microelements shortage, and CO 2 reduction are classical abiotic factors for plants
elicitation. The role of novel abiotic stress factors on the production of secondary
metabolites is described below.
5.2.1 Electromagnetic Sources
Electromagnetic phenomena can be seen as an abiotic stress elicitor to affect plants.
In this context, many reports have demonstrated more advantages than disadvantages when strong or weak electric fields, magnetic fields were applied to plants
(Dannehl 2018). Electromagnetic sources have been studied as another possibility
to increase plant growth and development due to the alteration in the electrostatic
balance of the plant system at the cell membrane level (Radhakrishnan 2019). An
electromagnetic field is produced by a distribution of electric current and charge.
An electric field (EF) can occur under high-voltage lines and the units in the SI are
newtons per coulomb or, equivalently volts per meter (V/m); in the same way, a
magnetic field (MF) is usually measured in terms of its magnetic flux density whose
unit is expressed as Tesla (T) (Dannehl 2018).
Pulsed electric field PEF technology consists of the application of short, high
power electrical pulses to products placed in a treatment chamber, confined between
electrodes (Soliva-Fortuny et al. 2017). A high electric field can cause cell membrane disruption, whereby inner secondary metabolites are released from intracellular cell compartments, resulting in a high content of bioactive compounds
(Odriozola-Serrano et al. 2009; Janositz and Knorr 2010). In the case of MF,
several studies have used small boxes with coils, iron bars, a function generator,
and a power amplifier. The application of magnetized water to plants is a novel area
of indirect application of MF that the scientific community is currently researching
(Dannehl 2018).
Light is an electromagnetic wave within the visible spectrum, however, that
definition depends upon the sense of sight involving the response of individuals
(Koshel 2004), therefore, the UV and infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are roughly included, but will be considered in this chapter due to their
importance in the plant production of secondary metabolites. Plants sense light
through specific molecules called photoreceptors that trigger specific signals for
photomorphogenesis or other defense systems. Depending on the dose rate and
exposure time, either insufficient or excess levels, light can become a type of
eustress, producing several effects, from damage to cellular components to triggering of defense systems for secondary metabolite production (Alvarado et al.
2019; Muller-Xing et al. 2014; Akula and Ravishankar 2011). The next sections of
this chapter will discuss the effect of electromagnetic sources in the production of
natural bioactive compounds.
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H. Aguirre-Becerra et al.
elicitation. The role of novel abiotic stress factors on the production of secondary
metabolites is described below.
5.2.1 Electromagnetic Sources
Electromagnetic phenomena can be seen as an abiotic stress elicitor to affect plants.
In this context, many reports have demonstrated more advantages than disadvantages when strong or weak electric fields, magnetic fields were applied to plants
(Dannehl 2018). Electromagnetic sources have been studied as another possibility
to increase plant growth and development due to the alteration in the electrostatic
balance of the plant system at the cell membrane level (Radhakrishnan 2019). An
electromagnetic field is produced by a distribution of electric current and charge.
An electric field (EF) can occur under high-voltage lines and the units in the SI are
newtons per coulomb or, equivalently volts per meter (V/m); in the same way, a
magnetic field (MF) is usually measured in terms of its magnetic flux density whose
unit is expressed as Tesla (T) (Dannehl 2018).
Pulsed electric field PEF technology consists of the application of short, high
power electrical pulses to products placed in a treatment chamber, confined between
electrodes (Soliva-Fortuny et al. 2017). A high electric field can cause cell membrane disruption, whereby inner secondary metabolites are released from intracellular cell compartments, resulting in a high content of bioactive compounds
(Odriozola-Serrano et al. 2009; Janositz and Knorr 2010). In the case of MF,
several studies have used small boxes with coils, iron bars, a function generator,
and a power amplifier. The application of magnetized water to plants is a novel area
of indirect application of MF that the scientific community is currently researching
(Dannehl 2018).
Light is an electromagnetic wave within the visible spectrum, however, that
definition depends upon the sense of sight involving the response of individuals
(Koshel 2004), therefore, the UV and infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are roughly included, but will be considered in this chapter due to their
importance in the plant production of secondary metabolites. Plants sense light
through specific molecules called photoreceptors that trigger specific signals for
photomorphogenesis or other defense systems. Depending on the dose rate and
exposure time, either insufficient or excess levels, light can become a type of
eustress, producing several effects, from damage to cellular components to triggering of defense systems for secondary metabolite production (Alvarado et al.
2019; Muller-Xing et al. 2014; Akula and Ravishankar 2011). The next sections of
this chapter will discuss the effect of electromagnetic sources in the production of
natural bioactive compounds.
154
H. Aguirre-Becerra et al.