Nutritional and functional evaluation of inula crithmoides and mesembryanthemum nodiflorum grown in different salinities for human consumption

• Autor(a) principal: Ribeiro Lima, Alexandre
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Gama, Florinda, Castañeda-Loaiza, Viana, Costa, Camila, Schueler, Lisa M., Santos, Tamara, Salazar, Miguel, Nunes, Carla, Cruz, Rui M. S., Varela, J., Barreira, Luísa
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/16899
• topic: Halophytes; Soilless cultivation; Salinity stress; Nutritional composition; Bioactive compounds; Sensory profile

The nutritional composition and productivity of halophytes is strongly related to the biotic/abiotic stress to which these extremophile salt tolerant plants are subjected during their cultivation cycle. In this study, two commercial halophyte species (<i>Inula crithmoides</i> and <i>Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum</i>) were cultivated at six levels of salinity using a soilless cultivation system. In this way, it was possible to understand the response mechanisms of these halophytes to salt stress. The relative productivity decreased from the salinities of 110 and 200 mmol L⁻¹ upwards for <i>I. crithmoides</i> and <i>M.</i> <i>nodiflorum</i>, respectively. Nonetheless, the nutritional profile for human consumption remained balanced. In general, <i>I. crithmoides</i> vitamin (B1 and B6) contents were significantly higher than those of <i>M. nodiflorum</i>. For both species, <i>β</i>-carotene and lutein were induced by salinity, possibly as a response to oxidative stress. Phenolic compounds were more abundant in plants cultivated at lower salinities, while the antioxidant activity increased as a response to salt stress. Sensory characteristics were evaluated by a panel of culinary chefs showing a preference for plants grown at the salt concentration of 350 mmol L⁻¹. In summary, salinity stress was effective in boosting important nutritional components in these species, and the soilless system promotes the sustainable and safe production of halophyte plants for human consumption.