Comparison of Biochemical and Color Parameters in Fresh Flower Stalks of Wild Rhubarb (Rheum Ribes L.) from Diverse Locations

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the biochemical and color parameters of fresh flower stalks of Rheum ribes L. collected from four distinct locations in Eastern Anatolia, T & uuml;rkiye. Significant variation was observed among genotypes in terms of organic acids, sugars, ascorbic acid, antioxidant capacity, and color traits. Succinic acid was the predominant organic acid, peaking in Bah & ccedil;esaray (14718.47 mu g g-1 FW). Er & ccedil;ek accessions had the highest levels of fructose (1346.72 mu g g-1 FW), glucose (970.88 mu g g-1 FW), and total antioxidant capacity (73.97 mu mol TE g-1 FW). Muradiye samples contained the highest ascorbic acid (63.71 mu g g-1 FW), while Mount Erek showed maximum oxalic acid and chroma values. Color measurements also indicated greater vividness in Mount Erek and Muradiye accessions. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) explained 76.46% of the total variance in the first two components, effectively separating genotypes based on trait profiles. Cluster analysis confirmed these differences, grouping accessions by location with 100% bootstrap support. These results demonstrate the considerable biochemical and visual diversity of R. ribes populations across different environments, supporting their potential in food and nutraceutical applications.