Influence of Hail Net and Reflective Foil on Cyanidin Glycosides and Quercetin Glycosides in ‘Fuji’ Apple Skin

Abstract

The objective of this work was to compare the contents of cyanidin glycosides and quercetin glycosides in the skin of apples grown with or without hail nets and using reflective foil or not. Under hail nets, photosynthetically active radiation was 10% to 30% lower in comparison with the control treatment. Covering the orchard floor with reflective foil had a positive effect on lighting, particularly on the lower parts of the fruit. Fruit coloration depends on the contents of anthocyanins copigmented with flavonols, the synthesis of which is light-dependent. The content of the main cyanidin glycoside in ‘Fuji’ apple, cyanidin galactoside, was lowest in the control treatment as well as concentrations of cyanidin arabinoside and two other cyanidin pentosides. Reflective foil caused a higher cyanidin glycoside content. Among flavonols, quercetin galactoside, quercetin glucoside, quercetin pentoside, quercetin arabinofuranoside, quercetin xyloside, quercetin rutinoside, quercetin rhamnoside, and quercetin were detected. Hail net and reflective foil both affected the increasing quercetin–glycosides contents. The highest amounts were achieved in the treatment under the hail net, where the orchard floor was covered with reflective foil. We also analyzed catechin, epicatechin, and chlorogenic acid. The lowest amounts of these were measured in the skin of fruit grown on trees under hail nets. In the control treatment, contents of those phenolic compounds were equal or higher, whereas the highest concentrations were detected in the treatments using reflective foil, where lighting was also higher in comparison with the treatments without it.