Carotenoids Variability of Potato Tubers in Relation to Genotype, Growing Location and Year

In this study, three cultivars of potato and seven tetraploid breeding lines with different flesh colour were cultivated for three years at four locations in Poland. The objectives of this study were to quantify the levels of total (TC) and individual carotenoids (IC) and to determine the influence of genotype, farming system, growing location, years, and environment on the contents of these components. The aim of this study was also to identify genotypes with stable level of TC and IC. The mean total carotenoids content of tubers ranged between 5.57 and 20.20 mg kg−1 FW and was influenced by location, year, genotype, and their interactions. Mean values of lutein ranged from 2.92 to 6.66 mg kg−1 FW and zeaxanthin from 1.44 to 3.05 mg kg−1 FW. The most stable level of total carotenoids content was observed in tubers of breeding line TG-97-403. The most unstable level was found in tubers of cv. Jelly. The ranking of other genotypes depended on the used method. The presented study showed that the contents of carotenoids in potato tubers are significantly affected by environmental factors that cannot be controlled, because these are usually related to the year of cultivation.