Caracterización morfológica y molecular de Pelargonium graveolens y determinación del perfil fitoquímico de su aceite esencial en El Salvador, Centro América

Abstract

Geranium with the scent or essence of rose, Pelargonium graveolens L'Hérit (Geraniaceae), is a very economically important plant in the world, due to its uses in perfumery, cosmetics, medicine and food (flavouring). In this research, analyzes were carried out using molecular markers, phytochemical profiles and foliar and floral morphological characters to compare "mother" plants of two cultivars of Pelargonium graveolens that are grown commercially in an agricultural area located in Cantón Palo de Campana, Volcán de Santa Ana, El Salvador, Central America. The molecular markers used were ITS, RAPD, rbcL, trnH-psbA, trnT-trnL, trnL-trnL and trnL-trnF with which it was genetically determined that both clones belong to the Pelargonium genus, Pelargonium graveolens species. The analysis of 16 morphological descriptors applied to five "mother" plants of each clone clearly and phenotypically evidenced two different materials, above all, due to their growth habits, presence or absence of flowers, structural differentiation in their leaves and presence and nature of the trichomes; Being able to affirm with this part of the investigation, that there are two clones denoted as A and B different from each other, highlighting that Clone A shows characteristics of the Bourbón variety. The results of the phytochemical profiles that are summarized in the essential oils obtained by dual solvent analysis by gas chromatography with mass detector (MSD) and flame ionization detector (FID), showed the complexity of the analyzed oils, due to the quantity of chemical compounds that make them up, as well as why some of these components persist in their presence, highlighting that they predominate in both clones: Linalool, Geraniol and Citronellol, evidencing the very good quality of the two essential oils evaluated in both clones, reaffirming the determination of Pelargonium graveolens and in one of them, characterized as a Bourbón variety.