Differences in Yields, Antioxidant Compounds, and Antioxidant Activity of Ethanolic Extracts among 11 Adzuki Bean Cultivars (Vigna angularis L.) Cultivated on a Somewhat Poorly Drained Paddy Field
This study investigated the changes in yields, antioxidant compounds, and antioxidant activities among 11 adzuki bean cultivars cultivated in a paddy field with somewhat poorly drained soil. The adzuki bean cultivars were cultivated in the paddy field from 2015 to 2016 in Milyang, Gyeongsangnam, Korea. Average soil moisture content was 16.5% in 2015 and 31.0% in 2016 at the experimental site during adzuki bean cultivation. As the soil moisture content increased, most of the adzuki bean cultivars showed deceases in stem height, first setting pod node, number of pods, 100 seed weight, and yield. Chungju-pat produced the greatest yields among the 11 cultivars in 2015 and 2016, whereas Hongeon had the smallest yields. Adzuki bean yields after paddy field cultivation was lower for all cultivars than for adzuki bean yields from the same cultivars after upland field cultivation. Chungju-pat and Chilbo-pat showed the smallest decreases in yields after paddy field cultivation, whereas Hongeon and Kumsil showed the greatest yield reductions. There were no significant differences in proximate composition. Some mineral components (P2O5, Ca, and Mg) were statistically different across cultivars. Chungju-pat had the highest Ca and Mg contents, but antioxidant components (polyphenol and flavonoids) and antioxidant activities (ABTS and DPPH) were highest in Saegil and lowest in Jungbu-pat. PCA and clustering analyses, based on the growth, yield, and antioxidant component measurements, performed to identify which variables contributed the most to separating adzuki bean cultivars or to grouping cultivars with similar characteristics. These analyses showed that the antioxidant components and antioxidant activities had the most influence on grouping cultivars together. Among the 11 cultivars, Saegil was statistically different from the other cultivars, but the other 10 cultivars were not significantly different under paddy field cultivation. Soil moisture content affected adzuki bean yield and antioxidant component contents. An increase in soil moisture led to a decrease in yield, but an increase in antioxidant components. These results provide information that will improve the selection of an appropriate adzuki bean cultivar for use in paddy fields.