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The effects of plant color, pericarp thickness, pigmented testa, and spreader genes on phenols and antioxidant activity levels of 13 sorghum genotypes were evaluated. Total phenols, condensed tannins, flavan-4-ols, and anthocyanins were measured. Antioxidant activity levels using the 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assays were evaluated. Sorghums with a pigmented testa and spreader genes (B(1)()B(2)()S) had the highest levels of phenols and antioxidant activity. In addition, sorghums with purple/red plants (PQ) and thick pericarp (z) genes had increased levels of phenols and antioxidant activity. Sorghums with a black pericarp had higher levels of flavan-4-ols and anthocyanins than the other varieties. This suggests that genes for plant color, pericarp thickness, presence of a pigmented testa, and spreader genes increase phenols and antioxidant activity levels. This information can be useful in the production of sorghums with increased phenols and antioxidant activity levels.
Dykes et al. (Mon,) studied this question.