the effect of salicylic acid on the concentration of triterpenoid saponins in daisy (bellis perennis l.) plants infected by bacterial and fungi

many different plant species synthesize triterpenoid saponins as part of their normal programme of growth and development. examples include plants that are exploited as sources of drugs. interest in these molecules stems from their medicinal properties, antimicrobial activity, and their likely role as determinants of plant disease resistance. daisy (bellis perennis l.) accumulates triterpenoid saponins in roots in response to salicylic acid (sa) and pathogens. the results of the research indicates that the amount of saponins in treated plants with sa was more than in the control plants. the amounts of saponins in infected plants and without sa was more than in the control plants. when infected plants were treated with sa, increases of saponins was shown in plants. the peaks observed in hplc and their comparision with saponin standard confirm the results mentioned above. it is concluded that sa has significantly reduced diseases severity and increase the amount of saponins in infected and non-infected daisy plants.