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The consumption of small fruits has increased in recent years. Besides their appealing flavor, the commercial success of small fruits has been partially attributed to their high contents of phenolic compounds with multiple health benefits. The phenolic profiles and contents in small fruits vary based on the genetic background, climate, growing conditions, and post-harvest handling techniques. in this review, we critically compare the profiles and contents of phenolics such as anthocyanins, flavonols, flavan-3-ols, and phenolic acids that have been reported in bilberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, black and red currants, raspberries, and strawberries during fruit development and post-harvest storage. This review offers researchers and breeders a general guideline for the improvement of phenolic composition in small fruits while considering the critical factors that affect berry phenolics from cultivation to harvest and to final consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) is a northern-adapted crop species with extremely early phenology and cold hardiness. Restricted adaptation to temperate climates is a current limitation to the crop’s mainstream potential for large-scale production. Based on the broad germplasm base at the University of Saskatchewan, vegetative growth cessation and leaf drop phenology were characterized to complement analysis of spring phenological adaptation in a temperate climate. A multi-trial site of three foundation groups and a single-site trial of three improved groups compared with their parental foundation genotypes were conducted in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada in 2012 and 2013. The current study shows that blue honeysuckle germplasm contains considerable phenological variation that will permit adaptation to temperate climates. It also demonstrates that breeding for improved adaptation is possible using the existing germplasm resources. For Russian germplasm with the earliest phenology, adaptation to northern latitudes and short growing seasons results in early floral initiation, which presents an indirect limitation to production in more southern latitudes due to secondary flowering. Early leaf drop indirectly limits production and is related to poor adaptation to high chill environments. Skew toward later leaf drop in improved groups, produced from hybridization with Japanese and Kuril germplasm with intermediate and late phenologies, respectively, shows that development of better adaptation to southern latitudes can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Draper' northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) is a widely-planted mid-season cultivar with excellent fruit quality. Under the climatic conditions of Southwestern British Columbia, Canada, and Northwestern Washington, USA, it expresses a physiological disorder causing spontaneous green fruit drop (GFD) of up to half of the developing crop just prior to onset of the fruit coloring phenophase. Reduction of economic losses due to GFD required identification of the cause of this disorder and development of an agronomic solution that would reduce fruit drop. In 2014, two initial experiments were conducted to compare three foliar Ca products under a range of N fertilization rates. In 2015 and 2016, three locations were used in a first step to optimizing rates and timings of foliar Ca application. Initial experiments determined that higher N fertilization rates exacerbate GFD but that foliar Ca corrects the condition. Multi-site, multi-year trials identified key rates and timings for foliar Ca application to provide an agronomic solution for commercial growers. These trials identified an acute fruit Ca deficiency as the cause of GFD, and that foliar calcium applied frequently at high concentration from mid-bloom onward can be effective in reducing GFD, often to negligible levels. This condition has now been reported in several production regions around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In fruits, cuticular waxes affect fruit quality traits such as surface color at harvest and water loss during postharvest storage. This study investigated the transcriptional regulation of cuticular wax deposition in northern highbush blueberries ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.) in relation to fruit water loss and surface color during ripening and postharvest storage, as well as the effects of abscisic acid (ABA)-mediated changes in cuticular wax deposition on these fruit quality traits. Total cuticular wax content (μg∙cm -2 ) decreased during fruit ripening and increased during postharvest storage. Transcriptome analysis revealed a transcript network for cuticular wax deposition in blueberries. Particularly, five OSC-Likes were identified as putative genes for triterpene alcohol production, with OSC-Like1 and OSC-Like2 encoding mixed amyrin synthases, OSC-Like3 encoding a lupeol synthase, and OSC-Like4 and OSC-Like5 encoding cycloartenol synthases. The expression of three CYP716A-like genes correlated to the accumulation of two triterpene acids oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, the major wax compounds in blueberries. Exogenous ABA application induced the expression of triterpenoid biosynthetic genes and the accumulation of β-amyrin and oleanolic acid, as well as increased the ratio of oleanolic acid to ursolic acid. These changes were associated with reduced fruit water loss. The content of β-diketones was also increased by ABA application, and this increase was associated with increased fruit lightness (measured as L* using CIELAB Color Space by a colorimeter). This study provided key insights on the molecular basis of cuticular wax deposition and its implications on fruit quality traits in blueberries., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nanjing Agricultural University.)

The consumption of small fruits has increased in recent years. Besides their appealing flavor, the commercial success of small fruits has been partially attributed to their high contents of phenolic compounds with multiple health benefits. The phenolic profiles and contents in small fruits vary based on the genetic background, climate, growing conditions, and post-harvest handling techniques. In this review, we critically compare the profiles and contents of phenolics such as anthocyanins, flavonols, flavan-3-ols, and phenolic acids that have been reported in bilberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, black and red currants, raspberries, and strawberries during fruit development and post-harvest storage. This review offers researchers and breeders a general guideline for the improvement of phenolic composition in small fruits while considering the critical factors that affect berry phenolics from cultivation to harvest and to final consumption.

European foulbrood (EFB) disease is an economically important bacterial disease of honey bee larvae caused by enteric infection with Melissococcus plutonius . In this study, we investigated 3 clinical outbreaks of EFB disease in commercial beekeeping operations in western Canada in the summer of 2020 and characterized the Melissococcus plutonius isolates cultured from these outbreaks according to genetic multi-locus sequence type and i n vitro larval pathogenicity. We isolated M. plutonius sequence type 19 from EFB outbreaks in British Columbia and Alberta, and a novel M. plutonius sequence type 36 from an EFB outbreak in Saskatchewan. In vitro larval infection with each M. plutonius isolate was associated with decreased larval survival in vitro by 58.3 to 70.8% ( P < 0.001) compared to non-infected controls. Further elucidation of mechanisms of virulence of M. plutonius , paired with epidemiologic investigation, is imperative to improve EFB management strategies and mitigate risks of EFB outbreaks in western Canada., (Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.)