ACCUMULATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FREE FOLIC-ACID CONTENT IN RED BEET (BETA-VULGARIS L)

Among vegetable plants, red beet contains a relatively high level of t he B vitamin folic acid. Although many leafy green vegetables contain high levels of folic acid, red beet is consumed primarily as a root ve getable. Folic acid levels have been quantified in various vegetable p lants, but little information exists regarding the accumulation and di stribution of this vitamin in plant tissues. The objective of this stu dy was to characterize free folic acid content (FFAC) in shoot and roo t tissue during growth of two red beet inbreds. Experiments were condu cted in a greenhouse during 1993, 1994 and 1995. Two inbreds, W384 and W357, were planted in randomized complete blocks and shoot and root t issues were separately harvested at 60, 80, and 100 days after plantin g (DAP). Significant differences between years, tissue portions, and a mong harvest dates were detected, however, similar patterns in FFAC ac cumulation and distribution were observed between inbreds and years. F FAC in shoot tissue was significantly greater than root tissue for bot h inbreds. Accumulation of FFAC was linear for both inbreds across har vest dates for root tissue but not for shoot tissue. FFAC accumulation in shoot tissue increased sharply from 60 to XO DAP but decreased sha rply from 80 to 100 DAP. These results demonstrate that FFAC accumulat es differentially in root and shoot tissue in a red beet plant. Maximu m folic acid levels in shoot tissue are achieved prior to those in roo t tissue.