Agave Fructans in Oaxaca's Emblematic Specimens: Haw. and Zucc.

Despite the recognition of Weber var. Azul as raw material for producing tequila and obtaining prebiotics, there are other highly relevant species in Mexico. Oaxaca contains a startlingly diverse range of species; Haw. and Zucc. are two classic specimens with great commercial potential. In this study, we examined the fructan fluctuation in these two species during their lifetime in the field (from 1 to 6 years old). First, we analyzed their morphological diversity based on vegetative characteristics. Subsequently, fructan extracts were analyzed by TLC, FT-IR, and HPAEC-PAD to identify carbohydrates. Multivariate analyses of the morphological parameters indicated a morphological divergence between the two species. Furthermore, we found that the concentration of simple carbohydrates and fructans, as well as the fructan DP, changed during plant development. Glucose, fructose, and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) were more abundant in , while showed a greater amount of sucrose and fructans with a high DP. Fructan DP heatmaps were constructed using HPAEC-PAD profiles-the heatmaps were very helpful for establishing an easy correlation between age and the carbohydrate types present in the fructan extracts. This study is an important contribution to the agave fructan knowledge of the Mexican agave diversity.