CIENCIA RURAL, vol.53, no.8, pp.1-12, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
Late spring frosts is one of the most important restricting abiotic stress factors of apricot growing worldwide. In this study;
some physical, biochemical fruit quality characteristics and volatile aroma compounds were determined in fresh fruit samples of thirteen late
spring frost tolerant apricot hybrids recently obtained from Turkish apricot breeding programme. A wide variation was reported among apricot
genotypes in all of the evaluated physical and biochemical fruit characteristics and also volatile aroma compounds. Fruit size varied between
27.2 and 60.5 g, total soluble solids between 13.6 and 17.4 %, total carotene 26.6 and 42.8 (mg.100 g-1), and total phenolics content 354.2 and
673.1 (GAE.100 g-1). A total of 42 flavor components belonging to various flavor compound groups were identified. The main volatile aroma
compound groups detected in the assessed apricot genotypes were; aldehydes, ketones, esters, alcohols, terpenes, acids, and other compounds.
Among the detected compounds; Hexanal, 2-Hexenal, 1-Hexanol, 2-Hexen-1-ol, Limonene were the most abundant compounds in terms of
concentration. Hexanal varied between 55.8 and 528.5 µg.kg-1, and 2-Hexen-1-ol changed between 25.7 and 297.9 µg.kg-1 fresh weight. Correlation
analysis revealed significant correlations among some aroma compounds and biochemical fruit quality characteristics. Significant correlations were
reported for esters with titratable acidity (r=0.79) and total carotene (r=-0.61) and aldehydes were found as highly correlated with total soluble
solids (r=-0.69). The results of the study will be beneficial in terms of food analysis, cultivation, and breeding studies of apricot.
Key words: breeding, hybridization, phytochemicals, prunus armeniaca L., stress tolerance.