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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #270129
Title: Evaluation of fruit chemistry traits in wild black raspberry germplasm: year 1

Author
item Lee, Jungmin
item Finn, Chad
item DOSSETT, MICHAEL - Agri Food - Canada

Submitted to: Northwest Center for Small Fruit Research Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2011
Publication Date: 12/15/2011
Citation: Lee, J., Finn, C.E., Dossett, M. 2011. Evaluation of fruit chemistry traits in wild black raspberry germplasm: year 1. Northwest Center for Small Fruit Research Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary: This large black raspberry germplasm collection represents the entire range of the species. Evaluation of fruit chemistry traits in the assembled populations is helping us understand the best ways to utilize this germplasm to develop superior cultivars for the industry and consumers. This research will have important long-term consequences for breeding progress towards this goal. The baseline information for black raspberry phytochemicals generated by our research will also be useful for developers of nutraceutical products, researchers studying potential health benefits of black raspberry consumption, and for breeders creating improved cultivars of black raspberry.

Technical Abstract: Black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis L.) has long been recognized as a rich source of anthocyanins. Despite renewed interest in this crop for its possible health benefits, its range of anthocyanin content and variation, or its other phenolic compounds have not been adequately examined. We examined anthocyanins, total phenolics, and other basic chemistry properties of fruit from wild black raspberry seedlings from more than 120 wild populations over two growing seasons. Total anthocyanin content ranged widely and about half of the populations surveyed had anthocyanin concentrations equivalent to or higher than commercial standards. These findings will be useful for developers of nutraceutical products, researchers studying potential health benefits of black raspberry consumption, and for breeders creating improved cultivars of black raspberry. We also report on wild black raspberry mutants discovered during this project, the fruits of which lack certain anthocyanins compared to normal black raspberries. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first black raspberry variants reported in the literature with this unique anthocyanin profile. Their mutation offers a possible key to deciphering genetic control of rutinoside glycosylation in anthocyanin biosynthesis.