CONTENT OF CHLOROPHYLLS AND CAROTENOIDS IN SHOOTS OF HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRIES (VACCINIUM CORYMBOSUM L.)

Abstract

Since photosynthetic pigments are not only important for plants in photosynthesis,they are also biologically active substances in therapeutic usage, the search for plants with their high content remains an urgent task of nutraceuticals, pharmacy and medicine. In this study, the shoots of Vaccinium corymbosum L. varieties Bluejay (early ripening) and Bluecrop (medium ripening) grown in the experimental area in the Lviv region of Ukraine in the phenological phases: in flowering, fruiting, after fruiting, in preparation for winter dormancy have been used. 100 % acetone, 80 % acetone and diethyl ether were used as extractants. The content of chlorophylls and carotenoids was determined spectrophotometrically at wavelengths corresponding to their absorption maxima and calculated by formulas Holm-Wettstein, Lichtenthaler, Wintermans and de Mots.
The findings of the study show that the content of chlorophyll a and b in the shoots of V. corymbosum depends on the extractant and the phenological phase of growth at which the plant material is collected. The best extractant was 100 % acetone, slightly worse 80 % acetone and diethyl ether, although in general the level of chlorophylls coincided. All of the extractants used were effective enough to remove carotenoids. The content of chlorophylls and carotenoids and their ratio in the shoots of investigated varieties of V. corymbosum is high and varies during the growing season: the highest content of chlorophylls is observed during flowering: 45.45±7.384 and 37.89±2.849 mg/100 g of dry weight in Bluejay and Bluecrop respectively. The content of carotenoids increases from the flowering phase to fruiting and remains at the same level long after its completion. The highest content of carotenoids was 5.49±0.451 and 5.73±0,143 mg/100 g of dry weight in Bluejay and Bluecrop respectively. It is assumed that the dynamics of chlorophyll content reflects the increase in the level of energy needs of the plant to ensure generative reproduction during the fruiting phase, followed by preparation for changes in temperature and insolation in winter. Some evidence of this may be the increase in the ratio of chlorophylls a/b during this period.
In our opinion, further research on the use of P as a medicinal raw material would be beneficial, taking into account the given results.