title: Influence of antioxidant compounds, total sugars and genetic background on the chilling injury susceptibility of a non-melting peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) progeny.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To identify genotypes with good organoleptic properties, antioxidant-rich content and low susceptibility to chilling injury (CI), fruits from 130 peach cultivars were studied over three consecutive years. Pomological traits, l-ascorbic acid, flavonoids, total phenolics, relative antioxidant capacity (RAC) and sugars were determined. Major symptoms of CI developed at 5 °C, such as leatheriness, flesh browning, bleeding and loss of flavor, were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The population exhibited wide phenotypic variation in agronomic and biochemical traits. Six genotypes with high total phenolics, RAC, flavonoids and total sugars were selected. The progeny also showed variability for all evaluated CI symptoms, and 16 genotypes showed considerably lower susceptibility to CI. After 2 weeks of cold storage, leatheriness and bleeding were the main CI symptoms observed, whereas flesh browning was predominant after 4 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was possible to find varieties with high phenolic concentration and relatively low or intermediate CI susceptibility (22, 33, 68, 80, 81, 96 and 120). However, the correlations observed between CI and phenolic contents highlight their potential influence on susceptibility to internal browning. This relationship should be considered in the current breeding programs to select cultivars with high bioactive compound contents, health-enhancing properties and good postharvest performance.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pomología, Estación Experimental de Aula Dei (CSIC), Apdo 13034, E-50080, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Abidi
authors.forename: Celia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cantín
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giménez
authors.forename: María Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gogorcena
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D001947:Breeding; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D061353:Food Storage; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000592:standards; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010641:Phenotype; D027861:Prunus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002241:Carbohydrates; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: antioxidant capacity; chilling injury; postharvest disorders; sugars; total phenolics; vitamin C