Twenty-nine volatile compounds in 'Chilliwack', 'Tulameen', 'Willamette', 'Yellow Meeker', and 'Meeker' raspberries were quantified using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) paired with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Good correlation coefficients were obtained with most aroma-active compounds in raspberry, with quantification limits of 1 microg/kg. However, poor recoveries were observed for raspberry ketone and zingerone. Quantitative data showed that volatile concentrations varied for different cultivars. Large variations for alpha-ionone, beta-ionone, geraniol, linalool, and ( Z)-3-hexenol were observed in different raspberry cultivars. In addition, the volatile compositions in 'Meeker' raspberry grown at different locations also varied. The chiral isomeric ratios of raspberry ketone, alpha-ionone, alpha-pinene, linalool, terpinen-4-ol, delta-octalactone, delta-decalactone, and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol were studied using a CyclosilB column. alpha-Ionone, alpha-pinene, delta-octalactone, and delta-decalactone had strong chiral isomeric preference, with more than 96% for one isomeric form. Much weaker chiral isomeric preference was observed for terpinen-4-ol, while linalool was almost a racemic mixture. Both growing locations and cultivars affect the isomeric ratio of linalool with a range of 37-51% for ( R)-linalool.

Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) causes a significant reduction in yield and quality in raspberry and raspberry-blackberry hybrid. Genetic modifications were made to 'Meeker' red raspberries to impart RBDV resistance. The RBDV-resistant transgenic and wild type 'Meeker' plants were grown in Oregon and Washington, and the fruits were harvested in the 2004 and 2005 growing seasons. Year-to-year and site-to-site variations were observed for the degrees Brix and titratable acidity, with Oregon raspberries having slightly higher degrees Brix and lower titratable acidity than Washington raspberries. Twenty-nine volatile compounds were quantified using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) paired with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). There were very few differences in volatile concentrations between the transgenic varieties and the wild type 'Meeker'. Much larger variations were observed between sites and harvest seasons. Raspberries grown in Oregon appeared to have higher concentrations of delta-octalactone, delta-decalactone, geraniol, and linalool. Chiral analysis of alpha-ionone, alpha-pinene, linalool, terpinen-4-ol, delta-octalactone, and delta-decalactone demonstrated a much higher percentage of one isomer over the other, particularly alpha-ionone, alpha-pinene, delta-octalactone, and delta-decalactone, with more than 90% of one isomer, while a racemic mixture was observed for linalool. The isomeric analysis revealed very little variation between varieties, locations, or years. The flavor compounds tested in this study did not show any difference between the transgenic lines and the wild type 'Meeker' raspberry.

Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) causes significant reduction in yield and crumbly fruit in raspberries, blackberries and raspberry-blackberry hybrids; the only means of control is through development of resistant cultivars. Genetic modifications have been made to 'Meeker' red raspberries in an effort to develop resistance to RBDV while maintaining the desirable fruit characteristics of 'Meeker' including sweetness, aroma profile and machine harvestability. Transgenic and wildtype 'Meeker' plants were grown in Oregon and Washington to compare the fruit quality under different climatic conditions over several years and to evaluate field resistance to RBDV. After six field seasons, only one of the transgenic lines was still completely free of RBDV under extreme disease pressure. The wild-type 'Meeker' plants in the same plots were 100% infected (202/202) after three field seasons. This transgenic line along with four other lines that were less than 100% infected after six field seasons was not infected with RBDV by grafting after three attempts. Fruit quality indicators such as °Brix, titratable acidity and sugar and organic acid profiles were performed on fruit from wild-type and five transgenic lines of 'Meeker' raspberries grown in Oregon and Washington for the years 2004 and 2005. Significant differences (p<0.05) were found between the years for all tests performed. °Brix and titratable acidity were also significantly affected by locations with berries grown in Washington having higher acid and lower °Brix than Oregon. The RBDV-resistant transgenic lines were similar to the wild-type 'Meeker' red raspberry. Experimental results showed that fruit quality is affected by season and growing environments. Additionally, the five transgenic lines behaved similarly to the wild-type 'Meeker' raspberry in yield. These results demonstrated that the transgenic RBDV-resistant lines of 'Meeker' could serve as a replacement for the wild-type 'Meeker' red raspberry provided that the fruit was accepted in the marketplace.