Our research aimed to determine the effect of some physical and chemical factors on the
synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites in Rhodiola rosea L. plants grown in vivo
and in vitro. To achieve this goal, we have identified the following objectives: 1. To elaborate on
the agrotechnical regime of R. rosea plants growth during cultivation artificially and in the field;
2. To determine the heterogeneity of R. rosea plants by analyzing morphological, physiological,
and biochemical parameters; 3. To analyze the influence of UV radiation and other physical and
chemical factors on the accumulation of secondary metabolites in R. rosea plants grown in the
laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions in Moldova.
We have collected seeds from R. rosea plants grown in the Carpathian Mountains and
elaborated optimal conditions for their cultivation in vitro and in vivo. We developed sensitive
HPLC methods for quantitative and qualitative analysis of secondary mнекуцйetabolites.
We performed experiments with the R. rosea plants obtained from seeds collected in the
Carpathian Mountains and with the plants propagated in vitro. The results showed that the
received plants differ by their morphology and growth rate. The content of secondary
metabolites in rhizomes from plants cultivated in the greenhouse and field conditions was
lower than that of those collected in the mountains. After periodic illumination of plants with
ultraviolet radiation and their treatment with the biostimulator Reglalg, the content of
secondary metabolites in rhizomes increased to a level comparable to those in rhizomes
collected in the Carpathian Mountains. The introduction of the biostimulator Reglalg in the
culture medium, and the exposure of R. rosea callus in the logarithmic growth phase at 4oC,
during 12 hours, stimulated the accumulation of secondary metabolites in callus biomass. We
selected a vigorous clone of plant induced from the cells of R. rosea callus and transferred it for
propagation in vivo. The generative descendants of this clone served as initial material for the
selection of the R. rosea cultivars Tatiana, certified in Ukraine.
The research conducted allowed elucidating and optimizing the combined influence of the
main factors that determine the growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites in the in
vitro and in vivo culture of R. rosea. More promising results were obtained with the plants
cultivated under in vivo conditions. Currently, using accumulated information, we are
developing economically advantageous technologies for artificially large-scale cultivation of the
R. rosea plants that contain high levels of secondary metabolites in their rhizomes.