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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #123097
Title: EFFECT OF PLANT GROWTH TEMPERATURE ON ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY IN STRAWBERRY

Author
item Wang, Shiow
item ZHENG, WEI - ZHEJIANG UNIV, CHINA

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/26/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Strawberries contain high levels of antioxidant compounds which are beneficial to human health. However, little information is available on the effect of environmental factors such as the growing temperature on the antioxidant capacity of strawberries against harmful oxygen radicals. The present study evaluated different day/night growing temperatures on the antioxidant activities of strawberries against active oxygen species. We found that an increase in growing temperature resulted in a significant increase in the phenolic and anthocyanin content and the antioxidant capacity. This research will be of use to strawberry growers who grow strawberries under controlled environments and to the consumer who will benefit from increased levels of phytonutrients. This study will also be of value to scientists interested in elucidating the relationship between temperature and antioxidant capacity in strawberry and in other fruits.

Technical Abstract: The influence of four day/night growing temperature combinations on phenolic acid, flavonol, and anthocyanin content and their antioxidant activities against peroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and singlet oxygen in fruit juice of strawberry were studied. Pelargonidin-based anthocyanins were the predominant anthocyanins in strawberry fruit juice. The content of cyanidin-based anthocyanins was much lower than pelargonidin- based anthocyanins. High temperature conditions significantly enhanced p-coumaroylglucose, dihydroflavonol, quercetin 3-glucoside, quercetin 3-glucuronide, kaempferol 3-glucoside, kaempferol 3-glucuronide, cyanidin 3-glucoside, pelargonidin 3-glucoside, pelargonidin 3-rutinoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside-succinate and pelargonidin 3-glucoside-succinate content in strawberry juice. An increase in night temperature from 12 to 22 C, with the day temperature kept constant at 25 C, resulted in a significant increase in phenolic acid, flavonols, anthocyanins, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity. The highest day/night temperature (30/22 C) yielded fruit with the most phenolic content as well as radical absorbance capacity. There were linear correlations between phenolic acid and anthocyanin content and scavenging capacity on active oxygen species. Fruit of cv. Kent strawberry had higher values of phenolic acid, flavonols, anthocyanins and oxygen radical absorbance capacity compared to fruit of cv. Earliglow strawberry under all temperature regimes.