Fruits of Rosaceae Rosaceae - apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, almonds, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries Different fruit types: pome, drupe, aggregate all occur in Rosaceae Apples & pears subfamily Maloideae Apples, pears, quinces Apples are a major world crop, account for about 60% of temperate tree fruit production Originated in Asia, spread to North America prior to human arrival Many varieties are known and have been selected since early humans Romans had >20 named varieties Apple varieties selected for various characters taste and texture early vs late ripening storage survival production Propagated by grafting shoots of select trees on rootstock
Nutritional Content of Common Temperate Zone Fruits Fruits Apple Apricot Blueberry Cherry Cranberry Grape Peach Pear Plum Raspberry Strawberry Nuts Almond Chestnut Hazelnut Pecan Pistachio Walnut
% H2O Calories g Protein 88 35 0.3 87 31 0.9 83 62 0.7 83 48 0.9 88 46 0.4 82 60 0.4 89 33 1.0 84 40 0.3 84 36 0.6 87 25 1.4 90 27 0.8 4 52 5 4 1 3
612 170 650 689 331 688
21 2 14 9 10 15
mg Fat 0.1 0.1 0.5 0.1 0.7 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.1 56 3 63 70 30 68
g Carbohydrate Âľg Vitamin C 9 14 7 6 15 14 11 11 11 11 15 3 8 31 10 6 9 4 5 32 6 77 7 37 6 6 5 3
0 0 0 0 0 0
Âľg Vitamin A 17 405 17 25 4 17 58 18 295 6 8 0 0 0 50 71 0
Rosaceae Fruits, Apple Anatomy Apples have 5-parted ovaries (5 carpels) Fleshy fruit develops from the floral receptacle, the ovary is inferior Ovary is located below the insertion of perianth
floral cup
ovary wall Remnants of stamens & sepals fleshy tissue derived from floral cup
carpels
Variation in cultivated apples
Apples Modern apple varieties are diploids or triploids Triploids result from cross of haploid pollen and diploid ovules Propagated by grafting fruit bearing genotype onto rootstock Different rootstocks used for pest resistance, hardiness, size Thousands of varieties of apples, new ones being added Major world producers of apples are: Country 2007 Production Metric tonnes China 27,507,000 USA 4,237,730 Italy 2,072,500 France 1,800,000 Argentina 1,300,000 Chile 1,390,000 Germany 911,900 New Zealand 380,000
Apple Factoids Malus, the genus name in latin means “bad”, relating to the story of Eve’s act of disobedience related in the book of Genesis (although the use of “apples” in Biblical translations has been questioned). The actual Biblical fruit may have been an apricot. The rich mythology and folklore of apples bespeaks their significance in human food and culture The golden apples of Hesperides in Greek mythology were supposed to impart immortality. Newton is supposed to have discovered the force by which all matter attracts all other matter by watching an apple fall. John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed, a real person who became a folk legend from various embellishments of his life story. Guillermo Tell, hero of the Swiss struggle for independence from Austria, is supposed to have split an apple placed on his son’s head as punishment for insubordination to the Austrian emperor. And of course one of the most familiar corporate logos
Rocaeceae Fruits, Pears Second to apples as a world tree fruit crop The genus Pyrus originated in central Asia Introduced to North America after European settlement Selected varieties propagated by grafting 2007 World Pear Production in Metric Tonnes China 12,625,000 Italy 840,516 USA 799,180 Spain 537,400 Argentina 520,000 France 221,000 Chile 220,000
The gritty texture of pears is due to stone cells, sclerids, sclerenchyma cells that are nonliving, composed entirely of cell wall material 10Âľm
Rosaceae Fruits, Quinces Quinces (Cydonia oblonga)are related to apples and pears Native to central Asia, quinces have been cultivated at least from classical Greek and Roman times The main commercial uses of quince are as rootstocks for apples and pears. The fruit is used as an added flavoring and in preserves.
Rosaceae Fruits Apricots, Plums, Cherries, Peaches and Almonds Members of the Rosaceae with drupe fruits, all species of Prunus subfamily Amygdaloideae Mesocarp is fleshy, exocarp forms a thin skin layer, the endocarp is hard, tough Originated in central or western China Native species of cherries occur in North America, but were not ancestors of any of the cultivated varieties Peaches, plums, apricots have been cultivated for >2000 years Several hundred plum varieties, derived from several species: P. domestica (European plum), P. cerasifera (cherry plum), P. salicina (Japanese plum), P. americana (American plum) Propagated by grafting Prunes refers to specific varieties of plum (e.g. Italian prune) and dried plums
Rosaceae Fruits, Cherries Species of cherries native to North America, but all cultivated cherries originated in Asia (Turkey) and were first cultivated by Romans Cherry cultivars are classified as sweet and sour types Bing and Lambert varieties, two of the most important sweet cherries originated in Oregon in the 1870s by the Lewelling brothers who settled near Milwaukee, OR In the US sweet cherries are grown in Oregon, Washington and California 2008 Sweet cherry production in metric tonnes Washington 90,720 California 77,110 Oregon 31,750 Michigan 22,680 Chile 35,000 (2007) Italy 145,126 (2007)
Cherries The modern maraschino cherry has an Oregon connection, developed at Oregon State University by horticulture professor E. H. Wiegand Traditional maraschino cherries were made from Italian marasca cherries and preserved in an alcoholic liqueur. In the US, Royal Anne cherries were substituted for the marasca cherries. During prohibition in the US in the 1920s, alcoholic maraschino cherries were illegal and Wiegand developed a nonalcoholic method that also kept the cherries from becoming soft. Maraschino cherries are bleached in a brine of sodium metabisulfite, then soaked in a sugar syrup with red food coloring and almond flavoring
Rosaceae Fruits, Peaches & Nectarines Prunus persica native to China, cultivated there for several thousand years, a symbol of long life. References to peaches appear in 4,000 year old Chinese texts. Third largest fruit crop in US after apples & oranges Roughly 1,023,000 metric tonnes in 2007 produced in the US, but dwarfed by the 8,032,000 produced by China Other large producers are Italy (1,718,938) and Spain (1,149,700) Peaches classified as freestone and cling, depending on how strongly the mesocarp adheres to the endocarp (pit) Nectarines are derived from a mutant peach that lacked the furry exocarp and propagated by grafting. Sometimes nectarines are mistakenly referred to as a hybrid between a peach and plum.
Rosaceae Fruits, Apricots Prunus armeniaca also probably originated in China, apparently widely cultivated prehistorically so its actual region of origin is not known. It may have come from Korea or Japan. Apricots were cultivated for several thousand years in Persia (modern Iran), reportedly brought to Europe by Alexander the Great ca. 320 BC. Introduced to North America by Spanish ca. 1770. Only about 80,000 metric tonnes produced in the US in 2007, compared to: Turkey 528,295 Iran 280,000 Italy 211,808 Pakistan 190,000
Apricots store well as dried fruit which probably contributed to their importance as a food source in early cultures
Rosaceae Fruits, Almonds Although a nut crop, another member of the Rosaceae genus Prunus (P. dulcis). Native to central Asia (Pakistan, Turkey). Has been cultivated since prehistoric times, at east 3,000 BC. Unlike true (botanical) nuts, almonds have a fleshy fruit composed of mesocarp tissue. The almond shell is endocarp tissue, like that of a peach pit. Almond fruits also have a fuzzy exocarp like peaches. In the US almonds are produced only in California. The crop in 2007 was about 1,043,266 metric tonnes (with shell) Introduced to California in the 1700s by Spanish, and now accounts for about 70% of total world production
Amygdalin and Plant Defense Compounds “Almond� flavor & odor comes from amygdalin, a cyanide containing compound also present in seeds of peaches, apricots, cherries. Seeds of peaches and apricots have higher levels of amygdalin than almonds and are considered inedible. Amygdalin is a glycoside, two molecules of the sugar glucose are attached to a benzaldehyde group with a cyanide group. Several plant chemical defense substances are glycosides. The molecules are stable and nontoxic with the glucose attached. If the glucose is enzymatically removed (by animal digestive enzymes) the molecule is unstable and the toxic HCN is released. Plants have evolved such defenses to deter herbivores, and part of the process of plant domestication has been to reduce or remove toxic substances.
Amygdalin
Mustard oils are similar types of glycosides. The pungent taste comes from the release of isothiocyanate.
Rosaceae Fruits, Strawberries and Raspberries Like apples and pears, the fleshy part of the strawberry fruit is actually derived from floral tissue rather than pericarp. The fleshy part of the strawberry is derived from the receptacle, the part of the flower that supports the ovaries. Strawberry flowers have numerous individual ovaries. When fertilized the individual fruits are attached to the surface of the swollen receptacle. The inividual fruits are achenes, the pericarp tissue does not become fleshy.
sepals
achenes
Rosaceae Fruits, Strawberries and Raspberries Raspberry and blackberry flowers also have multiple ovaries Pericarp tissue develops around each seed to form a drupelet Fruits are aggregate fruits, formed from multiple drupelets Fleshy part of the fruit is mesocarp tissue Receptacle tissue remains attached to plant when berry is plucked
styles
drupelet The edible ink used in USDA meat inspection stamps is made from black raspberry juice
The remnants of the stigmas and styles is visible on mature raspberry fruits
Strawberries Wild species of Fragaria, the strawberry genus, occur worldwide and native species have been cultivated in Europe and South America for at least 1000 years. Ancient Romans and Greeks cultivated F. vesca, together with other European species, and F. chiloensis was domesticated by Mapuche indians ca. 1000 years ago. Plant collectors in the 1600s discovered F. chiloensis and imported it to Europe, where it was grown in the same garden with F. virginiana from North America. I 1750, a spontaneous hybrid between F. virginiana and F. chiloensis, named F. x ananassa appeared and this has been the progenitor of most cultivated strawberries since. Both F. virginiana and F. chiloensis are octoploid species. Strawberry production for 2007 (metric tonnes) USA 1,115,000 Mexico 160,000 Korea 200,000 Japan 193,000 Spain 263,900
Rosaceae Fruits, Blackberries and Raspberries Numerous wild species of Rubus occur worldwide R. idaeus (red raspberry) is a Northern Hemisphere species R. occidentalis (black raspberry) is native to North America Blackberries are tetraploid, hexaploid, octaploid crosses betwen North American and European species Loganberries and boysenberries are both hybrids between raspberries and blackberries Marionberry is a blackberry cultivar developed at Oregon State University and is a cross between two other blackberry cultivars
Ericaceae Fruits, Blueberries and Cranberries Family Ericaceae, the Rhododendron or heath family Mainly grown and consumed only in the US Originated from wild plants in North America, have been domesticated for only about 200 years. Three species of blueberries are used as the basis for commerical varieties: Vaccinium corymbosum (high bush blueberry), from NE US and SE Canada V. angustifolium (low bush blueberry), from NE US and SE Canada V. ashei (rabbiteye blueberry), from SE US Cultivation of blueberries is limited by their requirement for acid soil, and the difficulty of picking the berries. Blueberries have inferior ovaries so the fruits are accessory fruits like pomes. The fleshy tissue develops from the receptacle. Remnants of sepals are on the ends of mature fruits.
Ericaceae Fruits, Cranberries Cranberries grow naturally in bog areas and were initially cultivated by constructing dikes around marsh areas to encourage their growth. Cranberries are harvested by flooding an area and scooping up the fruits that float to the surface Cranberries are produced in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin US production in 2006 -2008 about 6,900,000 barrels (=334,250 tons, 312,300 metric tonnes)