title: Mutation increasing β-carotene concentrations does not adversely affect concentrations of essential mineral elements in pepper fruit.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breeding, Variety Maintenance and Introduction, Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Nasya B
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0965-170X
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Tomlekova
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecological Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecological Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jacqueline A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Department of Breeding, Dobroudja Agricultural Institute, General Toshevo, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Emil A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Penchev
authors.affiliation: Joint FAO/IAEA Division, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nielen
mesh_terms: D002212:Capsicum / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D005638:Fruit / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D019207:beta Carotene