Comparative evaluation and physicochemical characterisation of three tolerant interspecific grape cultivars

Mikulič Petkovšek, Maja (author), Jovanović-Cvetković, Tatjana (author), Krošelj, Saša (author), Grbić, Rada (author), Hasanagić, Dino (author), Cvetković, Miljan (author), Rusjan, Denis (author)

In the study, the morphological and structural properties of bunches and berries, as well as the chemical characterisation of three interspecific grapevine cultivars—‘Bronner’, ‘Muscaris’, and ‘Morava’—were studied. Sugars and organic acids in the grapes were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), while phenolic compounds were analysed by HPLC–mass spectrometry. ‘Morava’ and ‘Muscaris’ showed higher Hue angle values, indicating a greener skin coloration compared with ‘Bronner’, which exhibited a more yellow skin colour. ‘Muscaris’ and ‘Bronner’ had higher bunch weights than ‘Morava’, while the 100-berry weight did not differ significantly among the varieties. ‘Bronner’ must had the highest titratable acidity, and ‘Muscaris’ had the highest sugar content. Flavanols were the main phenolic compounds in the grapes, accounting for 76–88% of the total phenolic content. The highest concentrations of flavanols and caftaric acid were found in ‘Bronner’ and ‘Muscaris’ berries, while ‘Morava’ had the highest flavonol content. All studied varieties achieved good grape and must quality and are therefore recommended for wine production. ‘Bronner’ and ‘Muscaris’ stood out for their high bunch weight and high concentrations of flavanols and total phenolics, which contribute significantly to wine taste and overall quality. ‘Muscaris’ berries had a high sugar content, making this variety suitable for producing wines with higher alcohol content. In contrast, ‘Bronner’ is recommended for wines requiring higher acidity levels.

• Language: English
• Keywords: tolerant grape cultivars, phenolic compounds, sugars, organic acids, berry quality parameters
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 20 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 15, iss. 11, art. 1663
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-183224
• UDC: 634
• ISSN on article: 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants15111663
• COBISS.SI-ID: 280859395
• Publication date in RUL: 08.06.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Plants
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2223-7747
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523345433

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: vinska trta, odpornost rastlin na bolezni, fenolne spojine, sladkorji, organske kisline, kemična sestava