Yes, they do contain that.
Any evolutionary benefit? or just a random byproduct? I like to believe that function dictates form.
Colors are great for birds, etc, I get that purpose - mating, predators, etc. But potatoes? underground?
So, why do they have anthocyanin?
@artemis I think they help protect the plant from stress. They certainly look beautiful.
I haven't had much luck growing purple veggies though.
Berries yes, veggies nope.
That's an interesting hypothesis.
Perhaps some particular soil ( I guess they r from Peru, Japan?), might require them to have such stress protection. And the difficulty of growing them might be related to soil particularities? Just brainstorming, i have no clue :-)
@artemis I suspect that my temperatures were too hot for the potatoes (I think the original stock came from the Andes, South America). Other times, the area I was in had a lot of fog and the leaves got moldy.
@artemis cause if they were another color they wouldnt be purple potatoes
That's for sure 😃
@artemis granted this from a evolutionary biology class years ago but the color and the fact we have potatoes period is because they’re a good energy storage facility for the plant. Not due to spreading germination or anything like that.
that's all good and fun, but why some potatoes are white, yellow and some r purple? 😃
It is mind boggling, LOL
@artemis crap, please don’t treat me like an expert on potato evolutionary science, but in general, having an innocuous trait (like purple) is just as easily transmitted as a beneficial trait genetically speaking. Also, maybe the Peruvians liked the purple potatoes?! And cultivated them? I don’t know. Why do you think we have shorter pinky fingers? They’re not actively helpful, but they’re certainly not harmful either.
I think a shorter pinky makes our hands more handsome 😃
Also, easier to grab bananas from the tree.
@artemis yes, darling you are the handsomest monkey I know. 😉 Be a doll, please hand me some fruit.
perhaps anthocyanine.
But then, why do they have these chemicals, and other potatoes do not? 😃
@artemis Anthocyanin?