Genetic Variability in Carotenoid Contents in a Panel of Genebank Accessions of Temperate Maize from Southeast Europe

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Domagoj Šimić
• Author: Vlatko Galić
• Author: Antun Jambrović
• Author: Tatjana Ledenčan
• Author: Kristina Kljak
• Author: Ivica Buhiniček
• Author: Hrvoje Šarčević
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Agriculture
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOTECHNICAL SCIENCES; Agronomy; Genetics and Breeding of Plants, Animals and Microorganisms

Abstract (english)

Carotenoids are an abundant group of lipid-soluble antioxidants in maize kernels. Maize is a key target crop for carotenoid biofortification focused on using conventional plant breeding in native germplasm of temperate areas traced back partially to traditional cultivars (landraces). In this study, the objectives were to determine the variability of lutein (LUT), zeaxanthin (ZEA), α-cryptoxanthin (αCX), β-cryptoxanthin (βCX), α-carotene (αC), and β-carotene (βC) contents in the grain of 88... More accessions of temperate maize from the Croatian genebank, and to evaluate the relationships among the contents of different carotenoids as well as the relationships between kernel color and hardness and carotenoid content. Highly significant variability among the 88 accessions was detected for all carotenoids. On average, the most abundant carotenoid was LUT with 13.2 μg g−1 followed by ZEA with 6.8 μg g−1 dry matter. A Principal Component Analysis revealed a clear distinction between α- (LUT, αCX, and αC) and β-branch (ZEA; βCX, and βC) carotenoids. β-branch carotenoids were positively correlated with kernel color, and weakly positively associated with kernel hardness. Our results suggest that some genebank accessions with a certain percentage of native germplasm may be a good source of carotenoid biofortification in Southeast Europe. However, due to the lack of association between LUT and ZEA, the breeding process could be cumbersome. Less

• Keywords (english): breeding; carotenoids; genebank; maize; Southeast Europe
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Plants
• Numbering: vol. 12, no. 19, 3453
• e-ISSN: 2223-7747
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193453
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:204:445178
• Publication: 2023-09-30
• Document URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/19/3453
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2025-03-10 12:38:32