Quality traits in black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) as affected by genotype and location

Black currants are favoured for their tasty juice, rich colour and intense flavour and they are also rich sources of different phytochemicals with health promoting properties. In the present study ascorbic acid, total phenols, total anthocyanins, soluble solids and titratable acidity were quantified in five black currant genotypes grown in the north and south of Sweden over a three-year period. Remarkable variation between the genotypes for the different traits was revealed. For ascorbic acid, a 3-fold difference and for total phenols, a 2-fold difference, were observed. Although, the content of ascorbic acid and soluble solids were found to be genetically determined, growing location influenced cultivars 'Ben Finlay', 'Poesia' and 'Titania', with higher levels recorded in the south as compared to the same genotypes grown in the north. Also for total phenols and titratable acidity genotypic effects were more pronounced than that of location and year, whereas location was most important for the total anthocyanin content.