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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Griffin, Georgia » Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #193725
Title: RHYNCHOSIA MINIMA (L.) DC. - REGENERATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND POTENTIAL USES FOR NATURAL PRODUCTS AND FLAVONOIDS

Author
item Morris, John - Brad

Submitted to: Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2007
Publication Date: 12/2/2008
Citation: Morris, J.B. 2008. Rhynchosia minima (l.) dc. - regeneration, characterization and potential uses for natural products and flavonoids. Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter. 153:15-19

Interpretive Summary: Least snout bean pods, seeds and leave contain many useful chemicals for use as medicine, nutritional or agricultural products. Twenty-six accessions of least snout bean accessions are stored at the Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit, Griffin, GA. Little information for growing least snout bean in Georgia is known. Least snout bean produced quality plants and up to 23,000 seed at Griffin, GA. Literature shows that least snout bean contains chemicals that have many health uses. The literature indicated that chemicals found in least snout bean have been shown to fight cancer and reduce inflammation. Quality production as well as healthy chemicals exists in least snout bean to allow for use in the southern U.S.A.

Technical Abstract: Least snout bean, Rhynchosia minima pods, seeds, and leaves contain several phytochemicals such as gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, and isovitexin with potential medicinal use. Both the aromatic natural products gallic acid and protocatechuic acid and the flavonoid isovitexin are antioxidant compounds. The objectives of this study were to regenerate and characterize 21 least snout bean genotypes in Georgia, U.S.A. and to discuss potential use of this plant for medicinal products and forage. A four-year study of these 21 least snout bean genotypes demonstrated that high quality plants producing up to 23,000 seed can be successfully regenerated in Griffin, GA. Several flavonoids with potential use as pharmaceuticals, including schaftoside are produced in least snout bean leaves. Additional phytopharmaceutical traits include hydroquinone found in least snout bean seeds and pods has anticancer properties. The regeneration of least snout bean in Georgia plus the usefulness of phytochemicals in the least snout bean plant provides numerous possibilities for production as a minor crop in the southern U.S.A.