Utilization of Phytochemical and Molecular Diversity to Develop a Target-Oriented Core Collection in Tea Germplasm

Tea has received attention due to its phytochemicals. For the direct use of tea germplasm in breeding programs, a core collection that retains the genetic diversity and various phytochemicals in tea is needed. In this study, we evaluated the content of eight phytochemicals over two years and the genetic diversity through 33 SSR (simple sequence repeats) markers for 462 tea accessions (entire collection, ENC) and developed a target-oriented core collection (TOCC). Significant phytochemical variation was observed in the ENC between genotypes and years. The genetic diversity of ENC showed high levels of molecular variability. These results were incorporated into developing TOCCs. The TOCC showed a representation of the ENC, where the mean difference percentage, the variance difference percentage, the variable rate of coefficient of variance percentage, and the coincidence rate of range percentage were 7.88, 39.33, 120.79, and 97.43, respectively. The Shannon’s diversity index (I) and Nei’s gene diversity (H) of TOCC were higher than those of ENC. Furthermore, the accessions in TOCC were shown to be selected proportionally, thus accurately reflecting the distribution of the overall accessions for each phytochemical. This is the first report describing the development of a TOCC retaining the diversity of phytochemicals in tea germplasm. This TOCC will facilitate the identification of the genetic determinants of trait variability and the effective utilization of phytochemical diversity in crop improvement programs.

Chemotaxonomy: The Role of Phytochemicals in Chemotaxonomic Delineation of Taxa

Chemotaxonomy is concerned with the systematic study of phytochemical variation between plants. This variation has been essentially used for classification purposes ever since 'folk taxonomies', based on certain obvious plant characteristics which were instinctively employed by mankind centuries ago which included characters such as edibility, taste, colour, smell and medicinal value were founded subjectively on such chemical properties. The growth in the knowledge of the chemical complexity of plants became high from the desires of Europeans for exotic spices and condiments which provoked investigations into their medicinal properties. This Knowledge about the subject was summarised in herbals and concentrated on information about physiologically active secondary metabolite such as alkaloids and saponins. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries knowledge in the field increased and some taxonomists made use of several chemical characteristics in attempts to delineate plants taxa and to demonstrate their phylogeny. Chemotaxonomy has undoubtedly made a big contribution to taxonomic work in the past and will most certainly continue to do so in future. The valuable information it offers is best used in conjunction with other sources of taxonomic evidence and thus a multidisciplinary approach is required in order to establish a system of classification which reflects natural relationships as accurately as possible.

Phytochemical Variation of a Poly-herbal Formula According to Its Preparation Method: Qualitative & Quantitative Analysis

Madhyama Rasnadi decoction, one of the poly-herbal decoctions used in Ayurveda medicine is especially indicated for inflammatory conditions. The literature provides three different preparation methods of this decoction viz; Sri Lankan Traditional method (Method 1) and methods described in the texts Sharangadhara Samhita (Method 2) and Bhaishajya Ratnavali (Method 3). The aim of this study was to analyse and compare the phytochemical profiles of these three preparation techniques. Phytochemical profile analysis was carried out by (i) investigation of the extractable matter in 1 ml of decoction, (ii) development of Thin Layer Chromatography profiles and (iii) qualitative/quantitative determination of major phytoconstituents. Results revealed that the extractable matter of methods 1, 2 and 3 was 310±0 mg/ml, 420±0 mg/ml and 180±0 mg/ml, respectively. Differences (in terms of the number of spots and intensity) were observed in TLC fingerprint profiles, and phytochemicals such as phenols, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids and terpenoids were present in all three types of decoctions. Gallic acid and quercetin were taken as standards to express the results of polyphenolic and flavonoid contents, respectively. Total polyphenolic contents of decoctions prepared according to methods 1, 2 and 3 were 121.68±0.60, 178.40±0.56, 86.20±0.25 mg gallic acid equivalents/g extract respectively. Total flavonoid contents of decoctions prepared according to methods 1, 2 and 3 were 69.45± 0.80, 129.30±0.65, 52.64± 0.50 mg quercetin acid equivalents/g extract respectively. In conclusion, more phytochemicals are concentrated on the decoction that made of method 2. The study opens more vistas of clinical applicability of Madhyama Rasnadi decoction, where further randomised case-control studies are needed.

Phytochemical variation among populations of Fouquieria splendens Engelm. (Fouquieriaceae)

<p><strong>Background</strong>: Secondary metabolites are important chemomarkers. However, as a system to confront biotic and abiotic stress, chemical composition can vary, improving the phenotypic plasticity of plants. We determined the potential of the foliar and floral phenolic composition, floral carotenoid contents to discriminate between two subspecies of <em>Fouquieria splendens</em> and assessed the effect of atypical environmental conditions on the chemical composition of a relict population of the subspecies <em>splendens</em>.</p><p><strong>Hypothesis</strong>: We hypothesized that chemical differences have arisen between the analyzed subspecies and in the relict population allowing the differentiation between them.</p><p><strong>Species studied: </strong><em>Fouquieria splendens</em> subsp. <em>splendens </em>and<em> Fouquieria splendens</em> subsp. <em>campanulata </em>(Fouquieriaceae).</p><p><strong>Study site and years of study: </strong>Mezquital, Peñón Blanco, and San Juan del Río, Durango, México. March to August 2016.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Methods</strong>: Foliar and floral extracts were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, UV-visible spectrophotometry, and FTIR-ATR. Multivariate analysis was used to assess the sample distinctiveness and to establish the relation between the chemical composition and environmental variables.<em></em></p><p><strong>Results</strong>:<em> </em>The chemical composition was highly conserved between the analyzed samples. Contrarily, an evident distinctiveness between phytochemical contents was observed. Soil parameters were the factors determining the particular quantitative phenolic profiles.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong><em> </em>The analyzed subspecies and populations showed similar chemical patterns; however, quantitative variations, determined by soil texture, electrical conductivity, organic matter, organic carbon, and contents of K, Ca, and Na, allowed to differentiate them. The important phenolic quantitative variation of the atypical population of <em>F. splendens</em> subsp. <em>splendens</em> suggests a relevant contribution of phenolic compounds to the adaptation to its relict condition.</p>