Variations in Antioxidant Activity in Carrot (Daucus carota L.) Genotypes

The present investigation was aimed to find out bioactive compounds in eleven cultivars of carrot grown under North Indian conditions. The cultivars showed significant differences in ascorbic acid, carotenoids, phenols and antioxidant activity. Free phenolics ranged from 5.21 to 7.35 mg/100 g fresh weight and on an average constituted 2 fold of total extractable phenolics after subjected to acidic hydrolysis. Cultivar Bhavalpur local had the highest ascorbic acid content, whereas Pusa Kesar had the highest β-carotene content. Total antioxidant activity as determined by ferric reducing antioxidant power ranged from 11.79 to 42.22 mmol FRAP/g fresh weight in HC-8 and Selection-14, respectively. Free radical scavenging activity as estimated by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl, ranged from 52 to 76%. There was strong positive correlation between free phenolics and antioxidant activity. Results indicate that both cultivars and year affect the bioactive composition in carrot.