Natural pigment: Chlorophyll, carotenoid and anthocyanin in the leaves of four ornamental plants

Abstract

The quantities of some essential plant pigments: chlorophyll, anthocyanin and carotenoid in the leaves of four ornamental plants were assessed. These ornamental plants were: Acalypha wilkesiana, Acalypha hoffmannii, Ficus panda and Gardenia jasminoides-variegata. Standard procedures were followed in the collection, identification and assessment of these plants. Among the plants, A. wilkesiana had the highest content of anthocyanins (2783.10 mg/kg), which could be responsible for the red color of its leaves, while A. hoffmannii had the highest quantity of chlorophyll (932.15 mg/kg) and chlorophyll is responsible for the green colour of plants. Ficus panda which has yellow leaves had the highest carotenoid content (389.40 mg/kg) and the carotenoid pigment is responsible for the yellow colour of plants. Gardenia jasminoides- ariegata which has cream to white leaves had the lowest contents of all three pigments when compared across the plants, but among the pigments, the quantity of carotenoid responsible for the yellow color of plants was the highest (116.70 mg/kg) compared to that of chlorophyll (55.16 mg/kg) and anthocyanin (18.50 mg/kg). The study showed variation in the concentration of pigments in the leaves across the plants and these concentrations are probably responsible for the different colours exhibited by these ornamental plants.