Aroma Characteristics of Two Primocane-Bearing Blackberry Cultivars as Impacted by Foliar and Shade Applications

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of shade cloth and preharvest foliar treatments on aroma profiles and fruit quality of two blackberry (Rubus spp.) cultivars in Virginia across two growing seasons. Two newly developed thornless primocane cultivars, Prime-Ark Traveler and Prime-Ark Freedom blackberry, were randomly assigned to treatments, including 30% light-reducing shade cloth, calcium and salicylic acid foliar applications, and grower standard control. Aroma characterization was performed using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry–olfactometry (GC–MS-O), and 14 key aroma-active compounds were identified. Prime-Ark Freedom is characterized as more “fruity” and “floral”, while Prime-Ark Traveler features more “green” and “fresh” notes. This study revealed the aroma profiles of the above two Virginia-adapted cultivars for the first time. Seasonal aroma variation indicated that environmental factors played a greater role than agronomic treatments; therefore, regional berry growers should be cautious about adopting foliar and shade applications.