Polli Horticultural Research Centre (58 • 7 N; 25 • 32 E) in Estonia has focused on selecting cultivars with high productivity and suitable to use in local climatic conditions since 1945. Besides important agronomic characteristics, more attention has been recently paid to fruit quality and content of various bioactive compounds. The results of a biochemical analysis of 4 prospective black currant selections (10B, 2-96-51, 1-96-16, 4-96-1), 4 new cultivars ('Karri', 'Almo', 'Ats', 'Elo') from our own breeding program and 7 introduced cultivars ('Öjebyn', 'Zagadka', 'Ben Sarek', 'Intercontinental', 'Pamyati Vavilova', 'Titania' and 'Pilenai') are presented. In addition to the analysis of main biochemical characteristics, the anthocyanin content of the berries was determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The total anthocyanin content of the berries varied in a wide range. The highest anthocyanin content was found in the cultivar 'Almo' (212 ± 9 mg/100 g) and the lowest in 'Ben Sarek' (83 ± 24 mg/100 g). The ascorbic acid content varied from 98 mg/100 g with 'Ats' to 209 mg/100 g with elite selection 4-96-1. The polyphenol composition of the black currant leaves was determined by HPLC, the compounds were identified using polyphenol commercial standards and/or compounds mass spectrometric (MS) characteristics.

BACKGROUND: It is important to find plant materials that can inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and other food-spoiling bacteria both in vitro and in situ. The aim of the study was to compare antibacterial and antioxidative activity of selected plant-ethanol infusions: leaves and berries of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.), berries of chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott) and blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L. var. edulis); petioles and dark and light roots of garden rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum L.) for potential use in food matrices as antibacterial and antioxidative additives. RESULTS: The strongest bacterial growth inhibition was observed in 96% ethanol infusions of the dark roots of rhubarbs. In 96% ethanol, nine out of ten studied plant infusions had antibacterial effect against L. monocytogenes, but in 20% ethanol only the infusions of dark rhubarb roots had a similar effect. Chokeberry and other berries had the highest antioxidative activity, both in 20% and 96% ethanol infusions. CONCLUSION: The combination of dark rhubarb roots or petioles and berries of black chokeberry, blackcurrant or some other anthocyanin-rich berries would have potential as both antibacterial and antioxidative additives in food.

Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) fruit is valued for its content of nutritional compounds essential for human health.

The purpose of the study was to support the selection process of the most valuable currant and gooseberry accessions cultivated in Northern Europe, in order to establish a decentralized core collection and, following the selection, to ensure sufficient genetic diversity in the selected collection. Molecular analyses of the material from nine project partners were run at seven different laboratories. The results were first analysed for each partner separately, and then combined to ensure sufficient genetic diversity in the core collection.

Organic production is one of the fastest growing food sectors globally. However, average yield in organic vegetable production is up to 33% lower than in conventional production. This difference could be due to higher fertilization rates in conventional, compared to organic, farming. We aimed to compare yield and quality characteristics of carrots produced under equal nitrogen fertilization rates over four years in organic and conventional conditions. We found a 14.5% higher marketable, and 10.0% lower discarded, yield in the organic compared to the average conventional treatments. In addition, carrots managed organically had 14.1% lower nitrate and 10.0% higher vitamin C content than carrots managed conventionally. There were no convincing effects of cultivation system on the nitrogen, total sugar, or dry matter content of carrots. Organically managed carrots were free of pesticide residues, while several residues were found in carrots managed conventionally. Our study reveals that organic management of carrots may exceed that of conventional methods in yield and several quality characteristics, while being free of pesticide residues. Organic fertilizer gave an advantage over mineral fertilizer, when equal rates of nitrogen were used in both production systems.