A Comparison of Selected Biochemical and Physical Characteristics and Yielding of Fruits in Apple Cultivars (Malus domestica Borkh.)

Hong-Ki Yoon,Agnieszka Woźniak,Philippe Jeandet,Sławomir Świerczyński,Jan Bocianowski,Tomasz Kleiber,Taeg-Yong Choi,Waldemar Bednarski,Krzysztof Rutkowski,Jacek Kęsy,Jeong-Hak Seo,Łukasz Marczak,Iwona Morkunas,Zofia Zydlik,Kyeong-Jin Kang,Neisbe Ebru Kafkas

doi:10.3390/agronomy10040458

Abstract

The aim of the research was to determine selected biochemical and physical characteristics and yielding of fruits in apple varieties (Malus domestica Borkh) such as Gala Schniga, Beni Shogun (Fuji) and Ligol, M.9 rootstock growing in the Wielkopolska region, Poland. high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed differences both in the profile and contents of soluble sugars and other metabolites detected in fruits of the tested apple varieties. The highest total saccharide content was found in fruits of cv. Gala Schniga, while leaves and shoots of this variety showed the lowest contents. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed the lowest contents of semiquinone radicals in apple fruits and the highest in leaves of apple trees. All organs of Schniga Gala apple trees were characterized by the highest levels of these radicals. Besides, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of abscisic acid (ABA) revealed the highest levels of this molecule in shoots of apple trees, especially the Beni Shogun variety, while in fruits the levels were the lowest. Ligol fruits had the highest content of ABA. The percentage of injury observed after a low-temperature treatment and estimated on the basis of electrolyte leakage, was shown to be the lowest in fruits of the Beni Shogun variety. In turn, the lowest average yield of apple fruits was recorded for the Ligol and Fuji varieties, with the highest in the case of the Gala Schniga variety. At the same time, a significant variability in the average weight of fruits was observed; the highest average mass of fruits was recorded for the Ligol variety, while it was lowest for Gala Schniga. Additionally, firmness evaluation of the fruits revealed that the firmest fruits were harvested from Gala apple trees, before the Beni Shogun and Ligol varieties. A significant variability was recorded in the red blush on fruit surfaces of the tested varieties, with Ligol fruits having the weakest blush. Altogether, these results indicate that fruits of the analyzed apple varieties differed both in terms of their biochemical composition and physical characteristics.

Highlights

Biological properties of apple varieties are the basic factors determining the growth of trees, production and economic effects of their cultivation [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
The highest total sugar content was found in fruits of the Gala Schniga variety
The total sugar contents were similar in the fruits of Beni Shogun (Fuji) and Ligol

Summary

Introduction

Biological properties of apple varieties are the basic factors determining the growth of trees, production and economic effects of their cultivation [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. The main goal of apple breeding programs is to obtain new apple genotypes characterized by high yields and good fruit qualities (shape, size, acidity, juiciness, sweetness, color) and low susceptibility/resistance of trees to fungal pathogens, as well as adaptation to climatic conditions of a given area [8,9,10,11,12,13]. In view of the above classical hybridizations performed, which involve major commercial cultivars and some old local varieties and wild Malus species, the aim of apple breeding is to efficiently produce higher quality apples [9,14]. T.M.; Celton, J.-M.; Chagné, D.; Tustin, D.S.; Gardiner, S.E. Two quantitative trait loci, Dw1 and Dw2, are primarily responsible for rootstock-induced dwarfing in apple.

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