ASSESSMENT OF FRUIT QUALITY OF SOME LOCAL APPLES CULTIVARS

The preservation and use of the genetic resources is the basis for the permanent improvement of the cultivated varieties. The objective of this study was to analyze the quality of local Romanian apples cultivars for use as parents in future apple breeding programs. The experiment was conducted during 2020-2022 in apple collection of the Genetic and Breeding Department of Research Institute for Fruit Growing Pitești, Romania. The study was designed to assess the quality of the apple fruits on fifteen local Romanian cultivars ('Botane', 'Călugăresc', 'Citron de Somcuța', 'Cormose', 'Crețesc', 'Crețesc de Simici', 'Domnesc', 'Muntenești', 'Mohorât', 'Moți', 'Sătmărești', 'Urdoase', 'Verzisoare', 'Zmeurii'). As control cultivar, we used 'Jonathan'. Quality parameters investigated were weight, caliber, total soluble solids, firmness and the color. The results showed that the highest values of the firmness of the fruit were found on 'Verzisoare' variety (83.03 HPE units), the highest values of the total soluble solids (°Brix) were found on 'Urdoase' variety (20.63°Brix). Maximum size has been registered on the 'Crețesc de Simici' (186.67 g) and also caliber (85.4 mm) of fruit was reached at the same cultivar.