One- and two-hour storage delays improve nutritional components in Sarcocornia fruticosa ecotypes, but not in the Arthrocaulon macrostachyum ecotype.

Abstract

The effects of postharvest storage delays of 1 and 2 hours on the nutritional quality of halophytic plants irrigated with 100 and 150 mM NaCl solutions were assessed. The study compared the new Sarcocornia fruticosa ecotypes Shikmona, Megadim, and Ruhama with the commonly cultivated VM and Arthrocaulon macrostachyum (AM). All new ecotypes outperformed the VM ecotype in terms of nutritional composition and yield. Except for Shikmona, the biomass of all ecotypes increased with elevated salinity; however, storage delays reduced water content, with a greater reduction under lower salinity. Storage delays in Sarcocornia significantly enhanced total polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, and radical-scavenging activity compared with levels in the plant contents immediately after harvesting. In contrast, AM showed declines in antioxidants, except for anthocyanins and carotenoids, after 1- and 2-hour delays. Both storage delays increased total soluble sugars, electrical conductivity, and malondialdehyde in AM and the Sarcocornia ecotypes. Further carotenoid enhancement in AM was observed in the 2-hour storage-delay treatment, followed by 21 days of storage, compared with the control stored immediately for 21 days. Across Sarcocornia ecotypes, storage delay is associated with increased levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids, as well as enhanced radical-scavenging activity. In contrast, AM showed decreased total flavonoids, polyphenols, and radical scavenging activity after a 2-hour storage delay, followed by 21 days of cold room storage, compared to 21 days of storage without a delay. Yet, its antioxidant content remained higher than that of the Sarcocornia ecotypes in both the non-delayed control and the 2-hour storage-delay treatments.