Analysis of Carotenoids in Fruit of Different Apricot Accessions Reveals Large Variability and Highlights Apricot As a Rich Source of Phytoene and Phytofluene

Introduction - Carotenoids are tetraterpene pigments which have a major impact on fruit color and nutritional value. Very little is known about the carotenoids' profile and the extent of its variation within different apricot (Prunus armeniaca) accessions. Materials and methods - We analyzed carotenoid content and composition, as well as color criteria, of fruit from 113 different apricot accessions from the Newe Ya'ar germplasm collection in Israel. Results and discussion - Apricot fruit contains a unique profile of carotenoids consisting mainly of beta-carotene, phytoene and phytofluene, and small amounts of other intermediates of the biosynthesis pathway, including cis-lycopene. The different accessions show great variability in total carotenoid content (5-95 mu g g(-1) fresh weight) as well as in carotenoid composition. The percentage of beta-carotene, phytoene and phytofluene varies between 2 to 67%, 6 to 59% and 12 to 44% respectively. Conclusion - Our findings highlight apricot as one of the richest natural sources of the colorless carotenoids phytoene and phytofluene, whose health benefits were recently noted. The distinctive carotenoid profile alongside the high diversity in fruit carotenoid composition and content among apricot varieties can assist future breeding programs and may help in understanding the factors contributing to color and nutritional traits of apricot fruit.