Research progress on the utilization technology of broccoli stalk, leaf resources, and the mechanism of action of its bioactive substances

Lu Yan; Gang Zhou; Khuram Shahzad; Haoran Zhang; Xiang Yu; Yusu Wang; Nan Yang; Mengzhi Wang; Xin Zhang

doi:10.3389/fpls.2023.1138700

Research progress on the utilization technology of broccoli stalk, leaf resources, and the mechanism of action of its bioactive substances

Front Plant Sci. 2023 Mar 29:14:1138700. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1138700. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Lu Yan^{1

2}, Gang Zhou³, Khuram Shahzad⁴, Haoran Zhang¹, Xiang Yu¹, Yusu Wang¹, Nan Yang¹, Mengzhi Wang^{1

2}, Xin Zhang²

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Metabolic Manipulation of Herbivorous Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation, Shihezi, China.
³ Huaiyin Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Xuhuai Region, Huaian, China.
⁴ Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Abstract

Broccoli is a nutritious vegetable. It is high in protein, minerals, and vitamins. Also, it possesses antioxidant activities and is beneficial to the human body. Due to its active effect, broccoli is widely accepted by people in daily life. However, in terms of current utilization, only its florets are consumed as vegetables, while more than half of its stalks and leaves are not utilized. The stalks and leaves contain not only nutrients but also bioactive substances with physiologically regulating properties. Therefore research into the action and mechanism of its bioactive substances as well as its development and utilization technology will make contributions to the further promotion of its resource development and utilization. As a theoretical foundation for the resource utilization of broccoli stalks and leaves, this report will review the distribution and consumption of broccoli germplasm resources, the mechanism of action of bioactive substances, and innovative methods for their exploitation.

Keywords: broccoli; kaempferol; resource utilization; stalks and leaves; sulforaphane.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the National 14^th and 13^th Five-Year Plan Key Research and Development Program (2021YFD1600702, 2017YFD0800200), the key program of State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production (2021ZD07; NCG202232), and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD), P.R. China.