Physicochemical characteristics of strawberry (Fragaria χ ananassa Duch.) fruits from four production zones in Cundinamarca, Colombia

Abstract

Albion is a strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) plant variety that belongs to the Rosaceae family, which is notable in Colombia because of its vitamin content and organoleptic characteristics. Fruits of this variety from four municipalities (Mosquera, Guasca, Sibate, Facatativa) in the province of Cundinamarca were evaluated. Significant differences in physical and chemical characteristics were detected between fruits of the four areas. For the physical parameters, fruits from Mosquera were notable because of their large size and biomass content. The specific chemical qualities of the fruits from Guasca make them important for the industry and processing. The fruits from Sibate had an acceptable content of citric acid and, at the same time, a high content of sugars, qualities that result in high acceptance for products in a fresh market. Finally, the fruits from Facatativa were characterized by intense colors and attractiveness to final consumer. Because of the varying conditions of each municipality, the fruits presented different strengths, so the implementation of new harvesting technologies is recommended so that all producers in the province can achieve the same high-quality characteristics in order to obtain worldwide recognition.