Title: Biochemical evaluation of berries of new red currant varieties for their further use in breeding to improve chemical fruit composition
Abstract: In the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (RRIFCB), twenty-one new red currant varieties with a number of commercially valuable traits and high adaptive potential were created for the period of 1984-2018. The chemical composition of berries of these varieties was studied by the main components: soluble solids, sugars, organic acids, ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds as well as Ratio (sugar-acid index) was calculated. Widespread European varieties Hollandische Rote and Jonkheer van Tets were taken as standards. Genotypes that exceeded average values were revealed by each studied biochemical component. A signifi cant part of the RRIFCB breeding varieties accumulated more than 50.0 mg/100 g of ascorbic acid in berries. In varieties Marmeladnitsa, Niva, Podarok Pobeditelyam, Selyanochka and Ustina this parameter was higher than 60.0 mg/100g. The amount of phenolic substances was higher than the average value (more than 450 mg/100g) in varieties Asya (629 mg/100 g), Marmeladnitsa (466), Niva (473), Osipovskaya (435), Podarok Pobeditelyam (664), Premiyera (538), Selyanochka (593), Ustina (453) and standard Jonker van Tets (484 mg/100 g). Such red currant varieties as Vika, Marmeladnitsa, Orlovchanka and Osipovskaya had high parameters by several components. Varieties Asya and Selianochka were revealed by all studied components: soluble solids (Brix %) – 11.6 % and 12.9 %; sum of sugars – 2.23 % and 2.25 %; ascorbic acid – 54.0 and 62.9 mg/100 g; anthocyans – 95 and 85 mg/100 g; sum of P vitamin – 629 and 593 mg/100 g; Ratio – 3.5 and 4.1, respectively. Varieties Rosa and Bayana with pink and white berries, respectively, were characterized by high Ratio and taste.