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ABSTRACTThis study was conducted on Siirt Pistachio variety (Pistacia vera L.) grown in five different locations (Kahramanmaraş, Pazarcık, Gaziantep, Ceylanpınar and Siirt) for two years (2017 and 2018). Phenological (bud burst, beginning of flowering, full-bloom, and beginning of leafing end of flowering), pomological (fruit size, fruit weight, and color parameters), physical (split, unsplit fruit ratios, empty and full fruit ratio) and biochemical (total phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and fatty acids) analyses were conducted. Total protein contents varied between 18.55% (Ceylanpınar) and 19.45% (Gaziantep); fatty acid contents between 52.80% (Siirt) and 54.25% (Gaziantep); saturated fatty acid ratios between 10.44% (Gaziantep) and 11.58% (Pazarcık); unsaturated fatty acid ratios between 88.42% (Pazarcık) and 89.56% (Gaziantep); saturated fatty acid/unsaturated fatty acid ratios between 7.64% (Pazarcık) and 8.58% (Gaziantep); total phenolics between 18.91 (Ceylanpınar) and 23.04 mg GAE/g; total flavonoids between 7.34 (Ceylanpınar) and 10.23 mg QE/g; antioxidant activity values between between 1.65 (Siirt) and 3.25 IC50 µg/ml (Kahramanmaraş). Principal component analysis revealed that four components had eigenvalues greater than 1. The first two components explained 64.6% of total variation. Oleic (−0.98) and linoleic (0.91) acids were the most effective parameters on the first component and kernel weight, a*, protein, arachidic, gonolic acids, Mg, P and Zn were the most effective parameters on the second component. Present findings can guide new studies to be done with this species.

The renowned horticultural artist and plant breeder Luther Burbank worked with many species of plants. During his 50-year career, he introduced more than 800 cultivars, including more than 150 accessions of plums (Prunus spp.) in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Burbank preferred using wide, interspecific crosses to create a vast range of phenotypic variation and then artificially select from the extremes. Although a great artist, Burbank was a substandard scientist because he was derelict in pedigree note-taking. Although many of his introductions are extinct, hobbyists, enthusiasts, and international collections retain nearly a third of the economically viable cultivars he bred. For a century, many of his hybridizations remained inscrutable mysteries until modern genomic and computational tools developed their resolution and statistical power. Today, genotyping by sequencing (GBS) is a useful tool for pedigree reconstruction in the absence of reliable records. GBS can inform principal component analyses, identity by descent (IBD) kinship, and phylogenetic admixture, revealing complex relationships among taxa. In this study, whole genome sequencing was performed on 53 Prunus taxa used by Burbank in his breeding experiments in the most comprehensive genetic survey of his work to date. Exact parent-offspring relationships between this population may be impossible to discern due to years of back crossing, sibling mating, and open pollination. However, the proportion of genomic similarity among these taxa provides information on the relatedness of the genotypes in Burbank's Prunus experiments, defining four primary lineages within his breeding population. These lineages comprised primarily P. salicina and P. simonii but also have influences from P. americana, P. cerasifera, P. domestica, and P. rivularis. The prevalence of P. simonii in Burbank's Prunus introductions appears to have been vastly underreported, indicating that some of the seedstock founders of his breeding population could have been P. salicina × P. simonii hybrids at the inception of his career. This research has implications for pedigree reconstruction and prioritizing conservation in collections curation for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fruit appearance of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is accession-specific and one of the main criteria for consumer choice. Consequently, fruit appearance is an important selection criterion in the breeding of new cultivars. It is also used for the description of older varieties or landraces. In commercial apple production, sorting devices are used to classify large numbers of fruit from a few cultivars. In contrast, the description of fruit from germplasm collections or breeding programs is based on only a few fruit from many accessions and is mostly performed visually by pomology experts. Such visual ratings are laborious, often difficult to compare and remain subjective. Results: Here we report on a morphometric device, the FruitPhenoBox, for automated fruit weighing and appearance description using computer-based analysis of five images per fruit. Recording of approximately 100 fruit from each of 15 apple cultivars using the FruitPhenoBox was rapid, with an average handling and recording time of less than eleven seconds per fruit. Comparison of fruit images from the 15 apple cultivars identified significant differences in shape index, fruit width, height and weight. Fruit shape was characteristic for each cultivar, while fruit color showed larger variation within sample sets. Assessing a subset of 20 randomly selected fruit per cultivar, fruit height, width and weight were described with a relative margin of error of 2.6%, 2.2%, and 6.2%, respectively, calculated from the mean value of all available fruit. Conclusions: The FruitPhenoBox allows for the rapid and consistent description of fruit appearance from individual apple accessions. By relating the relative margin of error for fruit width, height and weight description with different sample sizes, it was possible to determine an appropriate fruit sample size to efficiently and accurately describe the recorded traits. Therefore, the FruitPhenoBox is a useful tool for breeding and the description of apple germplasm collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.), a member of the Saxifragaceae family, is a perennial deciduous shrub. Seeds, leaves, and fruits contain a large number of bioactive substances, which have high nutritional value and medicinal health functions. They can be widely used as natural resources in the food and pharmaceutical industries (Huo et al. 2011). Blackcurrant is mainly distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Qinghai, and other places in China. In the alpine region of Heilongjiang Province, the climate is cold, with a large temperature difference between day and night, sufficient sunlight, fertile soil, and high organic matter content, which is conducive to the accumulation of nutrients in the fruit (Zhu et al. 2022). At the same time, blackcurrant has become one of the characteristic and advantageous shrub species in Heilongjiang Province. The breeding and cultivation research on blackcurrant in this province is in its infancy, therefore the germplasm resources are relatively scarce. Currently, there are less than 10 cultivars available in production. Blackcurrant generally has shortcomings such as weak resistance to powdery mildew and poor cold resistance. Mudanjiang Branch of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences has bred four blackcurrant cultivars, ‘Zaofeng’, ‘Heifeng’, ‘Hanfeng’, and ‘Wanfeng’, through hybridization and selection that are used in production. ‘Danjianghei’ (Heilongjiang Provincial Crop Variety Approval Committee 2012046) is a new cultivar approved (registered) by Heilongjiang Provincial Crop Variety Approval Committee in 2012. ‘Danjianghei’ has a large fruit size, high yield, good quality, and resistance to blackcurrant disease characters.

The renowned horticultural artist and plant breeder Luther Burbank worked with many species of plants. During his 50-year career, he introduced more than 800 cultivars, including more than 150 accessions of plums (Prunus spp.) in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Burbank preferred using wide, interspecific crosses to create a vast range of phenotypic variation and then artificially select from the extremes. Although a great artist, Burbank was a substandard scientist because he was derelict in pedigree note-taking. Although many of his introductions are extinct, hobbyists, enthusiasts, and international collections retain nearly a third of the economically viable cultivars he bred. For a century, many of his hybridizations remained inscrutable mysteries until modern genomic and computational tools developed their resolution and statistical power. Today, genotyping by sequencing (GBS) is a useful tool for pedigree reconstruction in the absence of reliable records. GBS can inform principal component analyses, identity by descent (IBD) kinship, and phylogenetic admixture, revealing complex relationships among taxa. In this study, whole genome sequencing was performed on 53 Prunus taxa used by Burbank in his breeding experiments in the most comprehensive genetic survey of his work to date. Exact parent–offspring relationships between this population may be impossible to discern due to years of back crossing, sibling mating, and open pollination. However, the proportion of genomic similarity among these taxa provides information on the relatedness of the genotypes in Burbank’s Prunus experiments, defining four primary lineages within his breeding population. These lineages comprised primarily P. salicina and P. simonii but also have influences from P. americana, P. cerasifera, P. domestica, and P. rivularis. The prevalence of P. simonii in Burbank’s Prunus introductions appears to have been vastly underreported, indicating that some of the seedstock founders of his breeding population could have been P. salicina × P. simonii hybrids at the inception of his career. This research has implications for pedigree reconstruction and prioritizing conservation in collections curation for future studies.

Local and old cultivars of fruit trees that have a historically justified distribution or are associated with a significant cultural event should be preferred for planting in historically significant sites. On the basis of long-term observation of the main biological and pomological characteristics, a selection of suitable cultivars was made, taking into account their importance from a historical point of view. The description of these selected cultivars focuses mainly on the character of growth, the selection of a suitable habitat, fruit characteristics and resistance to diseases and pests. The given set of information can serve as a recommendation for establishing plantations with the aim of saving and spreading old and regional cultivars.

Rosehip is a valuable fruit species in particular for rural populations. In this study, fruit quality parameters of 15 wild grown rosehip ecotypes naturally obtained from seeds in the Aegean Region of Türkiye were determined. The fruit weight, fruit firmness, fruit flesh ratio, fruit shape index, fruit skin color (chroma), soluble solid content, vitamin C, total phenolic, total carotenoid, total anthocyanin, total flavonoid and antioxidant capacity were investigated. The results showed great diversity among ecotypes. The fruit weight, fruit firmness, fruit flesh ratio, fruit shape index, fruit skin color (chroma) and soluble solid content were between 2.28 and 3.29 g, 4.70 and 7.12 N, 69.34 and 81.67%, 0.97 and 1.07, 53.04 and 60.71 and 18.87 and 21.28%, respectively. The total antioxidant capacity was found to be 15.78–28.17 mg AAE/g in a DPPH assay. The vitamin C content of rosehip fruits was measured as 507–621 mg/100 g. Among ecotypes, A-15 gave the biggest fruits, A-1 had the highest soluble solid content and A-13 had the highest vitamin C content. These results suggested that some ecotypes showed more potent bioactive properties than other ecotypes, mainly related to the variations in the antioxidant capacity and bioactive content between ecotypes. Overall, this study provides additional insight into investigating the genotype exhibition of multifunctional bioactive properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical thinning, the most common and cost-effective thinning method, is conducted during early apple fruit development over a 3- to 4-week period using multiple applications of plant growth regulators. It is critical to provide apple growers with tools to assess the efficacy of chemical thinners quickly and accurately because visible responses are not apparent for up to 2 weeks after application. The objective of this study was to build a model to predict apple fruitlet abscission following a chemical thinner application with in situ reflectance data obtained with a portable visible and near infrared (Vis/NIR) spectrophotometer. Developed models were compared with the currently available fruitlet growth model (FGM). ‘Honeycrisp’ fruitlet diameter and reflectance were measured on dates around a chemical thinner application across a 2-year period. After June drop, measured fruitlets were determined to have either persisted or abscised. Random forest, partial least squares regression, and XGBoost classification models were used to predict fruitlet abscission from reflectance data. Each classification model was developed with 2021, 2022, and combined 2021 + 2022 data. For each dataset, 5-fold cross validation was used to assess three model performance metrics: 1) overall accuracy, 2) recall, and 3) specificity. Datasets tested were either unbalanced, majority class down-sampled, or minority class up-sampled with synthetic minority oversampling technique. In both years, the FGM reliably estimated chemical thinner efficacy 9 days after application. Before this time point, the FGM had low prediction accuracy of the minority class in both years—persisting fruitlets in 2021 and abscising fruitlets in 2022. For reflectance spectroscopy, the developed random forest models that were balanced with synthetic minority over-sampling technique were found to be the best combination in predicting chemical thinner efficacy. The combined 2021 + 2022 dataset overall model accuracy ranged from 84% the day before to 93% at 9 days after thinner application. These results show that Vis/NIR is a promising tool to predict chemical thinner efficacy. This technology had high prediction accuracies over a range of fruitlet abscission potential and two growing seasons. Further development and testing of the model over cultivars, chemical thinner timings, and growing regions would facilitate commercialization of the technology.

Abstract Pomology, also known as fruticulture, is a significant contributor to the economies of many nations worldwide. While vertical farming methods are not well-suited for fruit cultivation, substrate-based cultivation is commonly practiced. Vertical farming methods use no soil for cultivation of the plants, and the cultivation is done in vertically stacked layers. Therefore, smaller herbs are best suited for such cultivation, whereas, the majority of the fruit trees are big and woody. Therefore, vertical farming methods are not well suited for fruit trees. However, to maximize fruit production, smarter substrate cultivation methods are needed. Utilizing remote sensing techniques, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, agriculture sensors, and cloud computing, allows for precision agriculture and smart farming in autonomous systems. Nevertheless, a lack of understanding of fruit nutrient requirements, growing conditions, and soil health conditions can result in reduced fruit production. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an intelligent model based on machine learning that recommends the best fruit to grow based on prevailing soil and climatic conditions. The system is trained on a dataset that includes details on eleven different fruits, such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), temperature, humidity, pH, and rainfall. The model takes into account the soil type and nutrient contents to recommend the most suitable fruit to grow in the prevailing climate. To enhance the model's efficiency, two novel techniques, Gradient-based Side Sampling (GOSS) and Exclusive Feature Bundling (EFB), have been incorporated. The results show that the proposed system has achieved 99% accuracy in recommending the right fruit based on the given environmental conditions. As a result, this system has the potential to significantly improve the profitability of the pomology industry and boost national economies.

Apple (Malus ×domestica L. Borkh.) growers need tools to predict the efficacy of chemical thinners that are applied to induce fruitlet abscission to aid in crop load management decisions. Recently, reflectance spectroscopy-based models to predict fruitlet abscission rates were developed. Using spectroscopy, persisting fruitlets had lower reflectance in the red-light (~600 nm) and near infrared (~950 nm) regions than abscising fruitlets. The goal of this study was to better understand how reflectance models distinguished between fruitlets that ultimately persisted or abscised. Individual models for the difference and ratio of each combination of wavelengths were developed to identify key wavelengths for abscission prediction from reflectance models. Accuracy for wavelength difference and ratio models was improved for all model prediction dates when reflectance (R) from R640-675 was subtracted from or divided by R675-696. This spectra region indicates differences in chlorophyll content between persisting and abscising fruitlets. Calculation of the chlorophyll concentration index (R522-579:R640-700) from nondestructively measured spectra supported this result. Chlorophyll concentration index was higher for fruitlets that ultimately persisted than abscised fruitlets (P < 0.01) for all measurement dates -1 to 9 days after thinner (DAT) in both years, except -1 DAT in 2021 (P = 0.468). Plant water index (R950-970:R890-900) was lower for persisting than abscising fruitlets for 3 to 9 DAT in 2021 (P < 0.001) and on -1 (P < 0.01) and 9 DAT (P < 0.001) in 2022. The relationship of fruit size and plant pigment (anthocyanins or chlorophyll) content in fruitlets to reflectance spectra between persisting and abscising fruitlets was also followed. Fruitlet persistence or abscission was predicted from developed models for destructively sampled fruitlets using measured reflectance spectra. Whole-fruit chlorophyll content was numerically higher in fruitlets predicted to persist than abscise for all collection dates. Higher total chlorophyll was correlated to a larger fruit size in persisting than abscising fruitlets. This higher chlorophyll content led to a lower reflectance of red light and was a key factor in model development. These results indicate that chlorophyll and water content can distinguish physiological parameters between persisting and abscising fruitlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical thinning, the most common and cost-effective thinning method, is conducted during early apple fruit development over a 3- to 4-week period using multiple applications of plant growth regulators. It is critical to provide apple growers with tools to assess the efficacy of chemical thinners quickly and accurately because visible responses are not apparent for up to 2 weeks after application. The objective of this study was to build a model to predict apple fruitlet abscission following a chemical thinner application with in situ reflectance data obtained with a portable visible and near infrared (Vis/NIR) spectrophotometer. Developed models were compared with the currently available fruitlet growth model (FGM). 'Honeycrisp' fruitlet diameter and reflectance were measured on dates around a chemical thinner application across a 2-year period. After June drop, measured fruitlets were determined to have either persisted or abscised. Random forest, partial least squares regression, and XGBoost classification models were used to predict fruitlet abscission from reflectance data. Each classification model was developed with 2021, 2022, and combined 2021 + 2022 data. For each dataset, 5-fold cross validation was used to assess three model performance metrics: 1) overall accuracy, 2) recall, and 3) specificity. Datasets tested were either unbalanced, majority class downsampled, or minority class up-sampled with synthetic minority oversampling technique. In both years, the FGM reliably estimated chemical thinner efficacy 9 days after application. Before this time point, the FGM had low prediction accuracy of the minority class in both years--persisting fruitlets in 2021 and abscising fruitlets in 2022. For reflectance spectroscopy, the developed random forest models that were balanced with synthetic minority over-sampling technique were found to be the best combination in predicting chemical thinner efficacy. The combined 2021 + 2022 dataset overall model accuracy ranged from 84% the day before to 93% at 9 days after thinner application. These results show that Vis/NIR is a promising tool to predict chemical thinner efficacy. This technology had high prediction accuracies over a range of fruitlet abscission potential and two growing seasons. Further development and testing of the model over cultivars, chemical thinner timings, and growing regions would facilitate commercialization of the technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pomology, also known as fruticulture, is a significant contributor to the economies of many nations worldwide. While vertical farming methods are not well-suited for fruit cultivation, substrate-based cultivation is commonly practiced. Vertical farming methods use no soil for cultivation of the plants, and the cultivation is done in vertically stacked layers. Therefore, smaller herbs are best suited for such cultivation, whereas, the majority of the fruit trees are big and woody. Therefore, vertical farming methods are not well suited for fruit trees. However, to maximize fruit production, smarter substrate cultivation methods are needed. Utilizing remote sensing techniques, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, agriculture sensors, and cloud computing, allows for precision agriculture and smart farming in autonomous systems. Nevertheless, a lack of understanding of fruit nutrient requirements, growing conditions, and soil health conditions can result in reduced fruit production. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an intelligent model based on machine learning that recommends the best fruit to grow based on prevailing soil and climatic conditions. The system is trained on a dataset that includes details on eleven different fruits, such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), temperature, humidity, pH, and rainfall. The model takes into account the soil type and nutrient contents to recommend the most suitable fruit to grow in the prevailing climate. To enhance the model's efficiency, two novel techniques, Gradient-based Side Sampling (GOSS) and Exclusive Feature Bundling (EFB), have been incorporated. The results show that the proposed system has achieved 99% accuracy in recommending the right fruit based on the given environmental conditions. As a result, this system has the potential to significantly improve the profitability of the pomology industry and boost national economies.Article Highlights: This article aims at the creation of an efficient recommendation model for fruit cultivation in soil medium by analyzing the soil nutrient contents and the existing climatic conditions. The most suitable fruit plant corresponding to the existing conditions and soil type is recommended for an enhanced yield of the plant. Three climatic parameters, i.e., temperature, humidity, and rainfall; along with four soil-based parameters, i.e., pH, N content, P content, and K content are considered as the required growing condition for eleven varieties of fruits. To ensure enhanced accuracy, a hundred entries for each fruit type is entered in the dataset. The created dataset is then divided in the proportion of 7:3 as training data: testing data and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (Light GBM) model is applied to the created dataset. The correlation of all the parameters is checked for an efficient recommendation of fruits. Finally, the model is evaluated and its efficiency is checked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of cultivars on dry nut weight, kernel weight, oil content, and the main fatty acids of some cultivars and genotypes of almond, this study was conducted in 2019 in randomized complete blocks design with three replications. The findings revealed that the influence of genotype on all measured traits is significant. The results of oil content showed that D124 had the highest values in terms of oil content. Also, examination of kernel weight shows that there are significant differences between cultivars. So that the highest amount of kernel weight is related to genotype D at 2.19 grams, while the lowest amount of kernel weight is related to A5-17genotype at 0.52 grams. The investigation of nut weight analysis showed that genotype D had the highest value (6.40grams). All the traits considered in this research can be said that the D124 genotype and cultivars of Sahand, Shahroud 6, Saba, and Ruby respectively had oil content of 62.24, 62.12, 61.62, 60.41 and. 60.29 percent. In total, regarding to the all traits considered in this study, genotype D124 in the amount of 62.24% and then cultivars, Sahand, Shahroud 6, Saba, Ruby with oil values of 62.12%, 61.62%, 60.41% and 60.29, respectively. Also, palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid in D124, Sahand, Shahroud 6, Saba, and Ruby were (5.44, 73.30 and 21.14%), (4.85, 76.33, and 18.48%), (5.64, 80.11 and 14.31%), (5.30, 73.89 and 20.80%) and (5.21, 77.44, and 16.32%) respectively. These are identified as the best cultivars and genotypes in terms of food quality in the climatic conditions of Karaj, which can be used for nutritional or technical applications to provide conditions for almond production and cultivation development.

Background. Digital technologies are increasingly used in agriculture to solve a variety of problems. However, in horticulture and industrial production of fruit and berry crops, qualitative evaluation and scoring of the most important morphological indicators of fruits are still common, and measurements are carried out manually. The aim of this study was to develop an algorithm for using the ImageJ package for quick and accurate measurements of the size and shape of berries.Materials and methods. The material included 190 berries of 3 blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) cultivars: ‘Amazonka’, ‘Lazurit’, and ‘Lenita’. The berries were laid out on a white sheet of paper with a ruler on top of the glass and photographed with additional lighting from below. The analysis of the obtained images was carried out using the public domain package ImageJ (v. 1.51k) and included automatic search for objects and their measurement by 7 indicators: area, perimeter, maximum and minimum Feret diameters, aspect ratio, circularity, and surface roundness (1-Solidity). Statistical analysis included the calculation of the minimum, maximum and mean values with a nonparametric 95% CI (bootstrap, percentile method), comparison of cultivars using the Kruskal–Wallis test, and search for the most typical objects based on the results of a between-group PCA.Results. It was shown how the size and shape indicators from the ImageJ package related to classical measurements in pomology, including length, diameter, and berry shape index. For all indicators, the differences between cultivars were highly statistically significant (p < 0.001). The prospects of using the surface roughness index for quantitative characterization of the degree of deviation of fruits from their natural shape due to mechanical and other deformations are discussed.Conclusion. The results of the automatic image analysis in the ImageJ package can be used in horticulture, breeding, and production of fruits and berries.

The 'Anna' apple is a variety of low requirements of winter chill (250 to 300 chilling hours ≤7.2°C). This apple has essential health benefits and remarkable adaptive potential in tropical and subtropical areas affected by climate change. Thus, this review presents the significance of the 'Anna' apple cultivation, the phenological and eco-physiological modifications, and the current state of agronomic management when continuous crops are managed in tropical highlands. The production of this apple in tropical highlands has outstanding potential to obtain cyclical or continuous harvests (two harvests per year) in certain areas with specific environmental conditions, implementing a particular management system. In plantations, it is crucial to carry out some agronomic practices during the reproductive phenology so that the apple tree does not enter into an endodormancy. These are water stress - defoliation - tie-down branches, and the application of dormancy-breaking agents (flower-inducing compounds). In Colombia, ‘Anna’ variety was introduced in 1985 and is grown in areas with temperatures between 14 and 20°C, altitudes between 1700 and 2800 meters above sea level (m a.s.l.), with bimodal and monomodal rain regimes, and solar brightness between 800 and 2000 hours a year. The harvest is between 100 to 120 days after anthesis, with firmness values of 38.38N, a soluble solids content of 8.58°Brix, and total titratable acidity of 0.7% of the fruit. This documentation indicates a good production with great potential in terms of growth and development, earliness, and quality of the 'Anna' apple tree in Colombian highlands.

Cornus mas L. is a type of fruit preferred by consumers due to its rich bioactive compounds, attractive appearance, unique taste, high biological activities, sensory properties and nutritional properties. Morphological and molecular characterization of 61 C. mas genotypes collected from the flora of Bolu province was carried out in the current study. According to the two-year average data, the fruit and core weights of the genotypes showed significant variation with ranges from 1.44 to 3.37 g and from 0.19 to 1.13 g, respectively. The soluble solids content, pH, and titratable acidity values changed between 10.37 and 21.22%, 3.45 and 2.44, and 1.01% and 2.46%, respectively. Inter-primer binding site (iPBS) retrotransposon markers were evaluated for genetic variation among C. mas genotypes for the first time worldwide. Five iPBS markers amplified 80 fragments, 60 polymorphic (75%) with an average of 12 polymorphic bands per primer. Each of the selected iPBS markers supplied adequate separation power. Polymorphism information content and resolution power of markers ranged from 0.18 to 0.28 and from 3.57 to 8.43, with averages of 0.24 and 5.52, respectively. The iPBS primer 2378 had the highest polymorphism rate value (88.89%), whereas iPBS primers 2242 and 2232 had the lowest (66.67%) phylogenetic analysis grouped genotypes into three main groups. The unweighted pair groups method using arithmetic averages, principal coordinate, and structure analyses confirmed a high level of genetic diversity among the investigated genotypes in this work. The findings will help to plant breeders to characterize C. mas genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosehip is a valuable fruit species in particular for rural populations. In this study, fruit quality parameters of 15 wild grown rosehip ecotypes naturally obtained from seeds in the Aegean Region of Türkiye were determined. The fruit weight, fruit firmness, fruit flesh ratio, fruit shape index, fruit skin color (chroma), soluble solid content, vitamin C, total phenolic, total carotenoid, total anthocyanin, total flavonoid and antioxidant capacity were investigated. The results showed great diversity among ecotypes. The fruit weight, fruit firmness, fruit flesh ratio, fruit shape index, fruit skin color (chroma) and soluble solid content were between 2.28 and 3.29 g, 4.70 and 7.12 N, 69.34 and 81.67%, 0.97 and 1.07, 53.04 and 60.71 and 18.87 and 21.28%, respectively. The total antioxidant capacity was found to be 15.78–28.17 mg AAE/g in a DPPH assay. The vitamin C content of rosehip fruits was measured as 507–621 mg/100 g. Among ecotypes, A-15 gave the biggest fruits, A-1 had the highest soluble solid content and A-13 had the highest vitamin C content. These results suggested that some ecotypes showed more potent bioactive properties than other ecotypes, mainly related to the variations in the antioxidant capacity and bioactive content between ecotypes. Overall, this study provides additional insight into investigating the genotype exhibition of multifunctional bioactive properties.

‘Bahri Koz’ is a walnut cultivar that reaches a mid-early harvest maturity and has some superior fruit traits. In 2019, the cultivar was registered and patented by the Variety Registration and Seed Certification Center of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. To determine the pomological and phenological traits of the ‘Bahri Koz’, 27 different traits were examined. The pomological analysis determined that the in-shell nut weight of ‘Bahri Koz’ was 12-14 g, the kernel weight was 6.5-7.0 g, and the kernel ratio was 51-54%. The shell and kernel of the cultivar were determined to be light in color and the surface of the shell to have a smooth structure. ‘Bahri Koz’ had superior traits compared to the ‘Chandler’ cultivar in terms of some of the pomological parameters such as in-shell nut weight, kernel weight, and kernel percentage. The new cultivar was seen to reach leafing, harvest maturity, and defoliation at an earlier date than ‘Chandler’. The dichogamy status of the cultivar was determined to be protandrous and in this respect, a pollinator cultivar was recommended for the establishment of orchards with ‘Bahri Koz’. This cultivar was also shown to be rich in lipid and unsaturated fatty acid content.

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is grown across a wide geographical area and has been cultivated in Azerbaijan for more than three thousand years. The purpose of the study was to characterize the apricot varieties and forms collected from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. Fourty-four apricot varieties and forms were studied according to 10 (phenological, pomological, morphological) parameters. A wide variation was found between yield, total soluble solids and fruit weight among varieties and forms. Fruits of the most of apricot varieties and forms were small, only two of them—Hampa and Limon Erik 2—had a fruit weight more than 50 g. In general, the fruits had yellow skin and flesh with high total soluble solids (TSS). Five varieties are characterized by orange, two by white, and three by yellowish-green skin ground color (SGC). A high correlation was found between several morphological and pomological features. Maximum Pearson correlation indices were found between bud break season and blossom season, fruit weight and fruit length, blossom season and harvest season. Fruits that were longer and wider had high fruit weight. The results of the PC (principal component) analysis revealed the first four components (PC1 - PC4) explained by 87.49% of the variance observed between varieties and forms. The presented study shows that the more attractive and yellow-skinned Azerbaijani apricot varieties and forms are suitable to produce dried apricots. Data from statistical analysis can be used to select different varieties and forms for apricot breeding programs. The research will provide a solid basis for the effective management and sustainable use of apricot germplasms for future breeding programs in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of five open-pollinated seedling rootstocks and two marketed seed lots (as the controls) were assessed on pomological, biochemical, and organoleptic traits of four apple cultivars ( Malusxdomestica Borkh.), grown in Meshkin Abad Horticultural Research Station (Karaj, Iran). The maternal parents, as the three crabs 'Zinati', 'Morabbaei', and 'Azayesh' along with the standard trees 'Northern Spy' and 'Golden Karaj' were selected as the seed sources through a breeding program in 2003. The present study was achieved on the 4- and 5-year-old trees, spindle formed, planted in 3.5x4 m, and drop irrigated in 28 combinations (four cultivars onto 5+2 rootstocks, distributed in four distinct parcels). The investigation was carried out on pomological traits based on UPOV scales, as well as biochemical and organoleptic traits. Higher fruit length, diameter, and weight were recorded for the cultivars grafted onto 'Northern Spy', followed by 'Zinati' and 'Morabbaei' seed sources. 'Zinati' F1 crab seedling induced higher flesh firmness combined with the four scions. The crab seedling rootstocks 'Zinati' followed by 'Azayesh' caused a higher organoleptic scent, flavor, and sweetness attributed by the panel members. Moreover, pH, TA, and TSS were influenced by scion, while rootstock effect was negligible. These results indicated that F1 half-sib seedling rootstocks positively influenced the pomological and organoleptic traits and improved the fruit's quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey is among the rare countries in terms of plant diversity, and thus, most plant species spread widely throughout the country. Apricot is one of these plant species. Due to the self-incompatibility seen in apricots, it is necessary to use a pollinator variety for a quality and efficient product. With this study carried out in 2021 year, the effects of different pollinators on fruit set and some fruit quality parameters of Casne Drenova, Ninfa and P. de Tyrinthe cultivars were investigated in Kayseri ecological conditions. In the study, early ripening apricot varieties were used as paternal parent. According to the results of the study, it was shown that fruit set values varied between 11.6% and 22.6%. In the pomological parameters examined in the study, in general (except for fruit firmness), differences were found in combinations using different pollinators compared to the open pollinated fruits of the maternal parent. It is foreseen that the results obtained will be guiding especially in the breeding studies to be carried out with these varieties and in the establishment of new orchards.

Rosaceae family is characterized by the large number of genus and species which are of great importance for horticulture. The main goal of this research was to analyze pomological traits in order to determine biodiversity existence between five genotypes (G) of genus Rosa belonging to four different taxons (G1 - Rosa canina L., G2 - Rosa corymbifera Borkh., G3 - Rosa canina L. var. squarrosa A. Rau Rosa squarrosa (A. Rau) Boreau, G4 - Rosa subcanina (Christ.) Vuk., G5 - Rosa corymbifera Borkh) in continental part of Croatia during two years. Genotype had significant effect on all pomological traits, while year and interaction between year and genotype affected the majority of pomological traits. Multivariate discriminant analysis successfully explained 77.48% of total variability. It achieved separation of genotypes G5 and G1 from genotypes G2 and G4 using canonical axis 1 (Can1) (46.74% of total variability mostly influenced fruit length, width, volume, surface, and shape index). Likewise, genotype G2 was separated from genotype G3 by the Can2 axis (30.74% of total variability mostly influenced by fruit mass). Since genotypes G2 and G5 were of the same species (Rosa corymbifera), their separation by Can1 axis indicates notable effect of ecological factors on pomological traits, which was not the case for Rosa canina genotypes (G1 and G3) where no separation occurred, indicating major effect of hereditary factors on studied pomological traits on this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is an important fruit crop and member of the Prunus genus of the Rosaceae family that is planted in many temperate regions worldwide. The quality of fruit is assessed by many pomological parameters which can serve as a decisive factor in apricot breeding, because the introduction of new cultivars is required. These parameters can differ with climate conditions, geographical location or geographic ecological origin. Similarly, another biological characteristic can be measured depending on these terms. The present study was conducted with the aim of estimating pomological traits together with the nuclear DNA content of 35 apricot cultivars with different geographical origins. Only CV values lower than 5% were considered in flow cytometry analysis. All analyzed cultivars were diploid and the genome size value ranged from 0.587 to 0.644 pg/2C, where Turkish apricots reached the highest value (on average 0.628 pg/2C) followed by the European group (on average 0.625 pg/2C). A Spearman-rank correlation was used and the different correlation was found for specific geographical groups of apricot cultivars. The genome size values of apricots and related botanical species P. mume, P. sibirica and P. ansu showed to be very similar values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Citrus genus includes a wide number of species that have been long cultivated and well adapted in Tunisia. It is represented by small number of plantations and considered as underutilized in Tunisia. Our goal was to genetically characterize Tunisian lime genotypes to obtain data useful for gene conservation and breeding purposes. The survey of genotypes was conducted in the Cap Bon region, where citrus cultivation is the most spread. Sixteen quantitative and 19 qualitative parameters were evaluated. The observed accessions belonged to three different species: Citrus limetta, Citrus latifolia (limes Byrsa), and Citrus limettioides (limes of Palestine) according to Tanaka classification. Principal component analysis confirmed these classifications. Four-cell analysis (FCA) was used to determine the most threatened genotypes. Quantitative traits were evaluated and allowed the discrimination between genotypes. Many quantitative traits of fruit and juice were highly positively and significantly correlated. Phenotypic diversity was determined using Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H’). The highest value of diversity index was observed for both vesicle thickness and thickness of segment walls (H’ = 0.98). Intermediate values were observed for both fruit axis (H’= 0.49) and pulp firmness (H’ = 0.43). However, fruit shape (H’ = 0.24), shape of fruit apex (H’ = 0.24), and vesicle length (H’ = 0.33) presented the lowest values of diversity index. Current findings will be useful to conserve threatened genotypes ex situ and on farm and also will guide strategic conservation on Citrus genetic resources for future breeding programs.

This research was conducted in the central district and villages of Kağızman, Kars province in East Anatolia region of Turkey between 2015 and 2016. The aims of the study was to determine the walnut (Juglans regia L.) genotypes with high quality in terms of fruit quality and tree characteristics among the seed grown walnut population. As a result of the weighted rating based on observations and evaluations for two years, 16 walnut genotypes were chosen as promising. In selected genotypes the average fruit weight was determined between 10.14-14.98 g, kernel weight was between 5.01-8.08 g, kernel rate was of 41.58-60.20%, and shell thickness was between 2.00-4.53 mm. The interior colors of promising genotypes were determined as 'light' in 25%, 'yellow' in 62.50% and 'brown' in 33.33%. Fruit shape of all selected genotypes were round, and fruit size was extra quality. It was determined that 12 genotypes show protandry, and 4 genotypes show flowering in protogeny character in terms of flowering. It is suggested that the selected genotypes can be used as parents for future hybridization and breeding studies.

The article indicates pomological signs of tangerine: peel and pulp color, number of slices, fruit size, shape, taste, aroma and juiciness of a fruit. Physicochemical characteristics of tangerine fruits are shown: sugar, acidity, dry matter, vitamin C. A comparative biochemical assessment of tangerine fruits growing in the subtropical zone of the Krasnodar Territory and imported ones is carried out. The studies have been carried out in VNIIITsiSK in Sochi.6 tested varieties of imported tangerine fruits were infected with penicillosis (Penicillium expancym Link) and anthracnosis (the pathogenic agent is Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz. Fungus). A physiological peta disease (deep pit) was found, which affected fruits on trees and appeared during storage with temperature regime violation [13]. Biochemical analysis revealed a low concentration of ascorbic acid, acidity and an increased content of dry soluble substances in the imported fruits in comparison with fruits grown in the humid subtropics of Russia.

Iran has a rich genetic diversity of Prunus spp. This study was conducted to evaluate the phenological, morphological, pomological and sensorial traits on three natural plum and apricot hybrids including P. armeniaca × P. salicina (Bavanat) and P. cerasifera × P. armeniaca (Shiraz and Shahriar) during 2018-2020. According to UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants) descriptor, all hybrids were characterized by medium growth vigor and a bearing type of spurs and long shoots. Fruit skin color ranged from purple to dark red with the predominant skin color being red. The beginning of the flowering period was affected by year and temperature, however they were classified as very early-flowering genotypes. The highest fruit weight, fruit dimensions and total soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio (TSS/TA) were found in Bavanat. The principal component analysis revealed that the most important fruit characters, including yield, fruit dimensions, fruit flesh fresh weight, fruit weight/stone weight, TSS, TA, TSS/TA and pH were the most effective traits for differentiating the studied genotypes. Shahriar had the highest panel test scores and was more attractive for consumers. Its fruits were sourer and smaller than the two other genotypes while it had the highest yield, fruit number and antioxidant activity. According to genotype-by-trait (GT) biplot analysis, Shiraz was closer to the ideal genotype. However, each of these three genotypes, due to their fruit-bearing capacity and specific traits, are interesting as valuable genetic resources for breeding programs to improve plum or apricot pomological traits coordinated to yield performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study was conducted on local fig varieties in Eruh district, Mişar plain and in Gökçebağ town of the central district of Siirt province, where an extensive fig population is found, located in the Southeastern Anatolia of Turkey. In this study, the fig gene sources of the region were investigated; morphological and phenological observations were made in the selected trees, and pomological properties of the collected fruit samples were examined, and chemical analyses were performed. Fruit weight 2.31-64.82 g, average fruit length 20.00-52.50 mm, average fruit width 20.00-55.00 mm, watersoluble dry matter of fruits 9.00-32.00%, titratable acidity 0.141-0.544% and pH ranged between 3.21 and 4.68 for the cultivars evaluated for pomological and chemical properties. Local genotypes with similar properties to especially sarılop (an important variety at the forefront of Turkey's dried fig sector), and Bursa siyahı (an important variety for table fig sector) were identified.

The development of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier) genotypes, which have good taste, size and firmness, is among the most important and prioritized issues of today. We aimed to develop new strawberry cultivars having standards of priority issues for strawberry. Eight prominent strawberry genotypes were obtained from the cross of domestic strawberry cultivars ('Sevgi', 'Kaşka', and 'Ebru') with the varieties ('Rubygem', 'Festival', and 'Amiga'). Pomological (total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, and firmness) and physical (fruit width, fruit length, and fruit weight) analyses of eight strawberry genotypes and their parents were performed on active harvest months. In addition, ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat) markers were used to analyze the genetic diversity of eight prominent strawberry hybrids and their parents. The selected superior hybrid strawberry fruit characteristics exceeded the characteristics of local varieties and reached the point where they can compete with commercial varieties in terms of most of the quality parameters. However, it was determined that the genotypes did not reach the targeted point in terms of fruit firmness. While a good positive correlation among fruit size parameters was found, taste of fruit was negatively affected by increasing these. As it is seen in the molecular results (PCoA), domestic and foreign cultivars were separated from each other, and their progenies were generally between them as most of the examined parameters (fruit firmness, acidity, total soluble solid, fruit weight). In addition, PIC value ranged from 0.17 (UBC816) to 0.86 (UBC824). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basils of the genus Ocimum are aromatic plants grown widely throughout the tropical and temperate regions. The essential oils obtained from their aerial parts are enriched with volatile organic compounds with high market demand for food and pharmaceutical industries. The volatile organic compounds have been shown to exhibit biological activities. Therefore, their novel applications have been extensively explored in the last few decades. The most widely available basils in the tropical areas include white holy basil (O. sanctum var. Shyama), red holy basil (O. sanctum var. Rama), Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflorum), lemon basil (O. citriodorum), and tree basil (O. gratissimum). Over 60 volatiles of different classes have been exclusively described, and some of them could be useful as biomarkers for genotype specification. The major volatile ingredient is the phenylpropanoids, such as methyl eugenol, which has the potential as a natural product for mitigating Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) during tropical fruit production. Moreover, basil essential oils are also used to control diseases of the fruits during post-harvest storage. As a result, the application of basil essential oils as a sustainable defect control strategy for tropical fruit value chains seems intriguing. This review provides comprehensive information on plant taxonomy and volatile compositions of the essential oil fractions from different basil species. Their biological activities and applications are also discussed, mainly during the pre- and post-production of tropical fruits. Additionally, the available techniques to enhance the efficacy of the volatile active compounds are also described.

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is an important fruit crop and member of the Prunus genus of the Rosaceae family that is planted in many temperate regions worldwide. The quality of fruit is assessed by many pomological parameters which can serve as a decisive factor in apricot breeding, because the introduction of new cultivars is required. These parameters can differ with climate conditions, geographical location or geographic ecological origin. Similarly, another biological characteristic can be measured depending on these terms. The present study was conducted with the aim of estimating pomological traits together with the nuclear DNA content of 35 apricot cultivars with different geographical origins. Only CV values lower than 5% were considered in flow cytometry analysis. All analyzed cultivars were diploid and the genome size value ranged from 0.587 to 0.644 pg/2C, where Turkish apricots reached the highest value (on average 0.628 pg/2C) followed by the European group (on average 0.625 pg/2C). A Spearman-rank correlation was used and the different correlation was found for specific geographical groups of apricot cultivars. The genome size values of apricots and related botanical species P. mume, P. sibirica and P. ansu showed to be very similar values.

This investigation was carried out during 2015-2016 in the Sakarya area. Strawberry trees were selected by including naturally growing trees. In this selection study, each tree was considered as a tree species and 50 species of strawberry trees were examined. In the study of phenological observation, pomological analysis and Weighted Grading method were applied on Strawberry tree genotypes. 100 fruit samples were collected during the research years of 2015 and 2016 and 10 fruits were studied because of the importance of each species. The fruit weight ranged between 1.70 g and 9.03 g, width from 11.42 mm to 30.52 mm, length 10,15 mm to 14.09 mm, and the handle thickness was 1.13 mm to 3.29 mm, the number of fruits in a bundle wass 3 to 8, the amount of soluble dry matter 15 to 32%, fruit juice pH 3,09 to 3.51. At the end of the study, 5 genotypes with superior characteristics were selected.

Copyright of Yuzuncu Yil Universitesi Journal of Agricultural Sciences (YYU J Agr Sci) is the property of Yuzuncu Yil University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In east Anatolia region in Turkey, there are special microclimates, which famous for its fruit production. One of the most important microclimates in the region is Aras valley. The major fruit in the valley is apricot, which grown both cultivated and wild forms. This study aimed to assess some important fruit morphological and biochemical characteristics of 26 wild apricots and cv. Aprikoz grown in Kagizman district in Aras valley. Harvest date, tree growth habit, fruit weight, fruit shape, fruit firmness, fruit color, flesh/seed ratio, aroma, kernel taste, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, maturity index, vitamin C, total phenolic, total carotenoid and antioxidant capacity were determined. The wild grown apricots exhibited a wide variation on most of the fruit morphological and biochemical characteristics. Harvest date, fruit shape, fruit weight, fruit firmness and fruit color were the most distinct morphological characteristics of wild grown apricots. Harvest dates and fruit weight were found between 02 July (KA18) and 06 August (KA13); 16.28 g (KA6) and 33.14 g (KA2) among wild grown apricots, respectively. The main cultivar cv. Aprikoz harvested at 04 July and had 38.67 g fruit weight. The wild apricots had flesh/seed ratio between 8.41 (KA21) and 12.25 (KA10) while cv. Aprikoz had 11.69 flesh/seed ratio. Total antioxidant capacity, total carotenoid and total phenolic content were the highest in most of wild apricot fruits than cv. Aprikoz. Our results showed that there is potential for promoting wild apricot fruit from specific geographical regions because they contained elevated concentrations of antioxidant polyphenolic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A pomogological description and characteristics of the most productive Persica vulgaris (Mill.) varieties with good quality fruits in the subtropical zone of Sochi - Medin red, Early blow, Summerset, Comanche, Redhaven are given. These varieties have a reduced demand for cold in winter and heat in spring during peach blossoming, the main limiting factor for its cultivating in the humid subtropics of Sochi.

The experiment was carried out to study pomochemical properties of twenty superior genotypes of apricot (Prunusarmeniaca L) during two consecutive growing seasons (2013-2014) in the Khalkhal valley, south of Ardabil province (Iran). Physical parameters (weight, flesh, skin and color) and chemical parameters (total soluble solids content and acidity) were evaluated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis Ward Method. The results indicated a high variability in the set of the evaluated apricot genotypes based on bud break season, fruit and pit weight, harvest season, fruit yield, total soluble solids (TSS), and total acidity. Most of the genotypes had a relatively small fruit size; only four had a fruit weight >39 g. In general, fruits had yellowish skin ground color and cream flesh color. There was a high correlation between fruit and pit weight(r = 0.575), but fruit weight was not correlated with TSS content and acidity. There was a high negative correlation between the TSS and total acidity (r = -0.954). Bud break season was highly correlated with harvest season (r = 0.857). The results indicated the presence of great genetic variability among local genotypes, and there was promising genotypes with appropriate pomological and phenological characteristics. Genotypes such as BG2, KG1, SG6 and EG1 deserve to be exploited for the future apricot conservation and breeding programs

Some important morphological such as fruit weight, fruit external color, fruit shape, the number of berry per cluster, cluster color, plant crown habit, harvest date and biochemical characteristics including sugars, organic acids, total phenolics, total anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity of thirteen wild grown Caucasian whortleberry sampled from Coruh valley, in northeastern Turkey, were determined. Antioxidant capacity was measured as FRAP assay (ferric reducing antioxidant power). Significantly differences were found among genotypes for most of the selected morphological and biochemical features. The genotypes had in general black fruit color and round shape. Harvest date varied from 2 August to 12 August. Fruit weight ranged from 0.37 to 1.08 g. Genotypes had only fructose and glucose in their fruits as sugars. Citric acid was dominant organic acids and was found between 8.87 and 11.20 g per kg of fresh fruits and followed by tartaric acid (2.85-3.30 g/kg). Fruits of genotypes exhibited very high total phenolic content, which ranged from 3740 to 5541 μg per g on a fresh weight basis. Total anthocyanin contents were between 81 and 172 μg of delphinidin-3-glucoside equivalent in per g fresh fruit indicating great diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]