Sugar content in rosehips (Rosa spp.) fruit growing in Lithuanian

Rosehip plants are not selective in terms of climate, soil requirements and grow in several areas, including Europe, Africa, Middle and West Asia, Russia (Nilson, 1972). Red fruits are rich bioactive compounds including phenolic substances - flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids, organic acids, vitamin C and sugar. Sugar and organic acid contents are the most important factors determining berries quality and taste. Glucose, fructose and sucrose comprise most of the sugars and they associated with sweet taste of rosehips fruit. Research was carried out in 2017 – 2018 at an organic farm (certificate no. SER-K-17-01478) in Pakruojis district, Lithuania (56°10'29.0"N 23°49'02.6"E). The experimental plots were arranged in a randomized design with four replicates. The total experimental area was 2000 m2. The distance between the rows was 4 m and the distance between rosehips shrubs was 2 m. Shrubs were planted in 2011. Rosehips were picked (1 kg for each species) from four plants from each replication, full ripening by hand in September. Before analysis the stem was removed from the rosehips, then cut in half and separated the seeds. The rosehips flesh and seeds was frozen -35oC, then lyophilised. The lyophilised fruit flesh and seeds were milled and stored in sealed containers at 5°C in the dark until further analysis. [...]Agronomijos fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta