Influence of phenotypic phase and different growing locations on accumulation of bioactive compounds in fennel leaves and stems (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)

Cilj ovog rada je bio odrediti utjecaje fenotipske faze i različitih lokacija uzgoja na prinos bioaktivnih spojeva u listu i stabljici samoniklog komorača (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.). Uzorci komorača ubrani su u periodima prije i poslije cvatnje na pet različitih lokacija u Istri (Poreč, Raša, Plomin, Vodnjan, Valmade). Ekstrakcija bioaktivnih spojeva provedena je primjenom ubrzane ekstrakcije otapalima pri povišenom tlaku (ASE), a u dobivenim esktraktima spektrofotometrijski su određivani ukupni fenoli, karotenoidi i klorofili. U uzorcima lista je veći udio fenola određen u 2. fenotipskoj fazi, dok su udjeli karotenoida i klorofila bili viši u 1. fenotipskoj fazi. U uzorcima stabljike je utvrđeno da su udjeli svih određivanih bioaktivnih spojeva bili viši u 2. fenotipskoj fazi u odnosu na 1. fenotipsku fazu. Ukoliko se razmotri utjecaj lokacije uzgoja, vidljivo je da se lokacija Plomin izdvojila kao lokacija s najvećim udjelom ukupnih fenola u uzorcima lista, a s najvećim udjelima klorofila i karotenoida u listu izdvojila se lokacija Poreč. Najveći udio ukupnih fenola u uzorcima stabljike komorača određen je također na lokaciji Plomin, dok je najveći udio klorofila i karotenoida određen za lokaciju Raša. U zaključku, rezultati ovog istraživanja pokazuju da fenotipska faza, jednako kao i lokacija uzgoja komorača utječu na akumulaciju bioaktivnih spojeva lista i stabljike biljke.The aim of this study was to determine the influences of the phenotypic phase and different growing locations on the yield of bioactive compounds in the leaf and stem of wild fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.). Fennel samples were collected in the periods before and after flowering at five different locations in Istria (Poreč, Raša, Plomin, Vodnjan, Valmade). Extraction of bioactive compounds was performed using Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE), whereas, in the obtained extracts total phenols, carotenoids and chlorophylls were determined spectrophotometrically. In leaf samples, a higher proportion of total phenols was determined in the 2nd phenotypic phase, while the contents of carotenoids and chlorophylls were higher in the 1st phenotypic phase. In stem samples, it was found that the proportions of all determined bioactive compounds were higher in the 2nd phenotypic phase as compared to the 1st phenotypic phase. Considering the influence of the growing location, it can be seen that the Plomin was found as the location with the highest amount of total phenols, and the location Poreč with the highest amounts of chlorophylls and carotenoids in the leaf samples. The highest content of total phenols in stem samples was also determined at the Plomin, while the highest content of chlorophylls and carotenoids was determined for the Raša location. In conclusion, the results of this study have demonstrated that the phenotypic phase, as well as the growing location of the fennel, affect the accumulation of bioactive compounds of leaves and stems of the plant