Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of abiotic stress conditions on the synthesis of compounds with antioxidant properties in germinating seeds. The seeds of edible lentils (Lens culinaris L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and mung beans (Vigna radiata L.) were germinated for 120 hours. We studied the influence of abiotic stress on the amount of dry matter, vitamin C and phenolic compounds, as well as flavonoids, in germinated seeds. The use of higher than optimal germination temperatures led to a higher accumulation of dry matter in the mung bean, while the accumulation of phenolic compounds and flavonoids was higher in the alfalfa sprouted seeds. Oxidative stress substantially increased the content of dry matter in the seeds of mung bean, and more vitamin C was found in the lentils. The conditions of abiotic stress in lentil seeds during their sprouting reduced the amount of phenolic compounds in comparison to that in the control variant of the seeds. However, these same conditions (with the exception of oxidative stress) benefitted the accumulation of phenolic compounds in alfalfa seeds.
Highlights
Plant-based foods are a good source of nutrients, dietary fibre, minerals and phenolic compounds
The results indicated that the total content of phenolic compounds in the control sprouts (0 mM NaCl) increased with growth time; the content at 7 d of cultivation decreased compared to that at 7 d of cultivation
Osmotic stress did not influence the content of dry matter in lentils seeds
Summary
Plant-based foods are a good source of nutrients, dietary fibre, minerals and phenolic compounds. Particulary, beans contain bioactive components like phenolic compounds (flavonoids, tannins, and anthocyanin), protease inhibitors, phytic acid, and saponins. Edible seeds and sprouts are a good source of antioxidants, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, trace elements and vitamins (Paśko et al, 2009). Germination starts when the dry seed begins to take up water and is completed when the embryonic axis elongates. At this point, reserves within the storage tissues of the seed are mobilized to support seedling growth. Some of the reserve materials of the seeds are degraded and used partly for respiration and partly for synthesis of new cell constituents of the developing embryo during germination; this process causes important changes in the biochemical, nutritional and sensory characteristics of legumes (Vidal-Valverde et al, 2002)
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