The content and characteristics of the accumulation of carotenoids in the grain of modern corn hybrids

Abstract

The studies were carried out in 2018–2019 in the Belgorod region to identify hybrids and parental forms of corn with increased content of carotenoids in the grain. The material for the study was 4 domestic hybrids, 3 hybrids of the selection of Maizadur, 2 - Syngenta, 1 - Monsanto, 1 - Woodstock, standard - Belkorn 250 MB, as well as 4 parental components of the Decent SV hybrid. During the experiment, agricultural practices traditional for the region were used. The harvesting of the registration plots was carried out manually, considering the weight of the cobs and the harvesting moisture content of the grain. The content of carotenoids in grain was determined according to the developed method in terms of lutein. In 2018, a preliminary screening of a sample of hybrids was carried out. All studied hybrids, except for GIS 1 and GIS 3, surpassed the Belkorn 250 SV standard. The concentration of carotenoids in two domestic hybrids Resource SV (18.4 mg/kg) and Decent SV (19.8 mg/kg) surpassed the hybrids of the Maizadur selection by 35.9 and 40.4% of the Syngenta selection by 8.7 and 15, 2%, Monsanto - by 26.6 and 31.8%, Woodstock - by 8.2 and 14.6%, respectively. On average, over two years, the highest content of carotenoids in grain and their harvest per unit area was observed for the corn hybrid Decent DM (21.8 mg/kg and 169.4 g / ha, respectively), in which the values of these indicators exceeded the Belkorn 250 MV standard in 2 times. Among the parental components, the self-pollinated lines EM 10 3C (26.6 mg/kg) and SB 5-1 SV (29.7 mg/kg) were characterized by a high concentration of carotenoids - the parental components of the Decent SV hybrid.