ORANGE FLESH TRAIT IN POTATO - INHERITANCE AND CAROTENOID CONTENT

Potatoes with orange flesh were found in cultivated diploid (2n = 24) potato populations derived from Solanum stenotomum Juz. et Buk. and S. phureja Juz. et Buk. The orange flesh trait was found to be controlled by an allele at the Y-locus designated Or. Oris dominant over Y and y, which control yellow and white flesh, respectively. In a comparison of white and orange flesh segregants from crosses, the orange was associated with large amounts of zeaxanthin, a xanthophyll previously not reported as a constituent of potato flesh carotenoids. The combined total of lutein and zeaxanthin was four times higher than the highest carotenoid composition previously reported for potato, this is about one-sixth the total carotenoid content of carrot with standard carotenoid levels, although lutein and zeaxanthin do not possess provitamin A activity.