Cinnamon Species Variations for Phytochemicals in Two Diverse Habitats of Bali, Indonesia

Abstract

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum burmannii Blume) plant leaf extracts contain phytochemicals and have been used as potential biofungicides against plant pathogenic fungi by inhibiting the growth of their colonies, biomass, and spores, both in vitro and ex vivo. This past study demonstrated that cinnamon leaves differed in phytochemical compounds from one habitat to another. Cinnamon leaves from Belok Sidan Village, Petang Subdistrict, contain flavonoids, steroids, phenolics, tannins, and those from Bedugul Village, Baturiti Subdistrict, contain alkaloids, steroids, phenolics, and saponins. The probing study aimed to unveil whether the phytochemical variations in cinnamons are due to biotic and abiotic factors. The cinnamon species' identification from two distinct habitats engaged two molecular markers, rbcL and mat-K genes. Comparing both habitats' environmental parameters, i.e., soil, water, minerals, temperature, humidity, wind speed, coordinates, and altitudes, took place. The DNA barcode analysis revealed that the two cinnamon plant types were likely of the same species, namely, Cinnamomum tamala or C. osmophloeum. Soil and climate analyses indicated contrasting conditions between Petang and Bedugul habitats. The C, N, and K contents were higher in the Bedugul soil than in the Belok Sidan. The soil water contents differed in both locations, especially the percentage of dry air (DA) and field capacity (FC). The two sites also differed in temperature, humidity, wind speed, coordinates, and altitude. This study provides solid evidence that environmental factors highly contribute to the phytochemical variations in cinnamon species.