COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE SWEET CHERRY FRUITS

Comparative studies on the complex biochemical indicators of the fruits of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars were conducted as a new focus, to recognize their genotypes. Eight sweet cherry cultivars were procured from the Federal Horticultural Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology, and Nursery (FSBSO ARHCBAN), Moscow, Russia, namely, Moskvoretskaya, Chermashnaya, Italyanka, Iput, Tyutchevka, Fatezh, Sinyavskaya, and Podarok Ryazani, and two cultivars, i.e., Regina and Krasa Kuban from Azerbaijan and the Southern Federal District of Russia (Republic of Crimea), respectively. The studies were conducted through traditional (potentiometry, refractometry, and spectrophotometry) and modern analytical (energy-dispersive spectrometry, gas chromate-mass-spectrometry) methods. Considerable genetic variations were detected among the evaluated cultivars of the sweet cherry for all studied traits. The most harmonized taste from the balanced content of acids and sugars in the fruits is noted with the sweet cherry cultivars, i.e., Sinyavskaya, Fatezh, Krasa Kubani, Podarok Ryazani, and Regina. Cultivars Italyanka, Sinyavskaya, and Podarok Ryazani have 2.3, 3.5, and 4.2 times more, respectively, phenolic compounds than the cultivar Krasa Kubani. The following decreasing order of the accumulation of various macro and micro-elements was observed in the sweet cherry fruits, i.e., K > P > Mо > Mg > Ca > Se > Co > Mn > Fe > Zn. The comparison of sweet cherry fruits’ metabolomic profiles revealed the composition of organic and phenolic acids, sugar alcohols, carbohydrates and their derivatives, amino acids, and other compounds. In total, 41 individual compounds were determined. In sweet cherry fruits, carbohydrates are presented by monosaccharides, which are the components of a healthy diet, and their derivatives. Among organic acids, the most significant differences were detected in the presence of arabinoic, fumaric, and erythro-pentonic acids; fatty acids found in sweet cherries are valuable for human nutrition. The biologically active substances, i.e., kojic acid and myo-inositol, were also detected in the sweet cherry cultivars, Moskvoretskaya, Fatezh, Podarok Ryazani, Sinyavskaya, Krasa Kubani, and Regina. The metabolome is an important biochemical indicator of the plant's phenotype and it allows to reveal hidden differences in their genotypes.