PHYSICO-CHEMICAL DIVERSITY IN FRUITS OF WILD-GROWING SWEET CHERRIES (PRUNUS AVIUM L.)

Six wild growing sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) genotypes with different fruit skin color were analyzed for their antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid contents, fruit weight, pH value, titratable acidity, total anthocyanins, total phenolic and total soluble solid contents. Antioxidant activity was relatively higher in blackish skin colored fruits than in light skin colored ones. Among the six genotypes, total antioxidant activity ranged from 51.13% to 75.33% while the total phenolic content was between 148 and 321 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100g FW. The two parameters had a positive correlation of r=0.76 The vitamin C was in general highest in blackish colored fruits (21-27 mg/100 ml). The total soluble solid content varied between 19.35% (in CSCS13, dark red fruits) and 23.98% (in CSCS11, blackish fruits). Acidity was in a range of 0.98% (in CSCS19, red fruits) and 1.53% (in CSCS7, blackish fruits).