What are carotenoids?

Carotenoids are a class of pigments found in plants that play a crucial role in photosynthesis. They are specifically known as accessory pigments because they complement the main pigments, such as chlorophyll. Carotenoids absorb light mainly in the violet and blue-green regions of the light spectrum, which chlorophyll does not capture efficiently. By absorbing these wavelengths, carotenoids help to broaden the spectrum of light that plants can utilize for photosynthesis, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of this process.

Additionally, carotenoids serve other vital functions in plants, such as protecting the plant from damage caused by excessive light and serving as precursors to important compounds like vitamin A in animals. Although they do not directly participate in the photosynthetic process, their role in absorbing light and contributing to plant health underscores their importance in plant biology.