Induced polyploidy serves as an efficient approach in extricating the genetic potential of cells. During polyploidization, multiple sets of chromosomes are derived from the same organism resulting in the development of an autopolyploid. Alterations owing to artificially induced polyploidy levels significantly influence the internal homeostatic condition of resultant cells.
Induced autopolyploidy transpires as a result of an increase in the size of the genome without any change in elementary genetic material. Such autopolyploidy, artificially induced via the application of antimitotic agents, brings about a lot of beneficial changes in plants, coupled with very few detrimental effects. Induced autopolyploids exhibit superior adaptability, endurance to biotic and abiotic stresses, longer reproductive period, and enzyme diversity coupled with an enhanced rate of photosynthesis and gene action in comparison to their diploid counterparts. However, reduced rate of transpiration and growth, delay in flowering are some of the demerits of autopolyploids. In spite of these slightly unfavourable outcomes, induced autopolyploidization has been utilized in an array of instances wherein genetic improvement of plant species is concerned, since this technique usually boosts the biomass of economic parts of a plant. In another way, it is also evident that multiplication of genome bestows enhanced production of secondary metabolites, which has contributed to a significant commercial value addition especially for plants with medicinal importance, in particular.
This review makes an attempt to explore the system and success of antimitotic agents vis-à-vis artificial autopolyploidization, interfered with the biosynthesis-cum-production of secondary metabolites having cutting-edge pharmaceutical importance.
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Gantait, Saikat & Mukherjee, Eashan. (2021). Induced autopolyploidy—a promising approach for enhanced biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites: an insight. Journal of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. 19. 4. 10.1186/s43141-020-00109-8.