Chitosan activates defense responses and triterpenoid production in cell suspension cultures of Betula platyphylla Suk.

Abstract

Triterpenoid production and plant defense enzyme activity in suspension cultures ofBetula platyphylla Suk. cells treated with chitosan elicitor were investigated.Chitosan, at the optimal concentration of 100 mgL-1 enhanced triterpenoid production by 2.6-fold, with a maximum yield of 202.75 versus 78.72 mgL-1 of the untreated control cells. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase, phenylalanine ammonialyase, endochitinases and exochitinases increased by 1.6 ~ 3.0 fold. These results indicate that triterpenoid accumulation in B. platyphylla Suk. cell are the consequence of a plant defense response to chitosan elicitation.   Key words: Chitosan, Betula platyphylla Suk., defense enzymes, triterpenoids.