Hormetic effect of UV-C radiation on red mustard microgreens growth and chemical composition

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2024

Authors

Silva, M (Author) Other; Machado, J (Author) Other; López-Ruiz, R (Author) Other; Marín-Sáez, J (Author) Other; Viegas, Olga (Author) FCNAUP; Faria, M (Author) Other; Romero-Gonzalez, R (Author) Other; Garrido-Frenich, A (Author) Other; Carvalho, SMP (Author) Other; Ferreira, IMPLVO (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Journal of Agriculture and Food Research

Vol. 18

ISSN: 2666-1543

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Health sciences

FOS: Medical and Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-017-01V

DOI: 10.1016/j.jafr.2024.101416

Abstract (EN): Brassica microgreens are rich in phytochemicals and are attractive crops for controlled vertical farming systems where the light spectrum can be precisely manipulated. Understanding the effects of pre-harvest hormetic UV-C light doses on plant composition and growth parameters represents a novel and largely unexplored area for precision agriculture and nutrition. Therefore, the objective of this work was to investigate the impact of exposing red mustard microgreens to low/hormetic doses of UV-C radiation on their growth, chemical composition and colour. Plants were grown in a controlled environment and exposed to 0.3 kJ m(-2), 254 nm UV-C radiation at the end of the cultivation period. Treatments included a single pulse on day 7, or three pulses at days 7, 8, and 9 and harvest on day 10. UV-C radiation presented a hormetic effect, while 1 pulse of UV-C stimulated growth and productivity without significant colour changes in microgreens, 3 pulses of UV-C radiation to did not show significant effects when compared to controls (no UV-C exposure). Moreover, strong negative correlations were observed between growth parameters and chemical composition (p < 0.05). Microgreens with enhanced growth parameters showed a decrease in phenolic compounds content and antioxidant activity. Interestingly, regardless of quantification, untargeted metabolomics using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS revealed that the secondary metabolites profile remained similar between control and microgreens treated with UV-C radiation.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10