Effect of phosphorus fertilization on phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in Galanthus elwesii Hook

Snowdrop is a genus of high medicinal value with alkaloids such as galantamine, and lycorine of the Amaryllidaceae family. The present study was conducted to have an effect on the effects of phosphorus (P) treatment on antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds in Galanthus elwesii Hook. The plants were exposed to different concentrations of P ( 0, 3, 6, and 12 kg da-1). The study was carried out in the 2018-2019 growing season. G. elwesii were harvested based on different growing stages (flowering and fruit ripening). In this study, the bulb and roots of the plant were used. Total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC), phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity were determined in harvested bulb and roots. The highest TPC was detected as 358.36 mg GAE/g in the flowering period of the plant, and the lowest TPC determined as 80.13 mg GAE/g in the fruit ripening period in the treatment P 6 kg da-1. The highest TFC was detected as 108.07 mg QE/g with the flowering period of the plant, and the lowest TFC was determined as 52.33 mg QE/g in the fruit ripening period in the treatment P 6 kg da-1. The main phenolic component of G. elwesii was determined to be gallic acid (GA). In antioxidant activity, while the highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity (72.30%) was in the flowering period in the treatment P 6 kg da-1, the highest ferrous ions chelating activity (66.77%) was detected in the fruit ripening period in the treatment P 6 kg da-1. As a result, it was determined that TPC, TFC and DPPH activity in G. elwesii of flowering period ˃fruit ripening period.