The influence of the water supply on the bioactive compounds of different tomato varieties

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of irrigation on the composition and content of phenolic compounds and carotenoids in different tomato cultivars using HPLC/DAD-UV technique and reverse-phase (RP) chromatographic columns for analysis. Among phenols, the quercetin derivatives and hydroxycinnamic acids and their derivatives were the major compounds, while lycopene was the dominant carotenoid in the extract of tomato. It was found that the response of tomatos to shortage of water is affected by genetic factors and seasonal environmental variations. In general, 100% irrigation yielded tomatoes with the lowest level of carotenoids and polyphenols. In 2012, when the temperature and number of sunny hours were at record levels, the non-irrigated plants of cultivar Strombolino yielded tomatoes with significantly higher levels of carotenoids and phenols than that of the other cultivars

Visible reflectance and content of isomeric ratio of lycopene in commercial and elevated lycopene tomato varieties by different technological traits

Quantification of red pigment content of fruits using destructive techniques is expensive and it enables only the analysis of batches but not of individual items. This study examined the feasibility of using non-destructive, spectrophotometric method to predict one of the most valuable internal quality indices, lycopene, in individual tomato fruits. An open field experiment was conducted to study the effect of irrigation and potassium supplementation on the yield and lycopene content of processed tomato fruit. Three different treatments (regularly irrigated RI, irrigation cut-off 30 days before harvest CO, and rainfed RF unirrigated control) and two different potassium fertilisations (P) were applied. Regular irrigation significantly decreased the lycopene content of tomato fruits. The CO treatment resulted in the highest total lycopene without potassium supplementation. Potassium supplementation, given at the time before fruit maturity, significantly increased the lycopene concentration of cultivar Brigade F1, independently of irrigation. The closest correlation was at 700 nm R2=0.38 and R2=0.45, between reflectance and the (all-E)-lycopene and the (9Z)+(13Z)-lycopene isomers, respectively

Colour evolution of conventionally and organically cultivated hungarina red spice paprika varieties

Colour evolution of conventionally and organically cultivated Szegedi-20, Meteorit, Mihálytelki and Kármin spice paprika varieties was studied in green, break, pale red, deep red and over-ripened maturity stages. As the ripening stages forwarded the organic samples gradually lost their initial extractable colour (ASTA value) gain toward their conventional counterparts. The over-ripened colour levels were satisfactorily high in the conventional (169.9-264.8 ASTA) and in the organic (160.8-210.5 ASTA) paprika varieties as well, although the colour accumulation was 9.0- 62.8 ASTA lower in the organic samples. Significant and perceptible visual colour differences (ΔE*ab) were found between the organic and conventional crops. The lightness difference (ΔL*) indicated that the organic paprika generally were lighter than the conventional ones. The positive hue difference (ΔH*ab) showed that the colour of deep red and over-ripened organic Szegedi-20, Mihálytelki and Kármin paprika crops were more yellow compared with the conventional group. The lightness (L*) and hue angle (h°ab) were found the most suitable instrumental colour parameters to distinguish the ripening stages and the colour characteristics of the samples. The better colour evolution of conventional crops was attributed to the soil characteristics, nutrient supply and chemical plant protection that were specifically designed for the needs of paprika in the conventional farming

Colour evolution of conventionally and organically cultivated Hungarian red spice paprika varieties

Colour evolution of conventionally and organically cultivated Szegedi-20, Meteorit, Mihálytelki and Kármin spice paprika varieties was studied in green, break, pale red, deep red and over-ripened maturity stages. As the ripening stages forwarded the organic samples gradually lost their initial extractable colour (ASTA value) gain toward their conventional counterparts. The over-ripened colour levels were satisfactorily high in the conventional (169.9-264.8 ASTA) and in the organic (160.8-210.5 ASTA) paprika varieties as well, although the colour accumulation was 9.0-62.8 ASTA lower in the organic samples. Significant and perceptible visual colour differences (ΔE*ab) were found between the organic and conventional crops. The lightness difference (ΔL*) indicated that the organic paprika generally were lighter than the conventional ones. The positive hue difference (ΔH*ab) showed that the colour of deep red and over-ripened organic Szegedi-20, Mihálytelki and Kármin paprika crops were more yellow compared with the conventional group. The lightness (L*) and hue angle (h°ab) were found the most suitable instrumental colour parameters to distinguish the ripening stages and the colour characteristics of the samples. The better colour evolution of conventional crops was attributed to the soil characteristics, nutrient supply and chemical plant protection that were specifically designed for the needs of paprika in the conventional farming

Changes of potentially anti-nutritive components in Hungarian potatoes from organic and conventional farming

Anti-nutritive components in multi resistant potato cultivars were investigated in relation to conventional and organic farming for three years. Glycoalkaloids, nitrate, nitrite, asparagine, and glutamine contents of tubers were examined. Farming technology was found not to have an effect on the level of glycoalkaloids, which was influenced mostly by the genotype and season. Nitrogen fertilisation caused significant increase in nitrate, asparagine, and glutamine contents as compared to organic farming. Nitrite content was found to be more independent of farming technologies than nitrate. Tubers of cultivar Rioja had the lowest nitrate content irrespective of season or technology. In conclusion, the absolute amount and changes of different anti-nutritive components of potato tubers were influenced differently by the technology, genotype, and season in a complex manner. Organic farming had no effect on the glycoalkaloid content, but the nitrate levels had a tendency to be lower compared to conventional farming. This can be seen as a positive effect of organic farming

Effect of Different Ecological Conditions on Content of Phytonutrients in Industrial Tomatoes

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicon L.) are one of the most important and most widely consumed vegetables in the world. The fruit contains considerable amount of different phytonutrients such as carotenoids, tocopherols, and vitamin C. In the present work, effects of some abiotic factors on the concentration of phytonutrients were investigated in tomato cultivated in two different types of soil. It was found that the type of soil had slight effect on the most important vital nutrients, while the ecological factors, particularly precipitation and average temperature 3 weeks before harvest, were of significant influence on such nutrients. It was found that low temperature and high precipitation before harvest caused the levels of carotenoids, tocopherol, and vitamin C to significantly increase by 65%, 46%, and 28%, respectively

Carotenoid composition and content in products of sea buckthorn and peach as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography

A study was conducted to analyse the carotenoids by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using reversed-phase cross linked end-capping and to study the pigment content and composition in sea buckthorn products as well as in freshly harvested fruits from peach thees grown under organic and integrated farming conditions. It was found that carotenoids in fruits of both crops occur mainly esterified with fatty acids in form of mono- and di-esters. The major carotenoids were esters of zeaxanthin, lutein, β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene. The major carotenoids showed different response to processing of sea buckthorn being highly sensitive to thermal treatments such as blanching, cooking and drying. Significant differences were found between peach varieties in their carotenoid content, whereas the impact of organic farming on carotenoids formation was found to be variety-dependent. Two of the three varieties examined in this work, when cultivated under organic farming conditions contained lower carotenoid level as compared to that found in the fruits of the same varieties but produced in integrated farms

Carotenoid composition and content in products of sea buckthorn and peach as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography

A study was conducted to analyse the carotenoids by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using reversed-phasecross linked end-capping and to study the pigment content and composition in sea buckthorn products as well as in freshly harvested fruitsfrom peach thees grown under organic and integrated farming conditions. It was found that carotenoids in fruits of both crops occur mainlyesterified with fatty acids in form of mono- and di-esters. The major carotenoids were esters of zeaxanthin, lutein, β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene. The major carotenoids showed different response to processing of sea buckthorn being highly sensitive to thermal treatments suchas blanching, cooking and drying. Significant differences were found between peach varieties in their carotenoid content, whereas the impactof organic farming on carotenoids formation was found to be variety-dependent. Two of the three varieties examined in this work, whencultivated under organic farming conditions contained lower carotenoid level as compared to that found in the fruits of the same varieties butproduced in integrated farms

Effect of variety and cultivation technology on phenols and antioxidant activity of sweet and sour cherry

The goal of the present work was to compare different sweet and sour cherry cultivars and cultivation methods (bio/integrated) with respect to polyphenol content and antioxidant activity. The concentration of total polyphenols ranged between 880–1050 mg kg-1 of fresh fruit, whereas antioxidant activity expressed as TEAC was found to be between 5.4 and 10.3 mmol kg-1 for the sweet cherry cultivars examined. In case of sour cherry the level of polyphenols ranged between 1283 and 3490 mg/kg fresh edible part of the fruit. Antioxidant activity was recorded between 15–32 mmol kg-1 for the different sour cherry cultivars included in this work. After one-month storage at low temperature, the total phenols and antioxidant activity decreased by 2–40% in the sour cherry cultivars studied. The anthocyanin content in cherry cultivars was less (131–312 mg kg-1) than the135–1893 mg kg-1 found in sour cherries. Anthocyanin level was higher in samples produced under organic farming conditions than in those produced with integrated cultivation

Comparison of apples from organic and integrated farming

Prima’, ‘Gala’, ‘Remo’, ‘Topáz’, ‘Idared’, ‘Releika’, ‘Resi’, ‘Rubinola’, ‘Rajka’, ‘Rewena’ and ‘Florina’ apple cultivars, both fromorganic and integrated farming, from Pallag and Újfehértó, were compared. Average size, weight, soluble solids, titratable acidity, totalpolyphenols, free radical scavenging capacity expressed as Trolox equivalent (TEAC), copper and zinc were determined at harvest and aftercool storage. Organic apples were more acidic, while integrated fruits had mostly higher copper and zinc content. Total polyphenols andTEAC values did not show a significant difference as a function of farming technology. A principal component analysis shows the separationof provenances as well as stored and fresh apples. Results are considered as preliminary