Seasonal variation in glucosinolate content in Brassica oleracea crops grown in northwestern Spain

• Published in: Phytochemistry (Oxford) Vol. 69; no. 2; pp. 403 - 410
• Main Authors: Cartea, María Elena, Velasco, Pablo, Obregón, Sara, Padilla, Guillermo, de Haro, Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brassica - chemistry; Brassica - growth & development; Brassica - metabolism; Brassica oleracea; Cabbage; Chemical constitution; Crops, Agricultural - chemistry; Crops, Agricultural - growth & development; Crops, Agricultural - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucosinolates; Glucosinolates - analysis; Glucosinolates - metabolism; Kale; Plant physiology and development; Seasons; Sinigrin; Spain; Tronchuda cabbage; Portugal; Europe; Spain; Glucosinolates; Tronchuda cabbage; Brassica oleracea; Cabbage; Kale; Sinigrin; Glucosinolate; Plant leaf; Cruciferae; Seasonal variation; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Chemical composition
• ISSN: 0031-9422; 1873-3700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.08.014

Aliphatic, indolyl and aromatic glucosinolates were identified from leaves of kale, cabbage, and Tronchuda cabbage varieties ( Brassica oleracea sp.) grown in northwestern Spain. Sinigrin makes the major contribution of glucosinolates to kales, while glucobrassicin or glucoiberin do so to cabbage leaves. The influence of sowing date on glucosinolate content and the nutritional effects of these compounds glucosinolates are discussed. Brassica oleracea L. crops including kales, cabbages, and Tronchuda cabbages are widely grown in northwestern Spain and Portugal but little information is available on leaf glucosinolate content of these crops. The objectives were to determine the diversity for the total glucosinolate content and profile on leaves in a collection of 153 kales, 26 cabbages, and three Tronchuda cabbages varieties grown at two growing seasons and to determine the seasonal variation of glucosinolates in cabbages and Tronchuda cabbage varieties. Sinigrin, glucoiberin, and glucobrassicin were the major glucosinolates found in kales. Glucoiberin was the most common glucosinolate in Tronchuda cabbages in both planting seasons and in cabbages sown in fall season whereas glucobrassicin and glucoiberin were the most common glucosinolates in cabbages in spring season. In kales the total glucosinolate content ranged from 11.0 to 53 μmol g −1 dw, with a mean value of 26.3 μmol g −1 dw. Four kale varieties (MBG-BRS0468, MBG-BRS0476, MBG-BRS0060 and MBG-BRS0223) showed the highest total sinigrin or glucobrassicin contents. So, they could be good candidates for future breeding programs. In cabbages, the total glucosinolate content ranged from 10.9 to 27 g −1 dw. Total glucosinolate concentration during spring sowing (22 μm g −1 dw) was higher than those in fall sowing (13 μm g −1 dw). Regarding both high glucosinolate content and the agronomic value, MBG-BRS0057 and MBG-BRS0074 could be good sources of beneficial glucosinolates. The presence of high concentrations of sinigrin, glucoiberin, and glucobrassicin warrant further search into their potential use to enhance the level of these important phytochemicals in these edible crops.