Growth, Photosynthetic Pigments, Phenolic, Glucosinolates Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Broccoli Sprouts in Response to Nanoselenium Particles Supply

Abstract

Improving the nutritional quality of plants has emerged from the fact that macro- and micro- nutrients are limited in various agricultural areas. The aim of our study was the biofortification of broccoli sprouts with selenium nanoparticles (NSePs) and evaluation of growth parameters, assimilator pigments content, total phenols, glucosinolates content along with antioxidant capacity, in order to boost value added output, such as improved nutrition and food functionality. NSePs were prepared by reduction of NaHSeO3 using glucose as reducing agent, and characterized from structural and morphological point of view. The growth of broccoli seedlings was dependent on NSePs concentration. The treatment with 10 and 50 ppm NSePs caused a slight increase in total biomass, by contrast with 100 ppm treatment. Chlorophyll content, total carotenoid and total phenols content was not affected by the treatment of broccoli sprouts with different concentrations of NSePs. Instead, the content of individual glucosinolates varied between the samples, depending on the levels of NSePs. The highest antioxidant capacity was obtained for 100 ppm NSePs concentration. The effective uptake of NSePs was further demonstrated by FTIR spectroscopy and Hyperspectral Microscopy. NSePs did not induce any toxicity on broccoli sprouts. Moreover, broccoli supply with NSePs may target higher nutritional impact and health benefits.
 
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 In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 3, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.
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Bioactive Compounds and Bioactivities of Brassica oleracea L. var. Italica Sprouts and Microgreens: An Updated Overview from a Nutraceutical Perspective

“…Nonetheless, the number of studies, which determined the nutritional composition of broccoli seedlings and the variations occurring during germination, is significantly smaller than that of glucosinolates and phenolic compounds. These studies indicated that broccoli sprouts are expressly rich in vitamins (A, C, K, and folic acid), minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, and selenium), pigments (carotenoids and chlorophylls) and some other important nutrients (amino acids, fatty acids, and dietary fiber) [20][21][22]51,57,85,86]. In general, the biochemical composition of broccoli sprouts and microgreens depends mainly on the germination time, and 8-day-old sprouts displayed the highest nutrient concentration [22].…”

“…Among these compounds, carotenoids and chlorophylls were determined in several studies of broccoli sprouts [20,50,51,73,79]. Carotenoids are a group of isoprenoid molecules synthesized as secondary metabolites by all photosynthetic plants, including broccoli [87].…”

“…Similar to carotenoids, they also have antioxidant, anti-mutagenic, and anti-inflammatory potential [21]. The content of chlorophyll in broccoli sprouts was commonly determined along with total carotenoid content in previous studies, ranging from 738 to 850 mg per 100 g DW [21,51]. Additionally, a study showed individual concentrations of carotenoids (lutein and neoxanthin) and chlorophyll (chlorophyll a and b) in broccoli sprouts [21].…”

Sprouts and Microgreens: Trends, Opportunities, and Horizons for Novel Research

“…Nanomaterials (1-100 nm) represent another intriguing subject for sprouting. The effect of nano-silver (NAg) was studied in radish sprouts [97], and that of nano-selenium (NSe) in broccoli sprouts [98]. High levels (600 and 800 ppm) of CO 2 , previously shown to induce plant defenses [99], was applied in the sprouting of pea with positive effects on nutritional traits [100].…”

Triticum aestivum Assay - A Useful Tool for Environmental Monitoring and Toxicity Assessment

“…The investigation of different nanoparticles in plant assays has two major purposes. The first one is to find applications of nanotechnology in the agriculture sector (Vicas et al, 2019), as nano-fertilizers, new tools to deliver particular bioactive molecules to manipulate plant breeding and genetic transformation, new approaches for intracellular labeling and imaging, and potential agents with beneficial effects under adverse environmental conditionseg. heavy metal stress.…”