Purslane production practices enhance nutritional value

Nitrogen concentration significantly influences important phytochemicals

Date: August 25, 2016

Source: American Society for Horticultural Science

Summary:

A study evaluated the influence of nitrogen fertility levels on biomass and concentrations of nutritionally important carotenoid and chlorophyll pigments in purslane. Two purslane cultivars were grown in nutrient solution culture under four nitrogen concentrations. Results showed no influence of nitrogen treatment concentration on purslane shoot tissue fresh weight accumulation. Nitrogen treatment significantly influenced purslane shoot tissue beta-carotene, lutein, neoxanthin, total carotenoids, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and the chlorophyll a to b ratio.

A study showed that increasing N treatment concentrations led to increased concentrations of valuable chlorophyll in two commercially available purslane cultivars.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Dean Kopsell

Although purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is considered a problematic weed in the United States, it is grown and consumed as a leafy vegetable throughout much of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Mexico. Valued for its nutritional qualities, purslane contains important phytochemicals such as omega-3 fatty acids, organic acids, and important flavonoids. The succulent annual can also contain high concentrations of carotenoid and chlorophyll pigments. The authors of a study in the June 2016 issue of HortSciencesay there is increasing support for the role of dietary carotenoids and chlorophylls in the protection against harmful chemical mutagens and carcinogens.

"Nitrogen (N) can influence phytochemical quality factors, and recent studies demonstrate that N can alter carotenoid and chlorophyll composition and accumulation in leafy specialty crops," noted authors Dean Kopsell, Kimberly Whitlock, Carl Sams, and David Kopsell. To measure impacts of N fertility levels on pigment concentrations in purslane, they performed experiments with commercially available 'Golden Leaf' and 'Green Leaf' cultivars.

The researchers grew both cultivars in nutrient solution culture under increasing N concentrations of 13, 26, 52, or 105 mg·L-1. They then harvested the plants (45 days after planting), and measured for concentrations of shoot pigments using high-performance liquid chromatography methodology.

Results showed that increasing N treatment concentrations acted to increase the concentrations of valuable chlorophyll in both purslane cultivars; the increases were most dramatic for 'Green Leaf'. The biomass parameters measured in the study were not impacted by the interaction of N treatment concentration and purslane cultivar.

"Purslane in the study accumulated high concentrations of carotenoid phytochemicals," the authors said. "Nitrogen treatment significantly influenced shoot tissue beta-carotene, lutein, neoxanthin, total carotenoids, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and the chlorophyll a to b ratio in purslane shoot tissues."

The authors recommended that N fertility management and cultivar selection be considered when producing purslane as a nutritious specialty vegetable crop.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by American Society for Horticultural Science. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Dean A. Kopsell et al. Nutritionally Important Pigments in Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) Differ between Cultivars and in Response to Nitrogen. HortScience, June 2016

Cite This Page:

American Society for Horticultural Science. "Purslane production practices enhance nutritional value: Nitrogen concentration significantly influences important phytochemicals." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 August 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160825113220.htm>.