Evaluation of local apple germplasm in Iran: study of sensory and physicochemical characteristics with emphasis on acceptability

Sensory and physicochemical traits of 190 local apple genotypes at the Horticulture Research Station of Kamalabad, Karaj, Iran were assessed for two years to determine their effect on fruit acceptability. The genotypes were evaluated for fruit texture, sweetness, sourness, crispness, juiciness, aroma intensity, and acceptability based on the 9-point hedonic-sensory scale. The fruits were tasted by 10 trained cooperators. Five physicochemical attributes including firmness, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, and fruit weight were measured. The results of multiple linear regression show a significant effect of all studied sensory traits on acceptability (R²=0.77) except for sourness. Fruit texture and acceptability revealed a strong correlation (r=0.72). All physicochemical traits did not affect acceptability alone, only weight and TSS were poorly related to acceptability. The highest score of texture, crispness, and juiciness is dedicated to “KA2” and “MN10”. These two genotypes along with “RED” were appreciated by panelists in comparison with others. The top score of aroma was assigned to “GO6” and “YA8” genotypes. The “BIG” genotype received the highest score of sweetness.