Anthocyanin Pigments of Wild Rices

Abstract

Chrysanthemin, karacyanin and cyanin occurred variously in the colored vegetative organs in Oryza glaberrima, O. perennis, O. granulata, O. officinalis, O. cubensis and O. sativa var. spautanea (with exceptions). Chrysanthermin and keracyanin occurred in O. sativd, O. minuta. O. eichingeri and O. formosana. Keracyanin alone was found in O. latifolia. Co-occurrence of chrysanthemin and keracyanin in a single colored part was most frequent in the wild species, and that of chrysanthemin, keracyanin and cyanidin in the colored Japanese varieties examined. Cyanin was found to occur frequently in the wild species but not in the colored Japanese varieties. Co-occurrence of free aglycone was frequently observed in the colored Japanese varieties but almost entirely absent in the wild species. A discussion was given on the evidences that in the known genomes in Oryza. AA, CC, BBCC, CCDD, and EE are invariably equipped with the genic system of anthocyanin synthesis to yield the color at particular parts in the plant.