Abstract

Mustard sprouts are rich in bioactive compounds and have significant nutritional effects. This experiment investigated the effects of melatonin and sucrose separately and in combination on mustard sprout growth, antioxidant capacity, and nutritional value. The results indicated that melatonin successfully mitigated the reduction of chlorophyll and carotenoids content in mustard sprouts induced by sucrose and mannitol. Sucrose significantly promoted the growth of mustard sprouts, with plant height and fresh weight increasing by 53.22 % and 22.31 %, respectively, compared to the control. In contrast, mannitol treatment did not significantly enhance mustard sprout growth. Both sucrose and mannitol treatments increased the accumulation of ascorbic acid, total phenolics, glucosinolates, and antioxidant capacity, with sucrose showing a more pronounced effect. Moreover, the combined treatment of sucrose and melatonin further stimulated sprout growth and increased the contents of soluble protein, soluble sugar, ascorbic acid, total phenolics, glucosinolates, and antioxidant capacity. Notably, the total glucosinolates content increased by 42.25 % compared to the control. In summary, the combination of sucrose and melatonin can significantly improve the yield and nutritional quality of mustard sprouts, which provides an effective strategy for improving the production of high-quality mustard sprouts. © 2025 Elsevier Inc.