Mineral content and antioxidant compounds in strawberry fruit submitted to drough stress

Abstract

Due mainly to the taste and appearance, the strawberry stands out in relation to the other fruits. and for the presence of antioxidant compounds. However, little attention has been devoted to the impact of abiotic stresses on the quality of strawberry and its agronomic performance. On the present study, we evaluated the effect of two levels of DS (L1 -70% and L2 -50% of crop evapotranspiration) on the quality of strawberry fruit and on some agronomic and physiological variables. There was a dose-dependent reduction in the evaluated agronomic variables in the DS plants, and the content of some minerals in the fruit and leaves was modified. The activities of the oxidative enzymes were higher in the fruit of L2 treatment, and the content of sucrose, reduced sugars, phenolic compounds and the total antioxidant activity were increased in the fruit from L2 treatment; while those of anthocyanins and L-ascorbic acid were reduced in L1 and L2 treatments, respectively. The phenylalanine ammonia lyase gene was upregulated and other genes related to phenylpropanoid and ascorbate pathways were downregulated in the fruit of stressed plants. Thus, our results indicate that DS seems to be a promising strategy to improve the content of antioxidant compounds and sugars.Practical Application: Drought stress might be applied to induce antioxidant and sugars in strawberry fruit.

Untargeted metabolomics of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa ‘Camarosa’) fruit from plants grown under osmotic stress conditions

“…Among abiotic stressors, drought and salt stress, caused by excess Na + and Cl − ions, are the most limiting factors impacting plant growth, development, and survival. Under extreme drought and salt stress, plants respond by changing the expression of some stress‐related genes affecting physiological aspects, leading to reduced yield and biomass . However, recent studies indicate that moderate stress may serve as an effective biofortification strategy to improve the functional quality of fruits without a significant reduction in yield …”

“…Strawberry ( Fragaria x ananassa ) is one of the most cultivated berries worldwide and several studies have demonstrated the effects of cultivation system, developmental stage, drought and salt stresses on metabolic alterations. Targeted analysis of strawberry grown under moderate drought and salt stresses revealed biochemical changes in sugar metabolism, organic acids, amino acids, phenolic compounds, and mineral content . Nevertheless, as potentially numerous other unknown metabolites may be involved in strawberry stress regulation, an untargeted metabolomic analysis could provide novel metabolic leads.…”

“…Under extreme drought and salt stress, plants respond by changing the expression of some stress-related genes affecting physiological aspects, leading to reduced yield and biomass. [1][2][3] However, recent studies indicate that moderate stress may serve as an effective biofortification strategy to improve the functional quality of fruits without a significant reduction in yield. 4,5 General metabolites such as carbohydrates, fatty acids, proteins, and nucleic acids are synthesized by all plant species and play fundamental roles in the plant's life cycle and growth.…”

“…Targeted analysis of strawberry grown under moderate drought and salt stresses revealed biochemical changes in sugar metabolism, 4,15 organic acids, 15,16 amino acids, 17 phenolic compounds, 4,5,16 and mineral content. 3 Nevertheless, as potentially numerous other unknown metabolites may be involved in strawberry stress regulation, an untargeted metabolomic analysis could provide novel metabolic leads. In the present study, therefore, an untargeted multiplatform metabolomics strategy based on liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) was utilized to evaluate changes in strawberry 'Camarosa' exposed to water deficit and excess salt during cultivation.…”

Influence of gum arabic and homogenization process on the physicochemical stability of strawberry suspensions

“…As such, it is considered a functional food with multiple health benefits demonstrated by its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, and anti-proliferative properties (Gasperotti et al, 2015;Bastos et al, 2019) and hepatoprotector activity (Morales-Ávila et al, 2020). Additionally, the strawberry is characterized by its bright red color, a unique flavor defined by the balance of sugar and acidity, and a white or red pulp according to the variety (Perin et al, 2019). Notably, its soft yet firm texture makes it susceptible to physical damage (abrasion, cuts, and bruises), contributing to the loss of native fluids and the growth of pathogenic microorganisms (Gol et al, 2013;Feliziani & Romanazzi, 2016).…”