Phaseolus vulgaris is a widely spread crop, available in many genotypes and landraces, adapted to different environments. In Italy this crop is traditionally linked to typical locally grown vegetables, and to its recognized potential to improve consumers diet quality and long term health. Two bean lines, Gialet (G) and Lingua di fuoco (LDF), were grown in 2 locations, Lonigo (L1) and Feltre (L2), with contrasting altitude (30 m a.s.l. L1, and 351 m a.s.l. L2).
Seed hydration capacity, total antioxidant capacity and total phenols were found higher in L2 than in L1, whereas electric conductivity, total soluble solids, titratable acidity were higher in L1. Among oligosaccharides, stachyose, raffinose and sucrose prevailed in the plain environment (L1), verbascose was unaffected. Essential amino acid such as valine, phenylalanine and isoleucine content was higher in L2, whereas methionine and lysine co in L1. For non-essential amino acids, L2 seeds were richer of serine, arginine, tyrosine, cysteine and proline, and G always presented higher values than LDF. Concerning ion content, only the concentration of NO3− and NH4+ was not affected by environments. The higher concentration of Cl−, NO3− and SO42- was found in G genotype, whereas the higher amount of K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ was recorded in LDF.
The higher altitude cultivation promotes the content of antioxidants, total phenols, amino acids, mineral compounds and the oligosaccharides reduction. LDF showed a higher antioxidant capacity and total phenols, whereas G displayed higher concentration of amino acids, thus nutritionally more interesting.
