Title : Hot and cold water stress impact on broccoli nutritional potential
Abstract:
Due to climate change, sudden and intense changes in weather conditions are becoming more frequent. Immobile organisms such as plants cannot “take refuge” from high or low temperatures but adapt their physiology to the new conditions to survive. The intensity and direction of these changes depend on both the temperature and the plant species. Since adaptations at the metabolic level are fast, changes in the ambient temperature can be detected on the level of biochemical responses by which plants react to the new conditions. Such changes are usually crucial yield-limiting factors for plants. Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) is rich in vitamins (C, K); β-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A; dietary fibers; polyphenols; fatty acids; minerals and glucosinolates - phytochemicals that are predominantly represented in Brassica vegetables. These compounds contribute to the health benefits of broccoli, such as antioxidant, antiproliferative and antidiabetic properties and the protection of the cardiovascular system. Temperature and irradiation have been recognized as the most important factors for the production of consumer-orientated quality broccoli. Since broccoli is native to moderate climatic zones such as the Mediterranean region, high or low temperatures will cause perturbations in its phytochemical profile to survive. Such phytochemical perturbations might have consequences on the biological effects of a plant and its products. In scope of our work, we investigated the influence of hot- and cold-water stress on the metabolism of young broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. convar. botrytis (L.) Alef. var. cymosa Duch.) plants with the aim to
(i) define the susceptible and resistant parameters of this plant during low- and high-temperature water stress,
(ii) determine the degree of metabolism change of broccoli due to these two types of stress, and
(iii) determine the degree of change in the biological effects of broccoli extracts due to the types of stress.
Audience Take Away:
- They will get the exact data on the effect of different environmental parameters on (anti)nutritional properties of Chinese cabbage and broccoli plants.
- Maybe some of the listeners is working on the similar theme, so we could arrange collaboration and perhaps common further work.
- Yes, we offer the data, which show that some of the climate change parameters improve certain phytochemical parameters of plants.
