Phytochemical profiling and bioactive compound variation in <i>Jatropha landraces</i> from Nigeria: Implications for agricultural and medicinal applications

Purpose: To determine the phytochemical composition of various Jatropha landraces from different regions of Nigeria in order to identify key bioactive compounds and regional variations for future agricultural and pharmacological applications. Methods: A total of 40 Jatropha landraces were collected from traditional farmers in Nigeria, identified by local names and morphological features. Dried leaves (50 g) were extracted with ethanol (hot percolation) using Soxhlet apparatus, concentrated to 50 mL under reduced pressure in desiccators and lyophilized for further analysis. A total of 6 samples representing the six geopolitical zones were selected for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), while principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the bioactive compounds. Results: GC-MS analysis identified 122 phytochemicals, predominantly fatty acids, with oleic acid and linoleic acid being the most common. The sample from Enugu had the highest phytochemical diversity (33 compounds), followed by Nasarawa (22), Delta (21), Borno (20), Kano (14), and Lagos (12). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that PC1 contributed 64.2 % of the total variation, with Borno showing the highest loading value (0.521), followed by Lagos (0.599) on PC2, Nasarawa (0.708) on PC3, and Enugu (0.639) on PC4. Furthermore, PCA revealed that Borno had the highest contribution to variations in phytochemical composition. Conclusion: This study confirms substantial phytochemical diversity of Jatropha landraces across Nigeria, and highlights its potential for breeding programs aimed at selecting plants with specific bioactive compounds.