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Inheritance and Identification of a Carotenoid Pigment in Orange Alfalfa Roots 1
Author(s) -
Brick M. A.,
Barnes D. K.,
Vance C. P.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1981.0011183x002100050029x
Subject(s) - orange (colour) , biology , pigment , carotenoid , botany , horticulture , chemistry , organic chemistry
An alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) plant with orange root tissue was observed while evaluating for root disease resistance. The mode of inheritance and chemical nature of the orange color was investigated. Crosses were made between the orange‐rooted plant and a normal white‐rooted plant to produce S 1 , F 1 , F 2 , and backcross generations. Chemical analysis of the orange root pigment was conducted to determine its character and concentration. Genetic studies revealed that the orange root color was controlled by a single recessive gene (or) with tetrasomic inheritance. The orange root phenotype was expressed only in the nulliplex condition. Chemical analysis indicated that the pigment which conditioned the orange root color was poly‐cis‐lycopene. The orange‐rooted genotype contained 107 ÷Mg/g fresh weight of the pigment in the root while the white‐rooted genotype contained only a trace of total carotenoids In the root. The carotenoid types and concentrations in the foliage were similar for both white and orange‐rooted phenotypes.