FRUITS QUALITY OF SOME SWEET CHERRY CULTIVARS IN CORRELATION WITH CONSUMER PREFERENCES

Abstract

The fruit quality is a complex of characteristics and traits, such as: fruit size, the content of sugar, acids, flesh consistence and succulence, flavour, etc. The objective of this study was to analyze fruit quality of sweet cherry cultivars in correlation with consumer preferences. The study was carried out at Genetic and Breeding Department of Research Institute of Fruit Growing Pitesti, Romania on 13 Romanian genotypes (‘Daria’, ‘Maria’, ‘Radu’, ‘Izverna’, ‘Tentant’, ‘Colina’, ‘Superb’, ‘Rubin’, ‘Simbol’, ‘Severin’, ‘H 04-4-38’, ‘H 06-3-77’, ‘H 06-11-57’) and 11 foreign cultivars (‘Kordia’, ‘Regina’, ‘Sweetheart’, ‘Karina’, ‘Vanda’, ‘Hertfort’, ‘Areko’, ‘Lapins’, ‘Penny’, ‘Folfer’, ‘Bigarreau Burlat’), in 2021 and 2022 years. The following determinations were carried out: fruit size by weighing, flesh firmness with penetrometer non-destructive Qualitest, soluble solids content with digital refractometer and pH with Hanna HI 84532 minititrator, such as sensory evaluation of fruits using a scale from 1 (very low) to 9 (very good). The results showed that the foreign cultivars were superior to the Romanian genotypes from the point of view of the size and fruits quality. Thus, on foreign cvs., the average fruit weight was 9.31 g, while on Romanian ones of 8.39 g. The soluble solids content of fruits was higher on foreign cvs. compared to the Romanian ones (15,59% Brix respectively 14.75% Brix). On the other hand, after the sensory evaluation of the fruits, the total score was slightly higher for the Romanian genotypes (51.20) compared to the foreign ones (51.08). For Romanian consumers the most important characteristics when choosing the cherry fruits are: taste - which must be sweet or medium sweet; size - which must be large and very large; colour – red and dark red; firmness – firm and very firm fruits. These results could be useful to breeders for selection the cultivars as genitors in controlled hybridization, to farmers for correct selection of cultivars on establishing new orchards, and to the fruit market for fresh consumption.