FRUIT QUALITY, PHENOLICS CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF NEW APRICOT CULTIVARS FROM SERBIA

Abstract

The experiment was established at private apricot orchard near Cacak (Western Serbia) during 2010 and 2011. In the present study we wanted to determine the physicochemical attributes, phenolics content and antioxidant capacity of three new Serbian cultivars (‘Aleksandar’, ‘Biljana’, ‘Vera’) grafted on Myrobalan seedlings. Results indicated that physico-chemical attributes significantly varied among cultivars. Similarly, total phenolics and flavonoids content and antioxidant capacity significantly depend on the cultivars. Generally, new Serbian cultivars had better properties evaluated than control (‘Hungarian Best’), except stone weight, fruit firmness, moisture and total phenolics content. The highest values of total phenolics and flavonoids content were found in ‘Aleksandar’, whereas the highest antioxidant capacity was recorded in ‘Vera’. Finally, new Serbian cultivars could be recommended for planting in similar conditions and apricot growing programs.

Keywords

• Acidity
• chemical profiles
• HPLC
• Prunus armeniaca L.
• soluble solids