Change of Total Carotenoid Contents and Antioxidant Activities of Yellow Waxy Corns (Zea mays L.) Depending on Harvest Time

This study was conducted to compare changes of total carotenoid contents and antioxidant activities in yellow waxy corns (Zea mays L.) depending on harvest time. The total carotenoid contents of yellow waxy inbred lines and hybrids increased from 19 days and then the highest content of total carotenoid contents was observed at 25 to 27 days after pollination. Thereafter, there was little change in total carotenoid contents. According to analysis total content of carotenoids on 23 days after pollination, which was the period of harvesting waxy corn, KY2 was the highest as 15.4 μg/g in inbred lines and KY2/KY39 was the hightest as 11.2 μg/g in hybrids, respectively. The total carotenoid contents of each hybrid were higher than mean that of their parent lines except for some hybrids. The total carotenoid contents of KY27/KY37 were significantly higher than those of their parental lines. Antioxidant activity of yellow waxy corn showed a tendency to increase after decrease depending on delaying harvesting time. Antioxidant activities of hybrids were higher than that of inbred lines. As a result of correlation analysis between total carotenoid contents and antioxidant activity, correlation coefficient of inbred lines and hybrids was as low as -0.12 and -0.13, respectively. When the harvest time was delayed, the lightness of yellow waxy corn decreased but the redness and yellowness increased. As a result of correlation analysis between Hunter’s Lab value and total carotenoid contents, correlation coefficient of lightness, redness and yellowness were -0.22, 0.67, 0.53, respectively.