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Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Abstract

Plum (Prunus domestica L.) is a nutritionally valuable fruit with significant commercial importance, yet consumer acceptance is often constrained by inconsistent fruit quality. This study investigated the effects of cultivar, training system, and harvest stage on the chemical composition of plum fruit, focusing on polyphenols, organic acids, sugars, and sugar alcohols. Three cultivars (Čačanska lepotica, Stanley, and Empress) were evaluated under different canopy architectures, including plum spindle as a control and novel 2-dimensional systems (Bi axe and upright fruiting offshoot), across multiple ripening stages. The results showed that genotype and canopy structure significantly influenced the accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites. Notably, 2-dimensional systems enhanced the accumulation of bioactive compounds, an effect that was most pronounced in late-harvested fruit, underscoring the combined importance of canopy architecture and harvest timing for maximizing nutritional quality. Čačanska lepotica had the highest polyphenolic content, while Empress had elevated levels of organic acids and sugars in later stages of ripening. The interaction between training system and harvest timing proved critical in optimizing fruit biochemical profiles. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study evaluating the influence of 2-dimensional canopy systems on the chemical composition of plum fruit. These findings provide practical guidance for orchard management, showing that the integration of cultivar selection with 2-dimensional training systems and optimized harvest timing can be strategically used to enhance both fruit taste and nutritional quality.

Author ORCID Identifier

JELISAVETA CVIJANOVIĆ: 0009-0005-1131-5301

MILICA SREDOJEVIĆ: 0000-0002-9039-3201

DRAGANA DABIĆ ZAGORAC: 0000-0001-5454-5696

MAJA NATIĆ: 0000-0002-6610-297X

GEZA BUJDOSO: 0000-0001-7911-5860

MILJAN CVETKOVIĆ: 0000-0001-6624-1091

DOI

10.55730/1300-011X.3482

Keywords

Polyphenols, organic acids, sugar profile

First Page

521

Last Page

533

Publisher

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK)

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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