Total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity changes in dependence on chosen garden pea varieties

The green pea is ranged between the crops with high antioxidant potential. This potential is connected with phytochemical components mainly with polyphenols. All these bioactive chemicals have disease - fighting properties. In real human diet there is no usually possibility of fresh garden pea consumption during the whole year. The total polyphenol content is significantly changed among other things by processing methods. Focus on variety, bio-fortification and other specific agricultural inputs, could be the right method of total polyphenol contents and total antioxidant capacity increasing. The main objective of the present work was to consider the changes of total polyphenols content in dependence on variety and to evaluate an antioxidant potential six garden pea varieties arranged by the ripening point of view. Variety “Exzeleus” belongs to very early type, ́Premium ́ is early maturing,”Flavora” is middle ripening variety and the last three varieties “Utrio”, “Jumbo” and “Ambassador” are middle late types of varieties. Every variety was grown in four replications, i.e. on 24 m2 total plot in Botanical garden of Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra during 2013. Total polyphenols were determined by the Lachmans method and expressed as mg of gallic acid equivalent per kg fresh mater. Total antioxidant capacity was measured by the Brand - Williams method using a compound DPPH (2.2-diphenyl-1-pikrylhydrazyl)). The highest value was reached in case of variety “Jumbo” 1179.995±28.081 mg/kg, the lowest value in case of “Premium” 674.505 ±26.541 mg/kg. When evaluating an antioxidant capacity in chosen varieties of garden pea, the interval estimated by our trail ranged from 0.523 ±0.206% (“Exzeleus”) to 6.844 ±0.591% (“Flavora”) Following the both observed parameters, TPC and TAC, variety “Flavora” (as a member of middle ripening varieties) seems to be the most optimal from the human nutrition point of view. The various varieties had significant influence on TPC and TAC according to used statistical analyzes. Within the all observed varieties, when they were arranged by ripening, there was estimated significant difference only in case of garden pea varieties early – middle late. Other couples didn’t show any statistical important differences in total polyphenol content.