The Effect of Low Positive Temperature on the Content of Low-Molecular Weight Antioxidants in the Organs of a Vegetable Chrysanthemum

Abstract

The use of the rapid amperometric method made it possible to promptly measure and evaluate the total content of water- and ethanol-soluble antioxidants in extracts from Chryzantemum coronarium L. plants. The effect of optimal and low positive temperatures on the accumulation of low-molecular weight antioxidants—ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, soluble carbohydrates, and carotenoids—in various organs of the vegetable chrysanthemum plant was investigated. The content of flavonoids in the leaves of the studied varieties was two times higher than in the stems, while the accumulation level of condensed and polymeric polyphenols in the stem was three times higher than the level of their accumulation in the leaves. The maximum total antioxidant content was found in the inflorescences, whereas their content was 2–3 times lower in other organs of the plant. Under the conditions of hypothermia in November, the amount of ascorbic acid and photosynthetic pigments and the total content of antioxidants remained at a higher level in the upper photosynthesizing leaves. The data obtained indicate the important role of low-molecular weight antioxidants in the protection of plant cells under the effect of low positive temperatures.