Abstract

BECERRA-GUDINO, A.; JUAREZ-ROSETE, C. R.; BUGARIN-MONTOYA, R.  and  MURILLO-AMADOR, B.. Growth of Rosmarinus officinalis L. and acumulation of secondary metabolites under high salinity. Revista bio ciencias [online]. 2019, vol.6, e567.  Epub Oct 02, 2020. ISSN 2007-3380.  https://doi.org/10.15741/revbio.06.e567.

Salinity impacts the development of crops and induces changes in secondary metabolism of aromatic and medicinal plants. Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a plant of the Lamiaceae family with chemical compounds of important biological activity whose production can be induced. The objective of this work was to evaluate the vegetative growth and production of secondary metabolites in rosemary grown in shade house and greenhouse, with different salt concentrations in the culture medium. The experiment was conducted in two production environments, shade house and greenhouse, with hydroponic system. Concentrations of Steiner’s nutrient solution of 75, 100, 640 and 870 % were used, in addition to the Steiner’s nutrient solution of 75 % added with 75, 100 and 125 mM of NaCl. There were five repetitions. The plants were harvested at 18 and 36 days after transplant. Proline content was determined with the Bates method, total phenolic content with the Folin-Ciocalteau method and the index of antioxidant activity with the DPPH method. The results indicate that the production environments and the composition of the nutrient solution impacted on the production of the secondary metabolites in rosemary. The production environments did not influence growth parameters of rosemary. However, the accumulation of proline, the content of total phenols and its antioxidant activity index were higher in plants grown in the greenhouse. The composition of the nutrient solution had an effect on all the variables.

Keywords : Rosemary; salinity; protected environments; proline; phenols.