Nutraceutical Compound Concentrations of Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) Grape Cultivars and Breeding Lines

Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has been linked both anecdotally and clinically to the prevention or alleviation of chronic diseases and provides essential nourishment to mankind. The muscadine grape, a fruit indigenous to the southeastern U.S., contains several phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants and also other compounds, such as resveratrol, that can perform as a chemopreventative. The concentrations of these compounds present in the muscadine grape equal or exceed that known for other small fruit. Fruit of selected muscadine grape genotypes, including breeding lines and cultivars, were evaluated over a 2-year period to assess the existing genetic base for these nutraceutical compounds. Results demonstrated that concentrations of anthocyanins, total phenolics, ellagic acid, and resveratrol differ significantly among cultivars and breeding lines. These results suggest a possibility to breed for increased concentrations of the health-promoting compounds in muscadine grapes. The objective of this study is to determine measurable variations between breeding lines of cultivated muscadine grapes. If there are differences among breeding lines, plant geneticists can breed cultivars with higher nutraceutical value.