GC MS EVALUATION OF COMPOUNDS IN DRY AND CONDITIONED STRIGA SPECIES SEEDS/

We have analyzed the dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) extracts of seeds of dry and conditioned Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth., S. aspera (Willd.) Benth., and S. gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke by means of gas chromatogra phy (GC) coupled to mass spectrometry(MS). Sixteen compounds were iden tified on the basis of their mass spectra and their retention indices. All Striga spp. extracts contained tetradecanoic acid, cis,cis-9,12-o ctadecadienoic acid, cis-9-octadecenoic acid, and sitosterol. Also, 2, 6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone (2,6-DMBQ) and several long chain aldehydes and n-hydrocarbons were detected in some of the extracts. The nature of the chemical changes induced by seed conditioning is discussed.