DESCRIPTION AND QUALITY EVALUATION OF SWEET CHERRIES CULTURED IN SPAIN

Abstract

ABSTRACT Several physical, chemical and color characteristics of 20 sweet cherry cultivars cultured in Spain were investigated during a 3‐year (2004–06) period. A total of 26 descriptors, mainly defined by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants were used to describe and compare the fruit quality of the main Spanish sweet cherry cultivars for fresh consumption and for industrial use. Some of the studied cultivars showed distinctive and interesting agronomical characters from a commercial point of view such as low susceptibility to fruit cracking and high soluble solids and total polyphenols levels. This was the case with the late cultivar widely distributed through the Jerte river valley called “Pico Negro.” Its fruits were quite sweet (20.28°Brix), resistant to cracking (9.44%) and rich in polyphenols (1.60 g of gallic acid per 100 g dry weight). “Burlat” and “4–70” were the improved cultivars that recorded the highest levels for weight of 100 fruits parameter (828.61 and 825.22 g, respectively) and the local cultivar “Corazón Serrano” showed the largest fruits (8.56 cm 3 ). PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThere have been no previous detailed studies describing and comparing the fruit quality characteristics of a wide number of sweet cherry cultivars. Studies including physical and chemical properties of sweet cherry fruits are very important for the engineers in the designing of equipment for harvesting and post‐harvest technology. This research shows the description and evaluation of the fruits of 20 sweet cherry cultivars in terms of physical, chemical and color properties.