Genotypic Variation in Nutritional and Antioxidant Profile Among Iceberg Lettuce Cultivars

Abstract

Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and improvement of cognitive health. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a major salad food, which is widely grown and consumed worldwide. Cultivars-specific information on bioactive composition of crisphead subtype iceberg remains scarce. The present study aimed to profile the nutrition and antioxidant composition of seven new cultivars of iceberg ('Equinos', 'Ice Castle', 'Metalia', 'Num 189', 'Silvinas', 'Ombrinas' and 'Vanguardia'). The head fresh mass of the iceberg cultivars ranged from 485 to 801 g per plant, with the highest values recorded in 'Num 189' and 'Vanguardia'. Across cultivars, K was the predominant macronutrient and was followed by Ca. The highest nitrate content was recorded in 'Equinos' and 'Umbrinas', whereas the lowest value was observed in 'Metalia'. The hydrophilic (HAA) and lipophylic antioxidant activities (LAA) of the selected iceberg cultivars ranged from 4.9 to 13.0 mmol ascorbic acid 100 g-1 dw, and from 6.8 to 12.5 mmol Trolox 100 g-1 dw, respectively. Chicoric acid was the main phenolic acid present in all cultivars, followed by chlorogenic acid and caffeoyl tartaric acid. The highest HAA, LAA, caffeoyl tartaric acid, chicoric acid and total phenolic content were observed in 'Num 189', whereas an opposite trend was recorded for chlorogenic acid. The current findings will improve knowledge of the compositional variation among iceberg cultivars and assist growers in selecting cultivars combining optimal yield with high nutritional value.

Iron Biofortification of Red and Green Pigmented Lettuce in Closed Soilless Cultivation Impacts Crop Performance and Modulates Mineral and Bioactive Composition

“…Irrespective of the Fe concentration in the nutrient solution, the red Salanova had higher marketable yield and percentage dry matter than those recorded in green Salanova plants by 9.3% and 7.0%, respectively (Table 1). Analogous genotypic variation in marketable fresh yield and leaf dry matter content has been previously demonstrated over seven iceberg cultivars ('Equinos', 'Ice Castle', 'Metalia', 'Num 189', 'Silvinas', 'Ombrinas' and 'Vanguardia'; [36]). When averaged over both Salanova cultivars, the percentage of yield reduction in comparison to the control treatment (0.015 mM Fe) was 5.7%, 13.5% and 25.3% at 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mM Fe concentration in the nutrient solution, respectively, whereas an opposite trend was observed for the leaf dry matter percentage (Table 1).…”

“…Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the most cultivated and consumed leafy vegetables in the world, appreciated for its organoleptic properties and it is a good source of minerals, vitamins, terpenoids, as well as carotenoids, phenolic acids and flavonoids [28][29][30]. Among the different pre-harvest factors (i.e., agricultural practices, developmental stages, climatic control) the genetic factor is considered the major determinant of variation in nutraceutical properties [31][32][33][34][35][36]. The response of lettuce to Fe biofortification was investigated only in terms of yield and Fe status, under soil cultivation [37,38].…”

Appraisal of Biodegradable Mulching Films and Vegetal-Derived Biostimulant Application as Eco-Sustainable Practices for Enhancing Lettuce Crop Performance and Nutritive Value

“…Scientists recommend that people should consume fruits and vegetables daily, because they satisfy 11%, 35%, 7%, and 24% of the daily intake of P, K, Ca, and Mg, respectively [10]. These macronutrients help against certain diseases, such as blood pressure imbalances, hypertension (K), and osteoporosis (P, Ca, and Mg) [15].…”

“…Efficient management of natural resources, such as water and soil, is needed in a scenario where the world population is growing, and agriculture must meet an increasing food demand. On the other hand, the use of plant biostimulants in agriculture has been recognized during the last two decades as an efficient tool to boost yield under optimal and sub-optimal conditions, to improve quality as well as increase nutrient uptake and use efficiency of field and horticultural crops [8][9][10][11]. Under the new European Union Regulation 2019/1009, plant biostimulants are specified based on their agronomical effects on crops (i.e., claims), and they include humic substances, protein hydrolysates, algae and plant extracts, inorganic compounds (e.g., silicon), growth-promoting bacteria, and mycorrhizal fungi.…”

“…Lettuce has a high water and low fat content, which makes it ideal for dietary plans [15]. Italy dedicates vast areas to lettuce production, and has a broad market, which places it as a European leader in this sector [10]. More importantly, production systems and agronomic practices are pre-harvest factors that can determine the quantitative and qualitative variations in lettuce bioactive compounds [17].…”