Seleção de híbridos de alface visando a obtenção de populações produtivas e biofortificadas para carotenoides

Abstract

The search for new technologies capable of providing benefits for healthy eating has been a worldwide goal. Foods rich in carotenoids can be key to preventing serious health problems. Combining foods high in carotenoids and accessible to the majority of the population is essential. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a suitable species to invest in biofortification research based on genetic improvement. The aim of this work was to select lettuce hybrids to obtain populations with agronomic potential and biofortified for carotenoids. Ten lettuce lines registered in the BG α BIOFORT software were used in the hybridizations. The definition of the direction of the crosses to obtain the hybrids involved two strains rich in at least one of the pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoids) and twenty-four experimental hybrids were obtained. A total of 37 genotypes (strains, hybrids and commercial cultivars) were evaluated in a randomized block design for agronomic parameters and chlorophyll and carotenoid content. The results showed that hybrids 12 (UFU-189#3#4#1 × UFU MC BIOFORT 2) and 25 (UFU66#4#2 × UFU-189#3#4#1) have the potential to produce dual-purpose populations (productivity and biofortified for carotenoids). Hybrid 27 (UFU66#4#2 × UFU MC BIOFORT1) displayed the best pigment balance. F2 hybrids 12, 25 and 27 are thus suggested to be obtained to produce new cultivars of biofortified red and green lettuce for the curly, American, mini and romaine lettuce segments.