Total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity in five Sicilian globe artichoke ecotypes of ‘Spinoso di Palermo’

In Italy the globe artichoke is a crop with significant economic value also in relation to the growing worldwide interest due to its high nutraceutical properties. In the last few years, the need for an increasing market, focused on the multiple requests of consumers, has prompted the Sicilian farmers to diversify the range of cultivated genotypes, making the local germplasm at risk of extinction. In Sicily, in addition to the genotypes widely cultivated, there are several ecotypes of globe artichoke scarcely cultivated and whose capitula are mainly destined to self-consumption and/or local markets. With a view to safeguard this agrobiodiversity from the risk of extinction due to the introduction of the most profitable commercial genotypes, the aim of this work was to extend the ex situ conservation of a collection of globe artichoke Sicilian ecotypes by the valorization of their morphological and biochemical characteristics. In this respect, we evaluated some biometrical (fresh weight and length/diameter ratio of the capitulum) and biochemical parameters (total polyphenol content (TPC) and the antioxidant activity (AA) in the receptacle) within a set of globe artichoke ecotypes selected from the bulk population of 'Spinoso di Palermo'. The results acquired highlighted that the considered parameters were able to distinguish the bulk population from the ecotypes. In terms of TPC, only the 'Spinoso di Sciara' ecotype (7.0 g kg‑1 of DM) recorded a major level respect to 'Spinoso di Palermo' (5.7 g kg‑1 of DM). 'Mangano' achieved the lowest value (2.6 g kg‑1 of DM). Referring to the AA, a similar trend to the TPC was observed. Overall, the characterization by TPC and AA determination may be a useful tool for preserving these ecotypes from genetic erosion by diversifying their end-uses.