Abstract The expressions of genes and enzymes related with carotenoid metabolic pathway in the storage roots of cassava swelling and mature periods was validated using white cassava SC6068, yellow cassava SC9, purple-leaf and yellow cassava BGM019 and pink cassava Mirasol as research materials. HPLC method was used to detect the changes of β-carotene contents; qRT-PCR and Western blot methods were applied to analyze the expressed changes of the genes and proteins regarding carotenoid pathway, respectively. In the present study, SC6068 was used as a control, the results showed that the expressed levels of DXR、DXS、PSY1、PDS、ZEP、CCD1 and NCED3 genes in SC9 and BGM019 swelling period were significantly higher than those in the mature period (p<0.05), while the expressions of genes including PSY2、ZDS、LCYB、HYD and NCED2 in swelling period were significantly lower than those in the mature period (p<0.05). The expressions of DXR、DXS、PSY1、PSY2、PDS、ZDS、LCYE and CCD1 genes in Mirasol swelling period were significantly higher than those in the mature period (p<0.05), and the expressions of HYD、ZEP、NCED2、NCED3 and OR genes in swelling period were significantly lower than those in the mature period (p<0.05). Of those, the expressions of ZDS、NCED2 and PSY2 genes were the highest in the mature periods of SC9, Mirasol and BGM101, respectively. These genes may use as the marker genes to determine yellow cassava and pink cassava varieties. These data, regarding the analysis of the gene expressions related with carotenoid metabolic pathway of storage roots in swelling and mature periods, will be helpful to understand the mechanism of ?-carotene accumulation. Furthermore, the Western blot results showed that there was no correlation relationship between ?-carotene accumulation and ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, FeSOD and HSP70; However, their expression is differed significantly during swelling and mature periods (p<0.05).