Abstract
The demand for high-nutrient and fresh vegetables, including coriander, has been growing rapidly. A plant factory with artificial lighting enables the application or suppression of stress conditions to plants for producing high-quality vegetables. This study aimed to determine a suitable root-zone temperature (RZT) treatment for enhancing the biomass and secondary metabolite content of hydroponic coriander plants. The combination of a mid-RZT (25 °C) pre-treatment with low (15 °C or 20 °C) or high (30 °C or 35 °C) RZT for a short period (3 or 6 days) was applied to the plants before harvesting. The fresh weights of the coriander plants were reduced under RZT stress. By contrast, the content of secondary metabolites, including ascorbic acid, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, chlorogenic acid, and the antioxidant capacity of the plants were enhanced by the combination of the lowest or highest RZT (15 °C or 35 °C) and the longer stress period (6 days). Growing coriander under an RZT of 30 °C for 6 days can produce large amounts of bioactive compounds and water, whereas growing coriander at an RZT of 15 °C for 6 days can produce high dry biomass and secondary metabolite content.
Highlights
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is an annual herbaceous plant, and its fresh leaves are widely used as food flavoring in Asian cuisine
Our study showed that the root dry weights (DWs) decreased rapidly when the root-zone temperature (RZT) was increased from 25 ◦ C to 35 ◦ C or decreased from 25 ◦ C to 15 ◦ C regardless of the stress period
This research investigated the effects of short-term RZT on the secondary metabolite accumulation and growth of coriander
Summary
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is an annual herbaceous plant, and its fresh leaves are widely used as food flavoring in Asian cuisine. Phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, β-carotene, and phenolic compounds, are rich in coriander leaves [2,3,4]. Ascorbic acid (ASA), carotenoids, chlorophylls, rutin (quercetin-3-rutinoside; QR), and chlorogenic acid (CA) are the main class of natural antioxidants in plants [3,5]. Carotenoids and chlorophylls are natural pigments found in fruits, vegetables, and algae. Mammals cannot synthesize both carotenoids and chlorophylls; humans need to get them from foods or via supplementation. The pharmacology of carotenoids include eye and heart health, cancer prevention, skin protection, and fertility [6], while chlorophylls are strong combat anemia, stimulating immune system, anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, and purifying the blood [7,8]
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