US EPA

4310118 

Book/Book Chapter 

UV-B Elicitation of Secondary Plant Metabolites 

Schreiner, M; Mewis, I; Neugart, S; Zrenner, R; Glaab, J; Wiesner, M; Jansen, MAK 

2016 

Springer Series in Materials Science 

227 

387-414 

10.1007/978-3-319-24100-5_14 

WOS:000368773500015 

Epidemiological studies have revealed an inverse association between a high consumption of vegetables and a lower risk of both cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This protective effect is mostly due to secondary plant metabolites present in plant tissues. In this context, it has become increasingly clear during the last decade that UV-B radiation is an important regulator of plant secondary metabolism. Recent studies have highlighted the regulatory properties of low, ecologically relevant UV-B levels contrary to previous studies in which UV-B radiation was exclusively regarded as a stress factor. Low-dosage UV-B applications trigger distinct changes in the plant's secondary metabolism resulting in an accumulation of phenolic compounds such as flavonoids and glucosinolates.



Plants are sessile organisms, and consequently cannot avoid exposure to more or less unfavorable environmental conditions [1]. In this context secondary plant metabolites perform fundamental, protective functions within the plant-environment interaction. In addition to the ecophysiological relevance of these compounds, evidence was found that certain secondary plant metabolites possess human health-promoting effects when consumed regularly in fruits and vegetables [2].