Abstract
Brassica L. microgreens are a fresh microscale vegetable crop of high antioxidant value and naturally dense in nutrients without the intervention of biofortification or genetic engineering. A climate chamber experiment on peat-based substrate was set up to test microgreens growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites in response to nutrient supplementation. Microgreens mineral content was analyzed through ion chromatography and total ascorbic acid through UV-Vis spectrophotometry, while carotenoids and phenolic acids were quantified by HPLC-DAD and UHPLC-HRMS, respectively. Brussels sprouts and cabbage yield was only reduced by 10%, while nitrate was reduced by 99% in the absence of nutrient supplementation. Rocket yield was prominently reduced by 47%, with a corresponding nitrate reduction of 118%. Brussels sprouts secondary metabolites were not improved by the absence of nutrient supplementation, whereas cabbage microgreens demonstrated a 30% increase in total ascorbic acid and a 12% increase in total anthocyanins. As for rocket, the absence of nutrient supplementation elicited an extensive increase in secondary metabolites, such as lutein (110%), β-carotene (30%), total ascorbic acid (58%) and total anthocyanins (20%), but caused a decrease in total phenolic acids. It is hereby demonstrated that growing microgreens on a commercial peat-based substrate without nutrient supplementation can be feasible for certain species. Moreover, it might elicit a species-dependent spike in bioactive secondary metabolites.
Highlights
Healthy diet narratives are trending among people seeking a propitious lifestyle; gastronomic pleasure interlaced with health-boosting foods is in great demand [1]
The nutrient solution treatments applied to the three different microgreens genotypes revealed a significant interaction regarding yield (Figure 1A), which was prevalently marked in rocket
Cabbage dry matter percentage (DM) did not exhibit any significant difference between the two treatments, despite the slight decrease observed in fresh yield, whereas the DM of both Brussels sprouts and rocket increased in the control treatment by 9.8 and 26.8%, respectively
Summary
Healthy diet narratives are trending among people seeking a propitious lifestyle; gastronomic pleasure interlaced with health-boosting foods is in great demand [1]. Countless phytochemicals impart benefits to human health [2,3] and substantiate the association of plant-rich diets with reduced disease incidence, especially among the elderly [2]. The human organism’s defense and immune system is affected by plant-based foods [4], which partake in the pharmaceutical pipeline [5]. A copious number of characterized health-promoting phytochemicals are available in plant-derived products or in plants, per se [2], undeniably making vegetables an invaluable component of the human diet. A preponderant number of vegetables is rich in assorted biologically active secondary metabolites, including chlorophylls, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and others [6]
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