Boosting leaf contents of rutin and solanesol in bio-waste of Solanum lycopersicum

• Published in: Plant physiology and biochemistry 2020-10, Vol.155, p.888-897
• Main Authors: Röhlen-Schmittgen, Simone, Ellenberger, Jan, Groher, Tanja, Hunsche, Mauricio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomass; Biomaterial; Circular bioeconomy; Droughts; Horticulture; Lycopersicon esculentum - chemistry; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Rutin - analysis; Stressed-induced secondary metabolism; Terpenes - analysis
• ISSN: 0981-9428; 1873-2690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.08.035

In tomato production, the accruing green biomass shows promising potential as source of health-promoting compounds, such as rutin and solanesol, that are of high interest due to their medicinal properties. Naturally, they accumulate in plants growing in suboptimal growing conditions, e.g. influenced by biotic and abiotic stressors. With the aim to evaluate the potential use of tomato residues as source, we analyzed both leaf metabolites during a complete cultivation cycle, while applying single and combined stresses practically realized in greenhouse production. In the late season, contents of both metabolites were significantly enhanced by nutrient deficit in combination with 2 °C colder nights for 4 weeks and prolonged for in total 9 weeks. Particularly, higher solanesol contents were achieved by salt stress and elevated temperature after one week, even stronger when combined with drought. At harvest, stressed plants consist of less green biomass reducing the overall economic potential. However, practicable abiotic stresses should be considered as potential tool to induce the accumulation of beneficial compounds. Extracting profitable metabolites from the green biomass of the model crop tomato supports the overall goal to promote sustainable approaches in horticultural production. •Concomitant enhancement of both bioactive natural compounds rutin and solanesol in tomato leaves by single and combined abiotic stresses.•Identifying practicable and low-cost stressors suitable for operational processes in a commercial-like greenhouse in order to utilize metabolite-enriched plant biomass.•Monitoring of season-related and stress-induced accumulation of both metabolites during a complete cultivation cycle until tomato harvest in the scope of circular approaches in horticulture.•Assessing the impact of potentially ‘positive’ (eu)stress on plant's performance in order to improve horticultural products.