ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Endogenous Minerals Conditioned Genotypic
Variation of Phytochemicals in Broccoli Leaves
under Salinity Stress
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Dry Land Farming and Oasis Cropping Laboratory, Institute of Arid Regions of Medenine, University of Gabes,
Medenine 4119, Tunisia
Submission date: 2020-06-06
Final revision date: 2020-08-15
Acceptance date: 2020-08-18
Online publication date: 2021-01-28
Publication date: 2021-03-08
Corresponding author
Chokri Zaghdoud
Dry Land Farming and Oasis Cropping Laboratory, Institute of Arid Regions of Medenine, University of Gabes, Medenine 4119, Tunisia, Tunisia
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2021;30(3):2381-2394
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ABSTRACT
Here, changes in the leaf mineral composition of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck)
plants in response to single and interactive two-week salt (0, 30, 60 and 90 mM NaCl) exposure and
cultivar (cvs. Parthenon and Naxos) factors were studied, as well as their correlations with individual
glucosinolates (GSLs), vitamin C and total anthocyanins. Results showed significant differences
in micro- (Fe2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Mn2+ and B3+) and macroelements (S, N, C, NH4+) contents regarding
the studied factors and/or their interaction. Salinity effects on individual GSLs showed contradictor
behaviours between both cultivars, being the increase in aliphatics in Parthenon negatively correlated
with Mn2+ ions, while the decrease in indolics in Naxos related positively with N and N/S ratio and
negatively with NH4+ content (P<0.01). Interestingly, only in cv. Naxos all bioactive compounds
displayed a strong relationship with Zn2+ ions, majorly negative. Stress intensity-dependant reductions
in vitamin C and total anthocyanin levels in both cultivars were caused by differential endogenous
NH4+ ions accumulation, reflecting co-participation of these compounds in the leaf antioxidant capacity.
Overall, in salt-affected lands, a clear genotypic dependence of broccoli plants regarding endogenous
leaf minerals was recorded, influencing individual GSLs, vitamin C and total anthocyanin profiles.