Effects of methyl jasmonate on the secondary metabolites of Calendula officinalis L.

In order to the investigation on the effects of methyl jasmonate on the secondary metabolites of Calendula officinalis L., the plants were grown in a modified Hogland (1/2) solution and were treated with 50 and 100 µm methyl jasmonate. The results indicated that jasmonate treatment decreased lignin content of root but increased lignin content of shoots, in comparison with those of the control plants. However, total content of wall-bound phenolics of roots increased and those of shoots decreased by jasmonate treatment. Anthocyanin content of shoot, decreased by methyl jasmonate. Likewise, flavonoid contents of shoots in both treatments were lower than those of the control plants. Lipid peroxidation rate of roots and shoots did not show significant changes in jasmonate treatments, compared to the control plants. In both control and jasmonate treated plants, α- Cadinol was the most abundant essential oils component. Induction of α-Muureloene with specific antifungal properties in the jasmonate treated plants and increase of it along with increase of jasmonate concentration, suggested that jasmonate can be used in order to induce modifications in secondary metabolism pathway of Calendula officinalis, resulting to produce desired medicinal compounds.