Abstract
The effects of different growth regimes on gluconasturtiin concentration in watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.) were investigated. Watercress plantlets at the 5th mature leaf stage (ca. 2 weeks old) were exposed to different day and night temperatures, to long (16 h) or short (8 h) days, to red (R) or far-red (FR) light given during the main long day photoperiod, and finally to R or FR light given at the end of the main photoperiod. Watercress plants grown under long days contained a 30-40% higher gluconasturtiin concentration and had a higher fresh weight than watercress plants grown under short days. Watercress plants grown under long days and temperatures of 15 or 10°C had at least a 50% higher gluconasturtiin concentration, but a lower fresh weight, than that of plants grown at 20 or 25°C. Watercress plants grown under metal halide light enriched with R light had approximately a 25-40% higher concentration of gluconasturtiin as compared to the FR-enriched plants. Likewise, a brief R light exposure at the end of the main photoperiod resulted in approximately a 25% or higher concentration of gluconasturtiin as compared to a FR end-of-day exposure. These data indicate that the concentration of gluconasturtiin in watercress can be significantly increased by growing plants at lower temperatures, under long days, and by exposure to R light.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 328-334 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of agricultural and food chemistry |
Volume | 54 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 25 2006 |
Keywords
- Chemoprevention
- Gluconasturtiin
- Glucosinolates
- HPLC
- Isothiocyanates
- Light quality
- Nasturtium officinale R. Br.
- PEITC
- Phenethyl isothiocyanate
- Photoperiod
- Phytochrome
- Temperature
- Watercress