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Nitrogen nutrition and flavour compounds of carrots ( Daucus carota L) cultivated in Mitscherlich pots
Author(s) -
Schaller Robert G,
Schnitzler Wilfried H
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0010(20000101)80:1<49::aid-jsfa498>3.0.co;2-9
Subject(s) - daucus carota , chemistry , nitrogen , sucrose , fructose , food science , citric acid , malic acid , asparagus , flavour , botany , organic chemistry , biology
Carrots ( Daucus carota L) of the cultivar ‘Nanthya’ F 1 were grown in Mitscherlich pots containing quartz sand with inorganic nitrogen fertilisation (five levels, four replications) and time‐controlled drip irrigation. The effect of different nitrogen uptake on the yield and on the amount and composition of essential oils, sugars and organic acids was investigated. Sucrose, glucose and fructose were extracted and analysed by HPLC; L ‐malic acid and citric acid were measured with an enzymatic test. Medium‐ and higher‐boiling flavour components were isolated as essential oils by simultaneous watersteam distillation and pentane extraction (SDE) and separated gas chromatographically (HRGC–FID). Thirteen essential oil components were identified by mass spectrometry as well as by comparison of retention times and quantified by external standards. The higher the supply of nitrogen, the higher was its uptake and as a consequence the higher were the nitrogen and nitrate contents of the leaves as well as the roots of the carrots. Carrots with lower nitrogen application had higher amounts of sucrose and essential oils but lower amounts of glucose and fructose. Fertilisation with nitrogen affected not only the total content but also the composition of the essential oils. A correlation between nitrogen nutrition and organic acids could not be found. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry