Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Ficus carica L. is one of the first plants cultivated by humans, having a great economic impact in many countries,
the fruit being an important constituent of the Mediterranean diet. Plants' metabolome may be
influenced by their genetic diversity, environmental factors and their interaction. Thus, in this study we explored
the chemical and morphological profiles and the DNA of five Portuguese F. carica cultivars, to try to
establish a correlation between genetics and metabolome. Morphological and molecular markers of these
cultivars were assessed for the first time. Besides the observed morphological differences, the rbcL chloroplastic
DNA region allowed a better clustering of the cultivars and was more successful in the identification
of the species; as so, it could be helpful for authenticity purposes. Phenolic compounds, sterols and
triterpenes profiles were determined by HPLC/DAD, the last revealing to be less variable among cultivars,
once only a significant difference in the betulol content of “Pingo de Mel” samples was observed. For almost
all the accessions studied, no correlation between genetic diversity and composition was observed.
Description
Keywords
Ficus carica L. Cultivars Morphology DNA Phenolic compounds Sterols and triterpenes
Citation
Oliveira, Andreia P.; Baptista, Paula; Andrade, P.B.; Martins, Fátima; Pereira, J.A.; Silva, B.M.; Valentão, P. (2012). Characterization of Ficus carica L. cultivars by DNA and secondary metabolite analysis: Is genetic diversity reflected in the chemical composition? Food Research International. ISSN 0963-9969. 49:2, p. 710-719
Publisher
Elsevier