In vitro propagation technology with plant growth regulators (PGRs) is generally applied in the cultivation of Scabiosa tschiliensis, which can solve collection difficulties and limited resources of S. tschiliensis. Nevertheless, comprehensive metabolomic evaluation on S. tschiliensis with PGR effects is still lacking. In this work, a non-targeted metabolomics approach, coupled with statistical and pathway enrichment analysis, was used to assess the regulatory influences of 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) and kinetin (KT) applied in S. tschiliensis. The results showed that the PGRs affect metabolism differentially, and the addition of 6-BA and KT can increase different secondary metabolites. In the two PGR groups, some primary metabolites such as L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, L-arginine, L-asparagine, and D-proline were significantly reduced. We suspect that under the action of PGRs, these decreased amino acids are derived into secondary metabolites such as umbelliferone, chlorogenic acid, and glutathione. Additionally, some of those secondary metabolites have a biological activity and can also promote the plant growth. Our results provide a basis for the targeted cultivation and utilization of S. tschiliensis, especially the expression of metabolites related to PGR application.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.