CONCLUSIONS
The traditional analyses are time-consuming with low sample throughput. The near-infrared technique is a costeffective and rapid technique for carotenoid measurement.
1. Analysis of NIR spectroscopy of cis-lycopene diepoxide, lycoxanthin and zeaxanthin was performed for the first time. The NIR spectral reflectances among tomato varieties or irrigation treatments were significant; the higher the water supply the lower the reflectance spectra were in every variety. Treatment combinations could interfere with those differences.
2. The models were developed by partial least square regression using a spectral range from 950 nm to 1 650 nm. The equations show that the near-infrared technique is able to predict carotenoid compounds with acceptable predictive
error.