Mineral composition of cauliflowers with differently coloured curds modified by the chilling of juvenile plants

Abstract

Abstract An experiment involving five cauliflower cultivars that form curds of different colours (white, green, purple, orange, and romanesco) was carried out to determine the effects of genotype and transplant chilling on the content of 18 major and trace elements. Transplants aged 4.5 weeks were treated with 4 °C or 18 °C temperature for 7 days and then planted in the field. Mature curds were sampled after next 2 months. The use of cauliflower provides new opportunities to study nutrient accumulation in the unique edible organ of the plant formed from meristematic tissues depending on genotype and stress applications. White-curded cauliflower Xenia F1 usually accumulated the least amount of macro- and micronutrients and the lowest content of N, P, S, B, Fe, and Cu. Romanesco Celio F1 accumulated the lowest content of Na, Pb, Cr, and Ni but also the highest content of Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Mn, and Zn, indicating this cultivar as valuable component of functional food. Low temperature increased the content of N, P, Ca, S, Mg, Na, B, Cu, Zn, and Pb but decreased the content of Mo and Cr in the curds of certain cultivars. The results demonstrate alterations in plant metabolic pathways due to low temperature applied at the juvenile stage persist through harvest, which proves the existence of stress memory.