Estimation of genetic collection for anthocyanin content in strawberry fruits

The isolation of valuable genotypes with high anthocyanin content in fruits is a promising and current direction of strawberry breeding in connection with the growing interest to their biological and pharmacological activity, and antioxidant properties. The aim of the present study was identification of anthocyanin content variability in strawberry fruits both depending on genetic origin of available forms, definition of range for their varying in varieties and hybrid seedlings, and also isolation of promising genotypes as important sources and donors for high anthocyanin accumulation. The present paper gives the results of long-term investigations for accumulation of anthocyanins in fruits of a great set of varieties, hybrid seedlings, advanced and selected seedlings of strawberry from genetic resources of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution " IV Michurin Federal Research Centre" and affiliated "Breeding and genetics centre - IV Michurin All Russian Research Institute for Genetics and Breeding of Fruit Plants" (Tambov region, Michurinsk) (See Fig. 2). We determined the total content of anthocyanin pigments in laboratory with the use of spectrophotometric method (Leonchenko VG, Khanina NP, 1985). The comprehensive assessment of anthocyanin content in hybrid seedlings in open field required AA Zubov's and KV Stankevich's (1979) technique with the use of anthocyanin pigment scale. Transgressive variation was defined according to recommendations of AA Zubov (2004). On the basis of various and numerous varietal resources of strawberry in the Central Chernozem Region we stated that anthocyanin content in strawberry fruits, as well as medium index per collection was 52.3 mg/100g of wet weight (it is proved by adequate breeding measures for development of forms with higher content of the given substances), and here the range of varying of anthocyanin content was within a wide range- 10.5-171.6 mg/100g. As studies have shown, the percentage of varieties with light-colored fruits (52.3%) is much higher than with dark-colored fruits (4.6%) (See Fig. 1). Variability of the given character is higher in hybrid seedlings and within 6.0 to 242.0 mg/100g (See Table 2). We singled out prospective genotypes with high accumulation of anthocyanins. The following varieties can be considered as important for breeding and practical consumption (See Table 1): Feyerverk - 107.4 mg/100g, Privlekatel'naya -106.3 mg/100g, Rubinovy kulon - 103.1 mg/100g. Selected seedlings 3/2-3 (Feyerverk х L'vovskaya rannyaya) - 242.0 mg/100g, 3/3-16 (Feyerverk х Maryshka) - 176.0 mg/100g, 3/6-15 (Rubinovy kulon х Maryshka) - 165.0 mg/100g, 3/6-72 (Rubinovy kulon х Maryshka) - 178.2 mg/100g. We found out that in spite of all differences in hybrid progenies for anthocyanin content, the greatest number of seedlings with their high accumulation (from 80.0 to 100.0 mg/100g and more) was obtained in families where both parental forms have high anthocyanin content: Feyerverk, Privlekatel'naya, Rubinovy kulon). We recommend using the given varieties as sources and donors of high anthocyanin content in further breeding. The article contains 2 Figures, 2 Tables, 24 References.

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