Open Access

REVIEW

Flesh Color Diversity of Sweet Potato: An Overview of the Composition, Functions, Biosynthesis, and Gene Regulation of the Major Pigments

Hanna Amoanimaa-Dede, Chuntao Su, Akwasi Yeboah, Chunhua Chen, Shaoxia Yang, Hongbo Zhu^*, Miao Chen^*

Department of Biotechnology, College of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China

* Corresponding Authors: Hongbo Zhu. Email: ; Chen Miao. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Plant Secondary Metabolites: Recent Advances and Opportunities)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2020, 89(4), 805-833. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2020.011979

Received 08 June 2020; Accepted 31 July 2020; Issue published 09 November 2020

Abstract

Sweet potato is a multifunctional root crop and a source of food with many essential nutrients and bioactive compounds. Variations in the flesh color of the diverse sweet potato varieties are attributed to the different phytochemicals and natural pigments they produce. Among them, carotenoids and anthocyanins are the main pigments known for their antioxidant properties which provide a host of health benefits, hence, regarded as a major component of the human diet. In this review, we provide an overview of the major pigments in sweet potato with much emphasis on their biosynthesis, functions, and regulatory control. Moreover, current findings on the molecular mechanisms underlying the biosynthesis and accumulation of carotenoids and anthocyanins in sweet potato are discussed. Insights into the composition, biosynthesis, and regulatory control of these major pigments will further advance the biofortification of sweet potato and provide a reference for breeding carotenoid- and anthocyanin-rich varieties.

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