Secondary Metabolites and Their Antioxidant Activity Enhance the Tolerance to Water Deficit on Clover Lotus corniculatus L. through Different Seasonal Times

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a water limitation in different ecotypes and one variety of Lotus corniculatus L. on the production of secondary metabolites and their antioxidant activity in response to a water deficit (WD) through other seasonal times. A randomized block experimental design with three replicates was used. Two levels of soil water content and five genotypes were arranged in a factorial way (2 × 5) with ten treatments for replication. The 255301 ecotype showed significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) concentrations of total phenols, with a concentration of 86.6 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE)/gram of fresh weight (gFW); total flavonoids, with a concentration of 63.2 mg Quercetin Equivalent (QE)/gFW); total tannins (71.7 mg GAE/gFW); and radical scavenging activity, with an average of 200 mg Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC)/gFW) in winter under a WD. The 255305 ecotype showed an increase in radical scavenging activity of 230 mg (TEAC)/gFW) and a total tannin concentration of 65.3 mg GAE/gFW in winter and spring, respectively, under a WD. The 255301 ecotype showed an increase in the concentration of total saponins (254.8 mg saponins/gFW) in summer under a WD. All these responses were triggered to mitigate a water deficit and extreme temperatures.

Growth, Productivity, Yield Components and Seasonality of Different Genotypes of Forage Clover Lotus corniculatus L. under Varied Soil Moisture Contents

“…The diversification of forage crops with productive potential but with lower water demand is an alternative to the problem of monoculture with high water requirements in areas with low availability of water [10]. Some alternatives are native crops such as nopal [17,18] or introduced crops such as forage clover [19,20] which are viable alternatives for irrigated agricultural areas affected by the problem of water scarcity.…”