How is food quality affected by fertilization?
Functional food examples
Food Component Possible benefit
Green tea flavanols reduced cancer riskCruciferous veg. indoles,
isothiocyanates, carotenoids
cancer prevention
Flax (seeds,flour) lignands reduced cancer riskBerries
(blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
anthocyanidins, ellagic acid
Cancer and heart disease prevention, lower chosterolWhole grains saponins,
terpenoids, etc.Cancer and heart disease prevention, lower chosterol
From PPI
Phytochemicals
Science 285:377, 1999
Potassium increases total carotenoid content and quality of tomatoes
Trudel and Ozbun. 1971.
J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 96(6)
Nutrient solution Total carotenoids Change Meq K/l ug/g fr. wt. due to K, % Internal External
0.0 71.58 --- 1.86 3.310.5 64.97 -9 1.45 2.951.0 74.86 5 2.19 3.812.0 91.48 28 2.41 3.654.0 91.92 28 2.44 3.986.0 110.5 54 2.51 4.078.0 111.5 56 2.86 4.21
10.0 104.5 46 3.36 3.98Fruit rating 5=no disorders, 1=severly affected
Fruit rating
K influences lycopene and b-carotene content of tomatoes
Nutrient solution Lycopene Change -carotene Change Meq K/l ug/g fr. wt. due to K, % ug/g fr. wt. due to K, %
0.0 36.81 --- 3.48 ---0.5 33.75 -8 3.36 -31.0 41.88 14 3.62 42.0 53.6 46 3.07 -124.0 52.67 43 2.8 -206.0 59.33 61 2.8 -208.0 61.51 67 2.56 -26
10.0 52.39 42 2.36 -32
Trudel and Ozbun. 1971.
J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 96(6)
Effect of KNO3 on grapefruit carotenoids
B. Patil, 2001 (one year data)
Texas Rio Grande Valley
Treatments: F= fertigation, S= foliar
F1-Jan-Mar, F2-Feb-April, F3-April-June
S1-April-June, S2-May-July, S3- July-Sept
From PPI
F.B.T. Hernandez, J.C. ModestoI, M.A. SuzukiI, L.S. CorrêaI, K. Reichardt
Piracicaba, Braz. vol.51 no.2 Pircicaba May/Aug. 1994
Effects of irrigation and nitrogen levels on qualitative and nutritional aspects of fig-trees (Ficus carica L.)1
Increased yields may lead to nutrient dilution (plant growth is
increased more than nutrient uptake)
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