Screening of beta carotene and its correlation with tuber flesh color in sweet potato

Wide range of morphological variation in terms of tuber flesh color in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) varieties or accessions was found in IAARD-ICABIOGRAD Gene Bank collection. The difference in tuber flesh color was mainly attributed to pigmentation. It is known that carotenoids pigment is synthesized in plant organs, including in sweet potato root or tuber. Beta carotene is one of important carotenoid which antioxidant properties are important in human health and nutrition. This study aims to investigate beta carotene content in sweet potato tubers from different accessions and origins. Beta carotene was determined and analyzed with UV-VIS spectrophotometry and two step cluster analysis was applied to group accessions with beta carotene content based on tuber flesh color. Among 40 accessions tested, sweet potato accessions from Garut (West Java), Papua, USA, and Solok (West Sumatera) showed high beta carotene content of 71.3 ppm, 55.5 ppm, 54.8 ppm, and 50.5 ppm, respectively. No significant effect was found between total beta carotenoid content and tuber flesh main color in this study. Result of this study would benefit to provide information in physicochemical characters of some sweet potato accessions.