Flavonoid composition of lemon-yellow sorghum genotypes

Flavonoid composition of lemon-yellow sorghums grown in two locations in Texas, USA was evaluated and compared with that of white and red sorghums using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-PDA). Sorghums from Lubbock were brighter in colour and had minimal weathering compared to those from College Station. Sorghums with red/purple secondary plant colour had the highest levels of 3-deoxyanthocyanidins (8-187 mu g/g) and their levels were highest in grains from College Station (39-187 mu g/g). Pericarp colour did not have any effect on 3-deoxyanthocyanidin levels (p > 0.05). The tan plant lemon-yellow sorghum Tx2953 had the highest levels of flavones (268-362 mu g/g). Among the genotypes, lemon-yellow sorghums had the highest levels of flavanones (134-1780 mu g/g), which are located in the pericarp and their levels were increased in the grains with a bright yellow pericarp and minimal weathering. The high flavanone levels in lemon-yellow sorghums makes this sorghum genotype a good source of those compounds. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.