Breeding studies in potatoes containing high concentrations of anthocyanins

Studies of the breeding behavior of clones containing high levels of anthocyanins were conducted. Red-fleshed clones appeared in proportions suggesting multigenic control of degree of pigmentation. Red-fleshed and purple-fleshed clones were always accompanied by red and purple skin, respectively. Red flesh ranged from partial pigmentation to complete pigmentation represented by pigment present in all tuber tissues. Percentage of completely red-fleshed progeny was 14.5% and 4.1% in red x red crosses vs red x white (or the reciprocal), respectively. Purple-fleshed progeny were obtained from red x white crosses where the white-fleshed parent harbored the P pigment gene in juxtaposition with the multiplex recessive state of the I gene (i.e., iiii), which suppressed expression. Total anthocyanin ranged from 6.9 to 35 mg per 100 g fresh weight in the red-fleshed and 5.5 to 17.1 in the purple-fleshed clones. Red-fleshed clones contained predominantly acylated glycosides of pelargonidin while the purple-fleshed clones contained predominantly acylated glycosides of petunidin and peonidin. Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity and Ferrous Reducing Ability of Plasma revealed that the antioxidant levels in the red or purple-fleshed potatoes were two to three times higher than white-fleshed potato.