Abstract
In this study, the effect of salinity (150 mM NaCl) compared to a control (9 mM NaCl) on growth, quality and shelf-life of fresh-cut sea fennel was evaluated. For that, sea fennel plants were cultivated in a hydroponic floating system and the sea fennel leaves were stored for 12 days at 5 °C. At harvest, leaves from plants grown in salinity had a lower content of NO3−, K+ and Ca2+ and an increased Cl− and Na+ concentration when compared to the control. There was a positive effect in the aerial part with increased fresh weight due to salt stress, but a reduction in the root biomass. During storage, weight loss and colour changes were not significant while leaves’ firmness was higher for control and increased during storage, probably due to lignification. Microbial growth (psychrophiles, yeast and moulds and enterobacteria) was higher at harvest for control and increased during storage, with no differences between treatments after 12 days at 5 °C. Sensory quality was similar for both treatments but leaves from NaCl treatment had a salty taste that was easily detected by panelists. These results show that saline-nutrient solution applied in hydroponics is a suitable system for sea fennel growth. It gives a slightly salty but high-quality product, acceptable as a “ready-to-eat” vegetable.
Highlights
We evaluated the effect of the salinity level of the nutrient solution in a floating system on the growth, quality, and shelf-life of
NaCl treatment reduced the leaf area and specific leaf area of C. maritimum plants, which indicates that the leaves were thicker when plants were grown with 150 mM NaCl
The leaf area was reduced under 150 mM NaCl, in agreement with previous results of Hamed et al [29], provoking a reduction of the specific leaf area and an increase in leaf thickness and succulence
Summary
Sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.), known as crest marine, marine fennel, samphire, and rock samphire [1], is a halophyte species, the sole one of the Crithmum genus [2,3], which belongs to the Apiaceae family. This species is widespread in the Mediterranean coasts as well in the Canary Islands [2]. Sea fennel importance is not limited only to the culinary uses (mainly as an appetizer), and as carminative, diuretic or for treating obesity [8] It is rich in several biologically active compounds
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