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An imbalanced nutrients status in the nutrient solution, i.e. poor nutrition of the plant, is often responsible for the low quantity and quality of strawberry fruit. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of different ratios of potassium to magnesium (K/Mg) (T1, 2:1, T2, 4:1, T3, 6:1 and T4, 8:1) on fruit yield and quality of strawberry cv. Albion under hydroponic conditions. Different K/Mg treatments did not have a significant effect on fruit yield and quality attributes such as ascorbic acid and total soluble solids. The highest fruit yield was obtained when plants were exposed to a 4:1 ratio (i.e. T2). Fruit quality attributes such as total anthocyanin, total antioxidant, total phenolic, total flavonoids, total chlorophyll, calcium, Mg, and K concentrations in the leaves and antioxidant enzymes activities were significantly affected by the K/Mg treatments. The highest total phenolic (925 mg/100g FW) and total flavonoids (163 mg/100g FW) were observed when plants grown in the presence of a 4:1 ratio (i.e. T2). Whereas, the highest antioxidant activity (89.2%) was detected in plants exposed to the 8:1 ratio (T4). The highest activity of guaiacol peroxidase (2.88 and 2.78 unit/g FW), ascorbate peroxidase (2.11 unit/g FW), and catalase (2.23 unit/g FW) were observed in T3 and T4, T4, and T4 treatments, respectively. It can be concluded that among the tested treatments, the 4:1 ratio of potassium:magnesium is optimal for the strawberry production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberries have a very short shelf-life due to their high sensitivity to fungal agents. The use of chemical antifungal compounds to increase the shelf life of this fruit has raised many concerns. For this reason, it is necessary to use safe methods to control spoilage and maintain the quality of strawberry fruit during storage. In this study, the effect of coating with Persian gum containing vanillin on the shelf life of strawberry fruit was evaluated. The levels of gum used in the preparation of the coating solution were 3%, 3.75 and 4% (w / v) and vanillin was added to the coating solution at three levels of 5, 6 and 7 mM. The studied characteristics included weight loss percentage, general acceptance, acidity, soluble solids, breakdown percentage, anthocyanin content, texture analysis and vitamin C content. The results showed an improvement in the appearance of coated fruits compared to control samples and also a significant reduction in the percentage of spoilage and weight loss in coated samples compared to the control. According to the results, the titratable acidity and texture firmness in the treated fruits improved compared to the control samples. Anthocyanin content and vitamin C content in the coated samples decreased but the rate of decrease was much slower compared to the control samples. Overall acceptance in the coated samples decreased slightly compared to the control sample. Finally, the best formulation was determined to contain 3.96% (W/V) of Persian gum, 0.857 mM vanillin and 2% (V/V) of glycerol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Dutch) is a widely grown fruit crop in the world due to its high aroma, taste, and nutritional value. In this study, the effect of foliar application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on phytochemical modifications of strawberry cv. Sabrina under deficit fertigation conditions was investigated. The interaction effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (0, 6 and 12 mg L-1) and deficit fertigation (90, 110 and 130 mL) on some morphological, antioxidant and phytochemical factors of strawberry cv. Sabrina, such as fruit width, length, weight and yield, total phenol and flavonoid content, total antioxidant capacity, antioxidant enzyme activity, acid ascorbic content, total anthocyanin, iron and zinc content were investigated. Results showed that the interaction of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and the amount of nutrient solution on vitamin C content, antioxidant enzymes activity and iron content was significant. The highest fruit width (4.73. cm), fruit length (3.71 cm), fruit fresh weight (52.2 g), fruit yield (527 g) and vitamin C content (51.1 mg 100 mL-1) were observed in the presence of 130 mL of deficient fertigation and 12 mg L-1titanium dioxide nanoparticles treatments. In contrast, the highest catalase (1.96 u/g FW), guaiacol peroxidase (2.42 u/g FW) and ascorbate peroxidase (2.29 u/g FW fruit) were observed upon exposure to 90 mL of deficient fertigation and 12 mg L-1 titanium dioxide nanoparticles treatments. In conclusion, deficit fertigation conditions along with the use of titanium dioxide nanoparticles improves morphological and phytochemical properties of strawberries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, in order to optimize the extraction process of Ethanolic extract of barberry fruit, the increase and optimization of the conditions for the extraction of anthocyanin's and bioactive compounds by means of intermittent electric field pre-treatment from three levels of electric field intensity (0.5, 1.75 and 3 kV / cm) and 3 levels of number of pulses (15, 30 and 45); then with ethanol solvent was used to extract their extracts and the amount of flavonoids, total anthocyanin, DPPH, total phenolic compounds, iron regeneration capacity, vitamin C and acidity compared to control (no treatment) Was studied. The results showed that the total phenol content of the extract decreased by increasing the number of pulses and reducing the intensity of the pulsed electric field applied to the sample. The increase in the electric field strength and the number of pulses initially increased the flavonoid content, DPPH and iron ion recovery capacity, but with the increase of these variables, these three parameters decreased. Also, with increasing of these parameters, the anthocyanin level and vitamin C content increased. The acidity of the sample was reduced and then increased by increasing the electric field strength and applied pulse number. Regarding the results of the process optimization, it can be concluded that the electrical field intensity of 2.003 kV / cm and applying 29 pulses can increases the antioxidant properties of the produced product compared with the control sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storage of horticultural crops is associated with pre and postharvest treatments. For this purpose, an experiment was conducted in د steps. The first step, salicylic acid (0, 2 and 4 mM) and iron chelate (0, 0.1 and 1 g/1) were sprayed three times at 30, 60 and 90 days after fill bloom on plum cv. Flavor supreme pluot. The second step was carried out at storage with too temperatirres (1 and 4 °C). The experiment was performed as factorial split-plot in a completely randomized block design with three replications. Qualitative chacteristics including tissue firmness, vitamin c, titratable acid, total soluble solids and anthocyanins content were measured. The results showed that salicylic acid treatment had a significant effect on TSS, TA, vitamin c and anthocyanins at 1% level and tissue firmness at 5% level. Iron application was significant at 1% level on anthocyanins. In addition, all of the stiidied characteristics were significantly changed during storage at both temperatures, spraying plum trees with salicylic acid with 2 mM concentration retained total soluble solids, vitamin c, anthocyanin, tissue firmness and titratable acid increased more than the 4 mM. Also, treatment with iron (0.1 g/1) improved fruit quality. In general, 1 °C temperatiire was more effective than 4 °C and maintained the quality and marketability of fruits up to 60 and 40 days, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pistachio is one of the most popular nuts in the world because of its taste and nutritional properties. Mostly, its consumed dry in harvest period. Major factors limiting for shelf life of pistachios are browning and water accumulation. In this study, the effects of citric acid (1, 1.5 and 2%) and ascorbic acid (15, 25 and 35 ppm) and two types of plastic packs (polyethylene and polystyrene) on storage life (days 0, 25 and 45), Ahmad aghaie pistachio was studied. According to panelists, the use of acid treatments for 25 day of storage was able to maintain the appearance and taste characteristics of pistachio and since then there was no significant difference between treatment and the control sample. Pistachios treated with 15 ppm ascorbic acid in polystyrene pack were more favorable in appearance and browning than polyethylene pack. The maximum of phenol was related to ascorbic acid treatments (15 ppm) in polyethylene pack. Anthocyanin and chlorophyll amount decreased during storage, but carotenoids first increased and then decreased. Pistachio pigments such as chlorophyll, anthocyanin and carotenoids were preserved in polyethylene packages than polystyrene. Citric acid treatment (1.5%) had the maximum percentage of fat. Overall, the polyethylene pack and ascorbic acid 15 and 25 ppm and citric acid 1.5% concentration maintained the qualitative and quantitative properties of pistachio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Plums (Prunus spp.) as one of the most popular stone fruits, have low calories and high nutritional value. Over the past decades global production of European and Japanese plums reached from 6,110,870 tons in 1990 to 11,528,337 tons in 2013. In the same period plum production in Iran reached from 118,936 tons to 305,262 tons. Great variety of plum fruits caused differences in chemical composition as well. Plum fruits are rich in bioactive compounds or biochemicals such as vitamins (A, C and E), anthocyanins and other phenolic compounds which have high antioxidant activity. Materials and Methods: This research was done in a randomized complete block design with three replications in Horticultural Research Station at College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Tehran University in 2013-2015. Fruit quality characteristics such as vitamin C content, color traits of the fruit skin and flesh, the content of carotenoids, anthocyanins, total phenolics and antioxidant capacity of 16 plum and prune cultivars and genotypes were evaluated. Results and Discussion: Analysis of variance showed significant differences in terms of all measured factors. The highest L* index (brightness) of fruit skin was observed in 'Tanasgol" and "Compooti" and then in "Golden Drop" and "Shams" cultivars and the lowest level of that was measured in "Sugar" and "Gogeh Sabz" cultivars. "Black Star" and "Gogeh Germez" Showed the highest brightness of fruit flesh among examined cultivars and the lowest brightness of fruit flesh was investigated in "Sugar". A* color index of skin and flesh of fruit also showed significant differences among investigated cultivars and the highest level of that in "Ozarak" cultivar was observed. "Gogeh Sabz" and "Golden Drop" also had the lowest level of this index. "Gogeh Germez" had the highest of a*color index of fruit flesh and "Japanese" cultivar was in second place. The lowest level of this index was measured in "Ozarak" and "Shams" cultivars. "Tanasgol" and "Compooti" had the highest fruit skin b*color index among cultivars and "Santarsa", "Sugar," "Stanley" and "Bukhara" showed the lowest of that. "Black Star" and after that "Tanasgol" and "Dargazi" had the highest b*color index of fruit flesh. "Japanese" had also the lowest b* color index of fruit flesh. The intensity or color purity varied among cultivars and the highest of that was observed in "Tanasgol" and "Compooti" and then in "Ozarak". "Black Star" had the highest chroma of fruit skin and the highest fruit flesh color intensity. The lowest of this index in the fruit flesh was observed in "Santarosa", "Sugar" and "Japanese" cultivars. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) content varied in investigate cultivars. "Gogeh Germez" and "Japanese" had the highest vitamin C content and "Stanley" was showed the lowest amount of vitamin C. "Golden Drop ","Santarosa" and "Compooti" showed the highest total carotenoid among examined cultivars and "Gogeh Germez" had the lowest total carotenoid. "Gogeh Germez" and "Compooti" had the highest and lowest amount of anthocyanin index respectively. The highest total phenol and antioxidant activity was measured in "Ozarak". The lowest total antioxidant capacity was in"Gogeh Sabz". The results showed that There was high correlation (r= 0.93) between antioxidant capacity and a* fruit skin color index. High correlation (r= 0.83) between phenol content and antioxidant capacity of fruits was also observed. Between a* color index of fruit skin and phenolic content was observed high correlation (r= 0.89). As well as between anthocyanin and phenolic content and between anthocyanin and a* fruit skin color index, respectively (r= 0.86) and (r= 0.59) high correlation was detected. Conclusions: "Ozarak" in terms of antioxidant activity and total phenol component was superior. The highest amount of anthocyanin related to the "Gogeh Germez". "Golden Drop"," Santarosa" and "Compooti " had the highest total carotenoid and "Gogeh Germez" and "Japanese" had the highest vitamin C content among investigated cultivars. By identification of superior cultivars In terms of phytochemical compounds, these cultivars can be used in breeding programs to improve these nutritional quality of fruits. The results showed that the major phenolic compounds were gathered on the skin of plum fruits. Hence the "Ozarak" cultivar having the highest a*color index of fruit skin had the highest total phenol and antioxidant capacity among the investigated cultivars but "Gogeh Germez" by having the highest a*color index of fruit flesh and anthocyanins content higher than "Ozarak" cultivar, had low phenolic content and antioxidant capacity compared to the "Ozarak".

Given the increasing consumer demand for ready-to-eat products in recent years, the use of nano technology has been considered to improve the quality and increase the shelf life of fresh cuttings of fruit and vegetables. In this research, the effects of polypropylene contents of Nanoclay nanocomposites prepared by Bespar Aitec Company dishes, on quantitative and qualitative post-harvest indices of arils of pomegranate cultivars "Rabab-Neyriz" and "Milas-Neyriz" after 30 days Storage at 5 °C were investigated. For this purpose, soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), phenol, ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity, total anthocyanin, flavor index, and sensory evaluation (panel test) were evaluated at a time interval of 6 days. Based on the results, the studied cultivars showed significant differences in qualitative characteristics, especially anthocyanins. In both cultivars, total phenol content, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and antioxidant capacity gradually decreased over time. Although there was no significant difference between the Nano and control samples for flavor index, other traits showed significant differences. In both cultivars, Nano- packaged arils showed higher phenol, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and antioxidant contents compared to the control samples. Nanopackaged arils of Rabab cultivar showed a better marketability. These results indicated that Nano- packaging is a promising approach in maintaining quality and increasing shelf life and marketability of pomegranate arils during 30 days storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]