Factors determining the commercial and consumer quality of sweet cherry varieties and their breeding value in the conditions of the south of Russia

The results of revealing the peculiarities of sweet cherry fruit quality formation of different varieties depending on the weather conditions of the growing year in the southern region of Russia are presented. The study was conducted in the Prikubanskaya horticultural zone of the Krasnodar Territory, characterized by hot and dry summer, abnormally high air temperatures during the period of fruit bud differentiation, mild and low-snow winter with sharp changes in positive and subzero temperatures. The objects of the study were 11 sweet cherry varieties of domestic and foreign selection: Alaya, Dar izobiliya, Sashenka, Chernye glaza, Kavkazskaya, Aelita, Yantarnaya, Krupnoprodnaya, Prestizhnaya, Sputnik, Francis. The purpose of the study was to determine the peculiarities of generation and dynamics of weight, biochemical indices of fruits depending on the genotype of the variety and conditions of the year. The obtained data confirm that a number of factors have a significant effect on the fruit size and weight, and the accumulation of biochemical substances is determined by the characteristics of the variety and differs from year to year within the limits determined by the genotype. Aclose correlation between weight, fruit size and biochemical composition with meteorological indicators: precipitation, average annual and average air temperatures during the period of fruit formation was found. It was found that fruit weight was more influenced (R2 = 0.74) by the average annual air temperature: the higher it was, the larger the fruit size, and vice versa. Significant correlation dependence (R2 = 0.95) was revealed between the amount of precipitation in May and vitamin C accumulation in fruits, i.e. the greater the amount of precipitation, the lower the vitamin C content. A close relationship (R2 = 0.91) was found between the content of anthocyanins and the average monthly air temperature in May, which indicates that the higher the temperature, the less these substances accumulate in fruits. According to the results of the study, several varieties with high fruit quality (weight over 9.0 g, tasting score 4.5–4.7 points) and the best content of various biochemical substances were selected for the creation of new varieties with high flavor and fruit quality. These varieties are Alaya, Kavkazskaya, Krupnoplodnaya, Prestizhnaya and Chernye glaza. 

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