Temperature Stress Mediated Consequences On Physiology And Secondary Metabolites Of Datura Stramonium (L.)

Datura stramonium (L.), a multipurpose plant of Himalayan regions which possess antiseptic, sedative, antidiarrhoeal properties used for treating various diseases which include treatment of ulcer, skin disorder, jaundice, fever, heart diseases, etc. To evaluate the temperature stress-mediated morphological, physiochemical, and antioxidative defense in Datura stramonium, plants were subjected to different temperature conditions (High temperature and Low temperature). The seedlings were exposed to five temperature conditions (50 degrees C, 40 degrees C, 30 degrees C, 20 degrees C, and 10 degrees C). Seedlings grown at 25 degrees C were treated as control. Temperature treatment significantly decreased stem length, root length, fresh weight, dry weight, and leaf area both in high temperature as well as low-temperature stress. Phytochemicals as carbohydrate, protein, alkaloids, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, tocopherol and enzymatic antioxidants, i. e. superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-s-transferase, and DPPH increased tremendously with both temperature stresses in comparison to the control. Carotenoids and chlorophyll found increased in low temperature whereas decreased in high temperature stressed plants. HPLC analysis of secondary metabolites revealed higher alkaloids (Atropine, Scopolamine) content in high temperature and low temperature treated plants. Results depicted that plant adopt protective mechanism against oxidative damage by maintaining a higher quantity of phytochemicals, enzymatic, and non-enzymatic antioxidants. Increased secondary metabolites also provide a defense mechanism against the adverse condition.