Preliminary results of in situ characterisation of autochthonous apple genotypes originated from the central and southwest Serbia region

The paper presents the main biological properties of 17 in situ old local apple cultivars and landraces grown in the regions of central and southwestern Serbia: ‘Ilinjača’ (Jezdina), ‘Kraljica’, ‘Vidovača’, ‘Ilinjača’ (Trnava), ‘J-GM/1’, ‘Prancija’, ‘Strekinja’, ‘Lepocvetka’, ‘J-LuN/1’, ‘Prancija Slatka’, ‘Džumurka’, ‘Slatka Kadumana’, ‘Lubenjaja’, ‘J-ČaO/1’, ‘Senabija’, ‘Budimka’ and ‘Kolačara’. The following characteristics of these genotypes were assessed: flowering phenophase, harvest date, pomological properties (physical and chemical, including bioactive compounds) and disease susceptibility to scab [Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) Wint.] and fireblight [Erwinia amylovora (Burnill)]. The average flowering time was during the third decade of April, whilst the predominant harvest date was from mid-September to mid-October. The highest fruit weight was determined in ‘Ilinjača’ (Trnava), while the lowest was in ‘Vidovača’ (262.99 g and 29.23 g, resp.). The best fruit quality among the assessed genotypes, measured by the fruit chemical composition, was found in ‘Senabija’ (soluble solids content – 17.05%; total and invert sugars content ‡ 12.70% and 9.66%, resp.). The cultivar ‘Strekinja’ and landrace ‘J-ČaO/1’ were characterised by the highest content of total phenols and anthocyanins, respecti ely. In terms of fruit attractiveness, ‘Lepocvetka’, ‘J-ČaO/1’, ‘Senabija’ and ‘Budimka’ could be singled out. All of the studied genotypes showed resistance to fireblight and a relatively narrow range of susceptibility to scab under field conditions. Overall, Serbian autochthonous apple genotypes appear to carry useful characteristics that could be important for current/future breeding work and commercial growing suitable for fresh consumption, industrial and domestic processing.