Impact of Sprouting under Potassium Nitrate Priming on Nitrogen Assimilation and Bioactivity of Three Medicago Species

Edible sprouts are rich in flavonoids and other polyphenols, as well as proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Increasing sprout consumption necessitates improving their quality, palatability, and bioactivity. The purpose of this study was to test how KNO(3) priming affects the sprouting process species on three Medicago species (Medicago indicus, Medicago interexta, and Medicago polymorpha) and their nutritional values. Targeted species of Medicago were primed with KNO(3), and the levels of different primary and secondary metabolites were determined. KNO(3) induced biomass accumulation in the sprouts of the three species, accompanied by an increased content of total mineral nutrients, pigments, vitamins, and essential amino acids. Besides, our results showed that KNO(3) enhanced the activity of nitrate reductase (NR), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and glutamine synthetase (GS) enzymes, which are involved in the nitrogen metabolism and GOGAT cycle, which, in turn, increase the nitrogen and protein production. KNO(3) treatment improved the bioactive compound activities of Medicago sprouts by increasing total phenolic and flavonoid contents and enhancing the antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. Furthermore, species-specific responses toward KNO(3) priming were noticeable, where Medicago interexta showed the highest antioxidant and antidiabetic activities, followed by Medicago polymorpha. Overall, this study sheds the light on the physiological and biochemical bases of growth, metabolism, and tissue quality improvement impact of KNO(3) on Medicago sprouts.