Plant and Soil Science

Biochemical composition and nutritional value of rowan-chockeberry hybrids (×Sorbaronia fallax (C.K. Schneid.) C.K. Schneid.) developed in Ukraine

Serhii Kovalchuk, Volodymyr Mezhenskyj
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Abstract

This study provided a comprehensive analysis of the biochemical composition and nutritional value of nine promising rowan-chokeberry hybrids (×Sorbaronia fallax) developed at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NULES). These hybrids were compared to two established cultivars: ‘Vseslava’ and ‘Nero’. The research aimed to evaluate the content of dry matter, soluble solids, total sugars, titratable acidity, pectin, ascorbic acid, polyphenolics, anthocyanins, and chalcones. Fruit samples were collected in 2023-2024 from NULES experimental orchards. The results showed significant differences between the genotypes. Specifically, genotype 5-84 exhibited the highest levels of dry matter, soluble solids, ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, and chalcones, while genotype 3-15 generally had the lowest levels. The effect of the cultivation year was only statistically significant for pectin content. Strong positive correlations were observed between dry matter and soluble solids (r = 0.90) and between anthocyanins and chalcones (r = 0.99). Overall, the hybrids surpassed the parent cultivar in several nutritional aspects, including sugar content, pectin, ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, and chalcones, highlighting their significant genetic potential. The findings of this study offered valuable information for breeding programmes focused on improving the nutritional traits of these fruits. Breeders and agronomists can use these results to select the best genotypes for further cultivation. Furthermore, producers of food and dietary supplements can leverage this data to develop new functional products

Keywords

×Sorbaronia fallax subsp. fallax; genothypes; ascorbic acid; polyphenols; anthocyanidines

Suggested citation
Kovalchuk, S., & Mezhenskyj, V. (2025). Biochemical composition and nutritional value of rowan-chockeberry hybrids (×Sorbaronia fallax (C.K. Schneid.) C.K. Schneid.) developed in Ukraine. Plant and Soil Science, 16(4), 34-46. https://doi.org/10.31548/plant4.2025.34
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