Variation in Chemical, Textural and Sensorial Traits Among Remontant Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) Cultivars...

Area of Science:

• Horticulture
• Plant Science
• Food Science

Background:

• Remontant raspberry cultivars can produce two crops per year through a double-cropping system, enhancing yield and season length.
• Limited data exists on fruit quality variations between primocane and floricane crops in these cultivars.
• Understanding these variations is crucial for optimizing raspberry production and consumer satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in sugars, organic acids, fruit weight, color, texture, and sensory attributes between primocane and floricane crops.
• To evaluate the impact of a double-cropping system on fruit quality variability across five new remontant raspberry cultivars and one control.
• To identify cultivars with desirable fruit quality traits for double-cropping systems.

Main Methods:

• Assessed fruit weight, sugar content (individual and total), organic acid profiles, color, texture, and sensory attributes.
• Compared primocane (fall) and floricane (spring) crops for five new cultivars ('Dafne', 'Kokanee', 'Paris', 'Versailles', 'Primalba') and a control ('Enrosadira').
• Utilized statistical analysis to determine significant differences in quality traits between crops and cultivars.

Main Results:

• Primocane crops showed significantly higher fruit weight and total/individual sugar content.
• Floricane crops yielded significantly brighter red and firmer fruits.
• 'Paris' exhibited the highest citric, malic, and total acid content, distinguishing it from the control.
• 'Dafne' and 'Versailles' had larger primocane fruits with increased sugar content.
• 'Kokanee' consistently produced the lowest fruit weight, while 'Kokanee' and 'Primalba' had poorer sensory attributes.

Conclusions:

• Double-cropping impacts raspberry fruit quality, with trade-offs between yield/sugar (primocane) and color/firmness (floricane).
• 'Enrosadira', 'Versailles', and 'Dafne' demonstrated superior overall fruit quality, considering appearance, texture, and taste.
• 'Paris' maintained fruit quality uniformity across crops but scored lowest overall; 'Kokanee' and 'Primalba' showed potential for improvement.