Abstract

In vitro culture enables the propagation and sustainable production of bioactive compounds in native plants. In Chile, Berberis microphylla (calafate) and Luma apiculata (array & aacute;n) are berries valued for their phenolic content and antioxidant potential, but seasonal availability and wild harvesting limit their sustainable use. In vitro culture was applied to produce phenolic compounds from shoots and to evaluate their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, comparing them with leaves from plants grown ex vitro. B. microphylla embryos reached 71.1% germination after pre-soaking at 4 degrees C and culture on Woody Plant Medium (WPM). Shoot multiplication in both species was highest with 2.2 mu M 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) with 0.25 mu M indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) supplemented to WPM. Ex vitro leaves contained higher soluble and insoluble-bound phenolics, whereas anthocyanins were enriched in in vitro shoots. Antioxidant activity, assessed by 2,2 '-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays, was highest in ABTS in in vitro shoots (B. microphylla 126.2 +/- 2.9 mu mol TEg(-)1 DW; L. apiculata 122.2 +/- 2.7). LC-MS/MS analysis identified phenolic acids and flavonoids, including chlorogenic and dicaffeoylquinic acids and the alkaloid isocorypalmine in B. microphylla, and myricetin derivatives and beta-glucogallin in L. apiculata, with some compounds unique to in vitro shoots. Preliminary antimicrobial screening suggested species and extract-dependent inhibitory responses, which require further validation. These results demonstrate that in vitro culture provides a reproducible and sustainable platform for the production of phenolic compounds with antioxidant potential in native berry species.