ASCORBIC ACID IN RED RASPBERRY FRUIT AND LEAVES

Abstract

Ascorbic acid content of leaves of 30 red raspberry clones was much higher than that of the fruits. In spite of seasonal variation both in leaf and fruit, ascorbic acid content of any clone was relatively similar in the same seasons of two consecutive years. However, the relation of leaf to fruit ascorbic acid was very variable between harvests, ranging from significantly negative to positive correlations. Thus, a selection of high ascorbic acid in the leaf to increase this compound in the fruit is not possible at the present stage, although there were indications that the content of the leaf is inherited by the seedlings. Dehydroascorbic acid was very low in the fall-fruiting Comet raspberry. High ascorbic acid content was related to early leaf fall in the present material.