[ influence of environmental factors on the contents of alkaloids in Datura stramunium]

ABSTRACT

The environmental factors may have an effect on the contents of the active materials in plants. Salinity is one of these factors that can have an influence through the calcium ion which competes with the Na+, which in turn, affects the manufacture of alkaloids present in the Datura stramunium. The buds of Datura stramunium have been cultured through addition of NaCl by using three successively different concentrations of 25, 50, and 100mM during a specific period of time of about 20 weeks. This has led to a rise in the content of K+ and a smaller content of Ca2+ in the leaves of plants subjected to salinity as well as a rise in the percentage of alkaloids in comparison with the control plants. The decrease in the ionic rate of K+/Na+ in the leaves of the plants subjected to salinity of less than one, namely, the decrease in the concentrations of K+ has led to an increase in the percentage of the alkaloid in the leaves of the plants subjected to the salinity in a specific rate in the concentration of 25mM. The more high concentration of salinity the more low calcium ions of Ca2+, and the ionic rate of Na+/K+ in the roots is lowest level due to the histological dying and loss of the young parts of the roots. The salinity in a low rate of 25mM can lead to an increase in the biologic metabolism and biologic manufacture of alkaloids in the leaves of the Datura stramunium in spite of the small decrease of the initial metabolism in the plants