Search

The health-promoting effects of lentil seeds due to phenolic compounds and other antioxidants make lentils a potential source of functional food or feed ingredients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of genotype and growing environment on the phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities such as ABTS (2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assays of soluble extracts from five lentil cultivars grown in ten diverse locations over a 2-year experimental period. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total proanthocyanidin content (TPAC), total hydrolyzed tannin content (TNC), tocopherols and carotenoids were investigated. The major proanthocyanidins and individual polyphenols were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Our results indicated that flavanols were the main phenolic compounds in hydrophilic extracts, followed by phenolic acids. Concerning lipophilic extracts, tocopherols and carotenoids were the main components, with γ-tocopherol and lutein being the predominant isomers, respectively. In general, both genetic and environmental effects had a strong impact on all bioactive components tested. Greater variation due to environmental effects was found for phenolic compounds (TPC, TFC and TPAC) and antioxidant activities; however, tocopherols and carotenoids revealed a high genotypic dependence. The principal component analysis highlighted the genotypes with higher content of antioxidants and stability across environments. The red lentil population “03-24L” was characterized as a promising genetic material due to its high phenolic contents and antioxidant capacity values across environments and is suggested for further investigation. In conclusion, multi-environmental trials are essential for a better understanding of the genotypic and environmental effect on phytochemical profiles of lentils and provide important information for breeding or cultivating lentil varieties of high-bioactive value.

Vicia sativa L. (common vetch) is an annual legume species of high economic and ecological importance which is characterized by high nutritive value for animal feeding and its ability to adapt to various edaphic–climatic conditions. However, limited information is available about genotypic and environmental effects on agronomic, nutritional, and antinutritional traits of common vetch genotypes. Thus, in the present study, four advanced breeding lines and three commercial cultivars were evaluated for yield biomass, color assessment, fiber, crude protein (CP), and polyphenols in three locations (Spata, Larissa, and Thessaloniki) for two consecutive growing seasons (2018–2019 and 2019–2020). The effects of genotype, environment and their interaction (GXE) were significant for all the studied traits. The main source of variation for yield, color, CP, and polyphenols was the environment as it explained 71.5–89.7% of the total variation, whereas for the fibers content it was the GXE interaction. On the other hand, genotype had a much smaller effect on all the traits studied (2.9–16.6%). According to GGE biplot analysis, the 'Alexandros' cultivar was the most high-yielding and stable, whereas 'Leonidas' was the best performing in terms of nutritional and antinutritional traits. However, one advanced line combined high and stable yield biomass with high nutritive value, indicating the possibility for simultaneous improvement of both features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]