Quality properties of domestic and foreing pomegranate cultivars grown in Croatia

Fruit samples of domestic (‘Barski slatki’, ‘Ciparski’, ‘Glavaš’ and ‘Sladun’) and foreign pomegranate cultivars (‘Granada’, ‘Hicaznar’ and ‘Wonderful’) were collected in productive pomegranate orchard in Metković (Croatia) and compared their pomological and chemical properties. The results on the main pomological and quality traits indicated significant statistical differences among domestic and foreign cultivars. Fruit weight of investigated cultivars varied from 510.5 to 355.1 g and the highest was recorded in ‘Glavaš’, while difference in fruit weight between other cultivars was not found. Color of peel, arils and juice of domestic cultivars was yellow to red, red and light red to red, receptively, while in the foreign cultivars intensively red and dark red. Arils yield of ‘Barski slatki’ and ‘Ciparski’ (57.7 and 60.8%, receptively) was higher compared with other investigated cultivars. Juice yield of domestic cultivars was higher than that of foreign. Total soluble solid (TSS) of ‘Hicaznar’ (18.6%) was higher than that of ‘Barski slatki’ (17.0%), ‘Ciparski’ (14.7%) and ‘Wonderful’ (16.6%). Total acidity (TA) of ‘Glavaš’ (2.24%) and ‘Hicaznar’ (2.08%) was the highest while of ‘Barski slatki (0.58%), ‘Ciparski’ (0.37%) and ‘Sladun’ (0.59%) the lowest. According to the TA and (TSS/TA) ‘Glavaš’ and foreign investigated cultivars belonged to the group of sour-sweet cultivars while ‘Barski slatki’, ‘Ciparski’ and ‘Sladun’ belonged to the sweet cultivars. Foreign cultivars had higher total phenolic content (TPC) that ranged from 679.6 to 906.6 mg 100 g-1 d.w., than domestic ones. ‘Hicaznar’ stood out as a cultivar with the highest TPC and anthocyanin content (86.3 mg 100 g-1 d.w.). Non-flavonoid content in studied cultivars ranged from 160.6 to 385.5 mg 100 g-1 d.w. and antioxidant activity measured by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl from 60.2 to 74.5%. Results of this survey are a basis for use defining of the pomegranate fruit.