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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169807
Title: ANTHOCYANIN PIGMENT AND TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENT OF THREE VACCINIUM SPECIES NATIVE TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST OF NORTH AMERICA.

Author
item LEE, J - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item Finn, Chad
item WROLSTAD, R - REGON STATE UNIVERSISTY

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2004
Publication Date: 8/3/2004
Citation: Lee, J., Finn, C.E., Wrolstad, R.E. 2004. Anthocyanin pigment and total phenolic content of three vaccinium species native to the pacific northwest of north america.. Hortscience. 39(5) p.959-964.

Interpretive Summary: The Pacific Northwest has three main species of "huckleberry" (Vaccinium deliciosum, V. membranaceum, and V. ovalifolium) that are related to North American blueberries and European bilberries. The public has an interest in these species due to their nutraceutical benefits and outstanding fruit quality. In an effort to better understand the fruit chemistry (anthocycanins [ACY] and total phenolics [TP]) within these species, a collection of many populations of these wild "huckleberries" were grown, fruited, and the fruit evaluated by food chemists. In conclusion, samples from V. ovalifolium and V. membranaceum populations grown in the Willamette Valley showed significant variation among samples and between the two species for ACY content, TP content, and the ACY/TP ratio. Fruit of V. ovalifolium generally had higher ACY and TP contents than V. membranaceum and TP content higher than 'Rubel.' Vaccinium ovalifolium fruit are smaller than V. membranaceum, which may explain some of the differences between the two species. A blueberry breeding program that is trying to develop selections with high ACY and TP could initially target genotypes within the best populations for more in-depth characterization. The best genotypes of V. ovalifolium and V. membranaceum could be identified for use as a source of these traits, although crossing barriers between sections Cyanococcus and Myrtillus are a continuing challenge.

Technical Abstract: The total anthocyanin and total phenolic content of wild (samples from 4 populations) and cultivated (samples from 32 populations) Pacific Northwestern American Vaccinium species (V. membranaceum, V. ovalifolium, and V. deliciosum) were evaluated. The total monomeric anthocyanin content of all huckleberry samples analyzed ranged from 101 to 400 mg/100g (expressed as cyanidin-3-glucoside), and the total phenolics varied from 367 to 1286 mg/100g (expressed as gallic acid). Cluster analysis separated the samples into four different groups based on their anthocyanin and total phenolic content. Two groups had greater anthocyanin pigment and total phenolics; one consisted entirely of cultivated V. ovalifolium (LIG10, VAC485, VAC487, LIG33, LIG9, LIG2, and VAC349) and the other consisted of just cultivated V. membranaceum (LIG25). Significant variations in total anthocyanins, total phenolics, and the ratio of the total anthocyanins and total phenolics were observed among the different V. membranaceum, V. ovalifolium, and V. deliciosum populations cultivated in the Willamette Valley, OR. The profile of the individual anthocyanins of the wild V. membranaceum, wild V. ovalifolium, and V. corymbosum 'Rubel' were conducted by HPLC. The chromatograms of V. membranaceum, V. ovalifolium, and 'Rubel' were distinctly different in the amounts of delphinidin, cyanidin, and malvidin glycosides.