Blackcurrant Buds Research Articles

Chilling or chemical induction of dormancy release in blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) buds is associated with characteristic shifts in metabolite profiles.

This study reveals striking differences in the content and composition of hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds in blackcurrant buds (Ribes nigrum L., cv. Ben Klibreck) resulting from winter chill or chemical dormancy release following treatment with ERGER, a biostimulant used to promote uniform bud break. Buds exposed to high winter chill exhibited widespread shifts in metabolite profiles relative to buds that experience winter chill by growth under plastic. Specifically, extensive chilling resulted in significant reductions in storage lipids and phospholipids, and increases in galactolipids relative to buds that experienced lower chill. Similarly, buds exposed to greater chill exhibited higher levels of many amino acids and dipeptides, and nucleotides and nucleotide phosphates than those exposed to lower chilling hours. Low chill buds (IN) subjected to ERGER treatment exhibited shifts in metabolite profiles similar to those resembling high chill buds that were evident as soon as 3 days after treatment. We hypothesise that chilling induces a metabolic shift which primes bud outgrowth by mobilising lipophilic energy reserves, enhancing phosphate availability by switching from membrane phospholipids to galactolipids and enhancing the availability of free amino acids for de novo protein synthesis by increasing protein turnover. Our results additionally suggest that ERGER acts at least in part by priming metabolism for bud outgrowth. Finally, the metabolic differences presented highlight the potential for developing biochemical markers for dormancy status providing an alternative to time-consuming forcing experiments.

Deacclimation and reacclimation of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.), blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) and raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) shoots and buds under controlled conditions

In the future climate scenario the transient warm spells during winter are predicted to become more frequent and potentially increase the risk of frost damage in perennial horticultural crops. The aim of our study was to examine, whether apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.), blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.), and raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) cultivars differing in winter hardiness have a different susceptibility to deacclimation during a warm spell and the ability to reacclimate in response to a subsequent cold period. Shoot samples were collected from commercial orchards in Finland on Feb. 6, 2019. Samples were subjected to a deacclimation treatment (+5°C, 4 d) followed by a reacclimation treatment (-7°C, 7 d). Controlled freezing tests were conducted immediately after sampling, and at the end of deacclimation and reacclimation treatments to determine frost hardiness (FH). FH was most stable in those cultivars that are known to be hardy in the Finnish climate conditions, i.e. ‘Pirja’ apple, ‘Mikael’ and ‘Öjebyn’ blackcurrants, and ‘Maurin Makea’ raspberry. Buds were consistently less hardy than shoots, the difference being largest in blackcurrant, 25°C. The buds of all cultivars, except ‘Pirja’ apple, deacclimated during four days at +5°C, but only ‘Ben Tron’ blackcurrant buds were able to reacclimate. The depth of dormancy was determined by forcing the shoot samples in a greenhouse to examine the relationship of the FH stability to the dormancy status in the cultivars. Sixty to 95 % of apple, 98 to 100 % of blackcurrant, and 55 to 67 % of raspberry buds broke during five weeks in forcing. Only the apple cultivars exhibited cultivar differences in the dormancy status in the beginning of February. ‘Pirja’ despite having the most stable FH of the apple cultivars, showed the most complete and fastest bud break in forcing. Consequently, the susceptibility to deacclimation during a warm spell and the ability to reacclimate at subsequent low temperatures were not related to the status of dormancy in these cultivars.

Successful Cryopreservation of Dormant Buds of Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) by Using Greenhouse-Grown Plants and In Vitro Recovery.

The cryopreservation of dormant buds can be a feasible method for preserving germplasm of cold-tolerant woody plants. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of pre-desiccation, thawing method, and the rehydration of bud sections on the post-cryopreservation recovery of dormant blackcurrant buds in vitro. The estimated recovery of small- and medium-sized buds was 80.1 and 62.7% respectively for desiccated buds and 67.8 and 72.3% respectively for non-desiccated buds. The pre-desiccation of bud sections enhanced the number of the shoots regenerated from vegetative buds (2.3 vs. 4.7). The estimated recovery of fast-thawed buds was better after 14-day than after 7-day rehydration (85 vs. 59%). In slowly thawed buds the difference between 14-day and 7-day rehydration was not significant (73 vs. 62%). The estimated recovery of vegetative and flower buds was 77.7 and 41.1% respectively after 7-day rehydration, and 95.2 and 43.6% respectively after a 14-day rehydration period. The rehydration of bud sections was not necessary for the in vitro recovery of non-desiccated, fast-thawed buds. Of the 23 blackcurrant cultivars cryopreserved using non-desiccated dormant buds collected from a greenhouse, the estimated recovery of 22 cultivars ranged between 42 and 90%.

Analiza regionów genomu sprzężonych z odpornością porzeczki czarnej (Ribes nigrum) na wielkopąkowca porzeczkowego (Cecidophyopsis ribis)

Wielkopąkowiec porzeczkowy (Cecidophyopsis ribis), jest jednym z najgroźniejszych szkodników porzeczki czarnej. Powoduje on deformację pąków porzeczki czarnej i redukuje plon owoców. Wybranie najkorzystniejszych markerów molekularnych sprzężonych z odpornością na wielkopąkowca porzeczkowego może przyspieszyć proces hodowlany i poprawić skuteczność przy wyborze genotypów odpornych na tę chorobę. Celem pracy była analiza regionów genomu sprzężonych z odpornością porzeczki czarnej (Ribes nigrum) na wielkopąkowca porzeczkowego poprzez ocenę stopnia polimorfizmu w grupach sprzężeń obejmujących regiony Ce i P i poszukiwanie nowych fragmentów genomu regulujących odporność na C. ribis. W wyniku analizy elektroforegramów z produktami reakcji CAPS, zidentyfikowano 119 polimorficznych fragmentów DNA, z których wytypowano 100 do analizy sekwencji. W wyniku sekwencjonowania uzyskano 9 specyficznych odczytów na matrycach DNA odmian ‘Ceres’, ‘Ojebyn’, ‘Vir’, ‘Ores’, ‘Foxendown’, ‘Ben Finlay’ i ‘Bona’.

First identification and quantification of glutathionylated and cysteinylated precursors of 3‐mercaptohexan‐1‐ol and 4‐methyl‐4‐mercaptopentan‐2‐one in hops (Humulus lupulus)

AbstractSince ten years, many studies conducted on beers showed an important impact of polyfunctionnal thiols of the aroma profiles. Among them, three thiols responsible for blackcurrant bud, passion fruit, citrus and rhubarb notes have been intensively studied: the 4‐methyl‐4‐mercaptopentan‐2‐one (4MMP), the 3‐mercaptohexan‐1‐ol (3MH) and its corresponding acetate. Their origin was very complex in beers since they probably came from odourless precursors present either in hops or in malts. Our work focused on the formal identification of thiol precursors in hops and on their quantification. By using pure synthetic standards and mass spectrometry characterization, we formally identified for the first time the occurrence of glutathionylated conjugates of 4MMP and 3MH and the cysteinylated conjugate of 4MMP in hops. First quantification results obtained on 10 hop varieties, showed that 3MH conjugates were more ubiquitous than 4MMP ones. Conjugates of 3MH occurred at very high level until 20 mg kg‐1 in Cascade hop, which was considerably higher than concentrations found in grapes. Then, we compared the proportion of bound and free thiol fractions and we demonstrated that more than 99 % of 3MH occurred as precursors in hops. On the contrary, free 4MMP fraction represented the most important source of 4MMP in hops. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Occurrence of 4‐methoxy‐2‐methyl‐2‐butanethiol in blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) berries

Abstract4‐Methoxy‐2‐methyl‐2‐butanethiol is a powerful sulfur‐containing aroma compound identified several decades ago in blackcurrant buds (Ribes nigrum L.). However, an unambiguous identification in blackcurrant fruits has been lacking. In this study the occurrence of 4‐methoxy‐2‐methyl‐2‐butanethiol in blackcurrant berries has been demonstrated for the first time by the analysis of seven cultivars. After isolation of the volatiles by vacuum‐headspace‐extraction, the sulfur‐containing compound was enriched on mercurated agarose gel. Identification was performed via capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Quantitation was performed in the single ion monitoring mode using 4‐methyl‐4‐sulfanylpentan‐2‐one as internal standard. The concentration of 4‐methoxy‐2‐methyl‐2‐butanethiol in Andega (4.5 µg/kg) was significantly higher than those in the other cultivars investigated in this study (from 0.16 to 0.72 µg/kg). Calculation of the odour activity values indicated that this sulfur‐containing volatile contributes to the aroma of blackcurrant berries. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Biomolecules and Natural Medicine Preparations: Analysis of New Sources of Bioactive Compounds from Ribes and Rubus spp. Buds.

It is well known that plants are important sources for the preparation of natural remedies as they contain many biologically active compounds. In particular, polyphenols, terpenic compounds, organic acids, and vitamins are the most widely occurring groups of phytochemicals. Some endemic species may be used for the production of herbal preparations containing phytochemicals with significant bioactivity, as antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory capacities, and health benefits. Blackberry sprouts and blackcurrant buds are known to contain appreciable levels of bioactive compounds, including flavonols, phenolic acids, monoterpenes, vitamin C, and catechins, with several clinical effects. The aim of this research was to perform an analytical study of blackcurrant and blackberry bud-preparations, in order to identify and quantify the main biomarkers, obtaining a specific phytochemical fingerprint to evaluate the single botanical class contribution to total phytocomplex and relative bioactivity, using a High Performance Liquid Chromatograph−Diode Array Detector; the same analyses were performed both on the University laboratory and commercial preparations. Different chromatographic methods were used to determine concentrations of biomolecules in the preparations, allowing for quantification of statistically significant differences in their bioactive compound content both in the case of Ribes nigrum and Rubus cultivated varieties at different harvest stages. In blackcurrant bud-extracts the most important class was organic acids (50.98%) followed by monoterpenes (14.05%), while in blackberry preparations the main bioactive classes were catechins (50.06%) and organic acids (27.34%). Chemical, pharmaceutical and agronomic-environmental knowledge could be important for obtaining label certifications for the valorization of specific genotypes, with high clinical and pharmaceutical value: this study allowed to develop an effective tool for the natural preparation quality control and bioactivity evaluation through the chemical fingerprinting of bud preparations.

Biorefining of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) buds into high value aroma and antioxidant fractions by supercritical carbon dioxide and pressurized liquid extraction

Berries are the main commercial product of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), while other plant anatomical parts such as leaves and buds are used as a source of high value aromas, which are commercially isolated with organic solvents. In this study supercritical fluid extraction with CO2 (SFE–CO2) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) of blackcurrant buds is reported for the first time. SFE–CO2 parameters were optimized by using central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM) for obtaining high yields of extracts. The maximum yield was obtained at 24.9MPa, 60°C and 68min extraction time. The highest estimated SFE–CO2 yield (8.38 %) was similar to the experimentally obtained and it was higher than Soxhlet extraction (6.04 %) and hydrodistillation (up to 2.26 %) yields. Hydrodistillation and SFE–CO2 residues were further extracted by PLE with methanol, resulting 7.49 and 20.77% of extracts, respectively. Blackcurrant bud extracts possessed strong antioxidant capacity; the main volatile constituents were sabinene and δ-3-carene both in SFE–CO2 and hydrodistilled oils.

Major phenolic compounds in black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) buds: Variation due to genotype, ontogenetic stage and location

Black currant buds are rich in phenolic compounds and are used as raw material in the food and health industry. The variation in content of major phenolic compounds due to genotype, ontogenetic stage, location and season were studied in buds of five genotypes over three years at two widely separated locations in Sweden. Regression analyses revealed the effect of season to be considerably larger than that of genotype, ontogenetic stage and location. Interactions were significant for most parameters. Principal component analysis revealed that seasonal differences were important in the north of Sweden, while genotypic effects were important in the south of Sweden. The content of several phenolic compounds decreased from dormancy to bud break, while catechin and kaempferol-malonylglucoside increased significantly. The content of myricetin-malonylglucoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin-3-O-galactoside and quercetin-3-O-glucoside decreased significantly at bud swell, and thereafter remained stable till bud break. Some genotypes responded differently across ontogenetic stages in different growing locations. Production of black currant buds should therefore be well planned to enhance the content of relevant phenolic compounds for food and health products.

Chilling requirement of Ribes cultivars.

It is usually thought that adequate winter chill is required for the full flowering of many temperate woody species. This paper investigates the sensitivity of blackcurrant bud burst and flowering to natural weather fluctuations in a temperate maritime climate, and compares a range of chill models that have been proposed for assessing the accumulation of winter chill. Bud break for four contrasting cultivars are compared in an exceptionally cold and in a mild winter in Eastern Scotland. The results confirm the importance of chilling at temperatures lower than 0°C and demonstrate that no single chilling function applies equally to all blackcurrant cultivars. There is a pressing need for further model development to take into account the relationship between chilling temperatures and warming temperatures occurring both during and after the chill accumulation period.

Essential oil from black currant buds as chemotaxonomy marker and antimicrobial agent.

Dormant buds are recognized as valuable side product of the blackcurrant cultivation. Four blackcurrant varieties cultivated in Serbia, i.e., Ben Sarek, Ometa, Ben Lomond, and Ben Nevis, were evaluated for the content, chemical composition, and antimicrobial activity of their bud essential oils. The oil yields of buds harvested during two different growth periods ranged from 1.2-2.0%, and the variety Ometa had the highest yield among the tested varieties. GC-FID and GC/MS analysis of the oils allowed the identification of eight main components, i.e., α-pinene (1.6-5.4%), sabinene (1.9-38.4%), δ-car-3-ene (13.0-50.7%), β-phellandrene (2.9-18.0%), terpinolene (6.6-11.9%), terpinen-4-ol (0.9-6.6%), β-caryophyllene (3.8-10.4%), and α-humulene (0.2-4.1%). In addition, the similarity degree of the essential-oil compositions of buds harvested from the upper and lower parts of the shrubs was investigated by hierarchical clustering. All essential oils originating from the same genotype were grouped in the same cluster, indicating the reliability of essential oils as chemotaxonomic markers. For more detailed chemotaxonomic investigations, the three compounds with the greatest variance were chosen, i.e., sabinene, δ-car-3-ene, and β-phellandrene, which proved to be efficient for the variety distinction. Factor analysis showed that the essential-oil composition as chemotaxonomic marker in blackcurrants was more reliable for variety Ben Sarek than for variety Ben Nevis. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the essential oils had very strong inhibitory activity against all tested microorganisms. Fungi were more sensitive than bacteria; indeed their growth was completely inhibited at much lower concentrations. In comparison to commercial antibiotics, significantly lower concentrations of the oils were necessary for the complete inhibition of fungal growth.

Extraction of aroma compounds in blackcurrant buds by alternative solvents: Theoretical and experimental solubility study

Abstract This study was designed to evaluate the performance of nine alternative solvents (α-pinene, MeTHF, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, ethyl lactate, butanol, isopropanol, ethanol and CO2 supercritical fluid) for extracting aromas from blackcurrant buds (Ribes nigrum L) compared to that of n-hexane, commonly used. This study has been performed via experimentation and simulation using Hansen solubility methodology for the comprehension of the dissolving mechanism. Experimentally, the extracts were analysed to compare the solvents performance in terms of aroma compositions. The results indicated that an alternative solvent, i.e. MeTHF, could be the most promising one for n-hexane substitution with good yield and selectivity of aromas.

Medicinl plants, chemical composition and quality: may blackcurrant buds and blackberry sprouts be a new polyphenol source for herbal preparations?

Normal 0 14 false false false IT X-NONE X-NONE It is well known that plants are important sources for the preparation of natural remedies as they contain many biologically active compounds: in particular, phenolic compounds are one of the most widely occurring groups of phytochemicals. Some endemic species may be used for the production of herbal preparations containing phytochemicals with significant antioxidant capacities and health benefits: blackberry sprouts and blackcurrant buds are known to contain appreciable levels of phenolic compounds, including flavonols, phenolic acids and catechins. The aim of this research was to perform an analytical study of blackcurrant and blackberry bud-preparations, in order to identify the main bioactive polyphenolic compounds, to study the total polyphenolic content and to obtain a specific profile of the main polyphenols contained in these products using a High Performance Liquid Chromatograph - Diode Array Detector; the same analyses were performed both on the University lab preparations and on commercial preparations. Different chromatographic methods were used to determine concentrations of phytochemical compounds in the preparations, allowing to quantify statistically significant differences in their polyphenolic content both in the case of Ribes nigrum and Rubus ulmifolius . The assessment of chemical composition and bioactivities of the plant-derived products could help in find out new sources of natural antioxidants and other health-promoting compounds: only with the deep knowledge of the bioactive composition of plant preparations it will be possible to develop a new generation of standardized, effect-optimized, mono- and multi-extract preparations. /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Tabella normale; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Times New Roman; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

Characterization of Steam Volatiles in the Essential Oil of Black Currant Buds and the Antioxidant Properties of Different Bud Extracts

Currently essential oil from black currant ( Ribes nigrum L.) buds is mainly used as a valuable perfumery ingredient. This study reports more comprehensive characterization of dormant buds of various black currant ( Ribes nigrum L.) cultivars which are grown in Northern European countries. Essential oils were isolated from the buds by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), GC-flame ionization detection (GC-FID), and GC--olfactometry (GC-O). The most abundant compounds in black currant bud essential oil were sabinene, delta-3-carene, and terpinolene. The most frequent descriptors of the essential oil components assessed by GC-O were "woody", "terpene", "fruity", "sweet", "citrus", "herbaceous", "pine", "green", "oily", "herbal", and "musty". The residues obtained after hydrodistillation were separated into liquid and solid fractions. The solid fraction was dried and extracted with acetone (AE), while the liquid fraction (water extract) was divided in two parts, one of which was spray-dried (SDWF extracts) and the other freeze-dried (FDWF extract). In addition, a portion of whole frozen buds was extracted with methanol (ME). The radical scavenging capacity (RSC) of black currant bud extracts varied in a wide range; in the DPPH * reaction system FDWF at the applied concentration scavenged 43-79%; SDWF, 54-80%; AE, 16-36%; ME, 42-60% of radicals; while in the ABTS *+ reaction system the RSC was 39-72, 38-53, 1-5, and 30-49%, respectively. The total amount of phenolic compounds expressed in gallic acid equivalents in FDWF varied in the range of 132-192 mg/g; in SDWF, 140-209 mg/g; in AE, 49-107 mg/g; and in ME extracts, 111-180 mg/g.

Variation during dormancy and the effect of freezing and postharvest incubation on the chemical composition of blackcurrant buds (Ribes nigrum L.)

SummaryThe yield and chemical composition of extracts of buds collected from blackcurrant stems (Ribes nigrum L.) throughout dormancy were investigated. Selections from ‘White Bud’, which produce higher levels of the odorous thiol, 4-methoxy-2-methyl-2-thiol-butane, were compared with the standard ‘White Bud’. The dry bud weight of all variants decreased by 16% throughout dormancy until immediately before bud burst. The amount of volatiles extracted also decreased. The most discriminating feature distinguishing the new clones from ‘White Bud’ were higher levels of 4-methoxy-2-methyl-2-thiol-butane, myrcene, bicyclogermacrene, caryophyllene oxide and hardwickic acid. β-Caryophyllene and the combination of β-phellandrene and limonene were higher in ‘White Bud’. The effects of post-harvest storage conditions on the volatile components of solvent extracts of blackcurrant buds were investigated. Fifty four per cent of the 4-methoxy-2-methyl-2-thiol butane and 18% of other volatile components were lost within 24 h of freezing. Longer term freezing resulted in a steady overall loss of volatile components. The effects of storage of fresh and previously frozen, hand-cut and machine-harvested buds at 10°C were investigated. Incubation of hand-cut buds in air and nitrogen for 48 h resulted in a 2.6 and a 1.4 fold increase of thiol content respectively. Levels declined thereafter. Thiols were also produced in buds which had been frozen prior to incubation with a 1.2 fold increase recorded in both hand-cut and machine-harvested buds following storage for 72 hours in air. The other terpene-based volatiles in hand-cut fresh buds increased slightly in all incubations, compared with a small decline in fresh machine-harvested buds. The volatile content of hand-cut buds which had been frozen prior to incubation remained relatively constant. In contrast, machine-harvested buds (previously frozen) showed a 1.9 fold increase in volatiles when incubated for up to 72 h. However, a decrease in volatiles was evident over a similar incubation period if machine-harvested buds were rolled for freezing.

Molecular ecology of some Cecidophyopsis mites (Acari: Eriophyidae) on Ribes species and evidence for their natural cross colonisation of blackcurrant (R. nigrum)

SummaryRibosomal DNA from Cecidophyopsis mites from different Ribes species was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction and the products digested using restriction enzymes. After separating the DNA fragments on gels, it was possible to identify specimens of mites obtained from field samples by comparing the profiles of their DNA banding patterns with those of known Cecidophyopsis species. Using this analysis, a non‐gall forming mite found infesting blackcurrant buds in New Zealand was identified as the gooseberry mite (C. grossulariae). On wild red currant (Ribes spicatum) from Finland showing two sizes of galled buds, the red currant gall mite (C. selachodon) was identified in the larger galls located at the tips of branches and a distinct mite in the smaller galls located on the lower parts of the branches. A mite with a DNA banding profile indistinguishable from this latter mite from R. spicatum was also identified in galled buds of blackcurrant genotypes growing in Finland, including those containing the blackcurrant gall mite (C. n'ftw)‐resistance genes P or Ce. The DNA banding profile of this mite resembled most closely that of C. ribis, but was distinct from it. The occurrence of C. grossulariae and this distinct Cecidophyopsis mite on blackcurrant has implications for the genetic control of Cecidophyopsis mites and possibly for the spread of the reversion disease agent in this crop.

The Evaluation of Capillary Zone and Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatographic Techniques for the Simultaneous Determination of Flavonoids, Cinnamic and Phenolic acids in Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) Bud Extracts

A range of capillary electrophoretic methods utilizing both capillary zone and micellar electrokinetic techniques were evaluated for the simultaneous separation of 15 compbunds consisting of a complex mixture of flavonoids, cinnamic acids and simple phenolic acids. Factors influencing their migration times are evaluated and discussed, and conditions optimised for their quantitative analysis. These techniques were applied to crude methanolic blackcurrant bud extracts in which 11 compounds were directly identified and simultaneously quantified.

The Evaluation of Capillary Zone and Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatographic Techniques for the Simultaneous Determination of Flavonoids, Cinnamic and Phenolic acids in Blackcurrant ( Ribes nigrum) Bud Extracts

The Evaluation of Capillary Zone and Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatographic Techniques for the Simultaneous Determination of Flavonoids, Cinnamic and Phenolic acids in Blackcurrant ( Ribes nigrum) Bud Extracts

Fractionation of volatiles from blackcurrant ( Ribes nigrum L.) by different extractive methods

The volatile components of blackcurrant buds were fractionated into neutral, acidic and basic fractions. The fractions were submitted to gas chromatography (GC) and combined GC and mass spectrometry and their importance is discussed in terms of flavour impact. In this study 19 monoterpenes, 20 sesquiterpenes, 12 carbonyls, 11 esters and 34 alcohols were identified using Kovats indices and mass spectral data. From the blackcurrant cuttings volatiles were separated in which the blackcurrant berries aroma was overwhelmed by a catty note. Fractions were submitted to high performance liquid chromatography. The most polar volatile components possess a typical blackcurrant odour and contribute to the overall pleasant blackcurrant fruity aroma.

Application of high-performance liquid chromatography to the analysis of the complex volatile mixture of blackcurrant buds ( Ribes nigrum L.)

The essential oil of blackcurrant buds was fractionated into hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds and the two fractions were submitted to reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) column. Volatile carbonyls belong among the most important compounds for the blackcurrant flavour and were therefore analysed in detail. The carbonyls were converted into 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones and the mixture of 2,4-dinitro-phenylhydrazones was separated into derivatives of keto acids and monocarbonyl and dicarbonyl compounds. Each fraction was submitted to HPLC. The results of the HPLC separations are discussed.