Lord Abbey
Dalhousie University, Canada
Title: Essential chemicals in kale can be altered by natural amendments
Biography
Biography: Lord Abbey
Abstract
Plant growth, yield and quality responses to natural amendments have been widely studied. However, little is known about alterations in essential phytochemicals in response to different types of natural amendments. A greenhouse pot-experiment was performed to determine the influence of three different natural amendments: dry vermicast, potassium (K)-humate and volcanic mineral and a control (no amendment) on the chemical composition of kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. Acephala ‘Ripbor’). Plants grown in the dry vermicast had the highest amounts of essential macronutrients followed by volcanic mineral, while the least was found in the control plants. The essential micronutrients, manganese and copper, were also high in the dry vermicast. Additionally, the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids were in the kale plants were increased following the application of dry vermicast and volcanic mineral, but not K-humate. Plant tissue content of omega-3 fatty acids were high in the dry vermicast and low in the K-humate and the volcanic mineral treatments. Omega-6 fatty acids were unaffected by treatment differences. Total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were highest in plants treated with K-humate, and the least was recorded by the dry vermicast treated plants. In conclusion, dry vermicast proved to be the most efficacious in enhancing the overall phytochemical composition of kale ‘Ripbor’ as compared to the other natural amendments.