Abstract
Flower head orders and the use of GA3 (gibberellic acid) treatment could be two influencing factors determining the bioactive compound levels in artichoke, but little to no information is available about their effects. In this study, we have therefore evaluated the influence of these factors on the hydroxycinnamic acid and luteolin derivative levels in three categories of artichoke: Seed-propagated open-pollinated cultivars; vegetatively propagated cultivars; and seed-propagated hybrids. The hydroxycinnamic acids and luteolin derivatives were quantified by RP-HPLC-DAD. The average flower head weight was the lowest in tertiary heads and GA3-treated artichokes, followed by secondary and main heads. Moreover, the hydroxycinnamic acid and luteolin derivatives levels were significantly higher in tertiary heads than in secondary or main heads. In addition, the GA3 treatment significantly reduced the hydroxycinnamic acid content and, in contrast, improved luteolin derivatives levels. These effects depended on the flower head order and cultivar. Knowledge of the effects of flower head order and GA3 treatment is therefore key in order to achieve the greatest health-benefits from artichoke consumption.
Highlights
Globe artichoke is a perennial plant belonging to the Asteraceae family
The seed-propagated open-pollinated cultivars, ‘Lorca’ and ‘Tupac’, showed significant differences in average weight among flower head orders not treated with GA3 (Table 1)
For the first time, that the levels of individual phenolic compounds in seed-propagated openpollinated, vegetatively propagated, and seed-propagated hybrid globe artichoke cultivars are highly influenced by both the flower head order and gibberellic acid treatment
Summary
Globe artichoke is a perennial plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. Artichoke is a rich source of antioxidant compounds and contains high amounts of total phenolic compounds [1], mainly caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and flavonoids such as luteolin glycosides. Caffeoylquinic acids are present in artichokes as mono-/di-caffeoyl esters, and the isomers of these acids have been described as the most abundant molecules [2,3]. The action mechanisms of the plant and its active principles are not fully known, caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids appear to play major roles in its pharmacological properties [4]. Different preharvest factors have been found to influence the quantitative and qualitative profile of these secondary metabolites in the inflorescences, but several studies have shown that genetic material is a major determinant of artichoke quality [7,8]
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