biostudies-literatureUnknown13Song HFlesh color is an important target trait in peach [<i>Prunus persica</i> (L.) Batsch] breeding. In this study, two white-fleshed peach cultivars were crossed [Changsong Whitepeach (WP-1) × 'Xiacui'], and their hybrid F₁ generation showed color segregation of white flesh (BF1) and yellow flesh (HF1). Metabolome analysis revealed that the flesh color segregation in the hybrid F₁ generation was related to the carotenoid content. The decrease in β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin in BF1 flesh and increase in β-cryptoxanthin oleate, rubixanthin caprate, rubixanthin laurate and zeaxanthin dipalmitate in HF1 flesh contributed to their difference in carotenoid accumulation. Transcriptome analysis demonstrated that compared with BF1, HF1 showed significant up-regulation and down-rFrontiers in plant science1055779https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9669654biostudies-literatureDown-regulation of <i>NCED</i> leads to the accumulation of carotenoids in the flesh of F₁ generation of peach hybrid.PMC9669654Liu JLi JGong RJiang GTu MChen HSong HChen CLi MWang LChen DYang WZhang YSun STang WXu ZfalseDown-regulation of <i>NCED</i> leads to the accumulation of carotenoids in the flesh of F₁ generation of peach hybrid.Flesh color is an important target trait in peach [<i>Prunus persica</i> (L.) Batsch] breeding. In this study, two white-fleshed peach cultivars were crossed [Changsong Whitepeach (WP-1) × 'Xiacui'], and their hybrid F₁ generation showed color segregation of white flesh (BF1) and yellow flesh (HF1). Metabolome analysis revealed that the flesh color segregation in the hybrid F₁ generation was related to the carotenoid content. The decrease in β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin in BF1 flesh and increase in β-cryptoxanthin oleate, rubixanthin caprate, rubixanthin laurate and zeaxanthin dipalmitate in HF1 flesh contributed to their difference in carotenoid accumulation. Transcriptome analysis demonstrated that compared with BF1, HF1 showed significant up-regulation and down-r2022-01-01T00:00:00Z20222025-05-29T19:24:31.403Z2025-05-29T19:24:31.403ZS-EPMC96696543640762910.3389/fpls.2022.1055779