Biological and biochemical properties of white currant (Ribes rubrum L.) cultivars

Currant is a very important small fruits species, due to rapid entry into a period of fertility, high and regular yields, and the high quality fruits. Its fruits have high nutritional, technological and dietotherapeutic value, with particularly high content of vitamin C and other compounds with antioxidant properties – polyphenols (anthocyanins, flavonols), elagic acid and others. High fruit values indicate the need for more intensive exploitation of this fruit species. The experiment was performed in a field collection of white currant in nursery Omega, at locality Mislodjin (Obrenovac), during period 2007-2009. The experiment included cultivars: Primus, White Champagne, White Juterborg, Witte Parel and Victoria. The study monitored biological properties (phenological and pomological) of fruits, contents of biochemical components and the scavenging activity of juices from examined cultivars after harvest and storage for one year at -18 deg C. The earliest beginning of the growing season, defined as the date of opening buds, was recorded in cultivars Primus and Witte Parel (17th March), while the latest entry in the growing season had cultivar Victoria (26th March). Significantly higher value of cluster weight than other cultivars had cultivar Victoria (10.03 g). Primus and Victoria had the largest cluster length (12.66 cm and 12.51 cm, respectively) and the highest number of berries in clusters (21.28 and 18.59, respectively). These cultivars had the highest yield per bush, as well. The highest total phenol content was detected in cultivar Primus, a little less was found in cultivar Witte Parel and White Champagne. After a year of frozen fruits storage, only small decrease in total phenol content was found. Scavenging activity of juices after one year storage was slightly lower and cultivar Primus still possessed the most prominent activity. Cultivars Primus and Victoria had a significantly higher production value than other cultivars of white currant, and are recommended for further expansion in similar agro-ecological conditions.