Vitamin C, B5, and B6 contents of segregating potato populations detected by GC-MS: A method facilitating breeding potatoes with improved vitamin content

Vitamin C, B5, and B6 contents of potato tubers were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Two diploid potato populations derived from two different crosses were analyzed. Plants were grown at two locations under different environmental conditions. Measurements of vitamin content of tubers showed high variation in both populations. A weak correlation was found between the vitamin concentrations of tubers harvested at the two locations. Correlations between the mean values of vitamins in field-grown tubers and in different tissues derived from in vitro or greenhouse-grown potato plants were also determined. A very high correlation between the vitamin content of field- and greenhouse-grown tubers, and between field-grown tubers and sink leaves of greenhouse-grown plants was detected. This finding can facilitate breeding by preselection of individuals with improved vitamin content under greenhouse conditions at their early developmental stage.