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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #290566
Title: Genotypic variability in anthocyanins, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity among diverse waxy corn germplasm

Author
item HARAKOTR, BHOMCHAI - Khon Kaen University
item SURIHAM, BHALANG - Khon Kaen University
item Scott, Marvin
item LERTRAT, KAMOL - Khon Kaen University

Submitted to: Euphytica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/18/2014
Publication Date: 8/24/2014
Citation: Harakotr, B., Suriharn, B., Scott, M.P., Lertrat, K. 2014. Genotypic variability in anthocyanins, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity among diverse waxy corn germplasm. Euphytica. 203:237-248. DOI: 10.1007/s10681-014-1240-z.

Interpretive Summary: Antioxidants are chemicals that have been shown to have health benefits in foods. Because some pigments have antioxidant activity, there is growing interest in colored corn as a healthy food. In Thailand, waxy corn is consumed fresh in the same way we consume sweet corn in the US and colored varieties are available in markets. The objective of this work was to determine if relationships between levels of pigments, other antioxidants, and antioxidant activity exist in a set of purple waxy breeding germplasm from Thailand. Our results demonstrate clear relationships between pigment content and total antioxidant levels. These results will facilitate development of fresh corn varieties with increased antioxidant levels increasing the nutritional quality of our food supply.

Technical Abstract: Concentrations of anthocyanins, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in kernels of 20 waxy corn varieties were investigated at two maturation stages. Kernels with a purplish black waxy corn type (WX-08) contained the highest levels of anthocyanins, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of the genotypes tested. The level of anthocyanins increased throughout of development for each genotype of corn, in contrast to phenolic compounds. The antioxidant activity determined by scavenging 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) increased with ripening, the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays of some genotypes decreased.