The influence of chitosan on plant growth and β-sitosterol content in adventitious roots of Talinum paniculatum in NFT hydroponic cultivation system

Abstract

β-sitosterol is the most abundant type of phytosterol found in nature and it offers numerous health benefits for humans including anticancer, antidiabetic, and blood cholesterol-lowering properties. One biomass with a significant β-sitosterol content is the Javanese ginseng root (Talinum paniculatum). However, Javanese ginseng has not been fully exploited and is often perceived as a mere wild plant. This research was conducted by cultivating Javanese ginseng using the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponic method along with the addition of chitosan elicitors at various concentrations: 0, 12.5, 25, and 50 ppm. The purpose of this research was to determine the optimal chitosan concentration for the growth of Javanese ginseng, the β-sitosterol content, and the productivity of β-sitosterol in Javanese ginseng roots cultivated using the NFT hydroponic method. The research revealed that a 12.5 ppm chitosan concentration could increase the root weight by 8.785 g and the shoot weight by 88 g. The growth rate increased to 3.457 g/day and the productivity of β-sitosterol in the roots reached 25.084 mg/m2/month. On the other hand, the addition of chitosan led to a decrease in the root-to-shoot ratio, indicating an improved cultivation environment compared to cultivation without chitosan. Furthermore, the results of the research also indicated that the addition of chitosan did not affect the β-sitosterol content in the Javanese ginseng roots. Therefore, it can be concluded that the optimal chitosan concentration that positively impacts Javanese ginseng cultivated using the NFT hydroponic method is 12.5 ppm.