Our data demonstrate that both temperature and light can
influence sensory and phytochemical contents of broccoli florets.
The combination of long photoperiod and low temperature, under
growth conditions found at high northern latitudes, produces larger
floral buds and florets with sweeter taste and less colour hue.
However, the effects of temperature and photoperiod on contents
of phytochemicals vary between glucosinolate types, vitamin C,
quercetin and kaempferol. Low temperature and long photoperiod
seem to produce the highest aliphatic glucosinolate content, while
the indolic glucosinolate content seem to be favored by short photoperiod
and high temperature. High temperature results in highest
content of flavonols, while vitamin C content appears
unaffected by treatments. It was thus not possible to link increased
intensity of selected sensory attributes due to light and temperature
conditions with a general higher content of health-related
phytochemicals. These results need to be supplemented by studies
of other broccoli cultivars under different field conditions.