Black raspberry fruit composition over two years from seedling populations grown at four US geographic locations

Black raspberry is a caneberry fruit recognized as a source of several phytoactive compounds. Fruit are most often used for processed products. As a specialty crop, black raspberry production is limited by its susceptibility to viruses, which reduce fruit size and yield and can kill the plant in a few years. As part of a NIFA-SCRI grant project, black raspberry fruit from the same seedling sets were grown at four geographic locations including Oregon, Ohio, New York and North Carolina. The goal of this project is to identify germplasm suitable for expanded processed and fresh market production. Total monomeric anthocyanin and phenolic content, soluble solids content (SSC), and titratable acidity (TA) were determined from fruit harvested in 2013 and 2014 from all sources for 56 seedlings (44 of ORUS 4304 and 12 of ORUS 4305) of two mapping populations. Genotypes were not significantly different in pH, total monomeric anthocyanin, or total phenolic content. Population ORUS 4304 parent ORUS 4158-2 was highest in SSC and grandparent 'Jewel' was highest in titratable acidity. Production environment had a strong effect on fruit composition. Fruit from Oregon-grown seedlings were highest in total monomeric anthocyanin and pH and lowest in titratable acidity. Fruit harvested from North Carolina and Ohio were lowest in total monomeric anthocyanin content.