Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
(eISSN: 2229-4473)
Enhanced production of leaf biomass and withaferin-A using polyamine elicitation in ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal)
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Short Communication | Published: 19 September, 2026
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Keywords: 6-benzyladenine, Multiple shoots, Principal component analysis, Putrescine, Spermidine, Spermine
Abstract
The present study investigated the influence of exogenous polyamines, i.e., putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD), and spermine (SPM)—on enhanced leaf biomass production and withaferin-A accumulation in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal under in vitro conditions. Shoot tips (ca. 2 cm) derived from two-month-old in vitro-regenerated plants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6.66 µM 6-benzyladenine and varying concentrations (100, 200, and 300 µM) of each polyamine along with a control. Results showed that SPD at 200 µM significantly enhanced multiple vegetative growth parameters, including the number of fresh shoots (7.7), shoot elongation (53.0 mm), leaf count (26.0), leaf biomass (310.8 mg and 68.5 mg of fresh and dry weight, respectively), and maximized the withaferin-A accumulation (0.63 mg/g dry weight of leaf tissue). Conversely, PUT at 300 µM exhibited the lowest withaferin-A yield (0.04 mg/g dry weight of tissue). The findings suggested that polyamines, particularly SPD at an optimal concentration, can be effectively supplemented to improve in vitro biomass production and enhance the pharmacologically important withaferin-A production in W. somnifera.
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Author Information
Crop Research Unit (Genetics and Plant Breeding), Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, India