DETERMINATION OF FRUIT POMOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOME BLACKBERRY CULTIVARS IN TÜRKİYE

Blackberries are valued worldwide for their rich antioxidant content, which supports human health and disease prevention. Due to their adaptability and high market demand, blackberries play a significant role in the global berry industry. For this reason, cultivation areas are gradually increasing in Türkiye. We evaluated the fruit quality of several blackberry cultivars (Chester, Jumbo, Bursa 1, and Bursa 2) under the climatic conditions of Eskişehir. The fruits were harvested at full ripeness. In this study, both pomological traits (fruit width, length, weight, and color) and chemical characteristics (SSC, pH, NaOH, AsA, TPC, DPPH) of the fruits were analyzed. The Jumbo cultivar produced the largest fruits. The highest SSC value was observed in Chester (10.36 °Brix). The greatest titratable acidity (NaOH) was found in the Bursa 1 cultivar (2.59%). Jumbo also exhibited the highest ascorbic acid (AsA) content (54.74 mg/100 ml), while Chester had the lowest (48.70 mg/100 ml). The total phenolic content (TPC) reached its maximum in Jumbo (7648.33 mg GAE/100 g FW) and its minimum in Bursa 1 (7247.33 mg GAE/100 g FW). The highest antioxidant activity (DPPH) was recorded in Bursa 2 (86.11 IC50), whereas the lowest was measured in Jumbo (81.41 IC50).