Black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) fruits are known due to their delicious, sweet and slightly acid flavor and high anthocyanin content. In the present study, the diversity of phytochemical, sensory, and antioxidant characteristics of the fruits of 20 black mulberry genotypes, from the Artvin region of Turkey, were evaluated. As important phytochemical assessments in fruits, we chromatographically (HPLC/DAD) determined glucose (7.22 to 11.10 g/100 g fresh weight (fw)) and fructose content (6.32 and 9.94 g/100 g fw), as well as predominant organic acid in black mulberry genotypes fruits—malic acid (6.02–11.44 g/100 g fw), followed by citric acid. Titrative determination was used for ascorbic acid, finding contents of 17.41–28.33 mg/100 g fw. There was found a great diversity of sensory (taste, juiciness, and aroma) characteristics, indicating a richness of the fruit germplasm. Antioxidant parameters, such as total phenolic (TP) and anthocyanin (TA) content, were assessed spectrometrically; antioxidant activity (AA) was assessed by DPPH and FRAP assays; individual flavonoids and phenolic acids were determined chromatographically (HPLC/DAD). Antioxidant characteristics of the fruits, defined by TP and TA content, ranged from 1951 to 2733 μg GAE/g fw and 508–712 μg C3GE/g fw, respectively. The most abundant compounds of flavonoids and phenolic acids groups were determined to be rutin (47.10–97.20 mg/100 g fw) and chlorogenic acid (51.3–90.8 mg/100 g fw). AA results, measured by the DPPH method as EC₅₀ value, ranged between 16.10 and 25.45 μg/mL; a FRAP assay revealed values of AA between 9.80 and 13.22 μmol TE/g fw. Significant differences in phytochemical and antioxidant qualities were observed among the analyzed M. nigra genotypes. Regarding the best values of phytochemical and antioxidant characteristics, three genotypes of M. nigra were selected to be recommended for fruit production. The results thus highlight the potential for the exploitation of local black mulberry genotypes through crop selection and breeding program.

Currant successfully grown in a wide area in Turkey due to its environmental plasticity. The aim of this study is to determine variations in phytochemical contents and antioxidant capacity from certain currant cultivars and genotypes commercially grown in Turkey. Fruit samples taken from two red currant cultivars ('Red Lake', 'Rovada') and four black ('S. Nigrum', 'Tokat 2', 'Tokat 3' and 'Tokat 4') and the genotype 1310 (red currant) were subjected to analysis for phenolic compounds (protocatechuic, vanillic acid, ellagic acid, rutin, quercetin, gallic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, o-coumaricacid, phloridzin and ferulic acid), organic acids (citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, and fumaric acid), vitamin C, antioxidant capacity (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity [TEAC] assay) and sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose). Results showed that phytochemical contents and antioxidant capacities statistically varied among currant cultivars and genotype (p < 0.05). Caffeic acid was determined only in the genotype 1301. Ellagic acid (1.680 mg/100 g), gallic acid (2.022 mg/100 g), rutin (4.649 mg/100 g), catechin (8.005 mg/100 g) and chlorogenic acid (2.721 mg/100 g) were found the highest values in 'Tokat 3', 'Red Lake', 'Tokat 3', 1310 and 'S. Nigrum', respectively. Citric acid, fumaric acid, and malic acid were dominant among organic acids for all cultivars and the genotype 1310. Contents of glucose and fructose among sugars were measured to be higher than content of sucrose for all cultivars and the genotype. The highest antioxidant capacity was detected in cultivar of 'Rovada' and the genotype 1310.

Knowledge about diversity of local apple cultivars is particularly important and helps to ensure that specific cultivars are available when and where farmers need them. The phenolic content, organic acids and sugars were investigated in the four historical apple cultivars (‘Aslik’, ‘Cebegirmez’, ‘Bey Elmasi’ and ‘Arapkizi’) grown in Van province, located in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. In the study, ellagic acid (63.034 mg per 100 ml) was found to be higher than other phenolic compounds and followed by vanilic acid, caffeic acid and routine, respectively. When examined the apple cultivars, it has been found that the ‘Bey Elmasi’ cultivar has the highest content of six phenolic acids (chlorogenic, ferulic, o-coumaric, p-coumaric, catechin and quercetin). The organic acid contents were as follows: malic>fumaric>succinic>citric>tartaric among cultivars. ‘Arapkizi’ cultivar possessed the highest value of four organic acids except of tartaric acid. It was determined that fructose was the major sugar for all apple cultivars. There was a positive correlation among gallic, ellagic acid and routine. Similarly, the positive correlation was observed among malic, fumaric and succinic acid. However the negative correlation between citric acid and all sugars was observed. As a result, ‘Bey Elmasi’ and ‘Arapkizi’ cultivars with higher phenolic content, ‘Arapkizi’ cultivar with higher organic acid content and ‘Aslik’ cultivar with higher sugar content comes to the foreground. Results indicated the importance of local apple germplasm to use of them for future apple breeding activities to increase inner quality.

Some important morphological such as fruit weight, fruit external color, fruit shape, the number of berry per cluster, cluster color, plant crown habit, harvest date and biochemical characteristics including sugars, organic acids, total phenolics, total anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity of thirteen wild grown Caucasian whortleberry sampled from Coruh valley, in northeastern Turkey, were determined. Antioxidant capacity was measured as FRAP assay (ferric reducing antioxidant power). Significantly differences were found among genotypes for most of the selected morphological and biochemical features. The genotypes had in general black fruit color and round shape. Harvest date varied from 2 August to 12 August. Fruit weight ranged from 0.37 to 1.08 g. Genotypes had only fructose and glucose in their fruits as sugars. Citric acid was dominant organic acids and was found between 8.87 and 11.20 g per kg of fresh fruits and followed by tartaric acid (2.85-3.30 g/kg). Fruits of genotypes exhibited very high total phenolic content, which ranged from 3740 to 5541 µg per g on a fresh weight basis. Total anthocyanin contents were between 81 and 172 µg of delphinidin-3-glucoside equivalent in per g fresh fruit indicating great diversity.

The composition of volatile organic compounds contributes to fruit flavour and is an important element of fruit quality. Berries of sixteen cultivars and female clones of Actinidia kolomikta were studied by GC-MS with headspace solid phase microextraction method. In total, 89 compounds were...

Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is an understudied, highly polyploid (22×) species that is widely used as an ornamental shrub and as a fruit-bearing plant in Türkiye. We analyzed 43 accessions—33 ornamental cultivars and 10 fruit-bearing selections—by examining size variations in 10 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and the first intron region of the self-incompatibility ribonuclease (S-RNase) gene. A total of 498 alleles were detected across 11 loci, with the highest number of alleles observed at the S-locus. The SSR loci amplified between 4 (ASSR63) and 17 (BPPCT039) alleles per accession, with eight of the 11 primers generating more than 12 alleles per accession. Two markers, BPPCT040 and CPSCT021, uniquely distinguished all tested accessions. Of the alleles, only 178 (36%) were shared between the ornamental and fruit-bearing groups, reflecting significant genetic differentiation. A dendrogram and principal coordinate analysis revealed three distinct groups. Group 1 included most Hungarian and some European cultivars. Groups 2 (Western European cultivars) and 3 (Turkish selections) exhibited higher average allele numbers, suggesting greater genetic diversity in these groups. Our results indicate that cultivated cherry laurels originate from a broad genetic base and show clear genetic divergence between ornamental and fruit-bearing selections, likely due to differing long-term selection pressures. The observed genetic variability is consistent with the polyploid nature of the species and supports the presumed self-incompatible phenotype. This is the first study to report SSR fingerprints for ornamental cultivars and fruit-bearing selections, providing a potential tool for use in breeding programs.