title: Salinity effect on nutritional value, chemical composition and bioactive compounds content of Cichorium spinosum L.
abstract: Soil salinization is an increasing problem for many areas throughout the world that renders prohibitive vegetables and crop production in general. In the present study, Cichorium spinosum L. plants were grown under saline conditions in order to evaluate chemical composition and bioactive compounds content of their leaves. Salinity increase resulted in significant changes of macro and micro-nutrients content (nutritional value, sugars, fatty acids, minerals, ascorbic acid and tocopherols), whereas the concentration of phenolic compounds was not significantly affected. Chicoric and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid were the most abundant phenolic acids. In contrast, antioxidant activity and mineral composition were beneficially affected by mid-to-high and high salinity levels. In conclusion, C. spinosum can be cultivated under saline conditions without compromising the quality of the final product, especially in semi-arid areas where irrigation water is scarce and/or of low quality due to high content of NaCl (coastal areas or areas where underground water is saline).
authors: Laboratory of Vegetable Production, University of Thessaly, Fytokou Street, 38446 N. Ionia, Magnissia, Greece. Electronic address: fangio57gr@gmail.com.
authors: Spyridon A
authors: SA
authors: Petropoulos
authors: Laboratory of Weed Science, University of Thessaly, Fytokou Street, 38446 N. Ionia, Magnissia, Greece.
authors: Efi
authors: E
authors: Levizou
authors: Laboratory of Vegetable Production, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece.
authors: Georgia
authors: G
authors: Ntatsi
authors: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 1172, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal.
authors: Ângela
authors: Â
authors: Fernandes
authors: Department of Biosystems Engineering, Technological Educational Institute of Thessaly, 41110 Larissa, Greece.
authors: Konstantinos
authors: K
authors: Petrotos
authors: Laboratory of Vegetable Production, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece.
authors: Konstantinos
authors: K
authors: Akoumianakis
authors: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 1172, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal.
authors: Lillian
authors: L
authors: Barros
authors: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 1172, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal. Electronic address: iferreira@ipb.pt.
authors: Isabel C F R
authors: ICFR
authors: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D002726:Chlorogenic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D011801:Quinic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D054712:Salinity; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000032:analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D002726:Chlorogenic Acid; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008903:Minerals; D010636:Phenols; D011801:Quinic Acid; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012987:Soil; D024505:Tocopherols; C473200:5-caffeoylquinic acid
keywords: 5-O-Caffeoylquinic acid (PubChem CID: 5315832); Bioactive compounds; Caftaric acid (PubChem CID: 6440397); Cichoric acid (PubChem CID: 5281764); Edible herbs; Kaempferol 3-glucuronide (PubChem CID: 5318759); Nutrients; Quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucuronide (PubChem CID: 12004528); Saline conditions; Salt stress; Stamnagathi