The College of Science at the University of Basrah organized a seminar entitled )Production of Medically Important Secondary Metabolites from Ornamental Plants under In Vitro Stress Conditions( presented by postgraduate student Ansam Mahdi Saleh.
The study aimed to propagate Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and Euphorbia pulcherrima in vitro, and to develop efficient tissue culture systems capable of producing high-quality biomass. It also sought to stimulate the biosynthesis of biologically active secondary metabolites by exposing cultured plant tissues to various abiotic stress factors, including silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), salicylic acid (SA), silver nitrate (AgNO₃), salinity (NaCl), drought (PEG), and ultraviolet-A radiation (UVA).
The seminar included a detailed presentation on the procedures of in vitro propagation, biomass induction, stress exposure, and the subsequent extraction and analysis of the resulting metabolites to better understand the metabolic responses of plants under stress conditions.
The study recommended developing controlled plant bioreactor systems for large-scale and sustainable metabolite production, expanding research on the interactions between elicitors and abiotic stresses, and integrating molecular (gene expression) and chemical analyses (GC–MS) to elucidate the mechanisms of metabolic stimulation. It also highlighted the importance of adopting advanced extraction techniques, such as supercritical fluid, ultrasonic, or microwave-assisted extraction, and evaluating the biological and pharmacological activities of the produced metabolites in future studies.
