CHROMATOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATIONS ON THE ALKALOID CONTENT OF NICOTIANA SPECIES AND INTERSPECIFIC COMBINATIONS

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Abstract
Smith, H. H., and D. V. Abashian. (Brookhaven Natl. Lab., Upton, N. Y.) Chromatographic investigations on the alkaloid content of Nicotiana species and interspecific combinations. Amer. Jour. Bot. 50(5): 435–447. Illus. 1963.—Alkaloid content was analyzed by paper‐partition chromatography in the following Nicotianas: (1) 52 species representing all taxonomic sections and centers of geographical distribution; (2) 35 two‐species combinations including 1 species of hybrid origin, 5 F1 interspecific hybrids, 24 amphiploids and 5 sesquiploids; (3) 14 three‐species combinations including 6 hybrids between an amphiploid and a third species, and 4 different 3‐species combinations with doubled chromosome number; (4) 2 four‐species combinations. Most of the species contained predominantly 3 identified alkaloids: nicotine, nornicotine and anabasine. In addition, at least 6 other alkaloids, that are separable but which were not identified chemically, are characteristic of the genus and are present in varied but characteristic patterns in each species. In hybrid combinations the content with regard to the unidentified alkaloids was observed to be the same as both parents, the sum of the parental patterns, a new alkaloid appearing, or, most frequently, one or more of the parental alkaloids missing in the hybrid. Among the identified alkaloids, anabasine was most frequently dominant to the other 2 in hybrids, and nornicotine production was most frequently either dominant or partly dominant to nicotine production. No simple basis for the inheritance of alkaloidal contents was clearly evident, nor wore there clearly defined associations between phylogenetic position and the alkaloids observed. Studies on the 6 or more alkaloids, in addition to nicotine, nornicotine and anabasine, which are known to be characteristic of the genus, offer extensive materials for research on alkaloid biosynthesis.