چكيده لاتين :
Introduction: Cornus is a very large genus which comprises 40 species of shrubs and trees native to Central and Southern Europe and parts of Western Asia. Many species are grown as ornamentals. Only a few species are grown for their fruits, chief among which is the cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.). Study on the nutritional value of the cornelian cherry has focused on nutrients which play a role in preventing diseases such as scurvy. Fresh cornelian cherry fruits contain twice as much vitamin C as oranges. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution and physicochemical properties of cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) fruits in Iran.
Materials and Methods: Distribution of cornelian cherry was traced on the map according to the visitation of the different provinces. In order to study the characteristics of the fruit, samples were taken from five different areas and various parameters were evaluated. Fruit and seed weight (g) were measured by a digital balance with a sensitivity of 0.001 g (Scaltec Company, Gottingen, Germany; model SPB31). Fruit length (mm), fruit diameter (mm), seed diameter (mm) and seed length (mm) were measured using a digital vernier caliper with a sensitivity of 0.01 mm. TSS was determined by refrectometry of one drop extracted juice of each fruit at 25°C (Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Japan, and Model RA-250HE). TA was determined by titration and the pH value was indicated by pH meter (HBJ-260). In addition, total ascorbic acid content was determined by the dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) method. Data were subjected to calculate of descriptive statistics by SPPSS and means were separated by Duncan’s multiple range test at p <0.01 significance level.
Results and Discussion: Cornelian cherry trees are spread in East Azerbaijan, Qazvin and Gilan provinces across Iran. In these regions, cornelian cherry trees are grown at altitude between 300 and 1525 m. Despite the high nutritional value, high anthocyanin, its widespread use in medicine and the treatment of certain diseases, unfortunately, few researches have been done on its fruit. The most geographical distribution of cornelian cherry in East Azerbaijan province was found in northern regions. Moreover, in Qazvin province, the highest geographical distribution of cornelian cherry was in the north and northeast directions of it. The result of descriptive statistics showed that measured traits have different variation. Furthermore, the results indicated that the highest variation was observed in seed weight (42.86 %). The results showed that fruit weight varied from 1.09 to 4.66 g, whereas seed and flesh weight ranged from 0.11 to 0.4 g and 0.97 to 4.36 g, respectively. Average fruit length was between 13.89 and 27.87 mm, and the average diameter of them was between 9.89 and 20.22 mm. The content of ascorbic acid ranged from 30 to 255 mg.100 g-1 fresh weight. The total soluble solids and total acidity were between 5.5 and 20.2% and between 0.7 and 3%, respectively. In other studies, the average fruit weight of 0.55 to 2.9 g, flesh to seed ratio of 2.05 to 12.62, fruit length to diameter ratio of 1.18 to 2.35, seed length of 10.16 to 14.94 mm and seed diameter of 5.14 to 7.1 mm have been reported. The different results observed between our study and other studies may be due to various environmental conditions. The important aims in breeding programs of cornelian cherry are the improvement of yield and fruit characteristics such as size, flesh to seed ratio, flavor and etc. In this study, cornelian cherry trees grown in Almut region had the higher fruit weight, fruit length and diameter and flesh to seed ratio than other regions. Therefore, cornelian cherry trees grown in this region can be used for breeding programs. According to the results, the biggest fruit was observed in Alamut region. Important sources of cornelian cherry germplasm are being lost because stands are being cut to produce walking sticks and other uses. Therefore, selecting and evaluating varieties of cornelian cherry should be done as soon as possible. Also, the results of mean comparison showed that fruit weight, flesh weight, flesh to seed ratio, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit length to fruit diameter ratio, total soluble solids (TSS) and TSS to titratable acidity (TA) ratio were higher in cornelian cherry trees grown in Alamut (Hir) region, While the highest TA value was observed in cornelian cherry trees grown in the Koohin (Yuzbashi) region. The lowest seed weight, seed length and diameter were observed in cornelian cherry trees grown in the kaleybar region. But, the fruits of cornelian cherry trees grown in kaleybar region had the highest vitamin c. While, the lowest vitamin c was observed in fruits of cornelian cherry trees grown in the Kohin (Yozbashi) region. So, the cornelian cherry trees grown in the Kalebar region can be used for increasing vitamin C content in breeding programs.
Conclusions: In general, this study showed that the cornelian cherry trees grown in Iran have wide biodiversity. It was also found that the fruits of cornelian cherry trees grown in Alamut region larger than the other areas, while the highest vitamin C content was observed in fruits of cornelian cherry trees grown in Kaleybar region. The results of this study can be used to select the superior cornelian cherry genotypes for commercial cultivation. Germplasm resources provide a sustainable source of genetic raw material for improving cultivated varieties. Because, these germplasm resources contain gene related adaptation and high productivity. Therefore, the conservation of germplasm resources is paramount importance for reliable and sustainable food production for future generations.
