Skip to main content

Glucosinolate Variation in Leaves of Brassica rapa Crops

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition volume 67, pages 283–288 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Total and individual glucosinolate (GSL) content of leaves of vegetable turnip rape (Brassica rapa L. var. rapa) was determined in a set of 45 varieties consisting in early, medium and late types grown at two locations in northwestern Spain. The objectives were to determine the diversity among varieties in GSL content and to relate that variation with earliness and plant habit. Eight GSL were identified, being two aliphatic GSL, gluconapin (84.4 % of the total GSL) and glucobrassicanapin (7.2 % of the total GSL) the most abundant. Indolic and aromatic GSL content were low but also showed significant differences among varieties. Differences in total and individual GSL content were found among varieties, plant habit groups, and earliness groups. Total GSL content ranged from 19 to 37.3 μmol g−1 dw in early and extra-late groups, respectively, and from 19.5 to 36.3 μmol g−1 dw for turnips and turnip greens groups, respectively. These differences were consistent to values found for gluconapin content where the turnip group had the highest values (31.8 μmol g−1 dw) and the turnip top group had the lowest (15.7 μmol g−1 dw). Two varieties, MBG-BRS0429 and MBG-BRS0550 (from turnip greens and extra-late groups) and MBG-BRS0438 (from turnips and late groups), stood out as they had the highest total GSL content and could be used as a good source of these beneficial bioactive compounds. Elucidation of genetic diversity among crops can provide useful information to assist plant breeders to design improved breeding strategies in order to obtain varieties rich on GSL.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1

Abbreviations

DW:

Dry weight

DAP:

Days after planting

GSL:

Glucosinolates

HPLC:

High performance liquid chromatography

References

  1. Zhao JJ, Wang XW, Deng B, Lou P, Wu J, Sun RF, Xu ZY, Vromans J, Koornneef M, Bonnema G (2005) Genetic relationships within Brassica rapa as inferred from AFLP fingerprints. Theor Appl Gen 110:1301–1314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Padilla G, Cartea ME, Velasco P, de Haro A, Ordas A (2007) Variation of glucosinolates in vegetable crops of Brassica rapa. Phytochemistry 68:536–545

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. van Doorn HE, van der Kruk GC, van Holst GJ, Raaijmakers-Ruijs N, Postma E, Groeneweg B, Jongen WHF (1998) The glucosinolates sinigrin and progoitrin are important determinants for taste preference and bitterness of Brussels sprouts. J Sci Food Agric 78:30–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Muller R, de Vos M, Sun JY, Sonderby IE, Halkier BA, Wittstock U, Jander G (2010) Differential effects of indole and aliphatic glucosinolates on Lepidopteran herbivores. J Chem Ecol 36:905–913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Halkier BA, Gershenzon J (2006) Biology and biochemistry of glucosinolates. Ann Rev Plant Biol 57:303–333

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Beevi SS, Mangamoori LN, Subathra M, Edula JR (2010) Hexane extract of Raphanus sativus L. roots inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in human cancer cells by modulating genes related to apoptotic pathway. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 65:200–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Okulicz M (2010) Multidirectional time-dependent effect of sinigrin and allyl isothiocyanate on metabolic parameters in rats. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 65:217–224

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Akhlaghi M, Bandy B (2010) Dietary broccoli sprouts protect against myocardial oxidative damage and cell death during ischemia-reperfusion. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 65:193–199

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Nastruzzi C, Cortesi R, Esposito E, Menegatti E, Leoni O, Iori R, Palmieri S (1996) In vitro cytotoxic activity of some glucosinolate-derived products generated by myrosinase hydrolysis. J Agric Food Chem 44:1014–1021

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Sarikamis G (2009) Glucosinolates in crucifers and their potential effects against cancer: Review. Can J Plant Sci 89:953–959

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Smith TK, Lund EK, Clarke RG, Bennett RN, Johnson IT (2005) Effects of Brussels sprout juice on the cell cycle and adhesion of human colorectal carcinoma cells (HT29) in vitro. J Agric Food Chem 53:3895–3901

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Brown PD, Tokuhisa JG, Reichelt M, Gershenzon J (2003) Variation of glucosinolate accumulation among different organs and developmental stages of Arabidopsis thaliana. Phytochemistry 62:471–481

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Farnham MW, Wilson PE, Stephenson KK, Fahey JW (2004) Genetic and environmental effects on glucosinolate content and chemoprotective potency of broccoli. Plant Breed 123:60–65

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kabouw P, Biere A, van der Putten WH, van Dam NM (2010) Intra-specific differences in root and shoot glucosinolate profiles among white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) cultivars. J Agric Food Chem 58:411–417

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Zhao J, Wang X, Deng B, Lou P, Wu J, Sun R, Xu Z, Vromans J, Koornneef M, Bonnema G (2005) Genetic relationships within Brassica rapa as inferred from AFLP fingerprints. Theor Appl Gen 110:1301–1314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Cartea ME, Velasco P, Obregon S, Padilla G, de Haro A (2008) Seasonal variation in glucosinolate content in Brassica oleracea crops grown in northwestern Spain. Phytochemistry 69:403–410

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kim SJ, Kawaguchi S, Watanabe Y (2003) Glucosinolates in vegetative tissues and seeds of twelve cultivars of vegetable turnip rape (Brassica rapa L.). Soil Sci Plant Nutr 49:337–346

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Yang B, Quiros C (2010) Survey of glucosinolate variation in leaves of Brassica rapa crops. Gen Res Crop Evol 57:1079–1089

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Steel RDG, Torrie JH, Dickey DA (1997) Principles and procedures in statistics: a biometrical approach. McGraw Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  20. SAS Institute (2007) The SAS system. SAS online doc. HTML format version eight. SAS Institute Inc, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  21. Francisco M, Cartea ME, Soengas P, Velasco P (2011) Effect of genotype and environmental conditions on health-promoting compounds in Brassica rapa. J Agric Food Chem 59:2421–2431

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Ciska E, Martyniak-Przybyszewska B, Kozlowska H (2000) Content of glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables grown at the same site for 2 years under different climatic conditions. J Agric Food Chem 48:2862–2867

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Bellostas N, Sorensen JC, Sorensen H (2007) Profiling glucosinolates in vegetative and reproductive tissues of four Brassica species of the U-triangle for their biofumigation potential. J Sci Food Agric 87:1586–1594

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Francisco M, Velasco P, Moreno D, Garcia-Viguera C, Cartea M (2010) Cooking methods of Brassica rapa affect the preservation of glucosinolates, phenolics and vitamin C. Food Res Int 43:1455–1463

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by funding from the National Plan for Research and Development (AGL2006-04455 and AGL2009-09922) and Excma. Diputación Provincial de Pontevedra. Authors thank the invaluable help of Rosaura Abilleira and Gloria Fernández for all the laboratory work.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Genetics. Misión Biológica de Galicia, Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Apartado 28, 36080, Pontevedra, Spain

    María Elena Cartea, Pilar Soengas & Pablo Velasco

  2. Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Institute of Sustainable Agriculture, Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Alameda del Obispo s/n, 14080, Córdoba, Spain

    Antonio de Haro & Sara Obregón

Authors
  1. María Elena Cartea
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Antonio de Haro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sara Obregón
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Pilar Soengas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pablo Velasco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to María Elena Cartea.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cartea, M.E., de Haro, A., Obregón, S. et al. Glucosinolate Variation in Leaves of Brassica rapa Crops. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 67, 283–288 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-012-0300-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-012-0300-6

Keywords

  • Glucosinolates
  • Gluconapin
  • HPLC
  • Turnips
  • Turnip greens
  • Turnip tops