Evaluation of Daucus genetic resources as a source of health promoting compounds

• Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Reinhold Carle; Professor Dr. Hartwig Schulz
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Pflanzenbau, Pflanzenernährung, Agrartechnik
• Förderung: Förderung von 2008 bis 2011
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 59061451

The aim of the cooperation project is to evaluate the genetic variability of carrots with respect to their profile of valuable compounds and their health-beneficial potential and to promote these properties in field experiments. For this purpose, carrot genotypes for food consumption adapted to cultivation conditions in Europe with various root colours and high amounts of putative healt-beneficial compounds (carotene, lutein, lycopene, anthocyanins, volatile compounds) will be selected by the project partners in Krakow and Quedlinburg. On the other hand, genotypes (especially wild Daucus species), which accumulate bitter polyacetylenes, will be assessed in terms of their potential as a raw material for the production of phytopharmaceuticals, since the latter components may be particularly helpful in the prevention of cancer. In the proposed project, methods for the adsorptive recovery of these pharmacologically active compounds will be developed using lipophilic styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers or acrylic resins. These processes may also be applied for the debittering of carrot-derived products, such as juice and purée, by adsorptive binding of the bitter principles, thus minimising economic losses for the carrot processors. All partners have expertise in instrumental analysis and profound experience in plant breeding, respectively, which is required for a successful project management.

• DFG-Verfahren: Sachbeihilfen
• Beteiligte Personen: Dr. Dietmar Rolf Kammerer; Dr. Thomas Nothnagel