Articles
THE IMPACT OF SELECTED ABIOTIC STRESSES ON GLUCORAPHANIN CONTENT IN FIELD PEPPERWEED (LEPIDIUM CAMPESTRE L.)
Article number
841_39
Pages
323 – 328
Language
English
Abstract
In recent studies, broccoli has shown a high level of glucoraphanin (GLU), the precursor of sulforaphane, which promotes oxidant scavenging processes.
Field pepperweed (Lepidium campestre L.), a winter annual, with the potential for use as a leafy vegetable, contains a significant level of GLU. Secondary metabolites have a protective role in the plant; thus, stress or injury from pests should affect the level of GLU. Two separate studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of pre- and post-harvest stress on GLU production in field pepperweed.
The pre-harvest study was established using field pepperweed accession Ames 13179. At a full rosette stage, plants were subjected to mild salt stress by adding 75 mM NaCl solution to field capacity or to mild water stress by maintaining the pot water content at 50-60% field capacity for three to six days.
Untreated plants maintained the water content at field capacity and served as the standard control.
Results indicated that the salt treatment imposed for three and six days increased GLU content by 39% and 67%, respectively, compared to the water control.
Conversely, water stress imposed for three and six days reduced the GLU content by 16% and 18%, respectively. In the post-harvest desiccation stress study, three field pepperweed accessions, Ames 13179, Ames 13180 and Ames 15718 were used.
Plants were subjected to stress by drying the harvested leaves at room temperatures for four days prior to analysis for GLU content.
The desiccation treatment resulted in over six-, three- and two-fold increases in GLU content in Ames 15718, Ames 13180 and Ames 13179, respectively, compared to the corresponding fresh leaves.
These results suggest that imposing salt stress through 75 mM NaCl for six days before harvesting or desiccating the leaves prior to processing, are two possible means of enhancing the leaf GLU content.
Field pepperweed (Lepidium campestre L.), a winter annual, with the potential for use as a leafy vegetable, contains a significant level of GLU. Secondary metabolites have a protective role in the plant; thus, stress or injury from pests should affect the level of GLU. Two separate studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of pre- and post-harvest stress on GLU production in field pepperweed.
The pre-harvest study was established using field pepperweed accession Ames 13179. At a full rosette stage, plants were subjected to mild salt stress by adding 75 mM NaCl solution to field capacity or to mild water stress by maintaining the pot water content at 50-60% field capacity for three to six days.
Untreated plants maintained the water content at field capacity and served as the standard control.
Results indicated that the salt treatment imposed for three and six days increased GLU content by 39% and 67%, respectively, compared to the water control.
Conversely, water stress imposed for three and six days reduced the GLU content by 16% and 18%, respectively. In the post-harvest desiccation stress study, three field pepperweed accessions, Ames 13179, Ames 13180 and Ames 15718 were used.
Plants were subjected to stress by drying the harvested leaves at room temperatures for four days prior to analysis for GLU content.
The desiccation treatment resulted in over six-, three- and two-fold increases in GLU content in Ames 15718, Ames 13180 and Ames 13179, respectively, compared to the corresponding fresh leaves.
These results suggest that imposing salt stress through 75 mM NaCl for six days before harvesting or desiccating the leaves prior to processing, are two possible means of enhancing the leaf GLU content.
Publication
Authors
M. Bandara, N. Savidov, D. Driedger
Keywords
functional food crop, glucosinolates, secondary metabolites, desiccation
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