The basic chemical composition, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity of fruits of three new Polish breeding clones (No. 5/6, type S, and type N) and four Canadian cultivars (cvs.) (“Martin”, “Smoky”, “Pembina”, and “Honeywood”) grown in Poland in 2016 were investigated. Fruits were analyzed for their contents of triterpenoids, carotenoids, chlorophylls, and polyphenolics with the ultra-performance liquid chromatography photodiode detector-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-Q/TOF-MS) method, sugar with the high-performance liquid chromatography–evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD) method, and antioxidant capacity with the ability to reduce free radical (ABTS) and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) method. Thirty-eight bioactive compounds, including twenty-eight polyphenolic compounds (four anthocyanins, nine phenolic acids, nine flavonols, and seven flavan-3-ols), four carotenoids, two chlorophylls, and three triterpenoids were identified in the fruits. The fruits of the tested Saskatoon berry genotypes were found to be rich in phenolic compounds (3773.94–6390.36 mg/100 g·dm), triterpenoids (66.55–91.31 mg/kg·dm), and carotenoids (478.62–561.57 mg/kg·dm), with high ABTS and FRAP capacity (10.38–34.49 and 9.66–25.34 mmol·Trolox/100 g·dm, respectively). Additionally, the berries of these genotypes seemed to be a good source of sugar (9.02–19.69 g/100 g), pectins (0.67%–1.33%), and ash (0.59%–0.67%). Some genotypes of Saskatoon berry, especially the clones type S, type N, and cvs. “Honeywood” and “Smoky”, may be selected for their potential applications in commercial cultivation to produce fruits with valuable health-promoting nutritional effects on human health. Additionally, three new genotypes that may offer new functional materials can be recommended for fruit growers.

The study was conducted in the years from 2011 to 2013 at the Research Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice, Poland. The aim of the research was to assess the breeding value, based on the effects of general and specific combining abilities (GCA and SCA), of 15 parental genotypes of blackcurrant in terms of fruit yield and quality. The plant material consisted of F₁ generation seedlings obtained by crossing, in a factorial mating design of twelve maternal (‘Bona’, ‘Big Ben’, ‘Chereshnieva’, Kupoliniai’, ‘Gofert’, ‘Tines’, ‘Sofievskaia’, ‘Tihope’, ‘Ores’, ‘Ruben’, ‘Titania’ and D13B/11) and three paternal cultivars (‘Ceres’, ‘Foxendown’ and ‘Saniuta’). It was found that the cultivars ‘Ruben’, ‘Big Ben’, ‘Gofert’ and D13B/11 had significant positive effects of GCA on fruit yield at least in two consecutive years. ‘Ruben’, ‘Saniuta’ and D13B/11 had positive GCA effects on fruit weight. For ‘Chereshnieva’, ‘Gofert’, ‘Tines’, ‘Sofievskaia’, ‘Tihope’, ‘Titania’, ‘Ceres’ and Saniuta’ positive GCA effects were estimated for soluble solids content, whereas ‘Ruben’, ‘Ceres’, ‘Gofert’ and ‘Ores’ had positive GCA effects on the ascorbic acid content in fruit. This indicated a high breeding value of these parental genotypes in terms of the evaluated traits. The significantly positive values of SCA, estimated for the crossing combinations: ‘Big Ben’ × ‘Saniuta’, ‘Ruben’ × ‘Foxendown’, ‘Titania’ × ‘Ceres’, ‘Kupoliniai’ × ‘Saniuta’, ‘Gofert’ × ‘Foxendown’, ‘Gofert’ × ‘Saniuta’, ‘Tines’ × ‘Ceres’ and ‘Tihope’ × ‘Foxendown’ for at least two traits describing fruit yield and quality, were evidence of the interaction of both these parental genotypes in the creation of new dessert-type cultivars of blackcurrant.

Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L., family Grossulariaceae) is a perennial shrub that is widely cultivated for its edible berries. These are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C and anthocyanins, making them a valuable ingredient in the food and beverage industry. However, prolonged periods of drought during the fruiting season lead to drought stress, which has serious ecological and agricultural implications, inhibiting blackcurrant growth and reducing yields. To facilitate the analysis of underlying molecular processes, we present the first high-quality chromosome-scale and partially haplotype-resolved assembly of the blackcurrant genome (cv. Rosenthals Langtraubige), also the first in the family Grossulariaceae. We used this genomic reference to analyze the transcriptomic response of blackcurrant leaves and roots to drought stress, revealing differentially expressed genes with diverse functions, including those encoding the transcription factors bZIP, bHLH, MYB and WRKY, and tyrosine kinase-like kinases such as PERK and DUF26. Gene expression was correlated with the abundance of primary metabolites, revealing 14 with significant differences between stressed leaves and controls indicating a metabolic response to drought stress. Amino acids such as proline were more abundant under stress conditions, whereas organic acids were depleted. The genomic and transcriptomic data from this study can be used to develop more robust blackcurrant cultivars that thrive under drought stress conditions.

Saskatoon berry has become as important as a commercial fruit crop. One main goal is to release new plant cultivars well adapted to different climatic and soil conditions. Dormant seeds obtained from breeding are serious problems delaying the program. The seeds were directly extracted from fruits after harvest (unstored) or after storage at −18 °C for 6 months (stored) and subjected to modified stratification (3 °C) with KNO₃, H₂O₂, NO, smoke-water (SW) or scarification using sandpaper or H₂SO₄ for 10, 20, 30, 40 min or treatments with pulsed radio frequency (PRF) or red light. The seeds were also subjected to warm–cool stratification (20/3 °C). Unstored seeds germinated in a higher percentage and with better uniformity (T₇₅–T₂₅) than stored seeds. Stored seeds positively affected the onset of seed germination (T₁) and mean germination time (MGT). Dormancy breakage was promoted by stratification with KNO₃, SW or scarification with sandpaper, H₂SO₄ or treatments with PRF. The recommended method for the breeding program of breaking seeds dormancy is when unstored seeds are subjected to stratification in KNO₃ (0.2%) or SW (1:100). Depending on the applied methods, the percentage of seeds’ germination increased to 87% compared to untreated (64%) control seeds. The positive effects of the selected methods persisted during seedling development by stimulating their growth and enhancing the chlorophyll content index (SPAD) and effective quantum yield of PSII of chlorophyll in leaves (ΦPSII).

The main goals of the study were to determine nutritional parameters including contents of organic acids, sugars, and bioactive compounds as well as the antioxidant activity of fruits and fruit components of seven selected Saskatoon berry (Alnifolia alnifolia) genotypes. Fruits of three Polish clones (‘no 5/6’, ‘type N’, and ‘type S’) and of four Canadian cultivars (‘Martin’, ‘Pembina’, ‘Smoky’, and ‘Thiessen’) and their components including peel, flesh and seeds were used in the study. The antioxidant potential was determined by the radical scavenging capacity assay, the profiles of organic acids and sugars were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography and the bioactive compounds were quantified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography. Fruits of the tested genotypes and their components differed significantly in their antioxidant activity and in their contents of sugars, organic acids and bioactive compounds. Fruits of the ‘clone type S’ showed the highest antioxidant activity, while those of cvs. ‘Thiessen’ and ‘Smoky’ had the highest amount of polyphenols and organic acids. The highest contents of organic acids and bioactive compounds were determined in the fruit peel of the cvs. ‘Thiessen’ and ‘Smoky’ and ‘clone type S’. The total content of organic acids in fruits of the tested genotypes and their components ranged from 2.50 g/100 g dm (seeds) to 20.50 g/100 g dm (flesh). Malic, quinic, and tartaric acids were found to prevail in these fruits. In turn, the cluster analysis and principal components analysis helped determining the most important variables and identifying three groups of genotypes clustered depending on similarities in the content of individual compounds testes. Results indicated that fruits of the tested Saskatoon berry genotypes and their components were valuable sources of natural antioxidants, while fruit components such as peel and seeds could be used to develop new functional foods, and super foods with health-promoting properties, and also as medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic components.