Influence of cultivar, fruit maturity, and harvest month on the targeted metabolite profile of Highland strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.).

The development of everbearing (Jangha and Miha) and day-neutral (Goseul) strawberry cultivars has enabled extended highland production; however, seasonal and maturity-driven metabolite variations remain unclear. This study quantified vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, and phenolics from August to October at 60% and 100% ripeness. The total vitamin C content ranged from 4.4 to 6.3 mg·g-1 dw in Goseul, 5.5 to 7.2 mg·g-1 dw in Jangha, and 5.5 to 8.8 mg·g-1 dw in Miha, with significant increases across harvest months in Goseul and Jangha (p < 0.05). Targeted phenolic compounds increased significantly at full ripeness (p < 0.05), with the highest 6.3-fold increase observed in Goseul harvested in October (3132.43 vs. 497.87 μg·g-1 dw), mainly due to pelargonidin 3-O-glucoside. Total B-complex vitamin levels decreased significantly by up to 53% across three cultivars as they ripened. Overall, fruit maturity had a stronger influence on metabolite composition than harvest timing.