Iodine Biofortification Counters Micronutrient Deficiency and Improve Functional Quality of Open Field Grown Curly Endive
Leo Sabatino, Francesca Di Gaudio, Beppe Benedetto Consentino, Youssef Rouphael, Christophe El‐Nakhel, Salvatore La Bella, Sonya Vasto, Rosario Paolo Mauro, Fabio D’Anna, Giovanni Iapichino, Rosalia Caldarella, Claudio De Pasquale
Abstract
Human iodine (I) shortage disorders are documented as an imperative world-wide health issue for a great number of people. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends I consumption through ingestion of seafood and biofortified food such as vegetables. The current work was carried out to appraise the effects of different I concentrations (0, 50, 250, and 500 mg L−1), supplied via foliar spray on curly endive grown in the fall or spring–summer season. Head fresh weight, stem diameter, head height, and soluble solid content (SSC) were negatively correlated to I dosage. The highest head dry matter content was recorded in plants supplied with 250 mg I L−1, both in the fall and spring–summer season, and in those cultivated in the fall season and supplied with 50 mg I L−1. The highest ascorbic acid concentration was recorded in plants cultivated in the spring–summer season and biofortified with the highest I dosage. The highest fructose and glucose concentrations in leaf tissues were obtained in plants cultivated in the spring–summer season and treated with 250 mg I L−1. Plants sprayed with 250 mg I L−1 and cultivated in the fall season had the highest I leaf concentration. Overall, our results evidently suggested that an I application of 250 mg L−1 in both growing seasons effectively enhanced plant quality and functional parameters in curly endive plants.