Diversity of metabolite patterns and sensory characters in wild and cultivated strawberries¹

Abstract

In breeding programs wild strawberry species are used increasingly to enhance the genetic diversity and to implement higher sensory quality. Next to Fragaria moschata L. and F. viridis Weston wild collections cultivars of Fragaria vesca L. were the standards for strawberry taste in Europe before the development of Fragaria × ananassa Duch. around 250 years ago. Therefore, the objective of this research was the evaluation of patterns of volatile organic compounds including around twenty strawberry character impact compounds evaluated for Fragaria vesca and in comparison for standard cultivars of Fragaria × ananassa. The metabolic patterns were measured using immersion-SBSE-GC-MS. Sixteen accessions of Fragaria vesca exhibit a high diversity in qualities and quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A specific fruit sampling strategy equalizes environmental caused variation and avoids misleading interpretations. The shown results are valuable for further breeding activities regarding flavor, transcriptomic analyses, studies of biochemical pathways and signaling compounds as well as marker development.