The potential of three endemic Alocasia species in Indonesia: Insights from advancing in vitro propagation methods and comparative metabolites analysis

Alocasia species, endemic ornamental plants in Indonesia, are of significant economic value due to their rarity, slow growth, and challenges in propagation. Our study investigates the in vitro propagation via direct organogenesis of Alocasia cuprea, Alocasia reversa, and Alocasia reginula, alongside bioactive metabolite analysis using GC/MS. The in vitro propagation process for these species encompasses stages including sterilization, shoot initiation, proliferation, regeneration, and acclimatization. Combining pre-sterilization techniques with sterilization methods, including rifampicin treatment (0.1 %), alcohol, and clorox, shows promise in reducing contamination rates. Various media and TDZ-BAP concentrations were tested for shoot initiation, with A. cuprea showing optimal response to the MS medium with 1.0 mg/L TDZ and 0.5 mg/L BAP. Shoot proliferation varied by genotype and medium, with A. cuprea exhibiting the highest proliferation on MS medium with 1.5 mg/L BAP. During the shoot regeneration stage, A. reversa displayed the highest leaf and root formation, particularly on MS medium with 0.5–1 mg/L BAP, which also proved effective for A. cuprea. Acclimatization results indicated that A. cuprea had the highest plantlet survivability, especially in a mixture of sand and water hyacinth organic manure medium. Metabolite analysis identified 69 compounds revealing significant variations among roots, tubers, and leaves of in vitro plantlets and acclimatized plants. Key metabolites, such as 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, Tetrahydrofuran-2-one, and n-Hexadecanoic acid, were found in varying abundances across species and organs. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing propagation techniques and exploring the bioactive potential of Alocasia species, thereby laying a foundation for their sustainable cultivation and exploitation.

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