Considerable Azadirachtin Production in Neem Cell Culture under Abiotic Elicitor Induction

In this study the effect of different concentrations of some abiotic elicitors (salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, cadmium chloride and sodium chloride) with different incubation times (3, 6, 9 and 12) on azadiractin production and cell growth in the cell culture of the Iranian native Neem were investigated. Cell growth rate was measured by changes in dry cell weight and it was used as a basis for the treatment of elicitor effect. Azadirachtin was extracted with methanol and measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the AZ content of cells increased significantly in the cells elicited with different types and concentrations of all used elicitors compared to the control. The cell suspension which treated with 0.75 mM salicylic acid showed the highest Azadirachtin content (0.1268 g/g DCW) 6 days after incubation. The highest dry cell weight, with a significant increase, was observed in the suspension cultures treated with 0.1 mM cadmium chloride 12 days after incubation. However, this study highlighted the new valuable Iranian native Neem genotype and salicylic acid as a powerful elicitor for azadirachtin production. In addition, it was approved the effect of exposure time, individual intrinsic and more presumably combined condition of elicitors and their concentration on plant secondary metabolites production.