Zinc and titanium nanoparticles effects on Micropropagation In Vitro from nodal segments of Monarda didyma

Luis Gustavo Illescas Cienfuegos

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Monarda didyma L. (Bee balm) is a medicinal herb from the southern United States, with awide of effects against several diseases such as colic, diarrhea, cough and asthma. During thelast years, its natural oils have been used for the production of different anticancer substancesused in different treatments, because of this reason the need to improve their agronomiccultivation techniques has increased.Nowadays the use of metallic nanoparticles in domestic and industrial products has greatlyintensified, and a trend has been generated to investigate the effects they cause onecosystems, plants, animals and microorganisms. Among the most commonly used are zincoxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, which had demonstrated positive ortoxic effects in different previous studies on cereals, legumes and other medicinal herbs.Beebalm reacts favorably to in vitro culture techniques, for this reason, this study focused onthe effects of zinc and titanium nanoparticles within in vitro micropropagation from nodalsegments in cultivation media with concentrations of 20, 40 and 60 milligrams per liter andmeasurements every 10 days for 1 month.The results obtained during this research have demonstrated that the use of zinc oxidenanoparticles has positive effects in the number of regenerated nods, roots and sprouts (lengthand number). It was concluded that ZnO nanoparticles in concentrations of 40 and 60 mg/lsupports in vitro regeneration from nodal segments of Monarda didyma L. Conversely, TiO2nanoparticles showed to have negative effects that retard the in vitro regeneration of sproutsand roots from nodal segments of Monarda didyma L.This was the first research made to the observe the effects of zinc and titanium nanoparticleson in vitro regeneration for nodal segments on individuals from Genus Monarda, familyLamiaceae. The conclusive results suggested that further and more dedicated studies shouldbe made on this line of investigation with higher concentrations or with mutual application ofnanoparticles and phytohormones.

Keywords

Lamiaceae, Micropropagation, Monarda, nanoparticles, In vitro, nodal segments, regeneration, Titanium dioxide, Zinc oxide

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 19. 4. 2017

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: doc. Dr. Ing. Eloy Fernández Cusimamani

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Bachelor programme / field:
Agricultural Specialization / Agriculture in Tropics and Subtropics