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Impact of Temperature on Centelloside Content, Growth Characters, Physio-morphological Adaptations, and Biochemical Changes in Indian Pennywort (Centella asiatica)

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Abstract

Geographic zone and seasonal variations are the two major factors controlling the quality and quantity of crop produce, especially in cultivated medicinal plants. Likewise, suitable harvesting time is crucial farm management issue in the Indian pennywort [Centella asiatica (L.) Urb.], a medicinal plant enriched with triterpenes. Low temperature during the winter season is also a critical factor, affecting the natural growth of Indian pennywort. The aim of this study was to reveal the optimum temperature required for the cultivation of Indian pennywort to obtain superior growth characteristics, physiological adaptations, and secondary metabolite enrichment. The experiment was conducted under three ambient temperature treatments (control [32 °C], 25 °C, and 15 °C), and the physiological, biochemical and morphological changes in each treatment were analyzed after temperature treatment for 14 and 28 days. Leaf area in the plants under 25 °C air temperature was found to be the maximal at 6.08 m2 (1.56 folds over 15 °C). Under 15 °C, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, total biomass, number of plants per bag, and stolon length were significantly inhibited by 35.74%, 54.12%, 52.73%, 42.11%, and 25.08% over the control (32 °C), respectively. The dark green color of leaves was observed when plants were exposed to low temperatures (15 °C), as identified by leaf greenness and photosynthetic pigment parameters. Consequently, photon yield of PSII (ΦPSII), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), and transpiration rate (E) in plants exposed to 15 °C air temperature were significantly dropped, leading to decrease in glucose and total soluble sugars by 45.12% and 31.73% over the control, respectively. Sucrose and free proline enrichments in plants exposed to 15 °C air temperature were observed, which played a crucial role in osmotic adjustment. After 28 days, asiatic acid, γ- and α-tocopherol concentrations in plants under 15 °C air temperature increased by 4.89, 2.77, and 3.66 folds over the control, respectively. In contrast, madecassoside, asiaticoside, total centelloside, total phenolic compound, and total flavonoid contents dropped significantly. In summary, the optimum air temperature of 25 °C was suitable for Indian pennywort before its harvesting to meet the maximum biomass and total centellosides requirements for large-scale production.

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Abbreviations

ACN:

Acetonitrile

CDPKs:

Ca2+-dependent protein kinases

Chla :

Chlorophyll a

Chlb :

Chlorophyll b

Chla+Chlb :

Total chlorophyll

Cx+c :

Carotenoids

CRPK:

Cold responsive protein kinase

CBFs:

C-repeat/DREB binding factors

TFs:

Cascades, transcription factors

MAPK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

Fv/Fm :

Maximum quantum yield of PSII

PPFD:

Photosynthetic photon flux density

ΦPSII :

Photon yield of PSII

Pn :

Net photosynthetic rate

SPAD:

Leaf greenness

gs :

Stomatal conductance

E:

Transpiration rate

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Acknowledgements

This work was granted by The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA; Grant Number P-20-52585).

Funding

This study was supported by The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA; Grant number P-20–52585).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Paholyothin Road, Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand

    Piyanan Pipatsitee, Patchara Praseartkul, Cattarin Theerawitaya, Kanyaratt Taota, Rujira Tisarum, Daonapa Chungloo & Suriyan Cha-um

  2. Department of Environment Studies, Faculty of Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India

    Haminder Pal Singh

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  1. Piyanan Pipatsitee
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  2. Patchara Praseartkul
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Contributions

SC: Project leader, experimental layout, and manuscript preparation, HPS: Data analysis and manuscript editing, PP and PP: Plant material preparation, data collection and analysis, KT, DC and RT: Establishment and execution of experiment, and physiological data collection and analysis, CT: Measurement of morphological, centellosides assay, and overall growth characteristics.

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Correspondence to Suriyan Cha-um.

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Pipatsitee, P., Praseartkul, P., Theerawitaya, C. et al. Impact of Temperature on Centelloside Content, Growth Characters, Physio-morphological Adaptations, and Biochemical Changes in Indian Pennywort (Centella asiatica). J Plant Growth Regul 42, 6776–6787 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-023-11022-y

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