Effects of light quality on light harvesting complex and withanolides in tropical medicinal plant Withania somnifera

We studied the effects of light intensities: ambient and low light on physiological and phytochemical changes in Withania. Low light grown plants accumulated more chlorophylls (Chl) and less carotenoids (Car), flavonoids and anthocyanins compared to ambient light. The ambient light adapted plants exhibited higher photochemical activities in isolated chloroplast than in low light plants. Thylakoid membrane protein analysis showed the presence of four proteins of light harvesting Chl-II (LHC-II) apoproteins and their level slightly increased in low light than in ambient light plants. HPTLC analysis revealed that the level of withaferin A increased by 5% in ambient compared to low light.