Abstract
ABSTRACT: The evaluation of factors that affect glucosinolates (GLS) concentrations in the roots, leaves, and inflorescence of broccoli plants is important in the improvement of the concentration of bioactive compounds and thus in the enhancement of the nutritional properties. In this work, the yield and the concentration of GLS of seven broccoli cultivars (Brassica oleracea var. italica) grown under salinity in field conditions were studied during three different seasons (autumn, winter, and spring). The results show that, generally, salinity did not alter significantly the inflorescence yield during any of the seasons, indicating a high tolerance of the cultivars tested. Yield was reduced only in cultivar Gea in autumn and in cultivar Parthenon in spring. The distribution of the GLS showed that their accumulation was greater in inflorescences and leaves, with higher concentrations in autumn and spring. The activation of GLS synthesis by salinity was restricted to several cultivars and depended on the season, with no reductions compared to control plants. In this study, we discuss the appearance of a Cinnamoyl-indol-GLS derivative in some of the cultivars and seasons with higher incidence in NaCl-treated plants.
Highlights
The provision of plants and plant products with enhanced nutritional and medicinal qualities is becoming a great challenge (Raskin and Ripoll, 2004)
The yield and the concentration of GLS of seven broccoli cultivars (Brassica oleracea var. italica) grown under salinity in field conditions were studied during three different seasons
The results show that, generally, salinity did not alter significantly the inflorescence yield during any of the seasons, indicating a high tolerance of the cultivars tested
Summary
The provision of plants and plant products with enhanced nutritional and medicinal qualities is becoming a great challenge (Raskin and Ripoll, 2004). Potential health-promoting compounds, which have been widely described, are glucosinolates (GLS) and their degradation products from Brassica species (Brandt et al, 2004; Moreno et al, 2006). Glucosinolates - and products of their metabolic breakdown, the isothiocyanates - found in Brassica vegetables have been described as potent modulators of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes that protect DNA from damage (Gerhauser, 2013). High intake of cruciferous vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of cancer, lung and gastrointestinal (Lund, 2003), cardiovascular diseases (Angelino and Jeffery, 2014), and, to a lesser extent, prostate cancer (Kristal and Lampe, 2002). Glucosinolates are chemically defined compounds, all GLS characterized, and share a similar basic structure consisting of a B-D-thioglucose group. Glucosinolates are converted into isothiocyanates or indoles by the activity of myrosinase (Martinez-Ballesta and Carvajal, 2015)
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