Influence of foliar spray and post-harvest treatments on head yield, shelf-life, and physicochemical qualities of broccoli

Rapid senescence is the key factor in the deterioration of post-harvest shelf-life in broccoli heads. This study evaluates the head yield and its related traits, and physicochemical attributes of broccoli under four foliar sprays of mineral nutrients (B, Zn, Mo, and B + Zn + Mo) with control. The interaction effects of shelf-life and physicochemical attributes of broccoli for these five pre-harvest and five post-harvest storage treatments (LDP bag, HDP vacuum pack, 2% eggshell powder solution, 2% ascorbic acid, and control) both at cold storage and room temperature were evaluated with three replications. The significantly higher marketable head yield of 28.02 t ha−1, maximum gross return [(Bangladesh Taka (BDT 420300 ha−1)], net return (BDT 30565 ha−1), and maximum benefit–cost ratio (BCR) of 3.67 were obtained from the pre-harvest foliar application of B + Zn + Mo in broccoli. Pre-harvest foliar spray of combined nutrient B + Zn + Mo and post-harvest treatment high-density polyethylene (HDP, 15 μm) vacuum packaging efficiently improve post-harvest physicochemical attributes, viz., compactness, green color, texture, carbohydrates, fats, energy, antioxidants, vitamin C, and total phenols in broccoli head compared to the rest of the treatment combinations. In addition, this treatment combination also confirmed a maximum shelf-life of 24.55 days at cold storage [relative humidity (RH) 90–95% and 4°C] and 7.05 days at room temperature (RH 60–65% and 14–22°C) compared to the rest of the treatment combinations. Therefore, we recommend a pre-harvest foliar spray of combined nutrient elements B + Zn + Mo and an HDP (15 μm) vacuum post-harvest packaging for the maximum benefits for both farmers and consumers to get the best head yield, anticipated physicochemical attributes, and maximum shelf-life of broccoli

野菜用アマランスにおける遺伝的多様性、葉の色素沈着および環境ストレス耐性に関する研究

博士(農学)岐阜大学(Gifu University

Protein, dietary fiber, minerals, antioxidant pigments and phytochemicals, and antioxidant activity in selected red morph Amaranthus leafy vegetable.

Amaranth has two morphological types (morphs), one is red and another is green morph. Red morph amaranth is a marvelous source of nutrients, antioxidant pigments, minerals, and phytochemicals compared to green morph amaranth. For this purpose, we selected 25 red morph genotypes to evaluate in terms of proximate, minerals, antioxidant pigments and phytochemicals and antioxidant activity in RCBD design in three replicates. The leaves of red morph amaranth are an excellent source of dietary fiber, carbohydrates, moisture, and protein. We found remarkable potassium, calcium, magnesium (24.96, 10.13, 30.01 mg g-1), iron, manganese, copper, zinc (1089.19, 243.59, 25.77, 986.61 μg g-1), chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b (31.79, 16.05 mg 100 g-1), β-cyanins, total flavonoids (102.10 RE μg g-1 DW), β-xanthins, betalains (33.30, 33.09, 66.40 μg 100 g-1), carotenoids, total phenolics (172.23 GAE μg g-1 DW), β-carotene (1225.94, 1043.18 μg g-1), vitamin C (955.19 μg g-1), and antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS+) (19.97 and 39.09 TEAC μg g-1 DW) in the red morph amaranth leaves. We can select the genotype RA5, RA8, RA18, RA22, and RA25 as antioxidant-enriched red morph amaranth. It revealed that amaranth β-cyanins, phenolics, betalains, flavonoids, β-xanthins, carotenoids, vitamin C, and β-carotene had strong antioxidant activity. These phytochemicals contributed significantly in the antioxidant potentials of red morphs amaranth. Red morph amaranth could be a potential source of nutrients, antioxidant pigments, minerals, and phytochemicals as these compounds scavenged ROS and served as potential antioxidants in our daily diet to attaining nutritional and antioxidant sufficiency

Drought stress enhances nutritional and bioactive compounds, phenolic acids and antioxidant capacity of Amaranthus leafy vegetable

Abstract Background Bioactive compounds, vitamins, phenolic acids, flavonoids of A. tricolor are the sources of natural antioxidant that had a great importance for the food industry as these detoxify ROS in the human body. These natural antioxidants protect human from many diseases such as cancer, arthritis, emphysema, retinopathy, neuro-degenerative cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis and cataracts. Moreover, previous literature has shown that drought stress elevated bioactive compounds, vitamins, phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity in many leafy vegetables. Hence, we study the nutritional and bioactive compounds, phenolic acids, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity of amaranth under drought stress for evaluation of the significant contribution of these compounds in the human diet. Results The genotype VA3 was assessed at four drought stress levels that significantly affected nutritional and bioactive compounds, phenolic acids, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity. Protein, ash, energy, dietary fiber, Ca, K, Cu, S, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, B content, total carotenoids, TFC, vitamin C, TPC, TAC (DPPH), betacarotene, TAC (ABTS+), sixteen phenolic acids and flavonoids were remarkably increased with the severity of drought stress. At moderate and severe drought stress conditions, the increments of all these components were more preponderant. Trans-cinnamic acid was newly identified phenolic acid in A. tricolor. Salicylic acid, vanilic acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, Trans-cinnamic acid, rutin, isoquercetin, m-coumaric acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were the most abundant phenolic compounds in this genotype. Conclusions In A. tricolor, drought stress enhanced the quantitative and qualitative improvement of nutritional and bioactive compounds, phenolic acids, flavonoids and antioxidants. Hence, farmers of semi-arid and dry areas of the world could be able to grow amaranth as a substitute crop

Salt Eustress Induction in Red Amaranth (Amaranthus gangeticus) Augments Nutritional, Phenolic Acids and Antiradical Potential of Leaves

Earlier researchers have highlighted the utilization of salt eustress for boosting the nutritional and phenolic acid (PA) profiles and antiradical potential (ARP) of vegetables, which eventually boost food values for nourishing human diets. Amaranth is a rapidly grown, diversely acclimated C4 leafy vegetable with climate resilience and salinity resistance. The application of salinity eustress in amaranth has a great scope to augment the nutritional and PA profiles and ARP. Therefore, the A. gangeticus genotype was evaluated in response to salt eustress for nutrients, PA profile, and ARP. Antioxidant potential and high-yielding genotype (LS1) were grown under four salt eustresses (control, 25 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM NaCl) in a randomized completely block design (RCBD) in four replicates. Salt stress remarkably augmented microelements, proximate, macro-elements, phytochemicals, PA profiles, and ARP of A. gangeticus leaves in this order: control < low sodium chloride stress (LSCS) < moderate sodium chloride stress (MSCS) < severe sodium chloride stress (SSCS). A large quantity of 16 PAs, including seven cinnamic acids (CAs) and nine benzoic acids (BAs) were detected in A. gangeticus genotypes. All the microelements, proximate, macro-elements, phytochemicals, PA profiles, and ARP of A. gangeticus under MSCS, and SSCS levels were much higher in comparison with the control. It can be utilized as preferential food for our daily diets as these antiradical compounds have strong antioxidants. Salt-treated A. gangeticus contributed to excellent quality in the end product in terms of microelements, proximate, macro-elements, phytochemicals, PA profiles, and ARP. A. gangeticus can be cultivated as an encouraging substitute crop in salt-affected areas of the world

Variability, heritability and genetic association in vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.)

Forty three vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) genotypes selected from different eco-geographic regions of Bangladesh were evaluated during 3 years (2012-2014) for genetic variability, heritability and genetic association among mineral elements and quality and agronomic traits in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replications. The analysis showed that vegetable amaranth is a rich source of K, Ca, Mg, proteins and dietary fibre with average values among the 43 genotypes (1.014%, 2.476%, 2.984, 1.258% and 7.81%, respectively). Six genotypes (VA13, VA14, VA16, VA18, VA26, VA27) showed a biological yield >2000 g/m2 and high mineral, protein and dietary fibre contents; eleven genotypes had high amount of minerals, protein and dietary fibre with above average biological yield; nine genotypes had below average biological yield but were rich in minerals, protein and dietary fibre. Biological yield exhibited a strong positive correlation with leaf area, shoot weight, shoot/root weight and stem base diameter. Insignificant genotypic correlation was observed among mineral, quality and agronomic traits, except K vs. Mg, protein vs. dietary fibre and stem base diameter vs. Ca. Some of these genotypes can be used for improvement of vegetable amaranth regarding mineral, protein and dietary fibre content without compromising yield loss

Salinity stress accelerates nutrients, dietary fiber, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant activity in Amaranthus tricolor leaves.

Impact of salinity stress were investigated in three selected Amaranthus tricolor accessions in terms of nutrients, dietary fiber, minerals, antioxidant phytochemicals and total antioxidant activity in leaves. Salinity stress enhanced biochemical contents and antioxidant activity in A. tricolor leaves. Protein, ash, energy, dietary fiber, minerals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Na), β-carotene, ascorbic acid, total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (DPPH and ABTS+) in leaves were increased by 18%, 6%, 5%, 16%, 9%, 16%, 11%, 17%, 38%, 20%, 64%, 31%, 22%, 16%, 16%, 25% and 17%, respectively at 50 mM NaCl concentration and 31%, 12%, 6%, 30%, 57%, 35%, 95%, 96%, 82%, 87%, 27%, 63%, 82%, 39%, 30%, 58% and 47%, respectively at 100 mM NaCl concentration compared to control condition. Contents of vitamins, polyphenols and flavonoids showed a good antioxidant activity due to positive and significant interrelationships with total antioxidant capacity. It revealed that A. tricolor can tolerate a certain level of salinity stress without compromising the nutritional quality of the final product. This report for the first time demonstrated that salinity stress at certain level remarkably enhances nutritional quality of the leafy vegetable A. tricolor. Taken together, our results suggest that A. tricolor could be a promising alternative crop for farmers in salinity prone areas- in the tropical and sub-tropical regions with enriched nutritional contents and antioxidant activity