Abstract
Luffa aegyptiaca is a plant of multi-purpose importance whose usefulness cuts across virtually all areas of life. This study has characterized L. aegyptiaca in Lagos state and determined the mineral, proximate, phytochemical as well as the heavy metal accumulation potential. Samples were collected from the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Lagos state at 2 samples per location. Genetic similarity and intra-specific variation in 40 samples of L. aegyptiaca were determined using 3 Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers which yielded a total of 42 markers of which 25 was polymorphic. The maximum number of bands (14) was produced by OPC4 while the minimum (7) were produced by OPAF20. Percentage polymorphisms were 70% (OPAF20), 82.4% (OPC4) and 68.4% (OPC6) with an average value of 73.6%. The result from a genetic diversity study was scored to generate a dendrogram using NTsys (2.0j). Phytochemical, proximate, Mineral and the heavy metal study showed the presence of Flavonoid, Saponin; Carbohydrate, protein; Sodium (Na), Calcium (Ca) and Chromium, Iron, Copper, Zinc, Lead among others. The nutritional composition and the potentials of the RAPD marker in distinguishing intra-specific variation in Luffa aegyptiaca were highlighted in this study.
Highlights
The gourd is generally used to describe the crop plants in the family Cucurbitaceae
The nutritional composition and the potentials of the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker in distinguishing intra-specific variation in Luffa aegyptiaca were highlighted in this study
This study aims at characterizing Luffa aegyptiaca in Lagos State, determine its mineral, phytochemical composition as well as the heavy metal accumulation potentials
Summary
The gourd is generally used to describe the crop plants in the family Cucurbitaceae. The term gourd refers to around 825 species derived from tropical and subtropical regions, out of which approximately 26 species are cultivated as vegetables including Luffa aegyptiaca (1). Luffa aegyptiaca (Mill) is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family (2). There are about nine species in the genus Luffa including Luffa acutangula, Luffa cylindrica, Luffa aegyptiaca, Luffa operculata, L. graveolens and L. echinata (3). Luffa aegyptiaca (Mill) is found mostly in tropical Africa including Nigeria and some parts of India (6, 3, 7). Luffa aegyptiaca is a monoecious annual climber that produces fruit containing fibrous vascular system and has been shown to grow best at a pH of 6.5 and nitrogen and phosphorus being the major elements limiting the growth of the plant (4, 7)
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