Nutrient Supplementation Configures the Bioactive Profile and Production Characteristics of Three <i>Brassica L.</i> Microgreens Species Grown in Peat-Based Media
<i>Brassica L.</i> microgreens are a fresh microscale vegetable crop of high antioxidant value and naturally dense in nutrients without the intervention of biofortification or genetic engineering. A climate chamber experiment on peat-based substrate was set up to test microgreens growth...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/2/346 |
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| author | Christophe El-Nakhel Antonio Pannico Giulia Graziani Marios C. Kyriacou Anna Gaspari Alberto Ritieni Stefania De Pascale Youssef Rouphael |
| author_facet | Christophe El-Nakhel Antonio Pannico Giulia Graziani Marios C. Kyriacou Anna Gaspari Alberto Ritieni Stefania De Pascale Youssef Rouphael |
| author_sort | Christophe El-Nakhel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Brassica L.</i> microgreens are a fresh microscale vegetable crop of high antioxidant value and naturally dense in nutrients without the intervention of biofortification or genetic engineering. A climate chamber experiment on peat-based substrate was set up to test microgreens growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites in response to nutrient supplementation. Microgreens mineral content was analyzed through ion chromatography and total ascorbic acid through UV-Vis spectrophotometry, while carotenoids and phenolic acids were quantified by HPLC-DAD and UHPLC-HRMS, respectively. Brussels sprouts and cabbage yield was only reduced by 10%, while nitrate was reduced by 99% in the absence of nutrient supplementation. Rocket yield was prominently reduced by 47%, with a corresponding nitrate reduction of 118%. Brussels sprouts secondary metabolites were not improved by the absence of nutrient supplementation, whereas cabbage microgreens demonstrated a 30% increase in total ascorbic acid and a 12% increase in total anthocyanins. As for rocket, the absence of nutrient supplementation elicited an extensive increase in secondary metabolites, such as lutein (110%), β-carotene (30%), total ascorbic acid (58%) and total anthocyanins (20%), but caused a decrease in total phenolic acids. It is hereby demonstrated that growing microgreens on a commercial peat-based substrate without nutrient supplementation can be feasible for certain species. Moreover, it might elicit a species-dependent spike in bioactive secondary metabolites. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:52:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c28064d890746d88554436644fe9c55 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:52:19Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c28064d890746d88554436644fe9c552023-12-11T17:05:42ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-02-0111234610.3390/agronomy11020346Nutrient Supplementation Configures the Bioactive Profile and Production Characteristics of Three <i>Brassica L.</i> Microgreens Species Grown in Peat-Based MediaChristophe El-Nakhel0Antonio Pannico1Giulia Graziani2Marios C. Kyriacou3Anna Gaspari4Alberto Ritieni5Stefania De Pascale6Youssef Rouphael7Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, ItalyDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Vegetable Crops, Agricultural Research Institute, 1516 Nicosia, CyprusDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy<i>Brassica L.</i> microgreens are a fresh microscale vegetable crop of high antioxidant value and naturally dense in nutrients without the intervention of biofortification or genetic engineering. A climate chamber experiment on peat-based substrate was set up to test microgreens growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites in response to nutrient supplementation. Microgreens mineral content was analyzed through ion chromatography and total ascorbic acid through UV-Vis spectrophotometry, while carotenoids and phenolic acids were quantified by HPLC-DAD and UHPLC-HRMS, respectively. Brussels sprouts and cabbage yield was only reduced by 10%, while nitrate was reduced by 99% in the absence of nutrient supplementation. Rocket yield was prominently reduced by 47%, with a corresponding nitrate reduction of 118%. Brussels sprouts secondary metabolites were not improved by the absence of nutrient supplementation, whereas cabbage microgreens demonstrated a 30% increase in total ascorbic acid and a 12% increase in total anthocyanins. As for rocket, the absence of nutrient supplementation elicited an extensive increase in secondary metabolites, such as lutein (110%), β-carotene (30%), total ascorbic acid (58%) and total anthocyanins (20%), but caused a decrease in total phenolic acids. It is hereby demonstrated that growing microgreens on a commercial peat-based substrate without nutrient supplementation can be feasible for certain species. Moreover, it might elicit a species-dependent spike in bioactive secondary metabolites.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/2/346<i>Brassicaceae</i>bioactive compoundsnutritional stress<i>Brassica L. oleracea</i> var. gemmifera<i>Brassica L. oleracea</i> var. capitata<i>Diplotaxis tenuifolia</i> |
| spellingShingle | Christophe El-Nakhel Antonio Pannico Giulia Graziani Marios C. Kyriacou Anna Gaspari Alberto Ritieni Stefania De Pascale Youssef Rouphael Nutrient Supplementation Configures the Bioactive Profile and Production Characteristics of Three <i>Brassica L.</i> Microgreens Species Grown in Peat-Based Media Agronomy <i>Brassicaceae</i> bioactive compounds nutritional stress <i>Brassica L. oleracea</i> var. gemmifera <i>Brassica L. oleracea</i> var. capitata <i>Diplotaxis tenuifolia</i> |
| title | Nutrient Supplementation Configures the Bioactive Profile and Production Characteristics of Three <i>Brassica L.</i> Microgreens Species Grown in Peat-Based Media |
| title_full | Nutrient Supplementation Configures the Bioactive Profile and Production Characteristics of Three <i>Brassica L.</i> Microgreens Species Grown in Peat-Based Media |
| title_fullStr | Nutrient Supplementation Configures the Bioactive Profile and Production Characteristics of Three <i>Brassica L.</i> Microgreens Species Grown in Peat-Based Media |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nutrient Supplementation Configures the Bioactive Profile and Production Characteristics of Three <i>Brassica L.</i> Microgreens Species Grown in Peat-Based Media |
| title_short | Nutrient Supplementation Configures the Bioactive Profile and Production Characteristics of Three <i>Brassica L.</i> Microgreens Species Grown in Peat-Based Media |
| title_sort | nutrient supplementation configures the bioactive profile and production characteristics of three i brassica l i microgreens species grown in peat based media |
| topic | <i>Brassicaceae</i> bioactive compounds nutritional stress <i>Brassica L. oleracea</i> var. gemmifera <i>Brassica L. oleracea</i> var. capitata <i>Diplotaxis tenuifolia</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/2/346 |
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