Vol. 12, Issue 6 (2023)

Author(s):
Manisha, Padmini K, V Keshav Rao and Dhananajaya MV

Abstract:
Carotenoids play an important physiological role in human nutrition by acting as pro-vitamin A (vitamin A precursors). Carrots are the abundant source of provitamin A carotene in the human diet. Carrot varieties grown in India are poor in carotenoids, which needs further improvement for nutritional qualities. Forty-eight diverse accessions of tropical carrot (Daucus carota L.) were evaluated for carotenoid content at the Vegetable Research Block VIII of Division of Vegetable Crops, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru during season 2018-2019.Carrot varieties grown in India are poor in carotenoids, which needs further improvement for nutritional qualities. The carotenoid content(mg/100g) was estimated using by spectrophotometer method. Acc-156, Acc-196, Acc-196A and Acc-56 (16.93, 16.93, 16.93 and 16.4 mg/100g) recorded highest and significant carotenoid content. Hence these accessions be utilized in quality breeding program as a carotenoid source in carrot under tropical conditions.