Affiliations 

  • 1 Institute of Tropical Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • 2 School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
  • 3 School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Trop Life Sci Res, 2011 Dec;22(2):37-43.
PMID: 24575216

Abstract

Seeds of two selected clones of Artemisia annua L., TC1 and TC2, were germinated in a greenhouse. Four-week-old seedlings from both clones were grown in the Thù Đúc province of Ho Chi Minh City on 2(nd) January 2009 and Đà Lat on 20(th) January 2009. During this study period in Thù Đúc province, which is situated 4-5 m above sea level, was experiencing a tropical, dry season with temperatures ranging from 26.2°C-32.8°C. Đà Lat, situated at 1500-2000 m above sea level, was having temperate, dry season with lower temperatures, ranging from 10.5°C-18.0°C. The high temperatures and low elevation in Thù Đúc Province led to slow vegetative growth for all of the plants from the two different clones and the artemisinin contents were significantly reduced. The temperate environment of Đà Lat supported robustly growing plants, with plant heights and branch lengths 4-5 times taller and longer that those planted at Thù Đúc Province. The artemisinin contents of A. annua planted at Đà Lat were 3-4 times greater than those cultivated at Thù Đúc Province. Hence, this study indicated that the variations observed in plant growth and artemisinin contents were due to temperature effects because the two selected clones were genetically homogenous. The cold weather of Đà Lat was suitable for planting of A. annua as opposed to the tropical weather of Thù Đúc Province.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.