Effect of Methyl Jasmonate Treatment on Primary and Secondary Metabolites and Antioxidant Capacity of the Substrate and Hydroponically Grown Chinese Chives

Abstract

Hydroponic culture has become a commercial planting model for leafy vegetables, herbs, and other plants with medicinal value. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is involved in primary and secondary plant metabolism; moreover, it regulates plant bioactive compounds and enhances the nutritional and medicinal value of plants. We performed targeted metabolomic analysis of the primary and secondary metabolites in substrate-grown and hydroponic Chinese chive leaves sprayed with MeJA (0, 300, 500, and 800 μM). Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), UPLC tandem mass spectrometry, and chemometric tools, and analyzed the antioxidant activity of these plants. We identified the biomarkers of amino acids (serine, proline, lysine, and arginine) and phenolic compounds (4-coumaric acid and protocatechuic acid) using chemometric tools to distinguish between substrate-grown and hydroponic Chinese chives treated with MeJA. MeJA (500 μM) treatment significantly increased the total sugar and amino acid (essential and non-essential amino acids and sulfur-containing amino acids) contents of hydroponically grown Chinese chives. However, the changes in total sugar and amino acid contents in Chinese chive grown in substrates showed the opposite trend. The organic acid content of hydroponically grown Chinese chives treated with MeJA decreased significantly, whereas that of substrate-grown plants treated with 300 μM MeJA increased significantly. Further, MeJA treatment significantly increased the phenolic content of substrate-grown Chinese chives. Treatment with 800 μM MeJA significantly increased the carotenoid content of substrate-grown Chinese chives and the phenolic content of hydroponic Chinese chives. In addition, the 500 μM MeJA treatment significantly increased the antioxidant activity of Chinese chives in both substrate-grown and hydroponic cultures, and promoted the accumulation of nutrients and bioactive substances. This treatment also improved the flavor quality of these plants and their nutritional and medicinal value. Thus, the results suggested that MeJA-treated plants could be used as value-added horticultural products.

Effects of Exogenous Glycine Betaine and Cycloleucine on Photosynthetic Capacity, Amino Acid Composition, and Hormone Metabolism in Solanum melongena L

“…Random samples were collected from each treatment of eggplant plants to determine leaf chlorophyll content. Using the method of Wang, et al 92 : samples were collected with a 0.5 cm diameter leaf perforator, 0.1 g of leaf samples were accurately weighed, placed in a 20 mL stoppered test tube, 10 mL of 80% acetone was added, mixed thoroughly, sealed with para n lm, and placed in a dark environment for 48 h to extract chlorophyll until the leaves turned white. The OD values of the extracts were measured at 663 nm and 645 nm using a UV-1780 UV spectrophotometer (Shimadzu Instruments (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., Suzhou, China).…”

“…An ultra-high liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system (UPLC-MS, Agilent 1290-6460, LC/MS, Agilent Technologies) was used to determine the content of 21 free amino acids 92 . The method was as follows: 100 mg of fresh samples of each species were accurately weighed and extracted with 0.5 mol/L hydrochloric acid aqueous solution (1 mL).…”

Exogenous Proline Enhances Systemic Defense against Salt Stress in Celery by Regulating Photosystem, Phenolic Compounds, and Antioxidant System

“…and hydroxycinnamic acids (coumaric acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid) [ 48 ]. We performed a hierarchical cluster analysis on the entire dataset to elucidate the effect of exogenous proline on phenolic compound metabolites in celery under salt stress [ 49 ]. The heat map includes data for 15 phenolic compound metabolites identified in celery leaves and petioles.…”

Application of Exogenous Melatonin Improves Tomato Fruit Quality by Promoting the Accumulation of Primary and Secondary Metabolites

“…We used liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) to quantify the amino acids in tomato fruit [ 36 ]. Extraction of lyophilized fruit powder (0.1 g) with 0.5 mol·L −1 hydrochloric acid solution (1 mL) in a 2 mL centrifuge tube.…”

“…Finally, 250 µL of supernatant was moved to a brown sample bottle, and then 750 µL of 80% acetonitrile aqueous solution was added. The HPLC conditions were based on a method by Wang et al [ 36 ]. The mass spectrometry conditions were as follows: ionization mode was electrospray ionization in positive ion mode; gas flow rate was 13.0 L·min −1 ; the dry gas temperature was 330 °C; nebulizer was 35 psi; sheath gas flow rate was 12 L·min −1 ; sheath gas temperature was 390 °C; nozzle voltage was 0 V, and capillary voltage was 1500 V.…”