ABSTRACT

Yellow flesh watermelon a newly introduced cash crop gaining a high level of economic importance in the generation of income as the exterior doesn’t look any different than red variety of watermelon. But these are the hybrids of different varieties of melon but not genetically modified products. The flesh colors in watermelon are due to the intrinsic regulatory mechanisms of carotenoid metabolic pathway leading to accumulation of specific major carotenoids. Lcyb, Chyb genes are responsible for breakdown of lycopene to β carotene and zeaxanthin. Therefore, the colour in yellow fleshed watermelon may be mainly attributed to β carotenoids and xanthophylls.

Keywords: Carotenoids, genetically modified products, hybrids, xanthophylls, yellow flesh watermelon