Date of Award
Winter 2007
Project Type
Thesis
Program or Major
Plant Biology
Degree Name
Master of Science
First Advisor
Thomas M Davis
Abstract
Cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa ) fruit contain primarily pelargonidin and little cyanidin. The antioxidant potential of cyanidin is reportedly twice that of pelargonidin. A High Performance Liquid Chromatography method was developed to assay fruit anthocyanidin content in 87 Fragaria accessions, including wild diploids and octoploids, cultivars, and two segregating populations. A cyanidin to pelargonidin ratio (CPRatio) greater than one was found only in diploids Fragaria vesca ssp. americana (confirming a previous report), F. viridis, and F. iinumae, and in three wild octoploid accessions: all F. chiloensis. The highest cyanidin contents were found in diploid F. viridis and in F. chiloensis ssp. lucida. During fruit ripening, pelargonidin content increased, while cyanidin content held steady. The results hold promise for breeding of cultivars with higher cyanidin content and with potentially higher antioxidant potential.
Recommended Citation
Mahoney, Lise Bouchard, "Investigation of cyanidin and pelargonidin contents in the genus Fragaria L" (2007). Master's Theses and Capstones. 336.
https://scholars.unh.edu/thesis/336