Title:

Impact of short-term elevated temperature and CO2 on phytoestrogen concentrations in red clover

Legumes are a high quality forage; however, some species synthesize and accumulate phytoestrogens, secondary compounds that can impair animal reproductive performance when consumed in large quantities. Previous research indicates that phytoestrogens may play roles in mediating plant responses to stress, suggesting that phytoestrogen concentrations in phytoestrogenic forage legumes may be sensitive to stress factors associated with climate change. This study investigated the effects of elevated temperature (eT) and elevated CO2 (eCO2), alone and in combination, on phytoestrogen concentrations in two forage legume species, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp). Plants were grown in growth chambers under ambient conditions and then subjected to eT (35/26 °C, Day/Night) and eCO2 (750±50 ppm) for a period of ten days, after which time tissues were sampled to determine phytoestrogen concentrations. Results demonstrated that total phytoestrogen concentrations in red clover were decreased by 50% under eT, while concentrations of individual phytoestrogen compounds varied in their response to eCO2. In contrast, phytoestrogen concentrations in cowpea tissues remained below the level of detection in all treatments. Results of this study suggest that short-term increases in atmospheric temperature (i.e., heatwaves) associated with climate change may lead to a reduction in total phytoestrogen concentrations in red clover, and cowpea utilized as forage may not be a significant source of phytoestrogen exposure.

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