Mutation increasing β-carotene concentrations does not adversely affect concentrations of essential mineral elements in pepper fruit

PLoS One. 2017 Feb 16;12(2):e0172180. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172180. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are prevalent in human populations throughout the world. Vitamin A deficiency affects hundreds of millions of pre-school age children in low income countries. Fruits of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) can be a major dietary source of precursors to Vitamin A biosynthesis, such as β-carotene. Recently, pepper breeding programs have introduced the orange-fruited (of) trait of the mutant variety Oranzheva kapiya, which is associated with high fruit β-carotene concentrations, to the mutant variety Albena. In this manuscript, concentrations of β-carotene and mineral elements (magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur, potassium, zinc, calcium, manganese, iron and copper) were compared in fruit from P31, a red-fruited genotype derived from the variety Albena, and M38, a genotype developed by transferring the orange-fruited mutation (of) into Albena. It was observed that fruit from M38 plants had greater β-carotene concentration at both commercial and botanical maturity (4.9 and 52.7 mg / kg fresh weight, respectively) than fruit from P31 plants (2.3 and 30.1 mg / kg fresh weight, respectively). The mutation producing high β-carotene concentrations in pepper fruits had no detrimental effect on the concentrations of mineral elements required for human nutrition.

MeSH terms

  • Capsicum / classification
  • Capsicum / genetics*
  • Capsicum / growth & development
  • Capsicum / metabolism*
  • Fruit / genetics*
  • Fruit / growth & development
  • Fruit / metabolism*
  • Minerals / metabolism*
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • beta Carotene / metabolism*

Substances

  • Minerals
  • beta Carotene

Grants and funding

This work was conducted in the IAEA Coordinated Research Project D23028 under the research contract CRP15406 (NBT, EAP, SN). This work was supported by the Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS) of the Scottish Government (PJW, JAT).