Secondary metabolites change under vernalization and its relation to flowering competency in shallot (Allium cepa var. aggregatum)

Abstract

Shallot extract contains a great quantity of essential oil, volatiles, and other compounds. The composition of a secondary metabolite can be regarded as the ultimate reactions of biological and physiological to genetic and environmental conditions. This study was objected to identifying metabolomic composition and its relation to flowering competency in 5 genotypes of shallot. The non-targetted metabolites were identified using GC-MS and assigned by matching their mass spectra with those available in the WILEY7 LIB. Data matrix was analyzed by using a metabolomic package of the R software. Heatmap was visualized for a total of 130 of metabolites in non vernalized bulbs and 122 of metabolites in vernalized bulbs of 5 shallot genotypes. The composition metabolites from 5 genotypes were the difference and suggested correlated to flowering competency. The 3 genotypes of flowering type of shallot produced the highest concentration of phytol (ditherphene alcohol) and low concentration of nitrogen compound. Whereas, 2 genotypes of non-flowering types contained a high concentration of organosulfur and nitrogen sources. Metabolite profile of 5 genotypes contained volatile and non-volatile phytonutrients, vitamin, saturated fatty acid and organosulfur compounds.