Characterization of cultivated eggplant and its wild relatives based on important fruit biochemical traits

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The modern-day eggplant consumers desire varieties with a higher content of chlorogenic acid, but the cultivated varieties of eggplant are with a lower content of chlorogenic acid. Whereas, the wild relatives of eggplant are higher in phenolic acids. Therefore, this study characterized the cultivated eggplant and its wild relatives for the fruit dry matter content, total fruit phenolics and chlorogenic acid content. Materials and Methods: Fruits of the accessions of cultivated eggplant, one primary genepool species, nine secondary genepool species and three tertiary genepool species were characterized for dry matter content (%), total phenolics and the fruit chlorogenic acid content (mg g-1). The chlorogenic acid content in the fruit flesh was determined by using the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Results: Highest content of dry matter content of around 29% was determined for the species S. tomentosum and S. elaeagnifolium. Whereas, the highest content of total fruit phenolics were determined in the secondary genepool species S. linnaeanum. The most top content of chlorogenic acid around 4.5 mg g-1 of fruit dry weight was present in the species S. linnaeanum and S. torvum. Different clustering approaches were able to cluster the primary genepool species with the cultivated eggplant. Conclusion: Overall, this work provides important information about the wild relatives of eggplant concerning their dry matter content, total phenolics and chlorogenic acid content. This information can be used to engineer eggplant varieties rich in fruit phenolics.