SOLUBLE SUGAR CONTENT IN FRUIT OF 9 WILD AND 41 CULTIVATED STRAWBERRIES

Fresh strawberry fruits from 9 wild strains and 41 cultivars were anla yzed for sugar composition and evaluated by the principal component an alysis. 1. Sucrose, fructose, and glucose are the major sugar componen ts of strawberry fruits, The differences in content and compostion of sugars among strawberries were examined. Forty-one cultivars were clas sified into 4 groups by the principal component analysis. Cultivars, s uch as 'Toyonoka' in Group 1 contain a high percentage of fructose and glucose and high content of total sugar; such as Group 2 included 'Ko gyoku', which possesses a high percentage of sucrose; Group 3 amplifie d by 'Nyoho' is intermediate between Group 1 and 2, whereas Group 4 cu ltivars. such as 'Kaho' has a high percentage of fructose and glocose, but low total sugar, In wild strawberries, Fragaria vesca with the ex ception of 'White' and F. Chiloensis is characterized by a sugar compo stion with nearly equal percentages of sucrose, fructose and glucose, F. Virginiana is characterized by a small amount of total sugar and a low percentage of sucrose, 2. Sugar content and vegetative characteris tics in 41 cultivars revealed that total sugar content correlates posi tively with plant height, leaf area and soluble solid content. Fructos e or glucose content correlates negatively with the number of days fro m flowering to harvest. Consequently, we conclude that sugar content i s an important factor in breeding high quality, sweet strawberry culti vars.