Chemical diversity within strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.) species AGNIESZKA NAJDA 1* , MAGDALENA DYDUCH 2 1 Department of Vegetable and Medicinal Plants University of Life Sciences in Lublin K. Leszczyńskiego 58 20-068 Lublin, Poland 2 Department of Genetics and Horticultural Plant Breeding University of Life Sciences in Lublin Akademicka 15 20-950 Lublin *corresponding author: + 4881 5247153, fax: + 4881 5247160, e-mail: katedra.warzywnictwa@up.lublin.pl Summary The chemical diversity within wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.) species was studied de- pending on its origin (natural vs cultivated). The herb was collected at the full flowering stage. Following items were determined in collected material: flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, anthocyanins, as well as anti-oxidation activity (%) was evaluated by means of ability to neutralize the DPPH radicals. Contents of studied biologically active substances depended on the plant origin. Extracts made from examined raw materials showed no differences in the ability to reduce DPPH radicals to diphenylopicrylohydrazine. Key words: Fragaria vesca L., flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, anthocyanins, anti-oxidation activity, dPPH, phenotypic variability, genetic variability INTRODuCTION Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.) growing in a natural habitat, is a plant from rose family (Rosaceae). All varieties cultivated nowadays are derived from [1, 2]. During the selection process aiming at improving the cultivated plant species quality and creating the new cultivars, biologically and economically important features are lost instead of other ones.