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Submitted to: Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 2/13/2006 Publication Date: 5/1/2007 Citation: Morris, J.B. 2007. Swordbean(canavalia ensiformis (l.) dc. genetic resources regenerated for potential medical, nutraceutical and agricultural traits. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 54:585-592 Interpretive Summary: Jackbean pods, seeds and leaves contain many useful chemicals for use as medicine, nutritional or pest control products. Twenty-two accessions of jackbean accessions are stored at the Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit, Griffin, GA. Several chemicals identified in jackbean from the literature have been shown to have many health uses. Limited information is available for regenerating these jackbean accessions in Georgia, U.S.A. The literature indicated that chemicals found in jackbean have been shown to fight cancer, inflammation, and inhibit malaria. Jackbean seed regeneration produced 19 to 1,170 seed when using this technique. Sufficient health enhancing traits exists in jackbean to allow for use in the southeastern U.S.A. Technical Abstract: Jackbean Canavalia ensiformis pods, seeds and leaves contain several phytochemicals such as rutin, beta-aminopropionitrile and canatoxin with potential nutraceutical, medicinal, or pesticidal use. Both the flavonoid, rutin and the phytochemical beta-aminopropionitrile are anticancer compounds, while canatoxin is toxic to the cotton pest, Dysdercus peruvianus. The objectives of this study were to determine regeneration capability of 22 jackbean genotypes in Georgia, U.S.A. and to identify potential nutraceutical, medicinal, and agricultural phytochemicals from the literature. A five-year study of these 22 jackbean genotypes demonstrated that high quality plants producing 19 to more than 1,100 seeds can be successfully regenerated in Griffin, GA. Several flavonoids with potential use as nutraceuticals, including quercitrin are produced in jackbean leaves. Additional phytopharmaceutical traits include canaline found in jackbean seeds are known to inhibit the malaria parasite. The regeneration of jackbean in Georgia, plus the myriad of phytochemicals in the jackbean plant provide numerous possibilities for production as a minor crop in the southeastern U.S.A. |
