Carotenoids in green corn grains after post-emergence herbicide application

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the efect of post-emergence herbicide application on carotenoid content in green corn grains. A completely randomized design was used, with five treatments – no application; foramsulfuron + iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium (40 g ha^-1); nicosulfuron (20 g ha^-1); mesotrione (120 g ha^-1) and tembotrione (100 g ha^-1) –, and two replicates. The grains were evaluated in terms of lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, pro-vitamin A carotenoids, total carotenoid contents, and percentage of lutein, zeaxanthin and pro-vitamin A carotenoids. Tembotrione and nicosulfuron herbicides did not cause deleterious effects on total carotenoids or fractions with pro-vitamin A activity.