Can environment and genotype influence sweet cherry qualitative parameters?

Abstract

The sweet cherry fruit quality traits (soluble solid content, titratable acidity, pH and soluble solid titratable acidity ratio), phytochemical content (total phenolic content and total monomeric anthocyanins) and antioxidant activity were determined in five Italian autochthonous genotypes and compared with two commercial cultivars for 4 consecutive years. Significant influences of genotype, crop year and their interaction on the variables under study was observed. The autochthonous cultivar “Ciliegia di Udine”, on average, showed the highest values for all the investigated parameter whereas the lowest ones were reported for the largely cultivated cultivar “Ferrovia” (Germersdorfer). Beside the genotype, crop year and its climatic conditions affected fruits quality and “Flamengo Srim” showed the best response taking into consideration fruit quality traits, phytochemical content and antioxidant activity and their quali-quantitative stability across the experimentation.

Keywords:

• Antioxidant activity
• CANOCO analysis
• PCA
• phytochemical content
• Prunus avium L.

Acknowledgements

Authors thank CREA-OFA Technical Staff and Agenzia Regionale per lo Sviluppo e l’Innovazione dell’Agricoltura del Lazio (ARSIAL) for their contribution.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF) Risorse Genetiche Vegetali - Trattato FAO. DDMM 23/12/2010, n. 29205; 24/6/2011, n. 13763; 12/10/2012, n. 1123; 18/2/2014, n. 3825; 18/12/2014, n. 29561

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Funding

This research was supported by Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF) Risorse Genetiche Vegetali - Trattato FAO. DDMM 23/12/2010, n. 29205; 24/6/2011, n. 13763; 12/10/2012, n. 1123; 18/2/2014, n. 3825; 18/12/2014, n. 29561

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