Biochemical changes during fruit development of four strawberry cultivars

As genetic factors affect strawberry (Fragaria xananassa Duch.) fruit devel opment and quality, changes in metabolite concentrations were studied durin g fruit development of four strawberry cultivars grown in the field: three commercial cultivars (Capitola, Elsanta and Dover) and a genotype from Cent re Interregional de Recherche et d'Experimentation de la Fraise, France ('C F1116'), Major and minor metabolites changed with development. The two stra wberry cultivars with the highest starch content at early stages, 'Capitola ' and 'Elsanta', also had the highest fruit weight at harvest. There was no correlation between strawberry weight and osmolarity. At maturity, signifi cant differences were observed among cultivars for most of the metabolites studied. 'Capitola' and 'Elsanta' responded similarly for most measured var iables. 'CF1116' was characterized by high juice osmolarity and high sucros e, inositol, glutamine, arginine and alanine concentrations, and low citrat e and malate concentrations. 'Dover' was characterized by a high galactose concentration and low asparagine and alanine concentrations. Organic acid d ifferences among cultivars appeared early during development, while differe nces in soluble sugars appeared during maturation. The developmental patter n of each amino acid varied among cultivars, Timing of the biochemical diff erences observed among cultivars provides some information on their metabol ic origin.