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Title: CULTURAL SYSTEM AFFECTS FRUIT QUALITY AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY IN STRAWBERRIES

Author
item Wang, Shiow
item ZHENG, WEI - ZHEJIANG UNIV.,CHINA
item GALLETTA, GENE - DECEASED

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2002
Publication Date: 9/28/2002
Citation: Wang, S.Y., Zheng, W., Galletta, G.J. 2002. Cultural system affects fruit quality and antioxidant capacity in strawberries. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Interpretive Summary: Strawberries contain high levels of antioxidant compounds which are beneficial to human health. However, no information is available on the effects of environmental factors such as cultural systems on the scavenging capacity of strawberries against active oxygen species. The present study evaluated different cultural systems [hill plasticulture (HC) and conventional matted row (MR)] on quality and antioxidant capacity of fruit from different strawberry cultivars and selections. We found that the HC system increased fruit soluble solids content, total sugar, fructose, glucose, ascorbic acid, titratable acid and citric acid contents. Fruit from HC also had higher flavonoid contents and antioxidant capacities. Fruits from plants grown in the MR system generally had the lowest contents of phenolic acids, flavonols, and anthocyanins. The antioxidant capacity values of strawberry fruit correlated with their total flavonoid content. This research has potential to benefit growers and consumers because strawberry growers can use this information to grow strawberries under cultural systems that enhance antioxidant values and health benefits of the fruit. The information can also help other researchers elucidate the relationship between cultural systems and antioxidant capacity in small fruits.

Technical Abstract: Cultural system [hill plasticulture (HC) vs. matted row (MR)] and genotypes interactions affected strawberry fruit quality. In general, fruit soluble content, total sugar, fructose, glucose, ascorbic acid, titratable acid and citric acid content were increased in the HC system. Fruit from HC also had higher flavonoid contents and antioxidant capacities. Strawberry fruit contain flavonols as well as other phenolic compounds such as anthocyanins and phenolic acids. Pelargonidin-based anthocyanins such as pelargonidin 3-glucoside and cyanidin 3-glucoside-succinate, were much lower than pelargonidin-based anthocyanins in both systems. Strawberry fruit from the HC system had significantly higher amounts of p-coumaroylglucose, dihydroflavonol, quercetin 3-glucoside, quercetin 3-glucuronide, kaempferol 3-glucoside, kaempferol 3-glucuronide, cyanidin 3-glucoside, pelargonidin 3-glucoside, pelargonidin 3-rutinoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside-succinate and pelargonidin 3-glucoside-succinate. Fruits from plants grown in the MR system generally had the lowest contents of phenolic acids, flavonols, and anthocyanins. Strawberry fruit grown under HC conditions had sighnificantly higher peroxyl radicals absorbance capacity (ORAC). The ORAC values of strawberry fruit correlated with their total flavonoid content, and the correlation coefficients between strawberry fruit and the ORAC values were 0.867 to 0.950.