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The Effect of Sulfur Nutrition on Glucosinolate Patterns and Their Breakdown Products in Vegetable Crops

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Sulfur Metabolism in Higher Plants - Fundamental, Environmental and Agricultural Aspects

Part of the book series: Proceedings of the International Plant Sulfur Workshop ((PIPSW))

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Abstract

Glucosinolates (GSLs) are amino acid derived secondary metabolites naturally occurring in the order of Brassicales. They represent an important class of phytochemicals involved in plant–microbe, plant–insect, plant–animal and plant–human interactions. In Brassica vegetables GSL are known as the bioactive compounds giving the typical flavor and odor, being involved in natural pest control. Still, in high doses GSL remain highly toxic. Even though the GSL content in Brassica species is genetically fixed, breeding programs already aimed for reducing the GSL content, with the engineering of 00-varieties of rapeseed (Brassica napus) being the most prominent example. Contrary to their negative effects, GSLs are also discussed to have beneficial nutritional and health effects. But it is more their breakdown products, particularly isothiocyanates (ITCs) and nitriles, formed after hydrolysis within the glucosinolate-myrosinase-system, which the health-promoting effects can be ascribed to when taken up in low doses. Besides genetic approaches to influence GSL content and pattern and their breakdown products, little is yet known about how agronomic and particularly plant nutritional factors can alter the GSL content and pattern of their different hydrolysis products in the context of improving food quality. Therefore, the influence of the sulfur (S) supply on GSLs, ITCs and nitriles in various Brassica species, such as Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea), and Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa spp. pekinensis), are exemplarily discussed in relation to nitrogen nutrition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, Kiel University, Hermann-Rodewald-Strasse 2, 24118, Kiel, Germany

    Britta Pitann, Carolin Heyer & Karl H. Mühling

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  1. Britta Pitann
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  2. Carolin Heyer
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  3. Karl H. Mühling
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Correspondence to Karl H. Mühling .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Plant Physiology, University of Groningen, Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Luit J. De Kok

  2. Plant Biology and Crop Science Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom

    Malcolm J. Hawkesford

  3. Institute for Crop and Soil Science, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) Institute for Crop and Soil Science, Braunschweig, Germany

    Silvia H. Haneklaus

  4. Crop and Soil Science, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Braunschweig, Germany

    Ewald Schnug

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Pitann, B., Heyer, C., Mühling, K.H. (2017). The Effect of Sulfur Nutrition on Glucosinolate Patterns and Their Breakdown Products in Vegetable Crops. In: De Kok, L., Hawkesford, M., Haneklaus, S., Schnug, E. (eds) Sulfur Metabolism in Higher Plants - Fundamental, Environmental and Agricultural Aspects. Proceedings of the International Plant Sulfur Workshop. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56526-2_6

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