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Seed morphological and biochemical studies in certain wild nutmegs

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Wild nutmeg species could be utilized as a source of fatty acids like the cultivated nutmeg.

Abstract

Myristicaceae is a tropical family, the members of which are utilized for medicinal properties in their native regions. Myristica fragrans is a species commercially exploited as a spice and medicine worldwide, while most of its allied species are yet to be studied in detail. In present study, three species viz. Horsfieldia glabra, Knema andamanica and Myristica andamanica were compared with the commercial nutmeg morphologically and biochemically to identify their utilization potential. Distinct variations were observed for seed morphological parameters among these species and seed dimensions were found to be the maximum in seeds of M. andamanica. Extraction yield varied significantly with solvent in H. glabra, K. andamanica and M. fragrans. Higher total phenolic content was recorded in methanolic extracts than acetone extracts in all the species and methanolic extract of M. andamanica had the highest total phenolic content (6.54 mg/g GAE). Seeds of all species were rich in saturated fats that varied between 59.4% (H. glabra) and 83.4% (M. andamanica). Methyl tetradecanoate was the most dominant compound in all the species, the content of which varied between 46.87 and 68.84%, while (Z)-9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester and methyl hexadecanoate were the other dominant compounds. Higher quantities of methyl dodecanoate (27.02%) and methyl cis -13-docosenoate (16.97%) were obtained from M. andamanica and H. glabra, respectively, while these compounds were present in minute quantities in other species.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Director of the Institute for providing necessary facilities for conducting this research. Help of SAIF, ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru for assistance in analysis is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are also due Dr. Deepa Teredal, UHS, Bagalkot for her help during the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Horticulture and Forestry, ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 744105, India

    Ajit Arun Waman & Pooja Bohra

  2. Division of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560089, India

    Tapas Kumar Roy & Kodthalu Seetharamaiah Shivashankara

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  1. Ajit Arun Waman
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  2. Pooja Bohra
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  3. Tapas Kumar Roy
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  4. Kodthalu Seetharamaiah Shivashankara
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Contributions

AAW conceptualized the experiment. AAW and PB carried out field exploration, collection of samples, morphological characterization and estimation of total phenolic contents. TKR and KSS carried out fatty acid profiling using chromatographic technique. AAW and PB wrote the manuscript and all the authors approved the final version.

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Correspondence to Ajit Arun Waman.

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Waman, A.A., Bohra, P., Roy, T.K. et al. Seed morphological and biochemical studies in certain wild nutmegs. Trees 35, 939–945 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-021-02091-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-021-02091-1

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