Abstract
Context Iron (Fe) is an essential nutrient; however, it is deficient in the diets of millions of people globally, resulting in anaemia. Agronomic biofortification has been shown to be effective in alleviating Fe deficiency. Aims We evaluated the efficacy of soil and foliar applications of Fe with or without nitrogen (N) on floret and plant yield, and nutritional properties of broccoli (cv. Parthenon), in order to assess biofortification potential. Methods A greenhouse experiment comprised seven treatments: (1) control, no Fe or N application; (2) soil application of Fe (10 mg FeSO4.7H2O/kg before transplanting); (3) soil application of Fe + foliar application of N (0.4% (w/v) calcium ammonium nitrate at floret emergence); (4) foliar application of Fe (0.5% (w/v) FeSO4.7H2O at floret emergence); (5) foliar applications of Fe and N; (6) soil + foliar applications of Fe; (7) soil application of Fe + foliar applications of Fe and N. Key results Foliar Fe application with N and/or with soil Fe significantly increased commercial floret weight relative to the control (>62.5 vs 46 g), whereas treatments without foliar Fe (i.e. soil Fe alone or with N) did not differ from the control. Similarly, treatments with foliar Fe generally significantly increased floret diameter, whereas those without foliar Fe did not. Treatments with foliar Fe significantly increased floret Fe concentration (>10-fold), resulting in highly available Fe, with phytic acid:Fe molar ratios <0.2, and higher antioxidant activity and polyphenol content. Conclusions Foliar application of Fe, especially in combination with N, is the most efficient and effective application method, not only for biofortification purposes but also for productivity and for enhancing bioactive compounds in broccoli. Implications This study opens the door to implementation of effective and economically viable Fe biofortification programs with broccoli and other crops.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar Fe application with N and/or soil Fe significantly increased commercial floret weight of broccoli relative to the control.
- Taxon
- broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italicat0 - Treatment
- Foliar Fe application with N and/or with soil Fee1
- Outcome
- commercial floret weighte1
- Direction
- significantly increasede1
- Value
- >62.5 vs 46 ge1
- Comparator
- controle1
- Setting
- greenhousee2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“nutritional quality of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)”
e1“Foliar Fe application with N and/or with soil Fe significantly increased commercial floret weight relative to the control (>62.5 vs 46 g)”
e2“A greenhouse experiment comprised seven treatments”
Claim · model-written summary
Broccoli treatments without foliar Fe did not differ from the control in commercial floret weight.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicat0
- Treatment
- treatments without foliar Fe (i.e. soil Fe alone or with N)e1
- Outcome
- commercial floret weighte2
- Direction
- did not differe1
- Comparator
- controle1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“nutritional quality of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)”
e1“treatments without foliar Fe (i.e. soil Fe alone or with N) did not differ from the control”
e2“Foliar Fe application with N and/or with soil Fe significantly increased commercial floret weight relative to the control (>62.5 vs 46 g)”
Claim · model-written summary
Treatments with foliar Fe generally significantly increased floret diameter of broccoli, unlike those without foliar Fe.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicat0
- Treatment
- treatments with foliar Fee1
- Outcome
- floret diametere1
- Direction
- significantly increasede1
- Qualifier
- generallye1
- Comparator
- those without foliar Fee1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“nutritional quality of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)”
e1“treatments with foliar Fe generally significantly increased floret diameter, whereas those without foliar Fe did not”
Claim · model-written summary
Treatments with foliar Fe significantly increased floret Fe concentration more than 10-fold.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicat0
- Treatment
- Treatments with foliar Fee1
- Outcome
- floret Fe concentratione1
- Direction
- significantly increasede1
- Value
- >10-folde1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“nutritional quality of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)”
e1“Treatments with foliar Fe significantly increased floret Fe concentration (>10-fold)”
Claim · model-written summary
Broccoli florets from foliar Fe treatments had phytic acid:Fe molar ratios below 0.2.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicat0
- Outcome
- phytic acid:Fe molar ratiose1
- Value
- <0.2e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“nutritional quality of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)”
e1“resulting in highly available Fe, with phytic acid:Fe molar ratios <0.2”
Claim · model-written summary
Treatments with foliar Fe increased antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of broccoli florets.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicat0
- Treatment
- Treatments with foliar Fee1
- Outcome
- antioxidant activity and polyphenol contente2
- Direction
- highere2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“nutritional quality of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)”
e1“Treatments with foliar Fe significantly increased floret Fe concentration (>10-fold)”
e2“higher antioxidant activity and polyphenol content”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar Fe application, especially with N, is the most efficient and effective application method for broccoli biofortification and productivity.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicat0
- Outcome
- most efficient and effective application methode1
- Qualifier
- especially in combination with Ne1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“nutritional quality of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)”
e1“Foliar application of Fe, especially in combination with N, is the most efficient and effective application method, not only for biofortification purposes but also for productivity and for enhancing bioactive compounds in broccoli”
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See all 18 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.