Potential of cultivar and crop management to affect phytochemical content in winter-grown sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica)

pre-print, non-peer-reviewedBACKGROUND: Variety and crop management strategies affect the content of bioactive compounds (phenolics, flavonoids and glucosinolates) in green broccoli (calabrese) types, which are cultivated during summer and autumn in temperate European climates. Sprouting broccoli types are morphologically distinct and are grown over the winter season and harvested until early spring. Thus they show considerable potential for development as an import substitution crop for growers and consumers during the ‘hungry gap’ of early spring. The present study investigated the effect of variety and management practices on phytochemical content in a range of sprouting broccoli varieties. RESULTS: Yields were significantly higher in white sprouting broccoli varieties. Levels of phenolics and flavonoids were in the range 81.6-270.4 and 16.9–104.8 mg 100g -1 FW respectively depending on year and cultivar, and were highest in varieties TZ 5052, TZ 5055, Red Admiral and Improved White Sprouting. In-row spacing did not affect flavonoid content. Phenolic and flavonoid content generally increased with increasing floret maturity and levels were high in edible portions of the crop. Crop wastes (leaf and flower) contained 145.9-239.3 and 21.5–116.6 mg 100g -1 FW total phenolics and flavonoids respectively depending on cultivar, tissue and year. Climatic factors had a significant effect on phenolic and flavonoid content. Levels of total and some individual glucosinolates were higher in sprouting broccoli than in the green broccoli variety Ironman. CONCLUSION: Levels of total phenolics, flavonoids and glucosinolates are higher in sprouting than green broccoli types. Sprouting broccoli represents an excellent source of dietary bioactive compounds.The Irish Department of Agriculture Fisheries and the Marine (FIRM 06/NITAFRC6) is gratefully acknowledged for financial support of this work

Influence of Baltic Agro-Environmental Conditions on Yield and Quality of Fava Bean Crops in Conventional Systems

Fava bean (Vicia faba L.) yields are featured by high variability, influenced by the agro-environmental conditions during the growing seasons. These legume crops are sensitive to hydric and heat stresses. The adaptation depends on the efficiency of specific cultivars to use the available resources to produce biomass. This capacity is determined by the genotype and agronomical management practices. The present work aimed to uncover the influence of Baltic agro-environmental conditions (fava bean cultivar, plant density, climate, and soil features) on yield and protein content. For this, field trials were set under Baltic agro-climatic conditions, in Latvia and Estonia with five commercially available fava bean cultivars, representing broad genetic variation (‘Gloria’, ‘Julia’, ‘Jogeva’, ‘Lielplatones’, and ‘Bauska’). The results evidenced ‘Bauska’, ‘Julia’, and ‘Lielplatones’, as the most productive cultivars in terms of seed yield (4.5, 3.7, and 4.6 t ha−1, respectively) and protein yield (1.39, 1.22, and 1.36 t ha−1, respectively) under Estonian and Latvian agro-climatic conditions. Sowing these specific cultivars at densities of 30–40 seeds m−2 constitutes sustainable management for fava bean production in conventional cropping systems in the Baltic region

Influence of Baltic Agro-Environmental Conditions on Yield and Quality of Fava Bean Crops in Conventional Systems

Fava bean (Vicia faba L.) yields are featured by high variability, influenced by the agro-environmental conditions during the growing seasons. These legume crops are sensitive to hydric and heat stresses. The adaptation depends on the efficiency of specific cultivars to use the available resources to produce biomass. This capacity is determined by the genotype and agronomical management practices. The present work aimed to uncover the influence of Baltic agro-environmental conditions (fava bean cultivar, plant density, climate, and soil features) on yield and protein content. For this, field trials were set under Baltic agro-climatic conditions, in Latvia and Estonia with five commercially available fava bean cultivars, representing broad genetic variation (‘Gloria’, ‘Julia’, ‘Jogeva’, ‘Lielplatones’, and ‘Bauska’). The results evidenced ‘Bauska’, ‘Julia’, and ‘Lielplatones’, as the most productive cultivars in terms of seed yield (4.5, 3.7, and 4.6 t ha−1, respectively) and protein yield (1.39, 1.22, and 1.36 t ha−1, respectively) under Estonian and Latvian agro-climatic conditions. Sowing these specific cultivars at densities of 30–40 seeds m−2 constitutes sustainable management for fava bean production in conventional cropping systems in the Baltic region.publishedVersio

Natural Bioactive Compounds from Winery By-Products as Health Promoters: A Review

The relevance of food composition for human health has increased consumers’ interest in the consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as foods enriched in bioactive compounds and nutraceuticals. This fact has led to a growing attention of suppliers on reuse of agro-industrial wastes rich in healthy plant ingredients. On this matter, grape has been pointed out as a rich source of bioactive compounds. Currently, up to 210 million tons of grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) are produced annually, being the 15% of the produced grapes addressed to the wine-making industry. This socio-economic activity generates a large amount of solid waste (up to 30%, w/w of the material used). Winery wastes include biodegradable solids namely stems, skins, and seeds. Bioactive compounds from winery by-products have disclosed interesting health promoting activities both in vitro and in vivo. This is a comprehensive review on the phytochemicals present in winery by-products, extraction techniques, industrial uses, and biological activities demonstrated by their bioactive compounds concerning potential for human health

Unravelling the capacity of hydroxytyrosol and its lipophenolic derivates to modulate the H2O2-induced isoprostanoid profile of THP-1 monocytes by UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS lipidomic workflow

Presently, the attention given to natural substances to counteract damage produced by oxidative stress (OS) has risen sharply. In this scenario, hydroxytyrosol (HT) derivatives, formed as a result of HT conjugation with fatty acids (FAs) (lipophenols), have been recently described in foodstuffs such as extra virgin olive oil, as being powerful bioactive compounds with a higher activity than the unesterified phenolic compound. The present work describes the capacity of HT lipophenols to act on the course of OS and secondary inflammatory processes, based on their capacity to modulate the isoprostanoid profile induced by H2O2 in THP-1 monocytic cells. A UHPLC-QqQ-ESI-MS/MS-based lipidomics workflow was applied over a range of 37 human oxylipins. The main outcomes retrieved suggest both HT and HT-lipophenols as regulators of the cellular redox balance, acting as pro-oxidants in vitro, which is highly dependent on the experimental conditions. Our outcomes suggest the anti-inflammatory potential of both HT and HT-lipophenols, where the type of the FAs on the HT core appears to be critical for defining the bioactivity of lipophenols, highlighting that a lipidomic approach, with the simultaneous analysis of multiple oxylipins, is critical for the understanding of the bioactivity of lipophenols on isoprostanoid generation and hence, on pathophysiological processes

Systematic Review on the Metabolic Interest of Glucosinolates and Their Bioactive Derivatives for Human Health

In the last decade, most of the evidence on the clinical benefits of including cruciferous foods in the diet has been focused on the content of glucosinolates (GSL) and their corresponding isothiocyanates (ITC), and mercapturic acid pathway metabolites, based on their capacity to modulate clinical, biochemical, and molecular parameters. The present systematic review summarizes findings of human studies regarding the metabolism and bioavailability of GSL and ITC, providing a comprehensive analysis that will help guide future research studies and facilitate the consultation of the latest advances in this booming and less profusely researched area of GSL for food and health. The literature search was carried out in Scopus, PubMed and the Web of Science, under the criteria of including publications centered on human subjects and the use of Brassicaceae foods in different formulations (including extracts, beverages, and tablets), as significant sources of bioactive compounds, in different types of subjects, and against certain diseases. Twenty-eight human intervention studies met inclusion criteria, which were classified into three groups depending on the dietary source. This review summarizes recent studies that provided interesting contributions, but also uncovered the many potential venues for future research on the benefits of consuming cruciferous foods in our health and well-being. The research will continue to support the inclusion of GSL-rich foods and products for multiple preventive and active programs in nutrition and well-being