Evaluation of Some Phenological and Biochemical Characteristics of Selected New Late Flowering Dried Apricot Cultivars

In this study, promising candidates of six apricot genotypes were compared with our local and major cultivar (HacA +/- haliloglu) based on their phenological, pomological, and biochemical characteristics. Fruit weight, stone weight, flesh firmness, flesh fruit/stone ratio, TSS (Total soluble solids), glucose, fructose, sucrose, total phenols, total antioxidant activity (FRAP and ABTS assays) and bud break, first bloom, full bloom, and harvesting date of apricot cultivar candidates were compared with cultivar HacA +/- haliloglu 'HH.' According to the obtained results, the higher content of total phenolic compounds and total antioxidant activity was determined in the N95 genotype (96.87 A mu mol TE/g) fruit, whereas the 'HH' cultivar was characterized by the lower value (94.6 A mu mol TE/g) especially determined by FRAP method. Individual sugars and the soluble solids content of fruit differed between selected genotypes and 'HH' cultivar. Glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents were higher in all selected genotypes than in HacA +/- haliloglu cultivar.