Hydroponic system-dependent variation in phenylpropanoid accumulation and antioxidant activity of greenhouse-grown basil

초록

Hydroponic cultivation systems differ fundamentally in root-zone architecture, yet it remains unclear whether these architectural differences can modulate non-volatile phenylpropanoid accumulation and antioxidant-related functional quality in basil. To clarify this uncertainty and determine which hydroponic system is more favorable for improving the functional quality of fresh basil, this study evaluated hydroponic system-dependent variation in phenylpropanoid-derived phenolics and associated antioxidant activity in greenhouse-grown basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under shared environmental and nutrient-solution conditions. Three representative hydroponic systems—an aeroponic culture (APC), a nutrient film technique (NFT) system, and a perlite-based substrate culture (PSC)—were compared. Untargeted liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry profiling tentatively identified twelve metabolites, revealing a largely shared qualitative metabolite profile dominated by phenylpropanoid-derived caffeic acid derivatives. Total phenolic content analysis consistently revealed higher extractable phenolic levels in PSC-grown basil compared with APC- and NFT-grown plants. Subsequent targeted quantification using high-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector demonstrated clear hydroponic system-dependent differences in the accumulation of caftaric acid (1), caffeic acid (2), chicoric acid (3), and rosmarinic acid (4). PSC cultivation consistently resulted in substantially higher concentrations of compounds 1–4 than the APC and NFT systems. These compositional differences were accompanied by enhanced antioxidant activity, as PSC-grown basil extracts exhibited lower IC50 values in both ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging assays. Under the greenhouse conditions applied in this study, PSC most effectively enhanced phenylpropanoid accumulation and antioxidant capacity without compromising aboveground biomass, indicating its suitability for improving the functional quality of fresh basil.

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