Numerous pesticides, including fungicides, are applied every year to crop plants. However, such application may affect the plant metabolism and thereby impact crop quality. Strawberry is an economically important crop, but the fruits are highly susceptible, especially to fungal diseases. In the present study, the effects of two fungicides on primary and specialized metabolites determining the fruit aroma were tested in two strawberry cultivars and the wild strawberry. Fruit extracts were analyzed using HPLC (amino acids), GC-MS (organic acids, sugars, flavor metabolites) and photometric quantification (total phenolics). Various metabolites were either significantly higher or lower in fruits of plants exposed to fungicides compared to those of control plants, with differences between strawberry cultivars and species, as well as used fungicides. Given the various changes in metabolites in response to the treatments, the taste and quality of the strawberries may pronouncedly change when plants are treated with fungicides.

Cultivated strawberry plants (Fragaria x ananassa, Rosaceae) and the wild strawberry (F. vesca) were treated with two commonly used systemic fungicides, one for conventional and one for organic cultivation. Minor fungicide amounts were applied before, during, and after the flowering stage according to the manufacturer's instructions. Extracts of ripe fruits were derivatized and analyzed using HPLC (amino acids), GC-MS (organic acids, sugars, aroma compounds), and photometric quantification (total phenolics).

Funding provided by: Deutsche Bundesstiftung UmweltCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100007636Award Number: