Biochemical Characterisation of Fruits for Establishing Phylogenetic Relationship among Members of Arecaceae (Palmae) in North-Central Nigeria

Background and Objective: The Arecaceae (Palmae) is a family of perennial flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. The very slow rate of convergent evolution among some morphological characters has a limited phylogenetic resolution for the palm family. This study was aimed at determining the biochemical composition of selected members (Phoenix dactylifera, Hyphaene thebaica, Cocos nucifera and Elaeis guineensis) of Arecaceae in North-Central Nigeria and using the traits to establish phylogenetic relationships among the members. Materials and Methods: Before the comparative nutritional study of the selected members, ash content, moisture content, crude fibre, crude protein, crude fat, carbohydrates and mineral compositions were assessed using standard methods. All data was assumed significant at p<0.05. Similarly, all the data obtained was used to draw a dendrogram based on Unweighted Pair Group Method Average (UPGMA) to establish the phylogenetic relationship among the palms. Results: Results showed that the highest percentages of moisture content (11.47%) and carbohydrates (66.33%) were recorded in Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). Doum palm (Hyphaene thebaica) had significantly the highest ash content, calcium, sodium and potassium (7.30%, 303.14, 195.22 and 949.90 mg/100 g, respectively). The highest percentages of crude protein (10.63%), crude fibre (27.53%) and magnesium (343.89 mg/100 g) were recorded in a coconut fruit. Palm fruit had significantly the highest crude fat content (51.29%). Conclusion: Phylogenetic relationship showed that coconut and oil palm was the closest among the four palm groups while date palm is closer to them than the Doum palm. The results obtained have enhanced our knowledge of establishing phylogenetic relationships among palm trees in NorthCentral Nigeria using their nutritional composition.