Chemometric classification of early-ripening apricot (Prunus armeniaca, L.) germplasm based on quality traits, biochemical profiling and in vitro biological activity

In the present study, eight early-ripening apricot cultivars of the Italian and international germplasm were evaluated during three years of investigation (2013-2015), according to their quality traits, biochemical composition, antiradical capacity and hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA) profile, using a chemometric approach. Among cultivars analysed, the highest fresh weight was detected in 'Maia' (106 ± 3 g), whereas the lightest fruits were produced by 'Ottavianese' cv (51 ± 4 g). 'Orange Rubis' and 'Maia' were characterized by the highest levels of dry matter, which represent a key processing parameter for the production of dried apricots. The highest content of bioactive compounds such as total phenols and flavans were found in 'Spring Blush', Orange Rubis' and 'Monaco Bello', indicating a greater susceptibility to browning during processing. Chlorogenic acid was the most abundant hydroxycinnamic acid found in all tested genotypes, being 'Portici' the richest one (338 ± 21 μg g−1 on dry basis). High significant correlations were found among parameters analysed, especially between colour coordinates and bioactive compounds. Finally, application of stepwise discriminant analysis to apricot samples showed that total phenols, total flavans and antiradical capacity were the most important variables to differentiate the cultivars analysed. Besides, principal component analysis made it possible to establish similarities among the cultivars depending on their quality and biochemical characteristics. It is concluded that the combination of quality, biochemical traits analysis and chemometric techniques can be used as a consistent procedure to provide breeders with useful information about the identification and characterization of the most promising early ripening genotypes, both for fresh consumption and processing.