Effect of abiotic elicitation on main health-promoting compounds, antioxidant activity and commercial quality of butter lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Abstract

The study presents changes in the phytochemical levels, antiradical activity and quality of lettuce caused by different chemical elicitors: arachidonic acid (AA), jasmonic acid (JA), and abscisic acid (ABA). The application of 1μM and 100μM JA induced an increase in the concentration of phenolic compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acids. Flavonoid levels were also increased after treatment with 100μM AA and ABA. Some of the elicitor concentrations used also caused an increase in the levels of other phytochemicals, such as chlorophyll a (1μM and 100μM AA, 50μM ABA); chlorophyll b (100μM AA); carotenoids (100μM AA, 1μM JA and 100μM ABA) and vitamin C (100μM AA, 100μM JA). The highest antiradical activity was noted after treatment with 100μM AA, 100μM JA. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging ability was positively and significantly correlated with flavonoid, chlorophyll and carotenoid levels. These results may suggest that the antiradical activity of lettuce was determined not only by phenolics, but also by other bioactive compounds. Elicitation did not change the sensory quality of lettuce. Therefore, treatment with elicitors could be a useful tool for improving the health-promoting qualities of lettuce without the loss of sensory quality.