Description of plants and assessment of chemical properties of three species from the Amelanchier genus

作者：Ochmian Ireneusz^*; Kubus Marcin; Dobrowolska Agnieszka

来源：Dendrobiology, 2013, 70: 59-64.

DOI：10.12657/denbio.070.006

• leaf
• fruits quality
• chemical compositions
• phenolics

Recently, the cultivation of plants combining decorative and utilitarian qualities has been gaining in popularity. These plants give tasty fruits of high biological value. Saskatoon is little known in Poland. It is mainly used as an ornamental plant for its flowers and leaves that change colour.
The aim of the study was to characterise three species of plants of Amelanchier (A. alnifolia, A. ovalis, A. spicata). The plants grown in the Research Stations (Danowo and Rajkowo), located near Szczecin, were examined with respect to the size and colour of their leaves and fruit quality; size, firmness, chemical composition, particularly with regard to the content of bioflavonoids.
It was found that Saskatoon fruits had very low acidity and vitamin C content. A. ovalis had the smallest fruits with the highest content of polyphenols. A. spicata was characterised by the smallest and greenest leaves and relatively big, firm fruits with high extract content and low content of polyphenols and organic acids.
The plants of the examined plant species of Amelanchier are suitable for cultivation in Szczecin and do not indicate any frost damage nor symptoms of disease or pest infestation. The fruits are valuable source of polyphenols and, due to their low content of organic acids, have a mild flavour. The above qualities make them suitable for consumption in the raw state, as distinguished from chokeberries that are very similar in appearance.

• 出版日期2013