Role of Color and Pigments in Breeding, Genetics, and Nutritional Improvement of Carrots

TL;DRAbstract

The color of carrots was an important attribute during its domestication as a root crop. Modern carrot researchers continue to study color, and carrot genetic stocks have been developed with not only orange, but also distinctive dark orange, red, yellow and purple color. Genes for 22 carotenoid biosynthetic enzymes have been mapped and cloned, and the a- and ß-carotene in typical orange and dark orange carrots, lycopene in red carrots, lutein in yellow carrots, and anthocyanins in purple carrots have been demonstrated to be bioavailable. The function of carrot color genes largely remains unknown and the sources of wide variation in pigment absorption are unexplained, but carrot has been demonstrated to be a sustainable source of dietary provitamin A and other phytonutrients of interest for researchers and consumers.

Chat with Paper

AI Agents for this Paper