title: Cherry tomatoes metabolic profile determined by ¹H-High Resolution-NMR spectroscopy as influenced by growing season.
abstract: The content of the most valuable metabolites present in the lipophilic fraction of Protected Geographical Indication cherry tomatoes produced in Pachino (Italy) was observed for 2 cultivated varieties, i.e. cv. Naomi and cv. Shiren, over a period of 3 years in order to observe variations due to relevant climatic parameters, e.g. solar radiation and average temperature, characterising different seasons. (1)H-NMR spectroscopy was applied and spectral data were processed by means of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We found that the metabolic profile was different for the two considered cultivated varieties and they were differently affected by climatic conditions. Major metabolites influenced by cropping period were α-tocopherol and the unsaturated lipid fraction in Naomi cherry tomatoes, and chlorophylls and phospholipids in Shiren variety, respectively. These results furnished useful information on seasonal dynamics of such important nutritional metabolites contained in tomatoes, confirming also NMR spectroscopy as powerful tool to define a complete metabolic profiling.
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura [CRA-RPS, Research Centre for the Soil-Plant System] Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Olimpia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Masetti
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura [CRA-RPS, Research Centre for the Soil-Plant System] Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy; Department of Food Science, University of Bologna, Piazza Goidanich 60, Cesena 47023, FC, Italy. Electronic address: alessandra.ciampa2@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciampa
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura [CRA-RPS, Research Centre for the Soil-Plant System] Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy; DG Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nisini
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura [CRA-RPS, Research Centre for the Soil-Plant System] Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura [CRA-RPS, Research Centre for the Soil-Plant System] Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sequi
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura [CRA-RPS, Research Centre for the Soil-Plant System] Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: mariateresa.dellabate@entecra.it.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Dell'Abate
mesh_terms: D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D055432:Metabolomics; D025341:Principal Component Analysis
keywords: NMR; PGI cherry tomatoes; Principal Component Analysis; Season; Tomato lipophilic metabolites