Agriculture

Investigators at Charles Sturt University Release New Data on Antioxidants

  2012 MAY 10 - (VerticalNews.com) -- Research findings, "Influence of Fungal Endophyte Infection on Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity in Grasses: Interaction between Lolium perenne and Different Strains of Neotyphodium lolii," are discussed in a new report. According to the authors of a study from Orange, Australia, "Lolium perenne is a major forage and turf grass, which is often naturally infected with a 'wild-type' strain (E(WT)) of the fungal endophyte Neotyphodium lolii , establishing a symbiotic relationship. In this study, the impacts of different strains wild type E(WT), AR1 (E(AR1)) and AR37 (E(AR37)), of N. lolii on the phenolic profile, phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity of L. perenne were examined."

  "Samples could be ranked according to their phenol content as follows: E(AR1) >E(AR37)=E(-) >E(WT). Radical-scavenging assays showed the same relative ranking of extracts. Flavonoid glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acids were the most abundant polyphenols in L. perenne extracts. Chlorogenic acid and its derivatives were the major compounds responsible for the antioxidant activity. Infection with N. lolii significantly influenced L. perenne phenolic content and antioxidant activity," wrote A. Qawasmeh and colleagues, Charles Sturt University.

  The researchers concluded: "Changes in phenolic composition were merely quantitative. Endophyte infection can have zero, positive, or negative effect on phenol content depending on the endophyte strain."

  Qawasmeh and colleagues published the results of their research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (Influence of Fungal Endophyte Infection on Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity in Grasses: Interaction between Lolium perenne and Different Strains of Neotyphodium lolii. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2012;60(13):3381-8).

  For additional information, contact A. Qawasmeh, School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Charles Sturt University , Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.

  Keywords: City:Orange, Country:Australia, Region:Australia and New Zealand, Chemicals, Protective Agents.

  This article was prepared by VerticalNews Agriculture editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2012, VerticalNews Agriculture via VerticalNews.com.