Abstract
Wild edible plant species are often more tolerant to salinity than many crop plants. Considering the salinization of irrigation water that is progressively affecting the Mediterranean region and the market demand for new plant foods, the cultivation of wild edible species could represent a valid alternative to conventional vegetable crops. In this study, Reichardia picroides (L.) Roth, a widespread spontaneous herb of ethnobotanical tradition, was grown for four or six weeks under a greenhouse in a floating system for the production of baby leaves. In order to improve the nutraceutical quality of the tissues, the plants were exposed to the following NaCl concentrations in the nutrient solution: 1.7 (control), 25, 50, and 100 mM. The results showed that a 4-week growing period in a floating system with 50 mM NaCl in the nutrient solution increased the content of bioactive molecules without affecting the fresh yield. After six weeks of cultivation, despite a decrease in biomass production as compared with the control, the leaves of salt-treated plants contained higher levels of bioactive molecules along with lower amounts of nitrate ion.
Highlights
In order to improve the nutraceutical quality of the tissues, the plants were exposed to the following NaCl concentrations in the nutrient solution: 1.7, 25, 50, and 100 mM
In older plants, a significant growth reduction was already observed with 25 mM NaCl, and this outcome became more evident at higher salt concentrations; with 100 mM NaCl the root tissues were affected, suggesting that, in the conditions tested in this work, R. picroides is sensitive to salinity after six weeks treatment
The data supported our hypothesis that abiotic stress such as salinity could enhance the nutraceutical qualities of the leaf tissues in R. picroides
Summary
Progressive salinization of irrigation water is an issue of concern in the Mediterranean region and is becoming a limiting factor for the productivity of vegetable crops, which generally show low tolerance toward continuous application of saline water [1,2]. Wild plant species from the ethnobotanical tradition can satisfy both these requirements and, can be regarded as potential functional foods [9], as they often possess a higher content of bioactive molecules than many vegetables [4] These natural healthpromoting phytochemical compounds are the result of plant adaptation to the natural environment and are generally produced as defense molecules against biotic or abiotic stress conditions [10]. Often these substances are antioxidant compounds belonging to the class of polyphenols that, in species with edible leaves, are commonly associated with a bitter taste [11]. The nutraceutical properties of hydroponically grown plants could be modulated in dependence of the composition of the nutrient solution; a proper formulation of the nutrient recipe could help to partially recover the typical properties of the plants at the spontaneous state
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