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Molecules
Volume 31
Issue 12
10.3390/molecules31122068
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Cultivar-Dependent Variation in Phenolic Compounds, Anthocyanin Profile, and Fruit Quality Traits in Romanian Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.)

by
Oana-Crina Bujor
1,
Mihaela Iordăchescu
1,
Andrei Cătălin Petre
1,
Anca Amalia Udriște
1,
Adrian Asănică
2 and
Liliana Bădulescu
1,*
1
Research Center for Studies of Food and Agricultural Products Quality, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 59, Mărăști Blvd., 011464 Bucharest, Romania
2
Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 59, Mărăști Blvd., 011464 Bucharest, Romania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Molecules 2026, 31(12), 2068; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31122068 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 19 May 2026 / Revised: 5 June 2026 / Accepted: 10 June 2026 / Published: 12 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds from Fruits and Vegetables)
Versions Notes

Abstract

The blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) is known for its high content of bioactive compounds, which are widely recognized for their health-promoting properties. This study aimed to characterize the fruit quality, total phenolic content (TPC), total monomeric anthocyanin content (TMA), anthocyanin profile and antioxidant activity of the nine Romanian V. corymbosum genotypes (‘Augusta’, ‘Azur’, ‘Delicia’, ‘Lax’, ‘Pastel’, ‘Prod’, ‘Safir’, ‘Simultan’, and ‘Vital’) over three consecutive harvest seasons (2023–2025). Significant genotype- and year-dependent variation was observed for all parameters. ‘Lax’ consistently accumulated the highest total anthocyanin content across all three seasons, while ‘Simultan’ exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and total monomeric anthocyanin content. ‘Prod’ consistently recorded the lowest phytochemical values despite achieving the highest firmness in 2025. UPLC analysis identified 10 anthocyanins, covering all five major anthocyanidin classes. Strong positive correlations were found between TPC, TMA, and antioxidant activity. These results confirm that genotype is the primary determinant of blueberry phytochemical composition, as indicated by the largest effect sizes in the two-way ANOVA, with harvest year and genotype × year interaction as statistically significant but secondary modulating factors, and identify ‘Lax’, ‘Simultan’, and ‘Safir’ as promising cultivars for nutraceutical and breeding applications.
Keywords: Vaccinium corymbosum L.; fruit quality; polyphenols; anthocyanins; Folin–Ciocalteu; DPPH antiradical capacity; UPLC-PDA; genotypic variation Vaccinium corymbosum L.; fruit quality; polyphenols; anthocyanins; Folin–Ciocalteu; DPPH antiradical capacity; UPLC-PDA; genotypic variation

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MDPI and ACS Style

Bujor, O.-C.; Iordăchescu, M.; Petre, A.C.; Udriște, A.A.; Asănică, A.; Bădulescu, L. Cultivar-Dependent Variation in Phenolic Compounds, Anthocyanin Profile, and Fruit Quality Traits in Romanian Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). Molecules 2026, 31, 2068. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31122068

AMA Style

Bujor O-C, Iordăchescu M, Petre AC, Udriște AA, Asănică A, Bădulescu L. Cultivar-Dependent Variation in Phenolic Compounds, Anthocyanin Profile, and Fruit Quality Traits in Romanian Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). Molecules. 2026; 31(12):2068. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31122068

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bujor, Oana-Crina, Mihaela Iordăchescu, Andrei Cătălin Petre, Anca Amalia Udriște, Adrian Asănică, and Liliana Bădulescu. 2026. "Cultivar-Dependent Variation in Phenolic Compounds, Anthocyanin Profile, and Fruit Quality Traits in Romanian Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.)" Molecules 31, no. 12: 2068. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31122068

APA Style

Bujor, O.-C., Iordăchescu, M., Petre, A. C., Udriște, A. A., Asănică, A., & Bădulescu, L. (2026). Cultivar-Dependent Variation in Phenolic Compounds, Anthocyanin Profile, and Fruit Quality Traits in Romanian Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). Molecules, 31(12), 2068. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31122068

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