7.55 mg/g DW (123%), respectively. The maximum biosynthesis of isoquercetin and rutin compared with the control culture was 3.88 mg/g DW [YE (80 mg/l)] with a 1.6-fold increase and 6.35 mg/g DW [YE (80 mg/l) + AgNO3 (6 µM)] with a 1.76-fold increase, respectively. Estragole and linalool's highest values compared with the control culture were 4.50 μg/g DW [AgNO3 (6µM) + SA (24 µM)] and 3.02 μg/g DW [SA (24 µM)], respectively. Results clearly show that the elicitor treatment could enhance the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds and terpenoid content in cell suspension cultures of O. basilicum and may be used for commercial supply in the future for therapeutic applications.

No abstract

The investigation of photophysical properties of the Galanthus elwesii Hook different plant organs (root, leaf, flower and bulb) at different growing stages (start and after flowering, fruit ripening) has been carried out via UV-Vis spectrophotometry, fluorescence spectrometer and the cyclic voltammetry analysis. Polyphenol contents are a group of natural compounds for drug discovery. The correlation of their potential to act biological activite (depending on polyphenolic content) and their photophysical properties have been investigated. Fruit ripening and beginning of flowering stage were observed at highest emission values; beginning of the flowering bulb has highest fluorescence quantum yield. Fruit ripening and beginning of the flowering stages were observed at the highest emission values. The quantum yields were calculated and as a result, beginning of the flowering bulb stage showed the highest quantum yield value.

Blackberry (Rubus spp.) production is attracting interest in Turkey’s northern part, but information on timing of bud differentiation and developmental stages of flower inflorescence on next season is limited. The objective of this study was to determine the timing of bud differentiation and development stages of flower inflorescence in 4 biennial fruiting blackberry (Rubus spp.) cultivars (‘Chester’, ‘Dirksen Thornless’, ‘Jumbo’, ‘Bursa 1’) grown in northern Turkey. Axillary bud samples were collected from the middle parts of the one year of lateral branches every 7–15 days from September 2008 to May 2010. Ten development stages were identified from the flower bud differentiation to post-bloom period. The transition from the vegetative to reproductive stage occurred during September to October, with the differentiation of the terminal flower occurring on September 18 in ‘Bursa 1’, October 4–9 in ‘Dirksen Thornless’, October 16–20 in ‘Jumbo’, and October 20–22 in ‘Chester’. In all the examined cultivars, flower development occurred between September and June and lasted for 193–215 days.

It is already known that secondary metabolites in plants are affected by many parameters such as biotic and abiotic stress conditions and can vary in quantity. Sorbitol, which is used to increase osmolality in cells, is an important source of abiotic stress. The present study was conducted to determine the effects of sorbitol applications at different doses by foliar spraying on total phenolic, total flavonoid, and antioxidant activity in Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) at different times. Olein variety was used as the material in the study and different sorbitol doses (0.5 g/L, 25 g/L, 50 g/L and 100 g/L) were applied by foliar spraying. Sorbitol doses were applied in three different growth periods (before, during, and after blooming). The total amount of phenolic and flavonoid substances and DPPH free radical scavenging activity of the drugs obtained from all samples were examined after the harvest was completed. Although it was determined that the effect of increasing sorbitol doses applied in different growth periods on the total amount of phenolic and flavonoid substances and on the DPPH free radical scavenging activity was statistically not significant, the interaction of sorbitol doses x different growth periods in the total phenolic substance content was significant. The highest total phenolic content was determined as 133.00 mg GAE/g in the before blooming period of the plant in safflower. The total amount of flavonoid substance was determined as 24.46 mg QE/g in the before blooming period of the highest plant. The highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity was found to be 92.86% in the after blooming period. As a result, when the study outcomes were evaluated according to different development periods in safflower, it is possible to rank the development periods of the total phenolic substance content and total flavonoid substance amounts as before blooming > blooming period > after blooming. We can list the antioxidant activity as after blooming > blooming period > before blooming.