Evaluation of the nutritional value and antioxidant compounds of different cultivars of basil microgreens

Microgreens are immature vegetables harvested after the development of the first true leaves, and they may contain higher nutritional value than mature vegetables. In this research, the nutritional value and antioxidant compounds of 13 varieties of basil microgreens have been investigated. The results showed a significant difference between microgreens in terms of all studied traits. As compared to the others, Violetto and Genovese microgreens gained the highest chlorophyll a, but Holy Basil was found to have the highest total carotenoids. Likewise, the highest and lowest contents of total phenol were found in Napoletano and Green basil, respectively. Also, the rate of anthocyanin in the microgreens varied from 0.078 to 0.148 mg/g of fresh weight. Furthermore, the highest antioxidant capacity was obtained in Napoletano and the lowest in Genovese. Among the 13 studied microgreens, Midnight basil and Purple basil cultivars demonstrated the highest concentration of ascorbic acid. In order to determine the most important biological traits effective in differentiating genotypes, factor analysis was employed. The first three factors accounted for 80.95% of the total variance. In addition, cluster analysis grouped 13 genotypes into five main groups. In conclusion, the results indicate that the microgreens provided by basil cultivars are good sources of antioxidant compounds and various nutrients.