Combined Effects of Cytokinin and UV-C Light on Phenolic Pattern in Ceratonia siliqua Shoot Cultures

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is an underutilized traditional crop in the Mediterranean regions that has gained much interest due to its high nutritional traits and resilience drought salinity. However, conventional methods of carob propagation are not enough meet increasing market demands. The present study analyzes what extent benzyl adenine (BA) treatments (0.1, 0.5 1.0 mg L−1) alone or combination with UV-C irradiation (3.34 10.01 kJ m−2) affect antioxidant capacity levels phenolic compounds vitro shoot cultures as well their performance terms content photosynthetic pigments sugars. Results showed both resulted increased chlorophylls, carotenoids, sugars, particularly at L−1 BA highest dose. Antioxidant capacity, assessed by DPPH method, soluble flavonoids, flavones flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids were highly influenced interaction between combined treatments. This indicates a clear dependence on concentration response shoots UV-C. could be basis for implementation more efficient micropropagation processes.