158-165 J2_201900019.fm

The effects of microbubbles on glucosinolate accumulation and growth of watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.) were investigated. Watercress plant at the 4th mature leaf stage (2 weeks old) were exposed to microbubbles or non-microbubbles generated in an Otsuka-house nutrient solution for 3 weeks in a controlled environment culture room. Stem length of the watercress grown under the microbubbles was 41% shorter than that of the nonmicrobubbles, showing significantly different. However, shoot fresh and dry weights, root length, leaf length, leaf width, SPAD, and quentum yield of the watercress were not significantly different between treatments. Glucoiberin, glucobrassicin, gluconapin, gluconasturtiin of the watercress grown under microbubbles, excepted for 4-methoxyglucobrassicin, were significantly higher than those of the watercress grown in non-microbubbles. In addition, watercress grown under microbubbles for 3 weeks contained 85% (μmol/g DW) and 65% (μmol/plant) more total glucosinolate, respectively. Results indicated that microbubbles generated in a deep flow technique hydroponics system could increase the accumulation of glucosinolate without growth reduction. Additional key words : electrical conductivity, elicitor, HPLC, nutrient solution