Total saponins in yerba mate leaves: influence of clones, sites and harvest seasons

Abstract Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is an important source of bioactive compounds, including triterpene saponins. This study aimed to analyze the effects of genotypes, cultivation sites, and harvest seasons on the total saponin content in yerba mate leaves, as well as estimate the genetic parameters and predict the genotypic values. We harvested mature leaves from nine clones, cultivated in two clonal tests, and harvested in two seasons (winter and summer), and analyzed them using the vanillin-sulfuric acid spectrophotometric method. The total saponin content trait showed high selection accuracy and significant effects of clones, without interactions. High genetic control was observed, with clone mean broad-sense heritability of 0.93. The genotypic value for total saponin content ranged from 28.13 to 51.54 mg g-1 on a dry weight basis. Selecting yerba mate clones with low or high leaf saponin levels may be useful for specific industries, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, or beverages.