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The purpose of the study was to assess the storability of unripe hazelnuts in the husk of four cultivars: ‘Hall’s Giant’, ‘Catalan’, ‘Webb’s Prize Cob’ and ‘Cosford’. The nuts were stored in normal and controlled atmospheres, and in Xtend® bags for three months. A quality assessment was performed based on the following parameters: weight of the nut in the husk and without the husk, weight of the kernel, percentage of nuts with husk attached, dry matter content in kernels, infection with fungal diseases, and the presence of physiological disorders. The study demonstrated that hazelnuts stored in Xtend® bags and under a controlled atmosphere had a higher weight for the nut in the husk and without the husk, as well as a higher weight of the kernel and water content when compared to batches of hazelnuts stored in a normal atmosphere. The percentage of nuts remaining in the husk was also higher when stored under such conditions. For the majority of investigated cultivars the storage in Xtend® bags, and to a lesser extent under normal atmosphere conditions, resulted in a substantial increase in nuts infected with fungal and abiotic diseases. Among investigated cultivars, ‘Hall’s Giant’ turned out to be the most resistant to storage diseases.

Sustaining biodiversity as well as taking advantage of the natural environment’s resistance are the key elements which should be considered when designing integrated plans for the protection of hazelnut groves. An effort has been made in this study to analyse the impact of different soil cultivation methods in hazelnut groves, on the species composition and number of individuals in carabid assemblages (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Another aim was to determine which method of inter-row soil management had the least negative effect on assemblages of these beetles. Because of the type of habitat, the xerothermic species characteristic for southeastern Europe, i.e. Calathus ambiguus, Poecilus lepidus, Harpalus calceatus, and H. griseus, were the most numerous. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the captured individuals implied that the optimal soil tillage system in young hazelnut groves is when soil is kept fallow with machines or chemicals, or when soil is covered with manure. The least favourable practice for the appearance of ground beetles of the Carabidae family is the use of polypropylene fabric, bark or sawdust, to cover soil

The study was conducted in the years 2007-2012 at the Didactic and Experimental Station of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn in order to select plum cultivars suitable for growing on ‘Wangenheim Prune’ rootstock in northeastern Poland. The study encompassed the following plum cultivars: ‘Herman’, ‘Čačanska Rana’, ‘Dąbrowicka Prune’, ‘Promis’, ‘Elena’ ‘Tolar’, ‘Bluefre’, ‘Top’, ‘President’ and ‘Valor’. The measurements taken included: trunk growth, yield, weight of one fruit, size of fruit, the content of dry matter, ascorbic acid, total and simple sugars and organic acids. We found that the ‘Valor’ and ‘Herman’ trees grew the best and ‘Top’ grew the most poorly. The highest yields were gathered from the ‘President’, ‘Valor’ and ‘Bluefre’ trees. ‘Bluefre’ had the largest fruit size. The highest content of dry matter was found in the fruit of ‘Tolar’, ‘Valor’ and ‘Promis’. The fruit of ‘Bluefre’, ‘Tolar’ and ‘Top’ had the highest concentration of ascorbic acid. The highest content of total sugars and simple sugars was detected in the fruit of ‘Tolar’, while the highest concentrations of organic acids were found in the fruit of ‘Čačanska Rana’, ‘Dąbrowicka Prune’ and ‘Top’. ‘Promis’, ‘Herman’, ‘Valor’, ‘Top’ and ‘Tolar’ had the highest sugar/acid indexes.

Background: The hazelnut (Corylus avellana) is still one of the most profitable nut crop species. In recent years, however, there has been growing interest in this species in the form of "fresh nuts" that are picked before falling out of the fruit cover. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of storage conditions for hazelnuts protected with biological preparations on selected morphological features of the fruits, their health status and the count of bacteria and fungi colonizing the fruits. Results: The hazelnuts harvested from the trees protected with a preparation containing Pythium oligandrum and stored for 2 months under the controlled atmosphere conditions and in Xtend® bags (MAP) had the greatest weight and the highest percentage of the kernel. After 3 months of storage, the hazelnuts had reduced commercial value. Only a few hazelnuts displayed symptoms of infectious diseases caused by species of Botrytis and Monilia. The protection applied before the hazelnut harvesting contributed to a multiple increase in the bacterial and yeasts count on the husks and shells of the hazelnuts stored for 3 months. The bacterial count on the nuts stored under the controlled atmosphere (CA, 3%O2:3%CO2, a temperature of 0-1 °C, humidity of 85-95%) and under the controlled atmosphere conditions and in Xtend® bags (MAP) increased significantly. An analysis of the ITS region sequence revealed the presence of bacteria Arthrobacter luteolus and Pantoea agglomerans. A Koch test proved that both non-pathogenic bacteria and pathogenic fungi can cause the browning of the C. avellana leaf under conditions of high humidity. The application of a controlled atmosphere is recommended for a short-term storage of hazelnuts in the husk. Conclusion: This research showed that 2 months' storage of hazelnuts under controlled atmosphere conditions and Xtend® bags (MAP) prevented a reduction in the weight of hazelnuts in the husk, without the husk, and of the kernel and prevented the nut separation from the husk. In general, the application of biopreparations for the protection of the hazelnut had a positive effect on the kernel weight and size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at evaluating fruit yield and fruit quality of five Polish selective clones (S, H, N, 2/1 and 3/1) and three Canadian cultivars ('Smoky', 'Martin' and 'Pembina') of Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) cultivated under the conditions of north-eastern Poland. The mean yield per shrub as well as the mean 100 fruit weight and fruit number per bunch was determined in the years 2010-2017. The contents of sugars, anthocyanins and polyphenols were examined by the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Macroelements in fruits were determined after digestion by wet mineralization (H2S4) using oxidant hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The analysis of experimental data showed that the mean yields of the analysed cultivars and clones of Saskatoon berry in the first seven years of their fruiting reached 1.33 kg per shrub, which gave a yield of 5.5 t ha-1. The statistical analysis of results showed significant differences between the tested genotypes. The highest yields were reported for the Polish clones S and 3/1, whereas the lowest ones - for the clone N. The clone S belonged to one of the groups with the lowest values of 100 fruit weight and fruit number per bunch, whereas the clone 3/1 was characterized by later fruit ripening and by a higher fruit weight and number per bunch. Considering the contents of chemical components in fruits, the clone S had the highest active acidity, dry matter and sorbitol contents, but the lowest content of anthocyanins. In turn, fruits of the clone 3/1 were the richest in magnesium (Mg). Among the three Canadian cultivars analysed in our study, the highest yields were recorded for the 'Martin', whose fruits were the largest and had the highest content of anthocyanins. The lowest fruit yield was determined for the cultivar 'Smoky', but its fruits were the richest in total polyphenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a three-year study conducted at the Experimental Garden of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, the yield and quality of raspberry fruit of the summer-fruiting cultivars ‘Benefis’, ‘Laszka’ and the autumn-fruiting cultivars ‘Polesie’, ‘Polka’ and ‘Popiel’ were evaluated. The raspberry harvest was carried out on three carefully selected dates, i.e. for summer-fruiting cultivars: in the first, second and third decades of July and for autumn-fruiting cultivars in the second decade of August and the first and third decades of September. The highest yields were obtained from the cultivars ‘Polesie’ and ‘Polka’. The fruit of the tested cultivars collected during the third term had significantly lower masses. The highest contents of dry matter in fruit were recorded for ‘Polka’ and of organic acids for ‘Popiel’ and ‘Benefis’. The fruit harvested in the second and the third term had a higher content of dry matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]