Variation in G lucosinolate C ontents of C ruciferous P lants

Glucosinolates are secondary metabolites of almost all plants of the order Brassicales, and have been known to control nematode populations. In this study, 14 glucosinolates were identified, quantified, and compared in several varieties and cultivars of cruciferous plants including Brassica campestris ssp. pekinensis (Chinese cabbage), Brassica juncea var. crispifolia L. H. Bailey (mustard), Brassica juncea L. Czern. var. juncea (leaf mustard), Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala (kale), Raphanus sativus L. (radish), and Brassica campestris L. ssp. oleifera (winter turnip rape). The most abundant glucosinolate in mustard, leaf mustard, kale, and radish was sinigrin. In leaf mustard, the sinigrin content ranged from 193.05 μmol/g to 215.52 μmol/g, and in mustard, the sinigrin contents of blue mustard and red mustard were 219.08 μmol/g and 215.73 μmol/g, respectively. Kale and radish contained 137.79 μmol/g and 120.25 μmol/g, respectively, of sinigrin. Gluconapin was the most abundant glucosinolate in winter turnip rape, at 121.17 μmol/g. Chinese cabbage contained mostly glucocochlearin (79.88 μmol/g). These results will be useful in the development of environmentally friendly plant-based pesticides by allowing for proper control of glucosinolates based on those present in the chosen plant species.