Dry matter variation and determination of colchicine content during different phenological stages in two Iranian Colchicum species (C. kotschyi Boiss. and C. robustum Stefanov)

The genus of Colchicum is known for the production of colchicine which some species such as C. kotschyi Boiss. and C. robustum Stefanov are grown in Iran. The level of colchicine varies in different species as well as stages of plant development stages. In the present study, colchicine content and dry matter of corm and seeds in C. kotschyi and C. robustum, growing wild in Iran, were determined during different phenological stages. The plant materials were collected in different seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter), during 2009-2010 and the amounts of colchicine were determined by high liquid performance chromatography method. The highest amount of colchicine of corm in both species was observed during autumn, in the time close to the beginning of activation of the root, with amount of 0.077 and 0.049% (wt/wt) in C. kotschyi and C. robustum, respectively. The lowest amount of colchicine of corm in C. kotschyi was found to be 0.0058% (wt/wt) during summer, before flowering stage, while the lowest amount of Colchicine in C. robustum was found to be 0.0075% (wt/wt) during winter, synchronous to flowering and vegetative growth. Colchicine content in seeds was found to be 0.128 and 0.0462% (wt/wt) in C. robustum and C. kotschyi, respectively. The highest and the lowest of corm dry matter in both species were found in summer and winter, respectively.