Content of mineral elements in strawberry varieties and strawberry forms selected at the Federal Horticultural Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery

Modern consumers are interested not only in the taste qualities, but also in the content of benefi cial com pounds in strawberry fruits. Therefore, focus should be placed on the creation of varieties not only adapted to growing conditions, but also characterized by improved biochemical indicators. This study was aimed at identifying varietal diff erences in the content of mineral nutrients in strawberry fruits with the purpose of selecting the most valuable spec imens for further breeding. The research objects were fruits of 14 varieties and 3 selected forms of garden strawberry, as well as 1 hybrid – wild and garden – variety (“Zemklunika”) bred at the Federal Horticultural Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery. The method of energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) on a JEOL JSM 6090 LA scanning electron microscope was used to establish the decreasing series of accumulation of 12 elements: K > P > Mg > Ca > Mn > S > Cu > Ni > Zn > Mo > Fe > Co. Potassium (K) comprised the largest share of ash residue in strawberry berries. Depending on the genotype, the content of this element varied from 5.96 to 25.57 wt %. High K contents were observed in Bereginya (21.29 wt %) and Barynya (25.57 wt %) varieties. In terms of phosphorus (P) accumulation, Kokinskaya Zarya, Al’fa, Vityaz, Barynya, Bereginya (4.17–5.64 wt%) showed the highest indicators, which signifi cantly exceeded the average value of 3.17 wt %. The content of Mg in berries varied insignifi cantly, from 1.95 (Barynya) to 3.07 wt % (Studencheskaya). The Barynya variety demonstrated the highest Ca content (2.82 wt %). A correlation analysis was carried out to reveal relationships between ash elements. Thus, a high positive correlation was established between S and Mg (r=0.71), and Mo and K (r=0.84) contents. The relationship between Mo and K shows that Mo accumu lation depends on K accumulation by 71% (R2=0.7097). The Barynya and Bereginya varieties may serve as sources of increased content of K, P, and Ca; Studencheskaya variety – Mg, Fe, and Zn; Carica – Fe and Ni; Rosinka – S; Lyubava – Co.