Comparative Assessment of Agronomic Performance, Chemical Composition and Sensory Acceptability of Selected Conventional and Underutilised Microgreens

The agronomic, nutritional and sensory potential of underutilised microgreens remains poorly characterised. We compared four commonly cultivated microgreens (broccoli, cress, radish and amaranth) with four underutilised species (evening primrose, ribwort plantain, red clover and purslane). We assessed yield, mineral composition, nit-rate, ascorbic acid, phenolics, flavonoids, DPPH antioxidant activity and sensory accepta-bility. Broccoli had the highest area-based yield (2.41 kg·m⁻²) and ascorbic acid concentra-tion. Purslane and evening primrose achieved the highest yields per gram of seed (45.1 and 44.4 g FW·g⁻¹ seed, respectively). Evening primrose had relatively high K, Mg and Ca concentrations on a fresh-weight basis, and the highest total phenolic content (3618 mg GAE·kg⁻¹ FW) and DPPH antioxidant activity (10,402 mg TE·kg⁻¹ FW), but required the longest cultivation period and received the lowest overall impression score. Plantain had the highest nitrate concentration, while all underutilised species had higher Pb concentra-tions than the mean of commonly cultivated species. In assessments by 54 untrained pa-nellists, radish ranked highest overall and red clover highest among underutilised spe-cies. Red clover also had relatively low estimated seed costs. These results demonstrate the value of integrating agronomic, nutritional, sensory and economic assessments.