Carotenoids are 40 carbon isoprenoids pigment molecules, indispensable for plant life. They play essential roles in photosynthesis, and they serve as precursors to the plant hormones abscisic acid (ABA) and strigolactones. In addition, these compounds furnish many flowers and fruit with attractive yellow, orange and red colors. Carotenoids are important in human health since they serve as pro-vitamin A and are antioxidants with protective activity against various illnesses. Vegetables and fruits are a natural source of carotenoids, and apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) has the potential to serve as a particularly rich source. Carotenoid biosynthesis in plants is well characterized thanks to extensive research in model plants such as tomato and Arabidopsis. However, little is known in regards to apricot. To better understand the factors that determine carotenoid profile in apricot fruit, we characterized the carotenoids composition and content of fruits from more than one hundred apricot cultivars and lines. We present the result of a HPLC analysis, showing a great variability within the different cultivars, in both carotenoid content and composition. Based on the carotenoid phenotype, we suggest candidate genes to explain the phenotypic diversity. The data obtained will be used to facilitate research on the genetic factors controlling carotenoid biosynthesis in apricot.
