NaCl treatment improves reactive oxygen metabolism and antioxidant capacity in broccoli sprouts

We investigated membrane lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, antioxidant component content, and antioxidant enzyme activity to understand how NaCl regulates the growth of broccoli sprouts. NaCl treatment significantly increased ROS and malondialdehyde content, and electrolyte permeability in broccoli sprouts. Ascorbic acid and anthocyanin content also increased, simultaneously and significantly. During germination, treatments with 40 mM and 80 mM NaCl significantly promoted broccoli sprouts growth, likely because of ability to enhance antioxidant activity, thus alleviating the effect of stress.