Anthocyanin Composition and Concentration In the Pericarp of Litchi chinensis Sonn

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is one of the important subtropical fruit crops in China, which has diverse varieties with different fruit colors. Red color on litchi fruit is the expression of anthocyanins. Anthocyanin-accumulating fruit often display a range of intermediary colors from green to pink, then red or blue and finally purple to black with increasing anthocyanin and decreasing chlorophyll levels. In the present study, the composition and concentration of anthocyanins were surveyed by high performance liquid chromatograpy and pH-differential spectrum method for assessing genotypic variation in the pericarp of sixty litchis, including early, mid and late season varieties. Anthocyanin concentration ranged from none to 1170 mg m^-2 in the pericarp of litchi. Cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside were identified as the dominant anthocyanins in red litchi varieties. The concentrations of anthocyanins in the pericarp of litchi were codetermined by genetical background and environmental factors, while the relative levels of individual anthocyanins were determined only by genetical background. Consistent relative levels of individual anthocyanins were detected in the pericarp of same cultivar from different production year, area and pigmentation manipulative treatments. Cyanidin-3-rutinoside was the most abundant anthocyanins in the majority of varieties tested. The relative peak area of cyanidin-3-rutinoside was >90% and 80% in late season and mid season varieties respectively. In early season varieties, however, cyanidin-3-glucoside was the predominant anthocyanins, which had more than 60% relative peak area.