Quality traits of green plums (Prunus cerasifera Ehrh.) at different maturity stages

Abstract

Fruits of 2 different plum cultivars (Prunus cerasifera Ehrh.) were collected in 2015 from 15-year-old trees in Hatay Province, Turkey. The 2 plum cultivars (Can and Gül) were on their own roots. Fruits were picked 5 times (both Can and Gül) at 12-day intervals (12 April [t1], 24 April [t2], 6 May [t3], 18 May [t4], and 30 May [t5]) during maturation in 2015. Higher levels of health-promoting components with the capacity to prevent several diseases, such as phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity, were found in the Can fruits, whereas the Gül fruits were characterized by lower values. The amounts of individual sugars providing taste and the soluble sugar content of the fruits differed between the 2 cultivars, with glucose and fructose being higher in the Can variety. The results show the importance of green plums in the daily diet as a good source of total phenols and antioxidants, providing health-promoting effects in humans, with good edible properties at the pre-early development stage.