Biotechnological tools for improvement of black nightshade (<i>Solanum nigrum</i> L. complex), valuable medicinal and vegetable plants in Kenya

Abstract

Solanum nigrum complex is a group of plant species used as indigenous vegetables but also as traditional medicinal plants in Kenya and other parts of the world. In Kenya, just like in most African countries, both the unripe fruits and leaves are used to cure different ailments. This vegetable is said to improve the CD4 count in HIV patients and all HIV patients are encouraged to take it as part of their diet. Despite that high value, African nightshade is a neglected crop. Up to now the farmers exploit traditional landraces and accessions. For development of improved African S. nigrum varieties, knowledge is necessary about the genetic structure of the local African nightshade accessions. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique was performed to discriminate accessions from the Western region of Kenya. Production of haploid plants of the S. nigrum complex and subsequent chromsome doubling is a promising tool to obtain pure inbred lines in a short time. Therefore, in this study, anthers of S. nigrum were cultivated in vitro. It was observed that the microspores underwent the first divisions and calluses were formed.