Carotene and ascorbic acid are the most important compounds for human nutrition that are supplied by vegetables. The content of carotene and ascorbic acid in vegetables depends on the species and the cultivar, but it is subject to changes under the influence of environmental conditions and agricultural factors. This study examined the effects of the sowing date (5, 15 and 25 May) on the content of carotenoids and L­ascorbic acid in the fruits of two cultivars of spaghetti squash (‘Makaronowa Warszawska’ and ‘Pyza’). Fruits were harvested in the fully mature, from the beginning of September till the beginning of October. The content of total carotenoid compounds in fruit was higher for the sowing date on 5 May than for the sowing dates on 15 and 25 May, while the content of β­ carotene did not significantly differ. The sowing date did not affect the content of L­ascorbic acid in fruits. Fruits of the ‘Makaronowa Warszawska’ contained more total carotenoids and β­ carotene than fruits of the ‘Pyza’, while the content of L­ascorbic acid in fruits of both cultivars did not significantly differ. Lower air temperatures and higher amounts of precipitation in the spaghetti squash vegetation period resulted in an increase in the β­ carotene content.

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