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Altitude influence on fruit quality characteristics of wild blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus l.) from mt. Golija
No full textThis study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical, phytochemical, and sensory characteristics of wild
blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) harvested from two locations at different altitudes (Glibovac –
1,200 m and Crepuljnik – 1,400 m) on Mt. Golija in southwestern Serbia. The physical parameters
measured included fruit weight, height, and width. Chemical analyses encompassed soluble solids
content, pH, titratable acidity, and sugar composition. Phytochemical properties, such as total
phenolic content, total anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity (ABTS assay), were assessed. In
addition, sensory evaluation was conducted by a panel of four trained assessors. The results indicated
significant differences in all physical parameters, with larger fruit dimensions recorded at the higher
altitude. Fruits from Glibovac had a higher soluble solids content, total sugars, and total phenolics,
while anthocyanin content was slightly higher in fruits from Crepuljnik. No significant differences
were observed in antioxidant capacity. Sensory analysis showed a significantly higher visual appeal
and overall sensory score for berries from Crepuljnik, although other attributes such as taste, aroma,
and texture did not differ notably between the two sites. These findings suggest that altitude and
environmental conditions can significantly influence the quality and bioactive composition of wild
blueberries, offering valuable insights for their use in the food and functional product industries
Occurrence of Rubus yellow net virus in red raspberry orchards in Serbia
No full textA survey for Rubus yellow net virus (RYNV) in red raspberry orchards in Serbia was conducted from 2014‒2022. A total of 112 samples from seven cultivars were collected and analyzed. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using RYNV-specific primers was used for virus detection. A specific 350 bp fragment was obtained in 30 samples, confirming RYNV presence in cultivars ‘Fertödi Zamatos’, ‘Meeker’, ‘Tulameen’, and ‘Willamette’. Sequence analysis of the partial polyprotein gene of the RYNV genome confirmed that selected Serbian isolates share 83.43– 98.29% nucleotide identities with RYNV sequences in GenBank
Pollen donor matters: Unraveling its influence on plum (Prunus domestica L.) cultivar ‘Crvena Ranka’ fruit composition
No full textOur research aimed to determine how pollen donors affected fruit set, weight, and phytochemical composition of plum ‘Crvena Ranka,’ a key cultivar suitable for producing high-quality brandy in the Serbian market, with growing export potential. Traditional polliniser ‘Dragačevka’ and cultivars widespread in production, ‘Čačanska Lepotica’ and ‘Čačanska Rodna,’ free and mixed pollination were chosen as pollen sources. The highest fruit set was observed in the crossing combinations with ʻČačanska Lepotica’ and ʻČačanska Rodna’. There were no significant variations in total sugar (TS) among pollen donors. Significantly higher levels of total acids (TA) and individual organic acids are recorded with a pollen mixture, resulting in a significantly lower TS/TA compared to other polliniser combinations. The highest content of phenolic groups (hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, flavones, flavanols, anthocyanins) and their sum was detected in mixed pollination. These results indicate the synergistic effect of metaxenia of different pollen sources on the overall fruit quality of the maternal cultivar. Čačanska Lepotica’ and mixed pollen significantly improved fruit quality, suggesting that growing ‘Crvena Ranka’ with ‘Čačanska Lepotica’ or in a multi-varietal orchard could enhance production to obtain high-quality plum products
Prevalence and genetic diversity of viruses infecting red raspberries in Serbia
No full textRed raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) is the most important berry fruit in Serbian agriculture. Rubus species are hosts of more than 30 viruses and virus-like diseases, and less than 10 viruses were confirmed infecting raspberries in Serbia. From 2015 to 2024, a number of 193 samples were collected from 86 orchards from different locations in raspberry-growing areas in the country. The most of collected samples showed different leaf symptoms, as blotch, yellows, twisting, and chlorotic mottle, while others were asymptomatic. Samples were tested for the presence of six viruses: raspberry leaf blotch emaravirus (Emaravirus idaeobati, RLBV), Rubus yellow net virus (Badnavirus reterubi, RYNV), black raspberry necrosis virus (Sadwavirus rubi, BRNV), raspberry leaf mottle virus (Closterovirus macularubi, RLMV), raspberry vein chlorosis virus (RVCV), and raspberry latent virus (RpLV). The analysis was performed with RT-PCR and PCR assays using virus-specific primers. The most prevalent virus that was confirmed in analyzed samples was RLBV (49.7%), followed by RLMV (17.6%), RYNV (15%), BRNV (9.3%), and RpLV (6.7%). RVCV was not detected in any of the analyzed samples. The frequency of mixed infection was very high (87.5%), including two to four viruses. Based on the results, virus distribution maps were created. Selected isolates of detected viruses were partially sequenced, and their phylogenetic relationship was evaluated. The sequences of the Serbian RLBV isolates showed 92.8−100% nucleotide (nt) sequence identity, which is similar to that of isolates from other countries. When compared, Serbian RYNV isolates showed high (97.4‒100%) nt sequence identity. BRNV isolates share 94.2–99.7% identity, but they are quite divergent in comparison with isolates from Europe and North America (80.0–82.2% nt identity). Very high nt sequence identity was detected in RLMV isolates (99.5–100%). All Serbian RpLV isolates have identical sequences among themselves and with the isolate from North America. As presented, the highest rate of infection was recorded with RLBV which is present in several European countries, its economic impact was confirmed, but it is still not monitored in any country
Pollen Donor Matters: Unraveling Its Influence on Plum (Prunus domestica L.) Fruit Composition
No full textOur research aimed to determine how pollen donors affected fruit set, weight, and phytochemical composition of plum ‘Crvena Ranka,’ a key cultivar suitable for producing high-quality brandy in the Serbian market, with growing export potential. Traditional pollenizer ‘Dragačevka’ and cultivars widespread in production, ‘Čačanska Lepotica’ and ‘Čačanska Rodna,’ free and mixed pollination were chosen as pollen sources. The highest fruit set was observed in the crossing combinations with ʻČačanska Lepotica’ and ʻČačanska Rodna’. There were no significant variations in total sugar (TS) among pollen donors. Significantly higher levels of total (TA) and individual organic acids are recorded with a pollen mixture, resulting in a significantly lower TS/TA compared to other polleniser combinations. The highest content of phenolic groups (hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, flavones, flavanols, anthocyanins) and their sum was detected in mixed pollination. These results indicate the synergistic effect of metaxenia of different pollen sources on the overall fruit quality of the maternal cultivar. Comparable content of most of the phenolic groups was detected in the pollination with ‘Čačanska Lepotica’.‘Čačanska Lepotica’ and mixed pollen significantly improved fruit quality, suggesting that growing ‘Crvena Ranka’ with ‘Čačanska Lepotica’ or in a multi-varietal orchard could enhance production to obtain high-quality plum products
Quality monitoring of apple fruit during long-term cold storage
No full textThis study aims to evaluate the post-harvest characteristics of two commercial apple cultivars (ʻGloster’ and ‘Morren’s Jonagored®’), examining their quality at harvest and after storage for different period (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 months). Physical (fruit weight, weight loss, and firmness) and chemical traits (total sugars content (TSC), titrable acidity (TA), and TSC/TA ratio) were determined using standard laboratory methods. A comparison of the apple cultivars showed that ‘Morren’s Jonagored®’ had a higher fruit weight (217.87 g), while ‘Gloster’ exhibited higher fruit firmness (10.18 kg cm-2). The TA content was higher in ‘Gloster’ (0.45%), while TSC/TA ratio was higher in ‘Morren’s Jonagored®’ (32.96). No significant differences were observed in weight loss and TS content. At harvest, fruits of the apple cultivars exhibited the highest values for weight and firmness. During cold storage, a decrease was observed, and after 8 months, the investigated quality parameters showed the lowest values, along with the highest fruit weight loss (10.10%). The highest TSC content in apple fruit was recorded after 2 months of storage (10.33%), TA after 4 months (0.43%), while the highest TSC/TA ratio was observed at the end of the cold storage (35.03). A throughout analysis indicates that both cultivars are well-suited for long-term cold storage, as no significant changes were observed in the physical and chemical properties of the apple fruits throughout the storage period. This stability suggests their potential for extended shelf life and consumer acceptance
Impact of freezing and freeze-drying processes on changes in phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity of blackberry fruit
No full textBlackberry (Rubus subg. Rubus Watson) is highly valued for its nutritional properties, which may
be linked to its high content of primary and secondary metabolites. This study evaluates the effect
of freezing and freeze-drying processes on the phytochemical content and antioxidant capacity
of the ʻČačanska Bestrna’ blackberry cultivar, comparing these changes with the quality of fresh
blackberry fruit. Primary metabolites, including soluble solids content (SSC), total and reduced
sugars (TS, RS), total sucrose (TS), and total acids (TA) content, were determined in freezedryed, frozen and fresh blackberry fruits. Among the secondary metabolites, the content of total
phenolics (TPC), and total anthocyanins (TAC) was analyzed as phytochemicals responsible for
the antioxidant capacity of the fruit, which was also determined using the DPPH method. The
results showed that the applied preservation methods positively affected the examined fruit
parameters. Freeze-dried blackberry fruits showed superior levels of SSC (90.63%), TS
(52.25%), RS (45.83%), and TA (6.10%) compared to frozen and fresh fruits. TPC values did
not demonstrate significant variations between the two preservation methods and fresh fruit. In
this regard, further research should be focused on increasing the efficiency of preserving
beneficial phytonutrients in final blackberry products that are essential for human health, thereby
ensuring better quality and high nutritional value
Characterization of autochthonous Balkan sweet cherry genotypes for temperature-adaptable reproductive behavior
No full textSweet cherry is among the most popular temperate fruit crops due to the attractiveness of its fruits, their nutritive value and beneficial health effects, and their suitability for fresh consumption and processing. The reproductive phase is susceptible to temperature stress that, at blooming time, has a detrimental effect on fruit set in commercial sweet cherry orchards. Diversity plays a crucial role in adapting sweet cherries to environmental changes, making autochthonous genotypes exhibiting tolerance essential sources of potential temperature-tolerance genes. Within the CherrySeRB project, led by Fruit Research Institute, Čačak along with several partner institutions, the focus was characterizing autochthonous Balkan sweet cherry genotypes for desirable reproductive properties that can face warmer temperature conditions during the flowering. Our study aimed at the reproductive characterization of autochthonous sweet cherry cultivars originated from Serbia (‘Canetova’ and ‘G-2’) and North Macedonia (‘Dolga Šiška’ and ‘Ohridska Crna’), and six commercial cultivars – potential pollinizers (‘Burlat’, ‘Lapins’, ‘Kordia’, ‘Rita’, ‘Summit’, and ‘Sunburst’). Pollination experiments were performed at three Balkan localities (Čačak, Belgrade, and Ohrid) over two flowering seasons, with the fluorescence microscopy method used to assess the reproductive behavior of both autochthonous genotypes and pollinizers. The later-flowering ‘Ohridska Crna’ demonstrated the best adaptability to higher temperatures in terms of primary ovule longevity. This reproductive feature should be the basis for designing successful cultivar compositions in cherry orchards, with pollinizers chosen to support the main cultivars, considering various pollen-pistil interactions and fertilization efficiency. Such an approach can also facilitate the targeted use of well-adapted, high-quality fruited genotypes to develop new cherry cultivars that can respond to the challenges of global warming in the reproductive sense. The findings on male-female relationships and their temperature dependence open up possibilities for yield prediction and smart horticultural decisions to guide cherry production
Assessing harvest date and shelf-life of apples by combining conventional methods and Raman microscopy
No full textHarvest date strongly affects apple eating quality and postharvest life. This study examined how conventional
and advanced methods can be combined to determine optimal harvest date and shelf-life for two apple varieties,
Braeburn and Golden Delicious. Apples were sampled at three harvest dates over a 15-day shelf-life. Texture
analysis showed that Golden Delicious was mainly affected by the interaction between harvest date and shelf-life,
whereas Braeburn responded more to individual factors. Both varieties showed color changes during shelf-life,
with Braeburn browning faster (Browning Index from 73.91 ± 11.88 on day 0–91.61 ± 11.99 on day 15)
while Golden Delicious remained stable (~62). Maturity indices, including starch degradation, soluble solids,
and acidity, were significantly influenced by harvest date and shelf-life. Starch quantification confirmed this
trend, with Braeburn maintaining more stable levels (0.46 ×10 ³–0.49 ×10 ³ Optical density) compared to
Golden Delicious, which showed a temporary reduction and re-increase due to over-ripening
(0.77 ×10 ³–0.42 ×10 ³ Optical density). Raman microscopy supported these findings by detecting starch
breakdown into sugars. Clustering analysis revealed clearer separation by harvest date in Golden Delicious, while
Braeburn exhibited less variation. Overall, combining traditional and advanced techniques improved assessment
of apple ripening and postharvest performance
Predlog novog organizacionog koncepta proizvodnјe i prerade maline u srbiji u cilju prilagođavanјa globalnim klimatskim i tržišnim promenama
No full textProizvodnja maline u Srbiji u poslednje vreme postaje i te kako zavisna od klimatskih, ali i tržišnih promena na globalnom nivou. I pored prepoznatlјivog kvaliteta, zamrznuta malina iz Srbije sve teže nalazi svoje mesto na svetskom tržištu. Jedan od najvećih problema sa kojima se susreću proizvođači maline svakako predstavlјa značajno variranje cena smrznute maline koju diktira globalno tržište. U radu su predstavlјene proizvođačke cene maline sorte Vilamet u poluintenzivnom i intenzivnom modelu proizvodnje sa prinosima od 2 do 25 tona po hektaru, dobijenih na osnovu analize ekonomskih podataka sa preko 200 reprezentativnijih polјoprivrednih gazdinstava iz poznatih malinarskih regiona.
Proizvodi od maline sa dodatom vrednošću, sa zaštićenim geografskim poreklom, predstavlјaju realnu alternativu dosadašnjem konceptu izvoza zamrznute maline. Dobijeni visokokvalitetni premijum proizvodi od maline sorte Vilamet, koji su nastali kao rezultat ovog istraživanja, poput premijum soka, namaza, kao i ulјa od semenki maline, mogu predstavlјati izuzetno interesantne proizvode koji se mogu proizvoditi u Srbiji, a plasirati na najzahtevnijim inostrannim tržištima, što podrazumeva i izradu prepoznatlјivog brenda Made in Srbija.
Trenutna proizvodnja maline u Republici Srbiji organizovana je kroz različite sisteme gajenja koji su najčešće uslovlјeni prirodnim, tehničkim i socio-ekonomskim uslovima. Prilagođavanje globalnim klimatskim i tržišnim promenama podrazumeva korenitu promenu sistema dosadašnje uglavnom ekstenzivne i nedovolјno organizovane proizvodnje i primenu sasvim novog organizacionog koncepta koji podrazumeva formiranje najsavremenijih zasada maline na odabranim polјoprivrednim gazdinstvima, uz primenu najnovijih tehnoloških rešenja (bezvirusni sadni materijal, mreže za zasenu i zaštitu od grada, digitalizovane sisteme za navodnjavanje sa senzorima itd.), što bi iziskivalo značajna ulaganja, a što je jedan od glavnih ograničavajućih faktora za najveći broj polјoprivrednih gazdinstava u ruralnim područjima. Zato se podrazumeva da se u realizaciji ovog koncepta obezbedi podrška države u vidu odgovarajućih subvencija (koje se već primenjuju), kao i što povolјnija kreditna podrška banaka pod komercijalnim uslovima.
Primena novog organizacionog koncepta proizvodnje i prerade maline podrazumevaće stvaranje ozbilјne kooperative, primenu najnovijih tehnologija i garantovanu otkupnu cenu (formiranu na osnovu realnih troškova vođenih od strane stručnjaka agroekonomske struke), koja će svima u lancu od proizvodnje maline do plasmana proizvoda sa dodatom vrednošću obezbediti stabilan profit i održivost, kao i zainteresovanog privatnog investitora iz zemlјe ili inostranstva. Ovaj koncept podrazumeva i obezbeđenje kvalitetnog i zdravstveno ispravnog sadnog materijala sorte Vilamet, uz stručnu pomoć naučnih institucija i polјoprivrednih savetodavnih službi u regionima koji su pogodni za ovaj vid voćarske proizvodnje u novim klimatskim uslovima. Jedan od preduslova za održivost je i adekvatan odabir polјoprivrednih gazdinstava uz primenu kriterijuma koje će definisati savetodavne stručne službe. Primenom ovakvog organizacionog koncepta proizvodnje i prerade maline stvaraju se uslovi za unapređenje proizvodnje maline kao značajnog impulsa ruralnog razvoja u Srbiji i u značajnoj meri koriste prirodni i lјudski resursi