Centellaasiatica morphotypes differ genetically as well as macronutrients content, total phenolic content and chemical fingerprints of leaves

Abstract

Purpose: Centellaassiatica is an aromatic herb commonly grown in humid areas of tropical Asia. It has widely been used as a leafy vegetable and for medicinal preparations. Its medicinal and dilatory values have created a high demand for fresh consumption and value added products. Assessing morphological, biochemical and genetic diversity of existing germplasm is the essential first step in cultivation and breeding efforts. Research Method: We analyzed leaf morphological characters, macro nutrient contents, total phenolic content and the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiles of five most commonly found C. assiatica morphotypes in Sri Lanka. The genetic diversity was assessed using inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) regions. All morphotypes were collected and grown under controlled environmental conditions. Findings: There were clear morphological differences among different morphotypes. Further, there was a significant difference (P<0.05) among them in leaf macro nutrient content and total phenolic contents. The ISSR profiles and the HPLC profiles of Heengotukola are distinctly different from others. Originality/value: Results show the significance of selecting superior morphotypes and for industrial applications for maintaining the standards.