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Currant successfully grown in a wide area in Turkey due to its environmental plasticity. The aim of this study is to determine variations in phytochemical contents and antioxidant capacity from certain currant cultivars and genotypes commercially grown in Turkey. Fruit samples taken from two red currant cultivars (‘Red Lake’, ‘Rovada’) and four black (‘S. Nigrum’, ‘Tokat 2’, ‘Tokat 3’ and ‘Tokat 4’) and the genotype 1310 (red currant) were subjected to analysis for phenolic compounds (protocatechuic, vanillic acid, ellagic acid, rutin, quercetin, gallic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, o-coumaric acid, phloridzin and ferulic acid), organic acids (citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, and fumaric acid), vitamin C, antioxidant capacity (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity [TEAC] assay) and sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose). Results showed that phytochemical contents and antioxidant capacities statistically varied among currant cultivars and genotype (p<0.05). Caffeic acid was determined only in the genotype 1301. Ellagic acid (1.680 mg/100 g), gallic acid (2.022 mg/100 g), rutin (4.649 mg/100 g), catechin (8.005 mg/100 g) and chlorogenic acid (2.721 mg/100 g) were found the highest values in ‘Tokat 3’, ‘Red Lake’, ‘Tokat 3’, 1310 and ‘S. Nigrum’, respectively. Citric acid, fumaric acid, and malic acid were dominant among organic acids for all cultivars and the genotype 1310. Contents of glucose and fructose among sugars were measured to be higher than content of sucrose for all cultivars and the genotype. The highest antioxidant capacity was detected in cultivar of ‘Rovada’ and the genotype 1310.

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The aerial part, root and fruits of Ferulago longistylis Boiss. an endemic species, were subjected to the evaluation of essential oil compositions and antimicrobial activity. The essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main components of the aerial part were identified as α-pinene (18.7%), bornyl acetate (11.8%), 2,3,6trimethyl benzaldehyde (9.3%), p-cymene (7.7%), for the roots, α-pinene (91.7%); and for the fruits, 2,3,6-trimethyl benzaldehyde (26.5%), α-pinene (14.9%), (Z)-β-ocimene (14.1%), myrcene (7.5%), sabinene (7.3%), respectively. The essential oils were evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial activity against a panel of some human pathogens using a broth microdilution technique resulting in relatively weak antimicrobial and antifungal activity (MIC 1.25-10 mg/mL).

Black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) fruits are known due to their delicious, sweet and slightly acid flavor and high anthocyanin content. In the present study, the diversity of phytochemical, sensory, and antioxidant characteristics of the fruits of 20 black mulberry genotypes, from the Artvin region of Turkey, were evaluated. As important phytochemical assessments in fruits, we chromatographically (HPLC/DAD) determined glucose (7.22 to 11.10 g/100 g fresh weight (fw)) and fructose content (6.32 and 9.94 g/100 g fw), as well as predominant organic acid in black mulberry genotypes fruits—malic acid (6.02–11.44 g/100 g fw), followed by citric acid. Titrative determination was used for ascorbic acid, finding contents of 17.41–28.33 mg/100 g fw. There was found a great diversity of sensory (taste, juiciness, and aroma) characteristics, indicating a richness of the fruit germplasm. Antioxidant parameters, such as total phenolic (TP) and anthocyanin (TA) content, were assessed spectrometrically; antioxidant activity (AA) was assessed by DPPH and FRAP assays; individual flavonoids and phenolic acids were determined chromatographically (HPLC/DAD). Antioxidant characteristics of the fruits, defined by TP and TA content, ranged from 1951 to 2733 μg GAE/g fw and 508–712 μg C3GE/g fw, respectively. The most abundant compounds of flavonoids and phenolic acids groups were determined to be rutin (47.10–97.20 mg/100 g fw) and chlorogenic acid (51.3–90.8 mg/100 g fw). AA results, measured by the DPPH method as EC50 value, ranged between 16.10 and 25.45 μg/mL; a FRAP assay revealed values of AA between 9.80 and 13.22 μmol TE/g fw. Significant differences in phytochemical and antioxidant qualities were observed among the analyzed M. nigra genotypes. Regarding the best values of phytochemical and antioxidant characteristics, three genotypes of M. nigra were selected to be recommended for fruit production. The results thus highlight the potential for the exploitation of local black mulberry genotypes through crop selection and breeding program.