Chemosystematics Studies on Six Varieties of Mangifera indica L.

Abstract

Taxonomic investigation was carried out on six (6) varieties of Mangifera in-dica (Julie, Broken, Peter, Kerosene, Opioro and Big fibre) using chemosys-tematics evidence. Extracts obtained from the leaf of each variety were phy-to-chemica lly screened and quantified. Gravimetric and spectroscopic ap-proaches were adopted in the quantification of active principles common to all the six varieties. Binary matrices computed from qualitative assessment were analysed to yield a dendrogram using the Average Linkage Method. Quantitative values were subjected to appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. All varieties possessed alkaloid except Big-fibre. Peter and Kerosene varieties lacked saponin, an active principle present in other varie-ties. Anthraquinone was present in all except in Julie and Opioro. Five out of the six varieties lacked phlobatannin. All varieties had tannin, steroid, flavo-noid and reducing sugar. Tannin was lowest in Big-fibre (0.43%) but highest in Opioro (2.41%). Steroid ranged from 3.8% in Opioro to 9.0% in Julie with a standard deviation of 1.84. Julie variety recording the lowest composition in flavonoid (0.01%) and reducing sugar (0.04%) components was notable. Comparison of the mean values of phytochemicals has shown a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0005) with a large F-value (18.244). Using the LSD mean separation, steroid was the most remarkable phytochemical con-tributing to the significant differences. Dendrogram revealed very close rela-tionship between Julie and Opioro varieties. The remaining four were diver-gent and distinct although Broken and Peter varieties arose from the same ancestral lineage with Julie and Opioro. However, Big-fibre and Kerosene va-rieties were clearly different from rest belonging to a different phylogenetic ancestor. With these remarkable differences, they ought to be given special taxonomic and systematic review for appropriate nomenclatural assignment. The six varieties of Mangifera indica investigated are thus clearly partitioned and therefore recommended to be circumscribed. This approach is maiden, and considered innovative as it is employed in this study for the first time in the taxonomy of Mangifera.