International Journal of Biotechnology Research Vol. 2(3), pp. 037-043, May 2014 ISSN 2328-3505 ©2014 Academe Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Enhancement of phytochemical production through in vitro polyploidization of agarwood-producing species, Aquilaria malaccensis

Siti Suhaila A. Rahman1,3*, Norihan Mohd. Saleh2, Norwati Muhammad1, Mahani Mansor Clyde4, Nor Azah Mohamad Ali1, Parameswary Narasivayam3, Kodi Isparan Kandasamy5, Mailina Jamil1, Azrina Aziz1, Nor Hasnida Hassan1, Haliza Ismail1, Nazirah Abdullah1 and Muhd. Fuad Yahya1

1Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), 52109 Kepong, Selangor, Malaysia.

2Agro-Biotechnology Institute (ABI), Jalan Eksotika, Ibu Pejabat MARDI, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

3Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

4Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.

5Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Level 23, Menara Atlan, 161B Jalan Ampang, 50450, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: sitisuhaila@frim.gov.my. Tel: 603-62797943. Fax: 603-62804614.

Accepted 5 May, 2014

Abstract

Aquilaria malaccensis is an endangered agarwood-producing plant found in most Asian countries and has a very long history of use in traditional medicine as incense, aromatic and therapeutic oil. Polyploidization is an established method to enhance the desired horticultural characteristics in many ornamental plants. In some medicinal plants, it proves to have positive effects on the production of secondary metabolites and/or bioactive compounds. Thus, the aims of this study are to induce polyploidization in A. malaccensis and investigate the phytochemical constituents using Headspace-Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME), coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) analyses. The present study showed that the highest percentage of polyploidization in A. malaccensis samples was at 120 h of exposure time using 1 mM colchicine and 0.1 mM trifluralin on shoot tip and nodal segment, respectively. Through HS-SPME/GCMS, the phytochemical constituents in polyploid doubled the amount than in diploid samples. The phytochemical constituents increased 4-folds in stem and twice in roots of polyploid samples as compared to diploid. The seedling however, had higher number of phytochemical constituents due to age differences against the in vitro samples. Enhancement of phytochemical production through polyploidization in A. malaccensis will provide new breeds for commercial plantation program and support the effort to reduce over-collection of the species in the wild.

Key words: Aquilaria malaccensis, diploid, polyploid, colchicine, trifluralin, Head Space-Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).