نوع مقاله : پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 گروه علوم باغبانی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشگاه شهید چمران اهواز، اهواز، ایران
2 دانشیار گروه علوم باغبانی، دانشکده کشاورزی دانشگاه شهید چمران اهواز، ایران
3 موسسه تحقیقات اصلاح و تهیه نهال و بذر، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، کرج، ایران
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Background and Objectives: Coriander microgreens (Coriandrum sativum L.) have attracted increasing attention as functional foods due to their high concentration of bioactive compounds and considerable nutritional value. Their cultivation in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems enables uniform and high-quality production. Considering the important role of genetic diversity in determining yield, vegetative growth, and the accumulation of secondary metabolites, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of genotype on morphological traits, yield, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant compounds, and the antioxidant potential composite index (APCI) in coriander microgreens grown under hydroponic and controlled environmental conditions. The identification of superior genotypes in terms of both yield and nutritional quality was also targeted. In addition, this study aimed to identify genotypes with simultaneous potential for high productivity and desirable biochemical quality for commercial production in intensive urban cultivation systems.
Materials and Methods: This experiment was conducted in January 2025 in the growth chamber of the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, using a floating hydroponic system. Fourteen coriander genotypes, including thirteen Iranian genotypes and one Hungarian genotype, were evaluated in a completely randomized design with three replications. Plants were grown under red and blue LED light with a 1:1 ratio, a light intensity of 300 ± 15 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹, and a 12-hour photoperiod. Measured traits included growth and yield characteristics, photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoids), vitamin C, total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and antioxidant potential composite index (APCI). Furthermore, Pearson correlation analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to investigate relationships among traits and classify genotypes, providing a comprehensive interpretation of the genetic variation structure.
Results: The results demonstrated that genotype had a significant effect on all morphological, biochemical, antioxidant, and yield-related traits. The Hungarian and Bushehr 2 genotypes exhibited the highest yield and superior vegetative growth. Khuzestan 1 showed the highest levels of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and vitamin C, whereas the Hormozgan genotype possessed the highest flavonoid content and APCI value. The greatest antioxidant activity was observed in the West Azerbaijan genotype. Principal component analysis indicated that the first three principal components explained more than 80% of the total variation and clearly differentiated the genotypes based on yield-related traits, biochemical characteristics, and pigment–antioxidant attributes. Strong positive correlations were observed among growth and yield traits, while secondary metabolites showed negative correlations with yield-related traits, indicating a trade-off between biomass production and secondary metabolite synthesis. These findings suggest that the selection of superior genotypes should simultaneously consider both production objectives and nutritional quality.
Conclusion: Overall, considerable genetic diversity exists among coriander genotypes for microgreen production under controlled environmental conditions. The superior genotypes identified in this study (Bushehr, Hormozgan, Khuzestan 1, and Hungarian) can be utilized in breeding programs, genotype selection, and optimization of production protocols in hydroponic systems to enhance both yield and functional quality of coriander microgreens. Moreover, the findings of this research may provide a basis for developing management strategies aimed at achieving an optimal balance between product quantity and quality in advanced agricultural systems
کلیدواژهها [English]
)