Articles
Elevated zeaxanthin accumulation in fruit and leaf tissues of orange capsicum: can the leaf be used as a phenotypic marker for selection of high-zeaxanthin fruit?
Article number
1407_7
Pages
51 – 56
Language
English
Abstract
Orange capsicums (Capsicum annuum) are an excellent dietary source of zeaxanthin, a dietary carotenoid linked to slowing the progression of age-related macular degeneration.
As zeaxanthin and violaxanthin are inter-convertible in leaves via the xanthophyll cycle, it was hypothesised that high-zeaxanthin varieties of orange capsicum may also have elevated levels of zeaxanthin in their leaves.
If this were the case, then this could provide a potential phenotypic marker for use in selective breeding at the early seedling stage.
In the current study, zeaxanthin profiles of leaves and fruits from seven orange, one dark-orange, and three red varieties were investigated using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode-array detection and mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-MS). Of the seven orange varieties, one was high in zeaxanthin in both leaves and fruit (8.46 and 26.96 mg 100 g‑1 FW, respectively), recording 2-4 times more zeaxanthin than the remaining orange varieties.
Interestingly, one of the orange varieties had a relatively low zeaxanthin concentration in leaves (0.72 mg 100 g‑1 FW), despite the fruit having a high zeaxanthin concentration of 13.52 mg 100 g‑1 FW. In contrast, all red varieties consistently produced a low concentration of zeaxanthin in both fruit and leaves (0.6 and 0.24 mg 100 g‑1 FW, respectively). Unlike the orange varieties, the dark-orange variety had low zeaxanthin concentrations in both fruits and leaves (0.23 and 0.22 mg 100 g‑1 FW, respectively), with concentrations more similar to the red varieties.
From the present study, it can be concluded that leaves could be used to differentiate between orange and red/dark orange segregants at the seedling stage, but it cannot be used as a phenotypic marker for identifying high zeaxanthin-fruit producing lines within orange segregants.
As zeaxanthin and violaxanthin are inter-convertible in leaves via the xanthophyll cycle, it was hypothesised that high-zeaxanthin varieties of orange capsicum may also have elevated levels of zeaxanthin in their leaves.
If this were the case, then this could provide a potential phenotypic marker for use in selective breeding at the early seedling stage.
In the current study, zeaxanthin profiles of leaves and fruits from seven orange, one dark-orange, and three red varieties were investigated using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode-array detection and mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-MS). Of the seven orange varieties, one was high in zeaxanthin in both leaves and fruit (8.46 and 26.96 mg 100 g‑1 FW, respectively), recording 2-4 times more zeaxanthin than the remaining orange varieties.
Interestingly, one of the orange varieties had a relatively low zeaxanthin concentration in leaves (0.72 mg 100 g‑1 FW), despite the fruit having a high zeaxanthin concentration of 13.52 mg 100 g‑1 FW. In contrast, all red varieties consistently produced a low concentration of zeaxanthin in both fruit and leaves (0.6 and 0.24 mg 100 g‑1 FW, respectively). Unlike the orange varieties, the dark-orange variety had low zeaxanthin concentrations in both fruits and leaves (0.23 and 0.22 mg 100 g‑1 FW, respectively), with concentrations more similar to the red varieties.
From the present study, it can be concluded that leaves could be used to differentiate between orange and red/dark orange segregants at the seedling stage, but it cannot be used as a phenotypic marker for identifying high zeaxanthin-fruit producing lines within orange segregants.
Authors
R. Agarwal, H.T. Hong, A. Hayward, S. Harper, T.J. OHare
Keywords
carotenoids, UHPLC-DAD-MS, selective breeding, phenotypic marker, dietary sources
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