Vaccinium Species Research Articles

Impact of plant functional group and species removals on soil and plant nitrogen and phosphorus across a retrogressive chronosequence

Abstract In the prolonged absence of catastrophic disturbance, ecosystem retrogression occurs, which is characterized by declining soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability, increasing plant and soil N to P ratios, and reduced plant biomass and productivity. It is, however, largely unknown as to how the effects of plant communities on soil nutrients change during retrogression or might contribute to declining nutrient availability as retrogression proceeds. We studied a well‐characterized system of 30 lake islands in northern Sweden that collectively represent a 5,000‐year post‐fire retrogressive chronosequence. For each island, we established an experiment that involved full factorial removal of three plant functional groups (tree roots, dwarf shrubs and mosses), and of three species of dwarf shrub (Vaccinium myrtillus, V. vitis‐idaea and Empetrum hermaphroditum). After 19 years, we took various measures of soil N and P availability, and measured foliar N and P for each dwarf shrub species, for each plot in the experiment. Although plant removal effects (and particularly removal of tree roots, shrubs and Vaccinium species) on below‐ground N and P measures sometimes changed during retrogression, this seldom happened in a way that explains the decline in nutrient availability and increase in N to P ratios that characterize ecosystem retrogression. The only exceptions were that the positive effects of tree roots on soil mineral N and P, and of V. myrtillus on soil mineral P, declined during retrogression. Plant removal effects on community‐level measures of shrub N and P varied greatly across the chronosequence, but these effects again did not align with the changes in soil nutrient availability or N to P ratios that characterize ecosystem retrogression. Synthesis. Our results suggest that retrogression, and associated changes in nutrient availability and soil N to P ratios, is driven mainly by longer‐term pedogenic processes as opposed to shorter‐term effects of plant communities on soil N and P availability. More generally, they illustrate the value of long‐term and large‐scale experimental manipulations of plant communities for showing how effects of biodiversity loss on ecosystem properties vary across contrasting ecosystems.

Cross-transferability analysis of SSR markers developed from the American Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) to other Vaccinium species of agricultural importance

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) breeding is evolving as consumer demand increases for specialty products such as sweetened and dried cranberries. New varieties are needed with not only higher yield and better adaptations to biotic (e.g., fungal fruit rot) and abiotic (e.g., cold tolerance) stressors, but also with increased fruit quality for processing and human nutrition. Cranberry is one of the few species in the genus Vaccinium that is utilized as a crop. However, the genus is composed of many understudied and underused species, such as wild blueberries and cranberries, lingonberries, and deerberries. Many of these species are cross-compatible and possess an array of traits of high agronomical value that may be commercially exploited through intrasectional or intersectional interspecific breeding. In order to provide a toolset for Vaccinium breeders, we tested the cross-transferability of 507 V. macrocarpon simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers on 17 different Vaccinium species. We found 61 SSR markers that consistently amplified and produced scorable bands across all 17 species tested. The ability of the markers to discriminate species based on their genetic relationships was tested for future use in phylogenetics. We genetically discriminated the different species and sections of the genus, providing an insightful look into the genetic relationship of species in this genus. These markers represent a working set of SSRs to use for the development of Vaccinium interspecific hybrids and to allow the development of population genetic studies of poorly understood species.

Potential use of an anthocyanin-rich extract from berries of Vaccinium meridionale Swartz as sensitizer for TiO2 thin films – An experimental and theoretical study

An anthocyanin-rich extract from Andean species Vaccinium meridionale Swartz (Ericaceae, common names: Andean blueberry, wild agraz) was chemically characterized and evaluated as natural dye for potential application as sensitizer for TiO2 thin films. The anthocyanin-rich extract (dye) was obtained from V. meridionale berries through percolation method using an ethanol:water mixture (1:3), in a 2:1 ratio of solvent:sample. Furthermore, the pH effect on stability of V. meridionale extract was studied. Chemical characterizations were carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD), UV–vis spectrophotometry and electrochemistry impedance spectroscopy (EIS). After the anthocyanin identification, sensitization process was performed on TiO2 thin films. Finally, the electronic structure of each anthocyanin found in the extract (cyanidin-3-galactoside and cyanidin-3-arabinoside) and their interaction with a slab model of TiO2 and the UV–vis absorption spectra simulations were investigated by means of the density functional theory (DFT). Results showed that (i) cyanidin-3-galactoside and cyanidin-3-arabinoside were the main anthocyanins that constituted the hydro-ethanol extract (40% and 38%, respectively) and the total anthocyanin content equivalent to delphinidin chloride (TAEDC) per mL of extract was 48 ± 5 μg TAEDC/mL; (ii) the measurements by EIS indicated that sensitization process reduced the resistance for charge transfer from 933 Ω for TiO2 until 308 Ω for TiO2/sensitizer and (iii) the computational studies showed that delphinidin-3-pentoside had largest value of Eads (-53.62 kcal mol−1) for the bidentate mononuclear anchorage mode, besides the anchorage to TiO2 induced a red shift of the low-lying absorption band and an increase in their intensities respect to the free dyes, but the compositions of the transitions in terms of its nature and the involved molecular orbitals remained identical without involving of the glycoside motifs. All results suggested that the natural dye (anthocyanin-rich extract) from V. meridionale berries has a high potential to be used as sensitizer for TiO2.

Characterization and Pathogenicity of Stem Blight Complex Isolates Associated with Stem Blight Disease on Vaccinium Species

Species of Botryosphaeria and Neofusicoccum are major pathogens of blueberry worldwide. Accurate identification of these species is essential for developing effective management practices. A multigene sequencing strategy was used to distinguish between six isolates of stem blight pathogens collected from two different regions of the United States. The temperature growth study revealed that the optimal temperature for growth of five of the tested isolates ranged from 25 to 30 °C, although no significant difference was detected for the growth of Neofusicoccum spp. isolate SD16-86 at 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C. In vitro fungicide assays showed four fungicides, cyprodinil + fludioxonil, propiconazole, pyraclostrobin + boscalid, and azoxystrobin, were effective against the tested isolates with isolate SD16-86 being less sensitive compared with the other isolates. In a detached stem assay, none of 39 blueberry accessions displayed immunity or a high level of resistance to the two tested isolates, and no significant difference in lesion length was detected among the seven tested Vaccinium species inoculated with the two isolates.

Tree species impact on understory vegetation: Vascular plant communities of Scots pine and Norway spruce managed stands in northern Europe

The tree species used in production forests can have direct implications for the understory vegetation, due to species-specific differences in the environmental conditions provided, and silviculture applied. In southern Sweden, there is an ongoing shift from even-aged managed stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) to even-aged Norway spruce (Picea abies). Here we evaluate the potential ecological consequences of these conversions by surveying the understory vascular plants, stand structural characteristics, and associated understory light levels in three age categories of Scots pine and Norway spruce stands. We quantify the extent of difference in light transmittance between the two stand types, and find large differences in understory abundance, especially among the dwarf shrubs species. Whereas bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) generally dominated Scots pine stand understory, the understory of Norway spruce stands was comparably sparse. Differences in vascular plant community composition indicate associated differences between the two stand types in the conditions prior to stand establishment, and subsequent understory development. In Scots pine stands the high abundance of dwarf shrubs may be outcompeting other species of vascular plants, causing a decline in species richness. In Norway spruce stands, species richness and abundance was instead apparently inhibited by limited light transmittance. In these stands generalist ruderal species and remnants from previous land use constituted a considerable part of plant species composition. Our findings suggest that the regional replacement of Scots pine with Norway spruce will lead to a noticeable loss of understory diversity, for which the decline in Vaccinium species will be the most prominent. We discuss the associated implications of our results for forest ecosystem services, and how shortened rotation lengths in Norway spruce stands would compound these impacts.

Composition of Anthocyanins and Proanthocyanidins in Three Tropical Vaccinium Species from Costa Rica

Total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), and proanthocyanidin (PAC) content were determined in fruit from three tropical Vaccinium species (Vaccinium consanguineum, Vaccinium floribundum, and Vaccinium poasanum) from Costa Rica sampled at three stages of fruit development. Results show that TAC increased as the fruit developed, while TPC, TFC, and PAC content decreased. Anthocyanin profiles were evaluated using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Cyanidin and delphinidin glycosides were the predominant anthocyanins for the three tropical Vaccinium species. Proanthocyanidins were characterized using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The presence of procyanidin structures with B-type interflavan bonds were observed, but deconvolution of mass spectrometry isotope patterns indicated that PACs with one or more A-type interflavan bonds accounted for more than 74% of the oligomers at each degree of polymerization.

Haplotype-phased genome and evolution of phytonutrient pathways of tetraploid blueberry.

BackgroundHighbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) has long been consumed for its unique flavor and composition of health-promoting phytonutrients. However, breeding efforts to improve fruit quality in blueberry have been greatly hampered by the lack of adequate genomic resources and a limited understanding of the underlying genetics encoding key traits. The genome of highbush blueberry has been particularly challenging to assemble due, in large part, to its polyploid nature and genome size.FindingsHere, we present a chromosome-scale and haplotype-phased genome assembly of the cultivar “Draper,” which has the highest antioxidant levels among a diversity panel of 71 cultivars and 13 wild Vaccinium species. We leveraged this genome, combined with gene expression and metabolite data measured across fruit development, to identify candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of important phytonutrients among other metabolites associated with superior fruit quality. Genome-wide analyses revealed that both polyploidy and tandem gene duplications modified various pathways involved in the biosynthesis of key phytonutrients. Furthermore, gene expression analyses hint at the presence of a spatial-temporal specific dominantly expressed subgenome including during fruit development.ConclusionsThese findings and the reference genome will serve as a valuable resource to guide future genome-enabled breeding of important agronomic traits in highbush blueberry.

Complete chloroplast genome of Vaccinium oldhamii and phylogenetic analysis

The complete genome of Vaccinium oldhamii plastid was sequenced and analyzed in this study. The V. oldhamii plastid a circular genome of 173,245 bp with 33 genes, including 88 protein, 37 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that species of Vaccinium were the first branching taxon In Ericaceae.

Phenolic Constituents of Vaccinium Species from Both Natural Resources and Micropropagated Plantlets

Fruits and leaves of Vaccinium species have rich bioactive phytochemicals. These bioactive phytochemicals make these plants particularly valuable for the medical and food industry. This novel approach was designed to determine the phenolic content of Vaccinium species obtained from both micropropagated and naturally growing leaves. An efficient micropropagation protocol was developed to produce tree Vaccinium species plantlets via direct organogenesis. Lateral buds containing one or two leaves were cultured in McCown woody plant medium (WPM), supplemented with zeatin/indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (1.0/0.1 mg L–1). In conclusion, Protocatechuic acid, Chlorogenic acid, Syringic acid and Routine phenolic compounds were determined in significant amounts. It has been determined that the phenolic compounds of leaves produced in tissue cultures is higher than the phenolic compounds obtained from naturally growing leaves.

Short communication: Identification of cultivated and wild Vaccinium species grown in Portugal

Vaccinium crops offer a variety of benefits for human health due their high levels of antioxidants. Genetic diversity between two Vaccinium species (sixteen cultivars of Vaccinium corymbosum and three wild populations of Vaccinium myrtillus) were evaluated using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. In V. corymbosum 74 polymorphic markers corresponding to 83.2% of polymorphism were obtained while in V. myrtillus only four polymorphic markers corresponding to 83.2% and 10.6% of polymorphism were observed. The dendrogram obtained showed a clear division into two distinct groups corresponding to the two analyzed species. V. corymbosum group is divided in different sub-clusters based on cultivars pedigree relationships. Twenty-eight specific bands were detected in total; 6 for V. corymbosum and 22 for V. myrtillus. Results allowed the selection of five primers due it potential to detect specific bands in the two species. These markers could be useful for identifying species and cultivars and consequently help in the management of germplasm collections and in breeding programs.

Genetic diversity assessed by genotyping by sequencing (GBS) and for phenological traits in blueberry cultivars.

Blueberry is a small fruit crop which includes a complex group of different Vaccinium species of various ploidy levels. Commercial blueberries have been grown in Europe most recently, so there is not much information available about their adaptation into new regions. In this work we investigated adaptation to the environmental conditions of northern Spain, in terms of flowering and ripening seasons, of a set of 70 blueberry cultivars including several of the most important cultivated American species (V. corymbosum, V. virgatum, V. macrocarpon and V. uliginosum) in order to identify which types are best-suited in this geographical area of Europe. Most materials showed high chilling requirements for flowering under local conditions, while materials with low-chilling requirements showed problems in the maturation process of the flowers. Most cultivars were early or mid-season while a relative lack of late-season cultivars was observed. GBS was used for the analysis of genetic diversity in this sample of 70 cultivars. A total of 5255 SNP markers were obtained and a cluster analysis revealed three main groups associated with the ploidy level of the species. A Principal Component Analysis revealed a grouping of the V. corymbosum cultivars according to their chilling requirements. A total of 29 SNPs were identified as being highly informative for diversity analysis and potentially useful for cultivar identification and for breeding purposes. The results obtained from this research should contribute to the expansion of this crop, as well as providing data about genetic diversity useful for the preservation of genetic resources or for future breeding programs.

Reaction of Different Vaccinium Species to the Blueberry Leaf Rust Pathogen Thekopsora minima

Blueberry leaf rust caused by Thekopsora minima is a serious threat to blueberry production. To investigate the host range and characterize new sources of resistance, 15 southern highbush accessions (Vaccinium corymbosum), two interspecific hybrids (V. elliottii × V. pallidum and V. corymbosum × V. pallidum), and accessions from five diploid Vaccinium species were inoculated with an isolate of T. minima. Of 15, only two southern highbush accessions displayed resistance, whereas both accessions of V. arboreum displayed immunity against T. minima. Accessions of V. darrowii exhibited necrosis but with limited sporulation, indicating a high level of resistance. Sporulating lesions and brown spots were observed in accessions of V. elliottii and V. tenellum. Brown lesions, large pustules, and abundant sporulation were observed on V. pallidum accessions and their interspecific hybrids. As the lesions expanded, defoliation was observed in V. pallidum accessions. When tested against rabbiteye (V. virgatum) and southern highbush blueberries, urediniospores of T. minima from overwintering leaves of V. pallidum were found to be virulent, suggesting that T. minima overwinters on V. pallidum. Based on symptoms and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of urediniospores, we hypothesize that V. elliottii, V. tenellum, V. pallidum, and V. corymbosum exhibit no host specificity to T. minima.

Antimicrobial Activity of Fungal Endophytes from Vaccinium dunalianum var. urophyllum

Fungi associated with Vaccinium species play important roles in plant growth and disease control, especially in the final blueberry production. Vaccinium dunalianum var. urophyllum (Ericaceae) is a well-known medicinal plant in Southern China used to treat inflammation and microbial infections. The endophytic fungi from these plants are therefore anticipated as potential new sources of antimicrobials. In this report, the inhibitory effects of endophytes against clinical bacteria and yeast were comprehensively screened and 11 isolates indicated high bioactivity by the agar diffusion method. The corresponding crude extracts of these fungi under submerged fermentation also demonstrated distinct differences and n-butyl alcohol displayed the lowest extraction efficiency among the extracts. The ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts of filtrates from the Colletotrichum sp. VD001, Epicoccum nigrum VD021 and E. nigrum VD022 strains displayed good properties against pathogenic microorganisms according to disc diffusion assays and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). This study is the first indicating that cultivable endophytic fungi associated with blueberry plants produce potential compounds against clinical pathogens.

Recognition of candidate transcription factors related to bilberry fruit ripening by de novo transcriptome and qRT-PCR analyses

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruits are an excellent natural resource for human diet because of their special flavor, taste and nutritional value as well as medical properties. Bilberries are recognized for their high anthocyanin content and many of the genes involved in the anthocyanin biosynthesis have been characterized. So far, neither genomic nor RNA-seq data have been available for the species. In the present study, we de novo sequenced two bilberry fruit developmental stages, unripe green (G) and ripening (R). A total of 57,919 unigenes were assembled of which 80.2% were annotated against six public protein databases. The transcriptome served as exploratory data to identify putative transcription factors related to fruit ripening. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between G and R stages were prominently upregulated in R stage with the functional annotation indicating their main roles in active metabolism and catalysis. The unigenes encoding putative ripening-related regulatory genes, including members of NAC, WRKY, LOB, ERF, ARF and ABI families, were analysed by qRT-PCR at five bilberry developmental stages. Our de novo transcriptome database contributes to the understanding of the regulatory network associated with the fruit ripening in bilberry and provides the first dataset for wild Vaccinium species acquired by NGS technology.

Regulation of redox status in neuronal SH-SY5Y cells by blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) juice, cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon A.) juice and cyanidin

Blueberry and cranberry are fruits with high polyphenol content, particularly anthocyanins. As cyanidin derivatives have been identified as one of the most representative polyphenols in berry juices, cyanidin has been designated for a better comparison and understanding of the potential neuroprotection of juices obtained from two Vaccinium species. Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were previously treated with different concentrations of lyophilized blueberry juice, cranberry juice or cyanidin for 24 h and oxidative stress was then generated with hydrogen peroxide (100 μM) for 30 min. Cytoprotective properties of cranberry juice, blueberry juice or cyanidin were evaluated using different methodologies such as mitochondrial activity (MTT), TBARS and ROS production, antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD) and antioxidant properties (ORAC, FRAP). Results indicated that blueberry and cranberry juices as well as cyanidin increased mitochondrial activity and reduced intracellular ROS production and lipid peroxidation induced by hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, these berry juices and cyanidin upregulated the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase. Finally, in vitro antioxidant capacities were confirmed by ORAC and FRAP assays demonstrating the potential of cyanidin and cyanidin-containing products for pharmaceutical or nutritional applications to prevent oxidative stress in neuronal cells.

Global Mid-Infrared Prediction Models Facilitate Simultaneous Analysis of Juice Composition from Berries of Actinidia, Ribes, Rubus and Vaccinium Species

Introduction of Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy would enable breeders to screen phenotypic variability in multiple fruit from large numbers of progeny. Thus far, however, there has been no comprehensive attempt to develop chemometric models for determination of quality attributes of small berry species by this approach. FTIR spectra (1800–900 cm−1) of juice from breeding populations of four genera (Actinidia, specifically red kiwifruit, Ribes, Rubus and Vaccinium) were analysed by partial least squares regression to determine the possibility of measuring soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA) and total anthocyanin (ACY) concentration simultaneously using global prediction models. SS, TA and ACY concentrations across all berry juices ranged between 4.1 and 22.4 °Brix, 0.1–5.5% citric acid and 2–4697 ppm, respectively. R2 (coefficient of determination in cross-validation) and SECV (standard error of cross-validation) statistics for global models were 0.996 (0.22 °Brix), 0.996 (0.08% citric acid) and 0.893 (280 ppm). Analysis of data sets for individual berry types separately demonstrated that it was possible to develop models with superior prediction statistics for each attribute. However, these were not necessarily robust when validated against data from different seasons, locations or breeding selections. These global models represent an advance for researchers wishing to screen substantial fruit populations more rapidly.

Input data needed for a risk model for the entry, establishment and spread of a pathogen (Phomopsis vaccinii) of blueberries and cranberries in the EU

AbstractInternational trade in live plant materials has increased worldwide over the last four decades. This has led to a dramatic increase in the introduction, establishment and spread of non‐native plant pathogens. Regulatory authorities need advice on measures that may mitigate these adverse consequences of trade. Risk models may be used to underpin such advice. In this review, we give a systematic overview of the data needed for a quantitative risk model for Phomopsis vaccinii, which causes stem and fruit infections on Vaccinium species, and sometimes death, potentially also on native wild Vaccinium species in the EU. P. vaccinii is a quarantine organism worldwide, except for North America, where it is endemic. Despite extensive knowledge of the aetiology of the diseases caused by this pathogen and its taxonomy, quantitative data on transportation and detection of infected plants for planting and berries are scarce, and quantitative assessment of the future introduction, establishment and spread of P. vaccinii is difficult. Estimation of the potential impact of this pathogen in production fields and wild Vaccinium stands is even more difficult. P. vaccinii is not unique in this respect, and this review indicates the need for more and better quantitative data for assessment of the risks posed by newly introduced plant pathogens in areas where they are not endemic.

Phytochemical analysis of salal berry (Gaultheria shallon Pursh.), a traditionally-consumed fruit from western North America with exceptionally high proanthocyanidin content

Salal (Gaultheria shallon Pursh.) is a wild perennial shrub of the Ericaceae and common in coastal forests of western North America, and its berries were an important traditional food for First Nations in British Columbia. Salal berries were investigated for phytochemical content and antioxidant capacity over the course of fruit development. The proanthocyanidin content was extremely high in young berries (280.7 mg/g dry wt) but dropped during development to 52.8 mg/g dry wt. By contrast, anthocyanins accumulated only at the late berry stages. Total antioxidant capacity, as measured by the 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) method, reflected both proanthocyanidin and anthocyanin content, and in mature berries reached 36 mmol Trolox equivalents/100 g dry wt. More detailed phytochemical analysis determined that delphinidin 3-O-galactoside is the dominant anthocyanin, and that the berries are also rich in procyanidins, including procyanidin A2 which has been implicated in anti-adhesion activity for uropathogenic E. coli. Proanthocyanidins were 60% prodelphinidin, and overall concentrations were higher than reported for many Vaccinium species including blueberry, lingonberry, and cranberry. Overall, the phenolic profile of salal berries indicates that these fruit contain a diversity of health-promoting phenolics.

Hypoglycemic, anti-glycation and antioxidant in vitro properties of two Vaccinium species from Macaronesia: A relation to their phenolic composition

Vaccinium cylindraceaeum (Azores blueberry) and V. padifolium (Madeira blueberry) are two Portuguese endemic species, which phytochemical composition and beneficial properties lack scientific validation. In this work, their potential in vitro inhibitory effects against key enzymes linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity and glycation of proteins were evaluated. Anthocyanins were predominant in fruits, while hydroxycinnamic acids (in particular 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid) and flavonoids were the main compounds in leaves. Vaccinium extracts showed effective inhibitions of glucosidases and glycation of proteins and mild activity towards α-amylase and pancreatic lipase (by comparison with reference compounds). Phenolic composition was strongly correlated with reported bioactivities. In fact, 5-O-caffeoylquinic can be considered one of the main hypoglycemic and anti-glycation agents of analysed extracts. Consumption of both Vaccinium species should be encouraged since berries could offer a dietary option in the prevention and control of diabetes and obesity, while leaves are good candidates for development of nutraceuticals.

Microwave-assisted extraction in dry fruit of andean species Vaccinium meridionale: Experimental conditions on the recovery of total polyphenols

ABSTRACT Due to their nutraceutical properties, the fruits of the species Vaccinium meridionale, which inhabit the Andean region, are of scientific interest. Microwave-assisted extraction has been applied to different vegetal matrices for to extract efficiently polyphenolic compounds. In this work we study in microwave assisted extraction processes, the effect on the extraction of total polyphenols in dried fruits of Vaccinium meridionale, using response surface methodology. The main objective of this research was to analyze the relationships between power, temperature, solid-liquid ratio, time and ethanol concentration in aqueous media on the effectiveness of total polyphenols recovery in dry fruits of Vaccinium meridionale. A central composite design face-centered with three levels for each variable was used: P = 300 - 900 W; T = 70 -110 °C; L:Srat. = 30:1 - 70:1 w/w; t = 5 - 15 min; [EtOH] = 0 - 80%. In this sense, the effect of the input variables on the recovery of total polyphenols, the optimization process for maximum extraction, and the comparison to other solid-liquid extractions in terms of quantity of total polyphenols, are reported. It was found that the significant variables in the extraction process were ethanol concentration, temperature and time; the best yields were obtained in the range [EtOH] = 44 - 49%, T = 110 °C, and t = 10 - 15 min. In terms of quantity, time and consumption of energy, microwave-assisted extraction technique is more efficient than other solid-liquid extraction processes for the extraction of total polyphenols.