Evaluation of glycyrrhizin content of licorice under salt stress

Salinity is one of the most severe problems of agriculture worldwide, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The root of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) which is a halophytic plant, contains a large amount (up to 15%) of glycyrrhizin, oleanane-type triterpene saponins, which are known to have various food, industrial, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. The production of plant secondary metabolites is strongly associated with the growth and stress conditions. In this research, licorice seeds after germination and transfer into pots filled with sterile perlite, have been cultured in a growth chamber under conditions 16h photoperiod and irrigated with the nutrition solution (Long Ashton) once every 2 days. After 2 months, plants were exposed to the concentrations of 0, 100, 200 and 300 mM NaCl for five weeks. After harvest, glycyrrhizin extraction from roots was done using methanol 80% and analyzed via HPLC. The results showed that glycyrrhizin content increased under salt stress in comparison with the control plants and the highest glycyrrhizin content was observed at the salinity concentrations of 200 and 300 mM NaCl. These results suggested that cultivation of licorice in saline soils potentially could increase glycyrrhizin accumulation in licorice roots and may be considered as a strategy to use salt-affected soils.

کلیدواژه ها:

Licorice ، Glycyrrhizin ، Salt stress