Morphological Characterization and Assessment of Selected Biochemical Properties of Sofanum insanum L.: Screening of Local Plant Genetic Resources for Crop Improvement

Abstract

Purpose Solanum insanum L. is remaining as an underutilized crop due to little evidence from scientific studies on its medicinal and nutritional values. Lack of such basic information on the plant obscured the in-depth biochemical or molecular studies as wen as its uses in plant breeding. The study was aimed to identify the morphological variations of S. insanum and its selected biochemical properties. Research Method: Characterization of 71 accessions collected from different agro-ecological regions was carried out following the descriptor developed by the IBPGR and antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and browning of thefruits were also measured at the level of 5% probability. Findings : The results revealed that there were two distinct groups of S. insanum accessions, mainly based on prickliness of the plants. Non prickly plants showd 20.30 t 0.52% radical scavenging activity• (DPPH). 51.98 10.16 mg/100 g fruit weigh (F09 of total phenolic content while prickly plants with 7.10 *0.59% radical scavenging activity (DPPH)and 50.62 *0,09 mg /100g Fl V of total phenolic content in their fruits at the edible maturiry• In terms of browning, time taken for color development up to "Grayed orange group 165 V was 380 * 10 seconds in fruits of non-prickly plants while 450 1 17.32 seconds forfruits of prickly plants. Research limitations : Due to the out-crossing nature of the plant, it is difficult to find typical S. insanum plant either from wild or cultivated lands. OriginaliolValue : Characterization and evaluation of different accessions of S insanum via morphological characteristics is a printe need before carrying out comprehensive biochemical or molecular studies. It provides fundamental basis for the classification based on vegetative, inflorescence and fruiting characteristics. Accordingly, the results will provide baseline information on S. insanum paving my to select superior genttplasm for the taxonomists, breeders and those who are engaged in studies on S. insanum.