LEVERAGING MOLECULAR RESOURCES FOR ENHANCING CARROT ANTHOCYANIN YIELD AND PERFORMANCE AS A NATURAL FOOD COLORANT

The goals of this project is to enable use of molecular tools to select new carrot cultivars that can maximize yield and stability of natural anthocyanin extracts, to use as natural colorants in the food industry and meet the increasing demand for healthy and sustainable food products.The objectives of this project are:Obj. 1. Dissect the genetic control of anthocyanin and other (poly)-phenols in carrot root;Obj. 2. Deliver molecular and phenotyping assays to enhance breeding for carrot cultivars targeting maximum yield and stability of natural anthocyanin extracts;Obj. 3. Evaluate the impact of external factors on content of anthocyanin and other (poly)-phenols in carrot root and on related genetic pathways;Obj. 4. Evaluate variation in traits relevant to ANT extraction efficiency and color stability.