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Microbial secondary metabolites ameliorate growth, in planta contents and lignification in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal

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Abstract

In the present investigation, metabolites of Streptomyces sp. MTN14 and Trichoderma harzianum ThU significantly enhanced biomass yield (3.58 and 3.48 fold respectively) in comparison to the control plants. The secondary metabolites treatments also showed significant augmentation (0.75–2.25 fold) in withanolide A, a plant secondary metabolite. Lignin deposition, total phenolic and flavonoid content in W. somnifera were maximally induced in treatment having T. harzianum metabolites. Also, Trichoderma and Streptomyces metabolites were found much better in invoking in planta contents and antioxidants compared with their live culture treatments. Therefore, identification of new molecular effectors from metabolites of efficient microbes may be used as biopesticide and biofertilizer for commercial production of W. somnifera globally.

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Acknowledgments

The authors express their sincere gratitude to the Director, CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, India for providing necessary facilities during experimental period.

Author contributions

A.S., R.P.: Conceived and designed the experiments, manuscript writing. A.S., R.G.: Performed and conceptualization of the experimental data. M.S., M.M.G.: Performed and analyzed the HPLC data. R.P.: Critical revision of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbial Technology and Nematology, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O. CIMAP, Lucknow, 226015, India

    Akanksha Singh, Rupali Gupta & Rakesh Pandey

  2. Department of Analytical Chemistry, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P.O. CIMAP, Lucknow, 226015, India

    Madhumita Srivastava & M. M. Gupta

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  1. Akanksha Singh
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  2. Rupali Gupta
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  3. Madhumita Srivastava
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  4. M. M. Gupta
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  5. Rakesh Pandey
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Correspondence to Rakesh Pandey.

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Singh, A., Gupta, R., Srivastava, M. et al. Microbial secondary metabolites ameliorate growth, in planta contents and lignification in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. Physiol Mol Biol Plants 22, 253–260 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-016-0359-x

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