Bioactive compounds in edible flowers of garden pansy in response to irrigation and mycorrhizal inoculation

Joelma Gonçalves,Lanamar De Almeida Carlos,João Carlos Ferreira Borges Júnior,Ana Paula Coelho Madeira Silva,Francisco Adriano De Souza

doi:10.1590/0034-737x201966060001

Joelma Gonçalves, Lanamar De Almeida Carlos + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-737x201966060001

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Edible flowers have been increasingly used in the Brazilian gastronomy because they are considered functional foods with high antioxidant potential. Studies on the management of cultivation of edible flowers to increase the production of bioactive compounds have been developed aiming at the improvement of production systems. The objective of this work was to evaluate the production of bioactive compounds in garden pansy (Viola wittrockiana Gams ex Nauenb. & Buttler) plants submitted to different levels of irrigation and mycorrhizal inoculation. The greenhouse experiment was conducted in randomized blocks in a 2x5 factorial design with the presence and absence of mycorrhizal inoculation in combination with 5 levels of water evaporation (120%, 100%, 80%, 60% and 40%) replaced by irrigation, totaling 10 treatments with 6 replicates. The contents of bioactive compounds (total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and total anthocyanins) present in the flowers, collected over the reproductive period, were evaluated. There was a significant interaction between the factors mycorrhizal inoculation and irrigation levels by F test (p < 0.05) for total flavonoids and anthocyanins. The best results in the production of bioactive compounds were obtained for irrigation at the 100% replenishment level of water evaporation without the presence of mycorrhizal inoculation.

Highlights

The terms “productive landscaping or edible garden” are increasingly used in floriculture and are defined as the creation of macro and micro-landscapes, with intensive use of plants, in order to produce food, respecting natural processes and cycles, and integrated with the ecosystem of each site, maintaining or increasing biodiversity (Reis et al, 2004; Antônio, 2013)
The mycorrhizal inoculation rate in garden pansy plants, which had received soil inoculum, presented a mean of 32% of root fragments colonized with the fungus Claroideoglomus etunicatum and 0% of colonization for the plants that did not receive inoculant
The mean daily volume of water applied in the experimental units according to irrigation levels equivalent to 120%, 100%, 80%, 60% and 40% of evaporation (EV) during the experiment was 102, 85, 68, 51 and 34 mL, respectively

Summary

Introduction

The terms “productive landscaping or edible garden” are increasingly used in floriculture and are defined as the creation of macro and micro-landscapes, with intensive use of plants, in order to produce food (grains, fruits, vegetables, herbs and others), respecting natural processes and cycles, and integrated with the ecosystem of each site, maintaining or increasing biodiversity (Reis et al, 2004; Antônio, 2013). The use of unconventional food plants (UFP) in these environments, especially plants with edible flowers, brings visual well-being, colors the environment, maximizes the use of local biodiversity, diversifies the menu and nutrients ingested, and generates new sources of income (Kinupp & Lorenzi, 2014). Its edible flowers with velvety texture and slightly sweet taste can be used in the preparation of desserts, salads, soups, beverages or for decoration of dishes. They have good antioxidant activity and contain bioactive compounds and can be used as functional food (Vukics et al, 2008; Kinupp & Lorenzi, 2014; Skowyra et al, 2014). It has the ability to prevent neurodegenerative diseases (Mousavi et al, 2016)

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