Sweet Cherry Genotypes Research Articles

Investigation of pollen morphology and viability of sweet and sour cherry genotypes by multivariate analysis.

The aim of this study was to examine the dimensions and surface morphology of pollen grains of some sweet and sour cherry genotypes through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as an additional alternative identification tool. In vitro pollen germination and pollen tube length as indicators of their viability were determined as well. Observations were carried on 10 sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) and 7 sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) genotypes. All genotypes had prolate, tricolpate pollen grains, and striate exine ornamentation, with more parallel longitudinal ridges. Significant differences among genotypes within species and between species were found for most pollen grain characteristics and exine ornamentation. In both sweet and sour cherry the largest variability was recorded for colpus length (CV = 15.0% and 12.9%, respectively). For sweet cherry genotypes, in vitro pollen germination and pollen tube length ranged between 1.4% to 51.5% and 360.4 to 669.3 μm respectively, while for sour cherries they ranged from 15.5% to 37.0% and 96.3 to 960.2 μm, respectively. The results of the correlation analysis showed that in vitro pollen germination correlated positively with pollen length/pollen width (L/W) ratio (r = .640) and furrow width (r = .588), and negatively with the number of ridges (r = -.517), while pollen tube length was not significantly correlated with any of the studied characteristics. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that pollen length, pollen width, L/W ratio, colpus length, mesocolpium width, and ridge width are relevant tools to discriminate among the studied genotypes. The measurements made on pollen grains did not reveal individually big differences, but when all features were considered together, the pollen of each genotype exhibited a unique pattern. The distribution on the scatter plot showed considerable variation among sweet and sour cherry genotypes based on pollen morphological characteristics, which led to their distribution into two separate groups. This demonstrates the ability to distinguish cherry species based on pollen morphological characteristics determined by SEM. To improve discriminative ability for genotypes within species combination between pollen ultrastructural analysis, morphological and molecular markers is desirable, in subsequent work. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Significant differences in pollen characteristics between sweet and sour cherry. Significance of pollen morphology in taxonomic differentiation. Significance of SEM studies for the taxonomic identification.

New markers for flowering-time selection in sweet cherry

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is a fruit tree in the Rosaceae family grown worldwide for its tasty fruit. However, its yield may be threatened in warmer growing regions by insufficient dormancy, which usually occurs in late-blooming genotypes. Conversely, in cold regions, the yield is threatened by late spring frosts, especially for early flowering cultivars. It is therefore necessary to breed cultivars adapted to local weather conditions and avoid potential crop losses. New markers associated with the beginning of flowering were sought to enable molecular marker-assisted selection of genotypes tailored for different climatic conditions. Previously whole-genome sequenced 298 sweet cherry genotypes with nine years of phenotypic evaluation provided the basis for a genome-wide association study that allowed the identification of 163 single nucleotide polymorphisms and indels associated with flowering time, located on all sweet cherry chromosomes. This study confirmed the previously predicted polygenic basis of the trait. Three markers suitable for selection of late-blooming genotypes and one for early-blooming genotypes were selected and validated using independent 128 sweet cherry hybrids from different crossings. Individual markers for late beginning of flowering were able to select genotypes flowering at least three days after the reference (i.e. the earliest flowering) cultivar 'Kišiněvskaja'. Accumulation of preferred allele combinations for all three late-blooming markers has a synergistic effect, indicating delay of flowering 7.1 days after the reference cultivar on average. The marker for early beginning of flowering identified accessions flowering maximally five days after the earliest flowering reference cultivar 'Kišiněvskaja'. All four markers were integrated into a single base extension assay to help breeders with prediction of beginning of flowering for their breeding materials and cultivars.

Study of drought and heat resistance in fruit crop varieties under changing climate conditions (on the example of sweet cherry in Krasnodar Krai)

An important area for improving the effectiveness of agri-food systems under stress conditions is the selection of highly drought- and heat-resistant varieties. The present study aims to develop new approaches to the evaluation of these characteristics, taking into account the ability of varieties to successfully pass through the stages of fruit bud differentiation at high summer temperatures, without their development being suppressed. An analysis of climatic conditions in the Kuban horticultural zone of Krasnodar Krai for 1989–2022 revealed the occurrences of temperatures above +30...+35 C that suppress fruit bud differentiation in fruit crops, thus indicating the need for new data on the stress response of varieties. The variability structure of drought resistance indicators was studied using data for three years (2019, 2021, and 2022): tissue water content and leaf water-holding capacity in sweet cherry varieties grafted on VSL-2, including those bred by an institute (‘Slavyanka’, ‘Kavkazskaya’, ‘Kavkazskaya Uluchshennaya’, ‘Volshebnitsa’, and ‘Alaya’). Their high dependence on seasonal conditions was established. The effect of high temperatures on fruitbud differentiation in cherry varieties was evaluated. The adaptability of plants and varieties to the lack of moisture and high summer temperatures was noted to be inextricably linked. The focus was on a comprehensive approach to evaluating drought and heat resistance in the selection of the best sweet cherry forms that are able to develop normally and set fruitbuds at high temperatures. The latter characteristic should be taken into account when entering varieties into the State Register of Breeding Plantations to establish the possible cultivation limits of the proposed plants and to create new varieties having a higher resistance to temperature stresses. Drought and heat resistant sweet cherry genotypes capable of tolerating summer stresses and regularly yielding crops were identified. The following varieties were found to be resistant to high temperatures: early ripening period – ‘Kavkazskaya’ and ‘Slavyanka’; average ripening period – ‘Volshebnitsa’, ‘Kosmicheskaya’, and ‘Summit’; late ripening period – ‘Alaya’ and low-growing clone of ‘Drogana Zheltaya’.

Agronomic, Physicochemical, Aromatic and Sensory Characterization of Four Sweet Cherry Accessions of the Campania Region.

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) are greatly appreciated fruits worldwide due to their taste, color, nutritional value, and beneficial health effects. The characterization of autochthonous germplasm allows to identify genotypes that possess superior characteristics compared to standard cultivars. In this work, four accessions of sweet cherry from the Campania region (Limoncella, Mulegnana Riccia, Mulegnana Nera and Montenero) were investigated for their morpho-physiological, qualitative, aromatic, and sensorial traits in comparison with two standard cultivars (Ferrovia and Lapins). A high variability in the pomological traits resulted among the samples. Montenero showed comparable fruit weight and titratable acidity to Ferrovia and Lapins, respectively. The highest total soluble solid content was detected in Mulegnana Riccia. A considerable variability in the skin and pulp color of the cherries was observed, varying from yellow-red in Limoncella to a dark red color in Montenero. Mulegnana Nera showed the highest content of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and ascorbic acid compared to the standard cultivars. Volatile organic compounds profile analysis identified 34 volatile compounds, 12 of which were observed at different concentrations in all the sweet cherry genotypes while the others were genotype-dependent. Conservation and cultivation of autochthonous accessions with suitable nutritional and morpho-physiologic characteristics promotes our agrobiodiversity knowledge and allows to better plan future breeding programs.

Chilling requirements of sweet cherry genotypes for endodormancy release

Chilling requirements of sweet cherry genotypes for endodormancy release

Comparative evaluation of phenolic profile and antioxidant activity of new sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) genotypes in Turkey.

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), one of the most consumed fruits in the world, is rich in phenolic and especially anthocyanin content. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phenolic properties of 11 different sweet cherry genotypes collected from Giresun, Turkey. Total phenol, flavonoid, anthocyanin and antioxidant properties were observed spectrophotometrically in three different extraction (conventional, microwave-assisted and ultrasound-assisted) processes. Major phenolic, anthocyanin and antioxidant structures were visually assessed by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Various phenolics in its structure were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). T2 and E5 genotypes had the highest content in terms of total phenol, flavonoid, anthocyanin and antioxidant activity. In HPTLC, cherry samples contained high levels of chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, p-coumaroylquinic acid, rutin and cyanidin-3 rutinoside. Among the phenolics examined in the LC-MS/MS method, the major compounds in the structure of cherry were found to be chlorogenic acid, rutin and catechin. The T2 genotype had higher phenolics than the other cherry samples (chlorogenic acid 19.3 mg/100 g; catechin; 3.8 mg/100 g; rutin 33.1 mg/100 g). As a result, T2 and E5 genotypes had higher phenolic and antioxidant activity compared to other genotypes and commercial cultivars. It can be said that the antioxidant contents of these genotypes are due to the high anthocyanin amount in their structures. In addition, T2 genotype contained more major phenolics than other cherries. In the next stage, it is recommended to carry out studies on the cultivation of these two varieties.

ASSESSMENT OF SWEET CHERRY (PRUNUS AVIUM L.) GENOTYPES GROWN IN CONDITIONS OF ROMANIAN NORTHEASTERN AREA

The soil and climate conditions in Romanian Northeastern area are favorable for cherry cultivation, but some times can occurred some calamities. The paper presents a study which during 2020 at the Research Station for Fruit Growing (N-E of Romania), using five sweet cherry genotypes as research material: ‘Van’, ‘Croma’, ‘Elaiași’, ‘HC920402’, ‘HC930208’. Observations and determinations were performed in regards to the frostdamages, the main growing and phenological stages and the physical and chemical traits of the fruit. The phenological stages were evaluated for beginning of flowering and fruit ripening (expressed in growing degree-days, GDD). For these sweet cherry cultivars, the highest values concerning the fruit’s weight have been recorded for ‘Elaiași’ (9.15 g) and ‘HC920402’ (7.7 g), while fruit’s equatorial diameter have ranged between 23.21 mm and 25.16 mm. The content of soluble dry solids (SDS) was between 14.6 and 20.2 °Brix. The proposed objective aims at introducing in the assortment the new varieties with quality fruits and their resistance to cracking, with ripening time at the extremities of the sweet cherry season.

Comparison of Five New Sweet Cherry Cultivars Bred in Romania, with their Parental Forms

Abstract The studies were performed for four consecutive years (2016–2019) at the Fruit Growing Research Station (North-East part of Romania), using eleven sweet cherry genotypes as research material. Five of them are new cherry cultivars – ‘Cătălina’, ‘Andreiaş’, ‘Maria’, ‘George’, and ‘Margonia’ – obtained by means of controlled hybridization or open pollination, and six of them are their progenitors (‘Van’, ‘Boambe de Cotnari’, ‘Stella’, ‘Fromm’, ‘Ciliegia di Ottobre’, and the ‘HC 27/4’ hybrid). The experiment compared the traits of new cultivars with those of their progenitors. The following traits were evaluated: tree vigor, frost damage, the phenological stages, and the physical and chemical traits of the fruit. The highest values concerning the fruit's weight have been recorded for ‘Andreiaş’ (10.0 g) and ‘Maria’ (7.6 g), the content of soluble substance was between 16.6 and 19.5°Brix, the titratable acidity was between 0.413 and 0.675 mg malic acid·100 mL−1 juice, and the total content of polyphenols was recorded with values between 268.00 and 488.75 mg GAE·100 mL−1 of fresh juice. The new cultivars have mostly superior traits, especially frost damages, productivity, fruit quality, and fruit's cracking percentage compared with their parental genotypes.

Genetic resources are the base for improving the assortment of sweet cherry and large fruit cherry plum

The article presents the results of research on the genetic resources of sweet cherry and cherry plum in the Nikita Botanical Gardens - National Scientific Center. Cultivars which are the sources and donors of valuable economical and biological traits: late flowering, its duration, winter hardiness, drought resistance, large-fruited, very early and very late ripening and fruit taste, resistance to cracking in sweet cherry fruits have been identified. In order to create highly productive cultivars and breeding forms resistant to abiotic factors, sources of valuable traits from genetic collections were used, which significantly increased the efficiency of the breeding process. The gene pool includes more than 300 sweet cherry genotypes and more than 400 cherry plums. New promising cultivars have been identified. They allow updating the conveyor for obtaining high-quality fruits in the southern zone of horticulture. Ten cultivars of sweet cherry: Uslada, Prizerka, Vesnyany Naspivy, Pikovaya Dama, Kutuzovka, Chernokrymka, Vitivnitsa, Znatnaya, Zarya Vostoka, Karadag and six cultivars of cherry plum: Andromeda, Desertnaya Rannaya, Obil’naya, Femida, Rumyanaya Zor’ka have been included in the State register of breeding in the Crimea and southern Russia. Four sweet cherry cultivars: Kudesnitsa, Ocharovanie, Triumf, Dolgojdannaya and one cherry plum cultivar: Feeriya, are undergoing a state test. Five new cultivars of sweet cherry and three cultivars of cherry plum, which surpass the zoned cultivars in a complex of valuable biological and economical characteristics, have been originated. The patents were received on these cultivars. A number of elite breeding forms of sweet cherry and cherry plum, which have a number of advantages over existing cultivars, have been originated.

Morphological and Pomological Characteristics of Sweet Cherry (Prunus Avium L.) Grown In-situ under South Mediterranean Climate in Morocco

ABSTRACT Twenty-four morphological and pomological traits were characterized in a group of 47 Moroccan sweet cherry genotypes to evaluate their diversity. The fruit weight varied between 3.6 and 7.52 g, considered acceptable for the fresh market. Six genotypes showed fruit weight between 3 and 5 g, making them suitable for specific industrial uses. The statistical analysis revealed high variability among genotypes, although these variables did not allow the classification of the genotypes according to their geographical origin. Genotypes with high physical traits could be planted in modern orchards in association with commercial cultivars or incorporated in sweet cherry breeding programmes.

In vitro efficiency of embryo rescue of intra- and interspecific hybrid crosses of sweet cherry and Chinese cherry cultivars

Hybrid cherry seedlings are very hard to obtain as the embryos easily abort during development and loose germination ability, especially some interspecific hybrids. An in vitro technique of embryo rescue has been developed for intra- and interspecific hybrids with the embryos by crossing 4 sweet cherry genotypes as maternal, and these have been planted in South China where the climate is not ideal for planting sweet cherry due to its hot and humid climate in summer and warm climate in winter. The success of embryo rescue approach is affected by several factors, in which the genotypes are one of the main factors for embryo germination and significant differences were found with the same genotypes that were used differently either as maternal or paternal in cross breeding. ‘Chaoyang-1’ (‘CY-1’) as mother performed the best, and ‘Zijing’ (‘ZJ-1’) and ‘CY-1’ were the best parents as fathers in cross breeding. The embryo development stage, breaking dormancy method and in vitro culture condition significantly affected the efficiency of seedlings production. When the development of their embryos reached to 0.5 to 0.7, then the young fruit was harvested and stored at 4 °C for 35 days were found to be the best initiating materials for culturing, and the embryo germination rates after removal of the embryo coat reached up to 69.84 ± 2.75 %, and their shoots were robustly and fastly grown. The medium when combined with different concentrations of plant growth regulators (PGRs) were tested, the optimal medium for immature embryo culturing was found to be 1/2 MS supplemented with 2 mg L−1 BA and 1.8 mg L−1 IAA, the multiplication of shoots culture media was MS +0.3 mg L−1 BA +0.4 mg L−1 IAA or MS +0.7 mg L−1 BA +0.1 mg L−1 IAA, the 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 0.3 mg L−1 IBA and 1.1 mg L−1 IAA showed the best for the rooting of shoots. Taken together, this system by integrating the genotypes, embryo development and in vitro culture condition with pre-treatments together significantly improved the rates of production of hybrid cherry seedlings. This is the first study to systematically explore all these factors on cherry embryo rescue in order to produce hybrid seedlings to breed new cultivars for the subtropical monsoon climatic areas like South China and provide new insights to keep the micropropagation of hybrid shoots with different PGRs.

Preliminary assessment of selected sweet cherry hybrids regarding their resistance to black cherry aphid (Myzus cerasi Fabr.) in Bulgaria

Abstract. One of the main insect pests of the cherry trees in Bulgaria is Myzus cerasi (Homoptera, Aphididae). The black cherry aphids occur annually in orchards and cause yield loss or degraded quality. In 2018 and 2019, resistance to Myzus cerasi was assessed on 11 selected sweet cherry genotypes in a breeding orchard at the Fruit Growing Institute – Plovdiv. Susceptibility to aphid infestation was assessed through inspection of 100 leaf rosettes from individual tree hybrids. Some of the studied genotypes 6-132, 6-132 (1), 6-131, and 6-131 (1) were not infested by black cherry aphids in the two years of this research. Aphid colonies were observed on all other studied trees from the selected hybrids. The study is still ongoing.

Preliminary results of the evaluation of some sweet cherry genotypes from Turkey for breeding of new dwarf rootstocks

Preliminary results of the evaluation of some sweet cherry genotypes from Turkey for breeding of new dwarf rootstocks

Training system and tree-age affect leaf spot epidemics and tree defoliation on commercial sweet cherry cultivars

In two 3-year studies, the effect of two training systems (free spindle versus super spindle) and two tree-age periods (4–6 versus 13–15 years) were evaluated on cherry leaf spot (CLS) epidemics and tree defoliation for 12 sweet cherry cultivars in an integrated orchard. Then, relationships among CLS infection periods, CLS incidences and percent defoliation were determined for the training systems and tree-age periods. In addition, cultivars were classified into three CLS susceptibility and three defoliation categories (low, moderate, and high). Annual CLS and defoliation incidences of individual cultivars were lower, by 0.05–10.8% and by 0.1–9.1%, respectively, on trees pruned to super spindle compared to trees pruned to free spindle, except for defoliation incidences on cultivars ‘Biggareau burlat’ and ‘Müncheberger’, where training system had no effect. The three-year means of CLS and defoliation incidences ranged from 18.0 to 70.5% and from 14.1 to 47.9%, respectively, on the 4–6 years old trees; and from 8.7 to 34.7% and 5.4–25.5%, respectively, on the 13–15 years old trees. Leaf spot infection period, CLS incidence and defoliation incidence showed strong relationship in both training systems in those years when annual CLS incidences were high. Cherry leaf spot and defoliation classification categories of some cultivars were different for the two training systems and/or for the two three-year periods. Our study demonstrated that both training system and tree-age can impact the severity of leaf spot epidemics and tree defoliation for sweet cherry genotypes showing moderate susceptibility to leaf spot.

Dynamics of bud metabolites during dormancy in sweet cherry genotypes with contrasted chilling requirements

Bud dormancy is a mechanism enabling temperate fruit trees to survive over winter’s unfavorable conditions. Buds need a certain amount of chilling temperatures, called chilling requirements, for flowering. Global warming may affect the satisfaction of the chilling requirements and thus directly the yield. The evaluation of endodormancy (true dormancy) release with current methods is plant material consuming, and not attuned between teams. Moreover, the physiological mechanisms taking place during bud dormancy are still poorly known. In order to find biochemical markers for different phases of dormancy and to deepen the knowledge of the events during the dormancy period, we quantified several key metabolites of sweet cherry floral buds throughout dormancy, from summer growth to spring flowering, in two genotypes contrasted regarding their chilling requirements: ‘Saint Georges’ and ‘Burlat’. Results show a temporal lag in the dynamics of accumulation of these metabolites and good correlations with phases of dormancy. Moreover, global accumulation of sugars indicates a weak catabolism of the buds during endodormancy, and a sharp shift to high catabolism upon the endodormancy release period.

Protection against radiation frost damage of sweet cherries in the bloom stage by use of rain covers

Covering systems are used in sweet cherry orchards to avoid fruit cracking and rotting damage during rains. An additional advantage of using covers is the reduction of the risk of spring frost damage. The effect of rain covers on radiation frost damage was evaluated in covered and uncovered orchards during the bloom stage on 11 sweet cherry genotypes (‘Adelka’, ‘Aranka’, HL 13420, HL 15463 (Elza), HL 16165 (Felicita), ‘Helga’, ‘Horka’, ‘Justyna’, ‘Sandra’, ‘Skeena’, and ‘Sylvana’) in spring 2016 in Holovousy, Czech Republic. During the tree flowering period (full bloom stage; BBCH 65), the minimum temperatures subsided below 0°C for six sequential nights in the uncovered orchards (April, 24: -1.6°C; 25: -3.3°C; 26: -1.3°C; 27: -0.8°C; 28: -2.0°C; 29: -2.0°C), and for five sequential nights in the covered orchard (April, 25: -2.0°C; 26: -0.9°C; 27:-0.3°C; 28: -1.0°C; 29: -0.7°C). Frost damage appeared in both evaluated orchards (covered and uncovered). Less severe damage was recorded in the cultivars from the covered orchard than in those in the uncovered orchard. The highest differences in the degree of damage between the uncovered and covered cultivars were recorded in ‘Sandra’ (34% damage in uncovered orchard; 5% damage in covered orchard), ‘Skeena’ (33% damage in uncovered orchard; 11% damage in covered orchard), and ‘Adelka’ (31% damage in uncovered orchard; 19% damage in covered orchard). On the contrary, the lowest difference was recorded in the hybrid cultivar HL 13420 (8% damage in uncovered orchard; 5% damage in covered orchard). Other genotypes demonstrated around 10% differences in damage severity between covered and uncovered orchards. Covering cherry orchards has a positive effect by increasing the temperature by approximately 1-2°C, resulting in decreased frost damage occurring during the bloom stage under the prevalent climatic conditions of central Europe.

ГЕНЕАЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ АНАЛИЗ И ВЫДЕЛЕНИЕ ДОНОРОВ И ИСТОЧНИКОВ СЕЛЕКЦИОННО ЦЕННЫХ ПРИЗНАКОВ ИЗ ГЕНОФОНДА ЧЕРЕШНИ (ОБЗОР)

A comprehensive study of the Prunus avium (L.) L. gene pool has identified sources of important breeding traits which can be recommended for the use in programs aimed at breeding new varieties and clonal rootstocks of sweet cherry. Of special importance are the sources of such useful breeding traits as large fruit size (e.g., varieties 'Valerii Chkalov', 'Hedelfingen', 'Krupnoplodnaya', 'Emperor Francis', 'Donchanka', 'Amulet', 'Aleksandriya', 'Vasilisa', 'Yaroslavna', 'Bigarreau Burlat', etc.); self-fertility ('Whiis Gold', 'Camelia', 'Lapins', 'Sweetheart', 'Skeena', 'Staccato', 'Shelen', 'Stella', 'Newstar', 'Sunburst', 'Summit', 'John Innes 2420'), resistance to coccomicosis ('Valerii Chkalov', Trieste der Markt', 'Drogans Gelbe', 'Bigarreau Gaucher', 'Napoleon', 'Tatarskaya chernaya', 'Emperor Francis', 'Skeena', 'Amulet', 'Hedelfingen', 'Generalskaya', 'Euphoria', etc.), and resistance to fruit cracking ('Alaya', 'Amazonka', 'Amulet', 'Viola', 'Donetskaya krasavitsa', 'Donetskiyi velikan', 'Donchanka', 'Hedelfingen', 'Contrastnaya', 'Merton Bigarreau', 'Proshalnaya', 'Sweetheart', etc.) Some genotypes have been identified as complex sources of valuable traits. For instance, these are varieties 'Lapins', 'Skeena', 'Sweetheart', 'Hedelfingen', 'Emperor Francis', 'Valerii Chkalov', 'Drogans Gelbe' and some others. The genealogical analysis of sweet cherry genotypes made it possible to identify the varieties 'Lapins', 'Skeena', 'Sweetheart' and 'Krupnoplodnaya' as complex donors combining sets of such important breeding traits as productivity, late maturity of fruits, large fruit size, high quality taste of fruit and selffertility. The varieties 'Bigarreau Burlat', 'Bigarreau de Germersdorf', 'Valerii Chkalov', 'Stella', 'Van', 'Vittoria', 'Drogans Gelbe', Daybera black' are regarded as hidden donors, as the transferred traits do not manifest themselves in the phenotype, but can be traced in their progeny.

The Evaluation of Sweet Cherry Genotypes Resistance to Coccomyces Blight According to the Leaf Biochemical Characteristics

Objective: In the article experimental data of sweet cherry genotypes leaf apparatus studying according to biochemical characteristics (chlorogenic and ascorbic acids quantitative content) are given and the breed characteristics of the parameters under study are identified. Methods: Thirteen sweet cherry genotypes from the collector plantations of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “All-Russian Horticultural Institute for Breeding, Agro technology and Nursery”, Russia, Moscow with different resistance to Coccomyces blight were studied. For the research fully shaped leaves from the middle part of one-year whips were taken. The quantity of chlorogenic and ascorbic acids was determined via highly efficiency liquid chromatography method. Results: The experimental data of sweet cherry genotypes leaf apparatus studying according to biochemical characteristics (chlorogenic and ascorbic acids quantitative content) are given and the breed characteristics of the parameters under study are identified. There is an interconnection (R=0.99) between ascorbic and chlorogenic acids in the sweet cherry leaves resistant to Coccomyces blight. Conclusion: The carried-out analysis is determined that can be used for the development of diagnostic method to identify sweet cherry resistance to environmental biotic factors and for the formation of new approaches to selection process speed-up.

Screening for Polyphenol Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Sweet Cherry Fruits Infected with Monilinia Laxa

SummaryMonilinia laxa Aderh. and Ruhl. is the predominant causal agent of brown rot disease of stone fruit orchards, especially sweet cherries. The objective of this study was to identify reaction in response of nine genotypes cherry, with different pomological properties, against brown rot. These genotypes were harvested at commercial maturity from orchard in the Fruit Research Institute in Rimski Šančevi. The studied genotypes showed significant differences in terms of the occurrence of disease on fruits, both under artificial inoculation and infection in the field. Given the fact that sweet cherry fruits are prone to infection by a number of pathogens in the field, biochemical parameters were analysed on artificially inoculated fruits. Biochemical analysis of fruits determined significant differences in contents of total phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins, as well as in antioxidant activity. It was genotype specificities and intensity of infection, as well as the interaction of the two that induced differences in the secondary biomolecules content and antioxidant activity. The majority of the genotypes examined showed high polyphenolics content, while under the infection, the content was significantly lower. Based on the results obtained, the secondary metabolites content can be used as one of the parameters for evaluating the resistance of sweet cherry genotypes to brown rot.

Bioactive and Volatile Compounds in Sweet Cherry Cultivars

The organoleptic and nutritive quality of sweet cherry is largely influenced by the genotype. Phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, organic acids, sugars and volatile compounds of seven sweet cherry cultivars (Lory, Burlat, Brooks, Summit, Prime Giant, Van, and 57) grown in Alicante (Spain) were evaluated. The most important organic acid was malic acid and fructose and glucose were found in greater quantity in the sweet cherry cultivars. The cultivars with the highest antioxidant activity were Burlat and Brooks, very important from a health point of view. Regarding volatile compounds thirty one were isolated having Van the highest contents. 57, and Burlat sweet cherry genotypes were the most interesting with respect to “health benefits”. However, if the most important factor is “organoleptic quality” (combination of dark red colour and intense flavor), our recommendations are Van, 57, and Prime Giant.