Plant polyphenol content, soil fertilization and agricultural management: a review

The review deals with polyphenol content of vegetables and fruits under different experimental conditions. The effect of fertilizers, mainly nitrogen containing fertilizers, on qualitative and especially quantitative content of the polyphenols mixture, was reviewed. Soil nitrogen affects both anthocyanins and flavonoids content, and generally, a higher polyphenolic content is observed when less nitrogen fertilizer is added to the soil. Also the effect of different agricultural management (conventional, organic, biodynamic, integrate) is reviewed with respect to polyphenols. In this case, a major effect has pointed out in the case of vegetables, while agricultural practice affects in a minimal way fruits polyphenols content. The effect of different management is, however, hardly pointed out, since many environmental factors are involved and affect polyphenols biosynthetic pathway.