doi: 10.17113/ftb.54.02.16.4319

Morphological Characterization and Chemical Composition of Fruits of the Traditional Croatian Chestnut Variety ‘Lovran Marron’

Igor Poljak¹, Nada Vahčić², Milica Gačić² and Marilena Idžojtić^1*

¹University of Zagreb, Faculty of Forestry, Svetošimunska 25, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
²University of Zagreb, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Pierottijeva 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Article history:
Received June 19, 2015
Accepted February 3, 2016

Key words:
Castanea sativa, ‘Lovran Marron’ fruits, morphological characteristics, chemical composition

Summary:
‘Lovran Marron’ is the only known traditional Croatian variety of the sweet chestnut. The objective of this study is to specify qualitative and quantitative morphological characteristics and to analyze the chemical composition of the ‘Lovran Marron’ fruits as well as to compare them to Marušnjak fruits (trees from the ‘Lovran Marron’ seed) and fruits from the local natural sweet chestnut population. Seven morphological characteristics were measured: fruit mass, height, width and thickness, scar length and width, and the length of the longest intrusion of the seed coat into the kernel. Eight qualitative characteristics were estimated: embryony, degree of penetration of the seed coat into the kernel, fruit shape, glossiness and colour, kernel colour, hairiness towards the top of the fruit and the existence of longitudinal stripes. ‘Lovran Marron’ has desirable qualitative and quantitative fruit characteristics. The Marušnjak trees mostly have intermediate morphological traits of fruits in comparison with ‘Lovran Marron’ and trees from the natural population. ‘Lovran Marron’ had the smallest mass fractions on average of: K, Mg, Ca, Na, Mn, Cu and Fe. The highest mass fractions on average of these macro- and microelements were characteristic of the trees from the natural population. The highest average content of carbohydrates was recorded in the ‘Lovran Marron’ and the lowest in the fruits from the natural population. The Marušnjak fruits had intermediate water, protein, ash, carbohydrates, and macro- and microelement content. The content of Cd and Pb was lower in all samples than the maximum allowed amounts in the sweet chestnut fruits.

*Corresponding author:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
                                      +385 1 235 2522
                                      +385 1 235 2513