Characterization of Health-Related Compounds in Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Lines Derived from Introgression of Allied Species

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the levels of either the nutraceutical and health-promoting compounds or the antioxidant properties of innovative eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) genotypes tolerant and/or resistant to fungi, derived from conventional and non-conventional breeding methodologies (i.e., sexual interspecific hybridization, interspecific protoplast electrofusion, androgenesis, and backcross cycles) in comparison with their allied and cultivated parents. Chemical measures of soluble refractometric residue (SRR), glycoalkaloids (solamargine and solasonine), chlorogenic acid (CA), delphinidin 3-rutinoside (D3R), total phenols (TP), polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity, antiradical activity on superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical were carried out in raw fruit and peel of 57 eggplant advanced introgression lines (ILs), of three eggplant recurrent genotypes and of three allied species during 2005 and 2006. The majority of the ILs, obtained after several backcross cycles, showed positive characteristics with respect to the allied parents such as good levels of SRR, CA, D3R, TP, PPO activity, the scavenging activity against superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical and, in particular, significantly (p <or= 0.05) reduced concentrations of the toxic steroidal glycoalkaloids, solasonine and solamargine. These results showed the possibility to obtain new eggplant genotypes bearing useful traits derived from the allied parents (i.e., resistance/tolerance to plant pathogen fungi) together with nutraceutical and antioxidant properties typical of the cultivated species.

Hybrids and allied species as potential rootstocks for eggplant: Effect of grafting on vigour, yield and overall fruit quality traits

“…We did not find a relation between the amount of chlorogenic acid and browning pulp. These results seems to be confirmed by those obtained by Bhowmik and Dris (2004) and by Mennella et al (2010), who reported a high potential browning variability with respect to other traits, due to the influence of different factors, such as polyphenol quality and quantity, intrinsic enzyme activity and acidity of the medium.…”

Characterization of interspecific hybrids and first backcross generations from crosses between two cultivated eggplants (Solanum melongena and S. aethiopicum Kumba group) and implications for eggplant breeding

“…However, sexual hybrids often have a high degree of sterility (Daunay et al 1993;Isshiki and Taura 2003). Development of progenies with increased fertility from hybrids has been obtained by sexual crosses using the interspecific hybrids as female parents (Khan and Isshiki 2010) or by means of somatic hybridization followed by anther culture of the hybrids or of progenies obtained after crossing the tetraploid somatic hybrids with tetraploid S. melongena (Daunay et al 1993;Rizza et al 2002;Toppino et al 2008;Mennella et al 2010). In our case, by using the recurrent parents as males first backcross seeds, which we have used here for the characterization of the plants and fruits, could be obtained.…”

“…Although a first backcross generation to S. melongena has been reported (Schaff et al 1982), no records document introgression of S. macrocarpon genes into S. melongena. Interspecific sexual and somatic hybrids between S. melongena and S. aethiopicum are easier to produce and although they present a high degree of sterility, backcross generations to S. melongena with introgressions of S. aethiopicum have been obtained on occasion (Rizza et al 2002;Toppino et al 2008;Khan and Isshiki 2010;Mennella et al 2010). Therefore, generations derived from crosses between S. aethiopicum and S. melongena seem the most promising for the breeding of both crops.…”

Effect of 24-epibrassinolide treatment on the metabolism of eggplant fruits in relation to development of pulp browning under chilling stress

“…Eggplant fruit is a rich source of vitamins and dietary fibers, as well as phytonutrients, mainly phenolic compounds such as caffeic and chlorogenic acids, and flavonoids (Hanson et al 2006;Singh et al 2009;Mennella et al 2010;Das et al 2011). The established health-promoting properties have led to an increase in the consumption of eggplant fruits in recent years (Akanitapichat et al 2010).…”