INFLUENCE OF SULPHUR FERTILIZATION ON GLUCOSINOLATE QUALITY AND QUANTITY IN SEEDS OF TWO DOUBLE LOW OILSEED RAPE VARIETIES (BRASSICA NAPUS L.)

 

 

Franciszek Wielebski, Marek Wójtowicz , Jan Krzymański

 

Plant Breeding & Acclimatization Institute, (IHAR) Strzeszyńska 36,

60-479 Poznań, Poland, E-mail: fwiel @ nico.ihar.poznan.pl

 

ABSTRACT

            The effect of sulphur fertilization on glucosinolate composition in seeds of two winter oilseed rape cultivars – Bolko and Ceres was shown basing on pot experiments. Bolko cultivar has a smaller level of glucosinolate content than Ceres cultivar. Sulphur supply affects significantly the glucosinolate content and composition in seeds. Among alkenyl glucosinolate the highest content has progoitrin, lower content has gluconapin and the lowest glucobrassicanapin and napoleiferin. Among indol glucosinolates, 4-hydroksyglukobrassicin was in majority. Comparison of absolute values of glucosinolate content shows that sulphur doses cause the most increase of progoitryne, less increase of gluconapin and the least increase of glucobrassicanapin content. Increasing sulphur application increased content of alkenyl and decreased the level of indol glucosinolate.

 

KEYWORD: agronomical practices, fertilization, sulphur, quality of seeds, glucosinolate

 

INTRODUCTION

            Winter oilseed rape for its growth and development requires large amounts of sulphur (Johansson 1962, Horodyski et al 1972 Merrien 1987, Schnug et al 1995). Among many functions (Bouchner 1958, Chojnacki 1972), sulphur plays an important part in abiosynthesis of glucosinolate (Koter and Panak 1960). Presence of glucosinolate in seeds limits utilization of oil meal in animal feeding ( Fenwick et al. 1983, Krzymański 1993).

            Glucosinolate level in seeds is dependent on genetic factor and also on enviromental conditions, especially on amount of available sulphur in soil (Merrien 1987). Sulphur fertilization has an influence on yield level but also can cause an increase of glucosinolate content in seeds (Josefsson 1970, Horodyski et al 1972, Merrien 1987, Schnug 1995).

 

MATERIAL AND METHOD

            Pot experiment was conducted in glasshouse of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute in Poznań. Effect of increasing doses of sulphur ( 0,0; 0,2; 0,4; 0,8; 1,2 i 1,6 g S/pot) on yield and seed qualities of two double low oilseed rape cultivars (Bolko and Ceres) were tested. Polish cultivar Bolko has a lower level of glucosinolate content in seeds than German cultivar – Ceres.

This experiment was carried out on mixture of sand (5,5 kg) and loamy soil (0,5 kg) in six replications. Sulphur was applied before sowing in the form of gypsum.

 

RESULTS

            Increasing sulphur doses significantly influence quantity and composition of glucosinolate in seeds.

Total alkenyl glucosinolate content in two compared cultivars was different (tab. 1). Increase of glucosinolate content was higher in Ceres which has a higher level of these anti-nutritive substances in seeds than in Bolko. Large doses of sulphur caused higher increase of these compounds in Ceres than in Bolko. Doses higher than 0,8 of sulphur per pot did not have significant effect on glucosinolate content in Bolko’s seeds.

 

Tab. 1

Total alkenyl glucosinolate content in defatted dry matter of seed (mM/g) according to the sulphur fertilization doses and cultivar (n=3)

 

 

Ceres

Bolko

Mean

S per pot or cultivar

mM /g

compa-ratively

mM /g

compa-ratively

mM /g

compa-ratively

0,2 g

 5,0

100

2,8

100

 3,9

100

0,4 g

10,1

202

5,7

204

 7,9

203

0,8 g

15,6

312

8,4

300

12,0

308

1,2 g

16,1

322

8,5

304

12,3

315

1,6 g

19,2

384

8,5

304

13,9

356

LSD

6.36 mM/g

 4,63

X

Ceres

X

13,2

100

Bolko

X

 6,8

 52

LSD

X

 4,02

X

 

 

            Among alkenyl glucosinolates there was the highest content of progoitrin, lower content of gluconapin and the lowest of glucobrassicanapin. The increase of alkenyl glucosinolate under the influence of increasing sulphur doses was higher in Ceres than in Bolko (Fig.1). In Bolko, the increase of progoitrin was stabilized when 0,8 g of sulphur per pot was applied. In Ceres, rate of 1,6 g of sulphur per pot still exerted an increase of the glucosinolate content. The same effect was observed in case of gluconapin. Sulphur fertilization exerted a similar influence on glucobrassicanapin content in two compared cultivars. Content of this glucosinolate was stabilized at the rate of 0,8 g of sulphur per pot.

 


           

 

In puplications there is not much data refering to the effect of sulphur fertilization on composition of glucosinolate. Harmfulness of alkenyl and indol glucosinolate is not equal. The most dangerous are alkenyl glucosinolates especially progoitrin. Indol glucosinolates are less dangerous and same authors credit them with beneficial effect on animal appetite.

            Ratio of indol and alkenyl glucosinolate was dependent on sulphur fertilization level. Increasing sulphur application caused increase of alkenyl participation and decrease of participation of indol glucosinolate. Such dependence was more visible in Ceres than in Bolko (Fig. 2). Zhao et al (1995) also shoved that sulphur fertilization mainly caused the increase of alkenyl glucosinolate.


 

 

 

.                      

Irrespective of sulphur dose, alkenyl glucosinolate made 77% of all glucosinolate in Ceres and 50% in Bolko. In two cultivars progoitrin and 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin were in majority. In Ceres there was almost two times more progoitrin than 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin but in Bolko these glucosinolate content was on the same level. Among alkenyl glucosinolates progoitrin was in majority and made 36% of all glucosinolate in Bolko and 50% in Ceres (Fig. 3). Participation of gluconapin, glucobrassicanapin and napoleiferin was also higher in Ceres. The greatest diferences between compared cultivars concerned indol glucosinolate composition. These glucosinolate made 23% in Ceres and 42% in Bolko. Among indol glucosinolates participation of 4-hydroxy­glucobrassicine in seeds of Bolko (38%) was almost twice higher than Ceres (23%).

Bolko had small content of more harmful alkenyl glucosinolate (progoitrin, gluconapin) and higher content of indol glucosinolate. Influence of sulphur fertilization on alkenyl glucosinolate was greater in Ceres than in Bolko.

 

 

 

 


 

CONCLUSION

1.    Glucosinolate content in seeds was smaller in Bolko than Ceres.

2.    Sulphur supply affects significantly the glucosinolate content and their composition in seeds.

3.    Increase of alkenyl glucosinolate under the influence of increasing sulphur doses was higher in Ceres than in Bolko especialy when very high amounts of sulphur were applied.

4.    Increasing doses of sulphur caused the most increase of progoitrin, less increase of gluconapin and the least of glucobrassicanapin content.

5.    In Ceres alkenyl glucosinolate made 75% and in Bolko little over 50% of all glucosinolate. Increasing doses of sulphur caused increase of alkenyl participation and a decrease of participation of indol glucosinolate.

 

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