Abstract
The aim of the investigation was to evaluate the effect of genotype and growing conditions on blackcurrant fruit weight and biochemical composition. The trial was carried out during the years 2011 and 2012 in South Estonia with two cultivation methods (conventional and organic) and eight genotypes of different genetic background, including two Scottish, ‘Ben Alder’ and ‘Ben Lomond’; two Swedish ‘Intercontinental’ and ‘Titania’; a Belarusian ‘Pamyati Vavilova’, and three recently selected genotypes from the Estonian blackcurrant breeding programme, ‘Karri’, ‘Asker’, and ‘Mairi’. From each genotype and in both cultivation sites 500 g of fruit at full maturity was collected in three replications. Fruit weight, soluble solids (SS), sugars, organic acids, sugar/acid ratio, and ascorbic acid (AsA) concentrations were determined. Fruits from the organic cultivation site were smaller and contained more SS and sugars, they also had a higher sugar/acid ratio than conventionally grown berries. Organic acids and AsA concentrations were higher in berries from conventional cultivation systems compared to the organic ones. ’Karri’ had the highest SS and sugar concentrations and sugar/acid ratio and the lowest concentration of acids on average over the years and cultivation methods. The highest AsA concentration was determined in ‘Asker’ and ‘Ben Lomond’.