Effects on the quality and nutritional traits of wood strawberry fruits in Sicily.

In Sicily, the common woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is spontaneous in the Madonie Mountains (554 m a.s.l.), Nebrodi Mountains (850 m) and Mount Etna (900 m). In this region, the main clone cultivated is ‘Fragolina di Sciacca e Ribera’, named after the towns where the crop originally developed. It is a Junebearing genotype and it is characterized by very small fruits, globose-conical shape, deep red colour, very soft flesh, strong aroma and flavor. Also ever-bearing clones are cultivated in Sicily where they are cropped for many months. Solid soluble content, total titratable acidity, total antioxidant capacity, total polyphenols and anthocyanins content were quantified in berry samples of ‘Fragolina di Sciacca e Ribera’ and ‘Regina delle Valli’ (ever-bearing) grown in two production sites in Sicily (Bronte-Etna mount and Marsala) characterized by different soils, climatic conditions and altitudes (890 and 24 m a.s.l., respectively).