Salt-Affected Rocket Plants as a Possible Source of Glucosinolates

Soil salinity can have various negative consequences on agricultural products, from their quality and production to their aesthetic traits. In this work, the possibility to use salt-affected vegetables, that otherwise would be discarded, as a source of nutraceuticals was explored. To this aim, rocket plants, a vegetable featuring bioactive compounds such as glucosinolates, were exposed to increasing NaCl concentrations in hydroponics and analysed for their content in bioactive compounds. Salt levels higher than 68 mM produced rocket plants that did not comply with European Union regulations and would therefore be considered a waste product. Anyway, our findings, obtained by Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry, demonstrated a significant increase in glucosinolates levels in such salt-affected plants. opening the opportunity for a second life of these market discarded products to be recycled as glucosinolates source. Furthermore, an optimal situation was found at NaCl 34 mM in which not only were the aesthetic traits of rocket plants not affected, but also the plants revealed a significant enrichment in glucosinolates. This can be considered an advantageous situation in which the resulting vegetables still appealed to the market and showed improved nutraceutical aspects.

Automated summary

Soil salinity negatively impacts agricultural products, affecting their quality, yield, and aesthetic traits. This study investigates the potential use of salt-affected vegetables as a source of nutraceuticals. The experiment reveals that salt levels higher than 68 mM render rocket plants non-compliant with EU regulations, making them waste products. However, the study also finds a significant increase in glucosinolates levels in these salt-affected plants, which presents an opportunity for recycling them as a source of this bioactive compound. Additionally, at 34 mM NaCl, rocket plants not only maintain their aesthetic traits but also show a significant enrichment in glucosinolates, making them appealing to the market and offering improved nutraceutical aspects.