Biochemical Modifications and Enhancement of Psoralen Content in Salt-Stressed Seedlings of Psoralea corylifolia Linn. Katare Deepshikha Pande1,*, Nabi Gowher2, Azooz MM3, Aeri V4, Ahmad Parvaiz5 1Professor and Assistant Director, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida-201303, Uttar Pradesh, India 2Assistant Professor, Molecular biology and Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia 3Professor, Botany Department, Faculty of science, South Valley University, 83523, Qena, Egypt 4Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry, Hamdard University, New Delhi-110062, India 5Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, A.S. College, University of Kashmir, Srinagar-190008, J&K, India *E-mail id: dpkatare@amity.edu; dpkatare26@gmail.com
Abstract Salt stress is one of the major global problem rendering vast area of land unsuitable for cultivation. Attempts are therefore directed to screen for salt-tolerant plants for the reclamation of the waste-land. The present study was an attempt to search for the salt tolerance potential of an important endangered medicinal plant Psoralea corylifolia, which is the commercial source of psoralen. Psoralea seeds grown on different concentrations of NaCl exhibited variation in percent germination; however, 25 mM NaCl proved better than control and exhibited maximum percent germination with high shoot and root length. Chlorophyll a, b and a+b decreased on higher concentrations of NaCl. Protein content decreased from 50–100 mM NaCl and then again there was an increase from 110 mM NaCl. Psoralen content exhibited variation in salt-stressed seedlings and maximum psoralen was observed in 25 mM NaCl concentration. Top Keywords Psoralea corylifolia, NaCl, Proline, Protein, HPTLC, Psoralen content. Top |