Over the last few decades, trends in herbal cropping have lead to increase cultivation of medicinal plants, herb and spices. With these new particular crops, however, unique diseases and pest problems are emerging. In terms of production, it is well known that plant pathologies can cause considerable losses in gross medicinal plants yield. Nevertheless, raw harvesting yield are not the sole key factor in determining the quality (and hence the market value) of the herbs intended for the phytotherapic market. The quality and therapeutic value of the products are, in fact, also determined by the abundance of specific secondary metabolites reputed responsible for the pharmacological ativity of medicinal plants. As a direct consequence of its raison d'etre, it is generally known that secondary metabolism in plants can be altered in response to biotic and abiotic factors, including exposure of individual plants to pathologies. However, only in few cases has the extent of such changes been investigated. This review summarizes the known relationships between phytopathological status and secondary metabolism of medicinal plants, with a specific overview on its biotechnological relapses.
Micro-organism - plant interactions as influencers of secondary metabolism in medicinal plants
SACCHETTI, Gianni
2005
Abstract
Over the last few decades, trends in herbal cropping have lead to increase cultivation of medicinal plants, herb and spices. With these new particular crops, however, unique diseases and pest problems are emerging. In terms of production, it is well known that plant pathologies can cause considerable losses in gross medicinal plants yield. Nevertheless, raw harvesting yield are not the sole key factor in determining the quality (and hence the market value) of the herbs intended for the phytotherapic market. The quality and therapeutic value of the products are, in fact, also determined by the abundance of specific secondary metabolites reputed responsible for the pharmacological ativity of medicinal plants. As a direct consequence of its raison d'etre, it is generally known that secondary metabolism in plants can be altered in response to biotic and abiotic factors, including exposure of individual plants to pathologies. However, only in few cases has the extent of such changes been investigated. This review summarizes the known relationships between phytopathological status and secondary metabolism of medicinal plants, with a specific overview on its biotechnological relapses.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
