Physio-chemical characteristics of strawberry and raspberry: comparison of local and commercial cultivars with their wild relatives in Estonia

The chemical composition of old local breeds, wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca), and raspberry (Rubin idaeus) has not been studied enough as they may not be profitable. We compared local and commercial strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) and raspberry (Rubus idaeus) cultivars to natural relatives. In the experiment fruit weight, pH, and chemical characteristics were investigated. In contrast with foreign cultivars, local strawberry and raspberry cultivars had smaller berries and a lower anthocyanin content, but a higher total phenolic and ascorbic acid content. The strawberry cultivar 'Edu' had the highest ascorbic acid and 'Regatt-80' the highest total phenolic content. The raspberry cultivar 'Tomo' had the highest quantity of ascorbic acid and 'Alvi' the highest total phenolic content. Due to the higher levels of these bioactive compounds, old local cultivars could he used for the production of nutrient-rich functional food. Wild relatives showed a higher value of dry matter, soluble solids, and anthocyanins than the cultivars. The content of total phenolics in raspberry cultivars and wild raspberries was statistically the same but for strawberries, a higher value was estimated for wild counterparts.