Celery is appreciated for its nutritional value. “Commercial maturity” is established by the size of the plant; however, the antioxidant content has an effect on the nutritional quality and should be considered when defining the time of harvest. The objective was to characterize the antioxidant compounds present in celery stalks in three zones (outer, middle and inner) at different stages of development, to recommend the harvest-time that maximizes nutritional quality. Ascorbic acid (AA) and total phenolic compounds, such as browning potential (PP) and quinones (QT) were meassured. The AA and PP decreased with ripening, following a linear trend in all three areas. The AA and PP were higher in the inner zone, while higher QT was observed in the inner and outer zones, remaining constant with ripening. From a nutritional standpoint, the inner zone is rich in antioxidants, but more prone to damage by changes in color. Zonification could affect the taste, astringency and hardness of each zone, considering the elaboration of minimally processed stalks. Celery plants should be harvested before week 3 (94 days post-transplant) to maintain the nutritional value but considering the potential increase in browning.

Ocimum selloi Benth. -“field anise”, “aniseed basil” or “paregoric elixir”- is an annual herbaceous plant, belonging to the family Lamiaceae, native from Brazil; in Argentina grows in Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Misiones, Santa Fe, Jujuy and Salta. It has great popular use as antidiarrheal, antispasmodic and antiinflammatory. This species is not cultivated on a commercial scale; actually it is found only as a wild plant or in home gardens, although the interest in its domestication, as in other plants of the genus Ocimum has grown in the last years. This study was conducted in order to establish nutritional parameters of this species and to understand the dynamic of nutrients in the different seasons of the year for the agro-ecological zone of Corrientes, Argentina. Nitrogen, phosphorus and copper tend to be higher in the spring and summer, when the plant has a higher metabolic activity and decrease in autumn and winter. Foliar potassium concentration is constant throughout the year. Mean concentration of sulfur and iron tend to be higher in winter and manganese in autmn. Zinc accumulates in lower concentrations in leaves during the spring.