Abstract
Among vegetable plants, red beet contains a relatively high level of the B vitamin folic acid. Although many leafy green vegetables contain high levels of folic acid, red beet is consumed primarily as a root vegetable. Folic acid levels have been quantified in various vegetable plants, but little information exists regarding the accumulation and distribution of this vitamin in plant tissues. The objective of this study was to characterize free folic acid content (FFAC) in shoot and root tissue during growth of two red beet inbreds. Experiments were conducted in a greenhouse during 1993, 1994 and 1995. Two inbreds, W384 and W357, were planted in randomized complete blocks and shoot and root tissues were separately harvested at 60, 80, and 100 days after planting (DAP). Significant differences between years, tissue portions, and among harvest dates were detected, however, similar patterns in FFAC accumulation and distribution were observed between inbreds and years. FFAC in shoot tissue was significantly greater than root tissue for both inbreds. Accumulation of FFAC was linear for both inbreds across harvest dates for root tissue but not for shoot tissue. FFAC accumulation in shoot tissue increased sharply from 60 to 80 DAP but decreased sharply from 80 to 100 DAP. These results demonstrate that FFAC accumulates differentially in root and shoot tissue in a red beet plant. Maximum folic acid levels in shoot tissue are achieved prior to those in root tissue.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- FFAC:
-
free folic acid content
- DAP:
-
days after planting
- PGA:
-
pteroylmonoglutamic acid
References
Goddard MS, Mathews RH (1979) Contribution of fruits and vegetables to human nutrition. HortSci 14: 245–247.
Mullin WJ, Wood DF, Howsam SG (1982) Some factors affecting folacin content of Spinach, Swiss chard, Broccoli and Brussels. Nutr Reports Intern 26: 7–16.
Lin KC, Luh BS, Schweigert BS (1975) Folic acid content of canned garbanzo bean. J Food Science 40: 562–565.
Hoppner K, Lampi B, Perrin DE (1972) The free and total folate activity in foods available on the Canadian market. J Inst Can Sci Technol Aliment 5: 60–66.
Subar AF, Block G, James LD (1989) Folate intake and food sources in the US population. Am J Clin Nutrition 50: 508–516.
Czeizel AE, Dudas I (1992) Prevention of the first occurrence of neural-tube defects by periconceptional vitamin supplementation. N Engl J Med 327: 1832–1835.
Werler MM, Shapiro S, Mitchell AA (1993) Periconceptional folic acid exposure and risk of occurrent neural tube defects. J Am Med Assoc 269: 1257–1261.
McGanity W (1990) Multivitamin supplementation and neural tube defects. Vitamin Nutr Inf Service 2: 1–9.
Benito E, Stiggelbout A, Bosch F, Obrador A, Kaldor J, Mulet M, Munos N (1991) Nutritional factors in colorectal cancer risk: a case-control study in Majorca. Int J Cancer 49: 161–167.
MRC Vitamin Study Research Group (1991) Prevention of neural tube defects: results of the Medical Research Council Vitamin Study. Lancet 338: 131–136.
Brattstrom L, Israelsson B, Jeppsson JO, Hultberg B (1988) Folic acid-an innocuous means of reducing plasma homocysteine. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 48: 215–221.
Mason JB (1994) Folate and colonic carciogenesis: search for a mechanistic understanding. J. Nutr Biochem 5: 170–175.
Roos AJ, Spronk AM, Cossins EC (1968) 5-Methytetrahydrofolic acid and other folate derivatives in germinating pea seedlings. Can J Biochem 46: 1533–1536.
Roos AJ, Cossins EC (1971) Pteroylglutamate derivatives inPisum sativum L. Biochem J 125: 17–26.
Clandinin MT, Cossins EA (1972) Localization and interconversion of tetrahydropteroyl-glutamates in isolated pea mitochondria. Biochem J 128: 29–40.
Kim WK (1970) Effect of excision and bezimidazole treatment on folate content of wheat leaves and wheat leaf chloroplasts. Can J Biochem 48: 1091–1095.
Cossins EA, Shah SPJ (1972) Pteroylglutamates of higher plant tissues. Phytochemistry 11: 587–593.
Cossins EA (1984) Folates in biological materials. In: Blakley RL, Benkovic SJ (eds), Folates and pterins, Vol. 1: Chemistry and biochemistry of folates. New York: John Wiley.
Baker H, Herbert V, Frank O, Pasher I, Hunter SH, Wasseman LR, Sobotka H (1959) A microbiological method for detecting folic deficiency in man. J Clin Chem 5: 175–280.
Baker H, Frank O (1967) A microbiological assay for folate activity. In: Gyorgy P, Pearson WN (eds), The vitamins-chemisty, physiology, pathology, methods, Vol. II. New York: Academic Press, pp 269–276.
Hoppner K (1971) Free and total folate activity in strained baby foods. J Inst Can Technol Aliment 4: 51–54.
SAS Institute (1986) SAS User's Guide: Statistics, 1986 edn. Cary, NC: SAS Institute, Inc.
Wang M, Goldman IL (1995) Red beet (Beta volgaris L.) inbred lines and plant introductions differ in root folic acid content. Acta Horticulturae 426: 273–276.
Wang M, Goldman IL (1996) Phenotypic variation in free folic acid content among F1 hybrids and OP cultivars in red beet (Beta vulgaris L.). J Am Soc Hort Sci 121: 1040–1042.
Crostin P, Lorusso V, Bianchetti R (1984) Folate cell content and distribution during the culture cycle ofEuglena gracilis. Plant Sci Lett 34: 363–368.
Crostin P, Gambini A, Bianchetti R (1987) Repression of folate synthesis in the logarithmic phase ofEuglena gracilis growth. Plant Sci 50: 91–96.
Crostin P, Gambini A, Bianchetti R (1987) Culture cycle dependence of folate interconversion and related enzymes inEuglena gracilis. Plant Sci 52: 21–27.
Crostin P, Malerba M, Bianchetti R (1993) Growth-dependent changes of folate matabolism and biosynthesis in culturedDaucus carota cells. Plant Sci 88: 97–106.
Shaw M, Manocha MS (1965) Fine structure in detached, senescing wheat leaves. Can J Bot 43: 747–755.
Waygood ER (1965) Benzimidazole effect in chloroplasts of wheat leaves. Plant physiol 40: 1242–1247.
Shaw M, Bhattacharya PK, Quick WA (1965) Chlorophyll, protein, and nucleic acid levels in detached, senescing wheat leaves. Can J Bot 43: 739–746.
Varmer JE (1961) Biochemistry of senescence. Ann Rev Plant Physiol 12: 245–260.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, M., Goldman, I.L. Accumulation and distribution of free folic acid content in red beet (Beta vulgaris L.). Plant Food Hum Nutr 50, 1–8 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02436037
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02436037