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Journal of Experimental Food Chemistry | Volume: 4
3
rd
International Conference on
May 16-18, 2018 | Montreal, Canada
Food Chemistry & Nutrition
Essential chemicals in kale can be altered by natural amendments
Lord Abbey
and
Raymond H Thomas
1
Agricultural Campus, Dalhousie University, Canada
2
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
P
lant growth, yield and quality responses to natural amendments have been widely studied. However, little is known about
alterations in essential phytochemicals in response to different types of natural amendments. A greenhouse pot-experiment
was performed to determine the influence of three different natural amendments: dry vermicast, potassium (K)-humate and
volcanic mineral and a control (no amendment) on the chemical composition of kale (
Brassica oleracea
L. var.
Acephala
‘Ripbor’
). Plants grown in the dry vermicast had the highest amounts of essential macronutrients followed by volcanic mineral,
while the least was found in the control plants. The essential micronutrients, manganese and copper, were also high in the dry
vermicast. Additionally, the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids were in the kale plants were
increased following the application of dry vermicast and volcanic mineral, but not K-humate. Plant tissue content of omega-3
fatty acids were high in the dry vermicast and low in the K-humate and the volcanic mineral treatments. Omega-6 fatty acids
were unaffected by treatment differences. Total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were highest in plants treated with
K-humate, and the least was recorded by the dry vermicast treated plants. In conclusion, dry vermicast proved to be the most
efficacious in enhancing the overall phytochemical composition of kale ‘Ripbor’ as compared to the other natural amendments.
Biography
Lord Abbey has a background in Plant Science and Pharmaceutical R&D with a research focus on sustainable food systems and compost quality enhancement
for health and wellbeing. He has completed his BSc (Hons) Agriculture from the University of Ghana. He has continued his studies in the UK, The Netherlands
and Canada. He is currently a Professor at Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture where he teaches and supervises undergraduate and graduate students. His research
program is in Plant Nutrition and Physiology. Some of his current research activities include exploration of ethnic crops in NS; aromatic and medicinal plants; onion
fertilization and postharvest losses; and value-addition and alternative uses of compost and vermicompost. He is a Board Member of Living Earth Council; Member
of the Nova Scotia Institute of Agrologists (NSIA); the International Society for Horticultural sciences (ISHS); and the Canadian Society of Horticultural Science
(CSHS). His passion is travelling and nature-walk.
labbey@dal.caLord Abbey et al., J Exp Food Chem 2018, Volume: 4
DOI: 10.4172/2472-0542-C1-011