Effect of exogenous abscisic acid applications on anthocyanin concentration in purple carrots

MALOVINI, E.; CAVAGNARO, P. F.

Villa de Merlo

Congreso; XXXV Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2017

Anthocyanins are among the most abundant natural pigments in the plant kingdom. The consumption of these pigments is associated with health-promoting effects, due to their antioxidant and anticancer properties. Purple carrots accumulate anthocyanins in their roots, exhibiting a broad range of pigment concentration, depending mainly on the genotype and growing conditions. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) modulates multiple physiological and biochemical processes of plants. In some species,exogenous application of ABA increased anthocyanin concentration and composition in fruits and leaves. The effect of exogenous ABA on the pigment content in underground organs of the plant has not been evaluated. In this study, we examined the effect of ABA -applied exogenously to the plant foliage- on root anthocyanin content in four carrot cultivars. ABA sprays using four different concentrations [0 (control), 100, 200, and 300 ppm) were applied every 10 days, beginning 65 days after plant emergence. Total anthocyanin content was estimated in the root phloem and xylem, independently, by spectrophotometry. Preliminary results revealed genotype-dependent and tissue-specific increase in anthocyanin concentration for the highest ABA doses applied (200-300 ppm). At these doses, cultivar Ping Ding exhibited a significant (p