Health and taste related compounds in strawberries under various irrigation regimes and bio-stimulant application

Food Chem. 2018 Oct 15:263:67-73. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.04.108. Epub 2018 Apr 30.

Abstract

Strawberry has a unique status within the fruit species in terms of health and taste related compounds. This experimental study concerned the application of a bio-stimulant at various drip irrigation levels (IR125, IR100, IR75 and IR50). The effects of the bio-stimulant (seaweed extract) on the eating quality, i.e., the taste-related (TSS, fructose, glucose, sucrose and citric, malic, l-ascorbic acid), and health-related (antioxidant activity, total phenol, myricetin and quercetin) compounds were studied in two strawberry cultivars. The 'Rubygem' with its higher sugar and lower acid content has been more preferable than the 'Kabarla' cultivar. The bio-stimulant contributes to taste by improving the TSS, fructose, sucrose and also to health by increasing the quercetin content of the fruit which is associated to the cardiovascular properties and cancer reducing agents. The experiment conducted revealed significant increases only in the TSS contents and antioxidant activity under the IR50 and IR75 deficit irrigation treatments.

Keywords: Antioxidant; Deficit irrigation; Eating quality; Phenol; Seaweed extract.

MeSH terms

  • Agricultural Irrigation / methods*
  • Antioxidants / analysis
  • Carbohydrates / analysis
  • Flavonoids / analysis
  • Food Quality
  • Fragaria* / chemistry
  • Fructose / analysis
  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Phenols / analysis
  • Quercetin / analysis
  • Seaweed / chemistry
  • Species Specificity
  • Sucrose / analysis
  • Taste*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Carbohydrates
  • Flavonoids
  • Phenols
  • Fructose
  • Sucrose
  • myricetin
  • Quercetin