Evaluation of hydrogen sulfide supply to biostimulate the nutritive and phytochemical quality and the antioxidant capacity of Cabbage (<i>Brassica oleracea</i> L. ‘Bronco’)

The potential effects of the hydrogen sulfide on shoot biomass, nutritional quality and antioxidant capacity of Brassica oleracea, were investigated through the application of increasing doses of NaHS (H2S donor NaHS; 0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 mM). The results showed that the 0.5 and 1 mM NaHS treatments increased biomass and the quality composition of ‘Bronco’ cabbage (i.e. chlorophylls, carotenoids, anthocyanins, flavonols, total phenolics and sinigrin). On the other hand, there was an increase in lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide content with the application of doses higher than 2.5 mM NaHS. Therefore, we selected the 0.5 and 1 mM NaHS dosages as optimal for cabbage. The 2.5 and 5 mM NaHS produced an excessive lipid peroxidation, decreases in plant biomass and losses of chlorophylls, being all considered negative effects, and clear evidences of stressful situation for the plants. For practical purposes, this study suggested that exogenous application of H2S donor NaHS at 0.5 and 1 mM may be useful as bio-stimulant to boost the yield and the health-promoting composition of ‘Bronco’ cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.).   The online version of theis article (doi: 10.5073/JABFQ.2016.089.038) contains a supplementary file