Page 98 - Book of Abstracts

5 International Scientific Online Conference DOI: https://doi.org/10.15414/2021.9788055224015

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LOCAL RESOURCE OF THE PRUNUS MAHALEB L. RAW IN POLISSYA
Oleksandr Lukash

T. Shevchenko National University "Chernihiv Collegium", Chernihiv, Ukraine;
E-mail.: lukash2011@ukr.net

Prunus mahaleb L. (mahaleb cherry) produces highly pigmented small-stone fruits that
have an astringent and sour taste. Mahaleb fruits have a high content in anthocyanins.
According to C. Gerardi et al. (2015), the concentrated extract has a high content of anthocyanins,
flavonols, and coumarin and a strong antioxidant capacity. Mahaleb seed and its powder are
fragrant and have a taste comparable to bitter almonds with cherry notes. They are used in
small quantities to sharpen sweet foods in Turkey, Armenia, and Greece. Moreover, mahaleb
fruit is used in liqueur, wine, and vinegar production in the food industry. So the Prunus mahaleb
fruits are the perspective of a new natural colorant and as an ingredient in the formulation of
functional foods.
The most remote locality outside the Prunus mahaleb natural range is in Polissya (the city
of Chernihiv, Ukraine). According to I. Popescu & G. Caudullo (2016) the natural range of the
Prunus mahaleb covers Central and Southern Europe, extending to Spain, and through Gibraltar
to the tip of Northwest Africa, from the Balkans eastwards to Ukraine, Western and Central Asia.
It can be found from the lowlands to above 1 000 m elevations in the South Carpathians,
Caucasus, and Tien Shan Mountains (Central Asia). It has been introduced and is considered
potentially invasive in South America, introduced, naturalized, and invasive in North America,
as well as Australia, and New Zealand. The mahaleb cherry is a thermophile and pioneer species,
growing on warm, sunlit, and dry slopes at middle elevations. It tolerates the Mediterranean
and temperate dry climates with annual precipitation of 500-600 mm. It is not sensitive to frost.
It grows better on calcareous soils with pH 5.5, in stony and rocky sites. This species thrives in
open woods, at the margins of temperate oak forests, and also in bluffs and riverbanks.
The South-East slope of the Boldin hills (the Desna river pine-forest terrace) is occupied
by the Prunus mahaleb communities. The general area of the communities is about 1,5 ha. The
age of the Prunus mahaleb trees is over 50 years. They have a height of up to 5 m, flowering,
fruiting. The fruit production is controlled and proximal flowers (first to open) have advantages
in maternal resource capture; the first fruits to develop have an advantage over the later
developing fruits. Prunus mahaleb formed the shrub layer (the projective cover is up to 20 %).
It creates a community together with other thermophile species such as Crataegus
fallacina Klokov Euphorbia cyparissias L., Elytrigia intermedia (Host) Nevski, Stipa capillata L.,
Hylotelephium polonicum (Błocki) Holub., etc.
Prunus mahaleb is slightly shading tolerant only at young stages; when mature it is a high
light-demanding species. The juvenile individuals are often under adult plants in the Polissya
habitate.
An aromatic spice is produced, having a taste similar to almond seeds. This spice was used
for centuries in the Middle East and North Africa to flavour bread, cakes, cheese, cookies, etc. It
is possible to experience the use of spices in the confectionery and food industry in the Polissya
region.
Known for its strong roots, the Chernihiv mahaleb can be used in horticulture as a frost-
resistant rootstock for Prunus avium and Prunus cerasus that are resistant to Polissya climate.
This species has an important ecological role. An increase in the areas of slopes that will be
planted by the plant will prevent the erosion processes of the Boldin hills and other slopes in
Chernihiv city.
Keywords: Prunus mahaleb, fruits, Polissya, plant communities.

5 International Scientific Conference Agrobiodiversity for Improving the Nutrition, Health, Quality of Life and |97
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Spiritual Human Development
November 3 2021
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