Latonio, Juan Paulo R.

4Bio5

Summary: Genetic Diversity of Ixora macrophylla with a preliminary report on

its phytochemical components
By Gaticales, C. A. S., Gonzales, E. G. P., Marquez, J. K. L., Montalbo, G. L. L.,
Alejandro, G. J. D and Banag, C. I
Ixora is the largest Rubiaceae, with 31 species in the Philippines alone,
with 25 endemic species. One of these endemic species is I. macrophylal. A
recent study showed that this species did not form natural lineages. The
study was done to better understand the genetic diversity of I. macrophylla
and provide preliminary phytochemical analysis with comparison to other
plants of the same genus. The proponents collected samples and used them
to represent different groups. 11 sequences of the trnLF region were
generated from the individuals of 3 different populations. Two haplotypes
were identified for the said region and one haplotype is common in the
individuals from Aurora and Surigao and the other exclusive to the Mindoro
group. The haplotype diversity is 0.43636. The phytochemical analysis of the
plant using potassium ferricyanide-ferric chloride, Dragendorffs, and Vanillinsulfuric acid reagents, which tested positive for phenols, tannins, flavonoids,
negative for alkaloids, and positive for higher alcohols, phenols, steroids, and
essential oils, respectively.
The analysis of the genetic diversity will help design conservation
strategies for the species. If the genetic diversity is high, which is favorable,
then the species is more resilient to natural phenomena, unlike that of with a
low genetic diversity. The phytochemical analysis can also be used for further
revisions on its components and a baseline for future studies of the I.
macrophylla and its other components and implications.