Seroczyńska A., Korzeniewska A., Sztangret-Wiśniewska J., Niemirowicz-Szczytt K., Gajewski M.

The aim of this study was to find relationship between colour parameters of winter squash flower or fruit flesh and carotenoids content in these parts of a plant. In 2000-2004 767 plants of different fruit flesh and flower colour were investigated. Total carotenoids and ß-carotene content in flowers and fruits were analyzed and flower and fruit flesh colour were measured in CIE system. For prediction carotenoids and ß-carotene content, regression models were calculated, using L*, a*, b* parameters and chroma. Total carotenoids and ß-carotene content in flowers showed the strongest correlation with a* parameter and the exponential or linear models were best fitted for this relationship. For total carotenoids or ß-carotene content in fruits and fruit flesh colour weaker relationship was found out, and this relationship was stronger for lower values of b* than for higher ones. Multiple linear regression models including L*, a* and b* were also calculated. Flower colour was strongly correlated with carotenoids content in flowers and weakly correlated with carotenoids content in fruits, which suggest that regulation of carotenoids biosynthesis in flowers and fruits is independent.

Key words: b-carotene, chemical composition, colour parameters, cucurbits, plant breeding