Determination of carotenoids and lycopene content of dog-rose (Rosa canina L.) fruit in different regions of Iran

Dog-rose fruit has valuable secondary metabolites such as carotenoids. This research was aimed to determine the carotenoids and lycopene content of dog-rose (Rosa canina L.) fruit in different habitats and awareness of the diversity of these compounds. For this purpose, the fruits were collected from 60 regions of the country during 2010-2012. Carotenoids and lycopene content were measured by spectrophotometer at wavelengths of 450 and 503 nm. Total carotenoids varied from 0.195 to 1.097 ma/g Fw. The highest and lowest total carotenoids were obtained from IR34 and IR9 accessions, respectively. Lycopene ranged between 0.029-0.32 mg/g FW and the highest and lowest lycopene was obtained from IR45 and IR9 accessions, respectively. Carotenoids and lycopene content showed significant differences in the studied regions (p < 0.05). According to the results of correlation, a significant positive correlation was found between total carotenoids and lycopene (r=0.726). In our study, the studied accessions were classified into three different clusters (C1-C3). Results from this study could be used in the future breeding program of dog-rose.