Authentication of Myristica fragrans Houtt. using DNA barcoding

Abstract

Myristica fragrans mace, an economically important traded spice is being adulterated with mace of M. malabarica, a closely related species. Identification of the genuine mace from its adulterant is difficult owing to the loss of diagnostic morphological characters on drying and storage. Four DNA barcoding loci viz., rbcL, matK, psbA-trnH and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) are compared to analyse Myristica malabarica adulteration in traded Myristica fragrans mace samples. The potential of psbA-trnH as the best barcode over other loci in authentication of M. fragrans mace was established by its amplification and sequencing success, high interspecific variation and presence of polymorphic sites. Sixty polymorphic sites and 9 indel regions in psbA-trnH locus specific to M. malabarica are found in three out of the five market samples studied, thereby confirming the adulteration of traded M. fragrans mace with M. malabarica.