Season, location and cultivar influence on bioactive compounds of sour cherry fruits

The aim of this study was to determine how different locations, years and cultivars influenced polyphenol and anthocyanin content in fruits of different sour cherry cultivars (Prunus cerasus L.). Fruits of five sour cherry cultivars were harvested in two locations (Osijek and Zadar) over three consecutive years (2010, 2011 and 2012). Factorial ANOVA showed that year and location significantly influenced the accumulation of polyphenols and anthocyanins in sour cherry fruits. 2010 was the best year with 9.89 mg/g of polyphenols and 5.08 mg/g of anthocyanins on average. Although year and location revealed a strong influence, cultivar is the principal source of variation, as it is proved by the polyphenol content in the range from 5.89 to 10.78 mg/g and the anthocyanin content in the range from 3.15 to 4.76 mg/g. Cv. Maraska appears to be the most significant source of bioactive compounds, while cvs. Heimanns Konservenweichel and Rexelle gave very similar but significantly lower contents of polyphenols and anthocyanins than cv. Maraska. Cv. Oblacinska had significantly the lowest contents of investigated bioactive compounds.