Trichoderma hamatum Increases Productivity, Glucosinolate Content and Antioxidant Potential of Different Leafy Brassica Vegetables.

Pablo Velasco,Víctor Manuel Rodríguez,Pilar Soengas,Jorge Poveda

doi:10.3390/plants10112449

Pablo Velasco, Víctor Manuel Rodríguez + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10112449

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Abstract

Brassica crops include important vegetables known as “superfoods” due to the content of phytochemicals of great interest to human health, such as glucosinolates (GSLs) and antioxidant compounds. On the other hand, Trichoderma is a genus of filamentous fungi that includes several species described as biostimulants and/or biological control agents in agriculture. In a previous work, an endophytic strain of Trichoderma hamatum was isolated from kale roots (Brassica oleracea var. acephala), describing its ability to induce systemic resistance in its host plant. In the present work, some of the main leafy Brassica crops (kale, cabbage, leaf rape and turnip greens) have been root-inoculated with T. hamatum, having the aim to verify the possible capacity of the fungus as a biostimulant in productivity as well as the foliar content of GSLs and its antioxidant potential, in order to improve these “superfoods”. The results reported, for the first time, an increase in the productivity of kale (55%), cabbage (36%) and turnip greens (46%) by T. hamatum root inoculation. Furthermore, fungal inoculation reported a significant increase in the content of total GSLs in cabbage and turnip greens, mainly of the GSLs sinigrin and gluconapin, respectively, along with an increase in their antioxidant capacity. Therefore, T. hamatum could be a good agricultural biostimulant in leafy Brassica crops, increasing the content of GSLs and antioxidant potential of great food and health interest.

Highlights

Brassica genus, belonging to the Brassicaceae family, includes several crops with a high economic interest, cultivated for their edible roots, leaves, stems, buds, flowers, mustard and oilseeds [1]
The principal vegetable species belonging to the Brassica genus are Brassica napus, Brassica oleracea, Brassica rapa, Brassica juncea and Brassica carinata [2]
We have reported how root inoculation with T. hamatum supposes a significant increase in the foliar biomass produced by kale, cabbage and turnip greens

Summary

Introduction

Brassica genus, belonging to the Brassicaceae family ( known as Cruciferae), includes several crops with a high economic interest, cultivated for their edible roots, leaves, stems, buds, flowers, mustard and oilseeds [1]. The principal vegetable species belonging to the Brassica genus are Brassica napus (i.e., rapeseed and leaf rape), Brassica oleracea (i.e., broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, etc.), Brassica rapa (i.e., turnip, Chinese cabbage and pak choi), Brassica juncea and Brassica carinata (mustards) [2]. Crops belonging to the Brassica genus are among the 10 most economically important vegetable crops in global agriculture and markets [2]. They are mainly cultivated in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, such as areas of Europe, the Mediterranean area, Southwestern and Central Asia, China and Japan, and North America [2]. Some of the main leafy Brassica crops include kale (B. oleracea var. acephala), cabbage (B. oleracea var. capitata), leaf rape

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