Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Georgia Ballroom (Sheraton Hotel Atlanta)
Fresh blackberries (Rubus subgenus Rubus) can have unique physiochemical and sensory attributes that vary by year. The physiochemical and sensory attributes of 10 blackberry genotypes were evaluated in 2014 and 2015. Five blackberry cultivars (Natchez, Osage, Ouachita, Prime-Ark® 45, and Prime-Ark® Traveler) and five advanced selections (A-2418, A-2434, A-2450, A-2453, and A-2491) were harvested at the shiny-black stage of maturity from the University of Arkansas Fruit Research Station, Clarksville. In 2014 and 2015, ‘Natchez’ was the largest berry (12.6-14.3 g) and A-2491 had the highest soluble solids (10.9-11.0%), while A-2418 had the highest titratable acidity (1.4-1.5%) and the lowest soluble solids (6.6-8.1%). A trained descriptive panel (n=8-9) evaluated fresh blackberry attributes including appearance (size of berry and glossiness), basic tastes (sweet, sour, and bitter), overall aromatics, and firmness using a 15-point scale (0=less and 15=more of the attribute). The interaction between genotype and year was significant for the descriptive attributes, size of berry, glossiness, sweetness, sourness, and overall aromatics, but the interaction was not significant for the firmness attribute. All blackberries evaluated in 2015 were more firm than 2014, and A-2453 was the most firm and ‘Natchez’ the least. The year of production impacted the attributes of some of the genotypes. In 2014 as compared to 2015, A-2450, A-2491, ‘Natchez’, and ‘Prime-Ark® 45’ had larger berries; A-2450 was glossier, A-2434, A-2491, ‘Natchez’, and ‘Prime-Ark® Traveler’ were sweeter, ‘Natchez’ and ‘Prime-Ark® 45’ were less sour; and A-2418, A-2453, ‘Osage’, and ‘Prime-Ark® 45’ had higher overall aromatics. Panelists were not able to detect differences in sweetness, sourness, or overall aromatics of blackberry genotypes in 2014, glossiness in 2015, or bitterness in either year. In 2014 and 2015, the descriptive panel scored ‘Natchez’ as the largest berry, and A-2453 the smallest, which corresponded to the berry weights. In 2014, A-2453 was the glossiest berry and A-2434 the least glossy. In 2015, A-2491 was the sweetest, A-2418 the least sweet, A-2450 the most sour, A-2453 the least sour and lowest overall aromatics, and ‘Natchez’ the most overall aromatic. Identifying the descriptive attributes for blackberries can be used to determine commercial potential and identify attributes that are consistent each year of production.