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Fruit splitting is a prevalent physiological disorder that has a significant impact on Daisy mandarin fruit production, posing challenges to farmers in terms of productivity and economic viability. Despite its impact, no prior research on fruit splitting in Daisy mandarin has been conducted. This study aimed to assess the effect of fruit splitting on quality, morphological characteristics, biochemical composition and nutrient content in Daisy mandarin. In 2022, a comprehensive analysis was conducted on both split and healthy Daisy mandarin fruits, budded on Rough lemon rootstock, to investigate their morphological characteristics, biochemical characteristics, mineral content and cell wall components. Additionally, the study examined the activity of cell wall-degrading enzymes, such as peroxidase (POD), cellulase (Cx) and polygalacturonase (PG). The Results indicated that split fruits exhibited larger fruit size and weight and increased water content in both the fruits and peel compared to healthy fruits. However, split fruits had thinner peel thickness and lower peel content. The peels of split fruits also contained higher level of total soluble sugars, amino acids, and proline content. Furthermore, the peels of split fruits displayed much higher activity of cell wall-degrading enzymes than those of healthy fruits. The nutrient analysis of the split fruits revealed a decrease in boron, calcium and potassium content in the peel compared to healthy fruits. The study provides crucial insights into the mechanisms underlying fruit splitting, identifying biochemical and physiological differences between split and healthy fruits. These findings offer valuable information for developing strategies to mitigate fruit splitting, enhancing fruit quality and reducing economic losses for citrus growers. Future research should explore the genetic and environmental factors contributing to fruit splitting and investigate potential interventions to improve nutrient management and fruit integrity in Daisy mandarin cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘Olnuri’ is a new variety of early ripening sweet persimmon obtained in 2006 by crossing the mid-ripening sweet persimmons ‘Shinshu’ and ‘Taishuu’ at Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services. Line selection among the seedlings of ‘Shinshu’ and ‘Taishuu’ hybrids was carried out in 2014, and detailed characteristic investigations on fruit quality and tree growth were conducted from 2018 to 2019. ‘Olnuri’ matured around September 24, an average of 25 days earlier than ‘Uenishiwase.’ The tree is semi-upright, and only female flowers bloom. The trees bear oblate fruits with orange skin. The average weight of the fruit is 280 g, which is significantly higher than that of ‘Uenishiwase’ (190 g). The soluble solids content is higher and the firmness is lower than that of ‘Uenishiwase.’ There is almost no apex splitting or calyx end cracking. The marketable fruit rate is 80.0%, which is lower than that of ‘Uenishiwase’ (91.2%, data not shown). In the future, as a fully ripened persimmon in late September, ‘Olnuri’ is expected to play a big role in creating the sweet persimmon market during the autumn harvest period [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to investigate fruit yield and quality characteristics among new nectarine cultivars grown in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. 'Gardeta', 'Gartario', and 'Garofa' nectarine cultivars were cultivated on 'GN15' rootstock. The flowering stage, fruit set percentage, yield, and fruit quality properties of these cultivars were investigated between 2018 and 2021. During the study, chill requirements ranged between 391 and 600 chilling hours and between 207 and 361 chill units in the area, and huge values were obtained for the average initial fruit set above 60% and the final fruit set above 45%. 'Gardeta' had the highest cumulative yield per tree (80.15 kg tree-1) and cumulative yield per hectare (133.04 tons ha-1). The fruit size, Total Soluble Solids (TSS) content, and fruit coloration were homogeneously distributed in all three cultivars. In addition, the Flowering (F) and Initial Fruit Set (IFS) characters were negatively correlated with Fruit Weight (FW), Fruit Length (FLE), and Fruit Diameter (FD). As a result, the 'Gardeta' was found remarkable with late flowering, the highest yield, and superior fruit quality characteristics such as size, red skin color, and high TSS/total acidity values in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. In addition, the date of Full Flowering (FF) and Fruit Firmness (FF) were negatively correlated with fruit Skin color L* (SL), C (SC), and h° (SH) variables. The results demonstrated that the new nectarine cultivars used here showed changes in yield parameters and fruit quality attributes depending on the genotypic and environmental effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA marker technology, being an alternative to classical hybrid selection approach, is a rapid method for identifying genes and loci associated with breeding-important traits at the early stages of ontogenesis, and, consequently, represents an approach for intensifying the breeding process. This review presents an overview of the studies on the identification of the economically important traits in the pear genome, as well as the development and use of marker-assisted selection (MAS) techniques. To date, a number of genetic factors have been identified in the pear genome, including the resistance to diseases and pests, namely, the resistance to European pear scab (V. pirina Aderh) and Asian pear scab (V. nashicola), to black spot (Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler) and brown spot (Stemphylium vesicarium) disease, fire blight (Erwinia amylovora), pear psylla (Cacopsylla pyri), pear slug (Caliroacerasi), pear blister mite (Eriophyes pyri), self-incompatibility locus, and dwarf trait gene. Major genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the fruit quality characteristics have also been identified, namely those controlling fruit skin color and fruit russeting, fruit size and weight, taste, the level of ethylene production, and harvest time. It should be noted that Russian studies in this field are limited to the validation and use of MAS techniques developed abroad. According to the experience of Japanese researchers, the use of MAS for several key traits had considerably increased the efficiency of breeding process. Despite the currently limited list of MAS techniques for pears, the high pace of genome research guarantees fairly rapid development of new methods in the future. In combination with new breeding technologies (NBT), the use of MAS for pear is a promising trend in breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit peel color is one of the important indicators affecting fruit quality, and is also an important basis for consumers to judge the quality of the fruit. The aim of this work was to explore the changes in peel color and physico-chemical quality of citrus fruits during post-harvest storage. In this paper, three kinds of citrus fruits including Gannan navel oranges, Guangxi Orah and Honey oranges have been chosen as test materials. The basic peel color indexes (L, a, b) of different parts were determined using a spectrophotometer, and the other indexes (a=b, C, H, s, CCI) were further calculated from the formula. At the same time, the weight loss rate, decay rate, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and Brix-to-acid ratio (TSS/TA) were measured during storage. The results showed that during storage, the peel color indexes a, b and C of the three citrus species increased notably and L decreased significantly, while a=b, s and CCI of Gannan navel oranges and Guangxi Orah gradually decreased. However, the role of change in honey oranges is the opposite. The weight loss rate, decay rate, TSS/TA of all three citrus fruits gradually increased and TA content gradually decreased. The experimental results further showed that there were significant differences in the main peel color indexes between different citrus varieties during storage, and the main peel color indexes of different parts of the same variety also differed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spaceflight storage of seeds is known to cause mutations affecting both their quality and the mature plants originating from them. To study the effects of space stress, tomato seeds of two cultivars (Lotus and Autumn rhapsody) were subjected to half a year of storage at the International Space Station (ISS), and then, sown in a greenhouse to produce tomato fruits. The space-treated plants gave smaller fruits with a stable total yield not significantly different from that of the control plants. Space-treated tomatoes showed significantly higher levels of dry matter, dietary fiber, monosaccharides and citric and malic acids and lower values of oxalic acid compared to the control plants. The pulp of space-treated fruits had 1.44–1.70 times lower levels of carotenoids, while their peel contained a 1.27–1.90 times higher pigment amount compared to the control plants. No significant changes in the total antioxidant activity (AOA), photosynthetic pigments and phenolic (TP) and proline content were recorded in the fruits due to seed spaceflight storage. Contrarily, space-treated tomatoes showed decreased levels of Ca, Sr and Mo and increased Se both in the fruit pulp and peel. The concentration of Fe and especially Pb was lower in space-treated fruit pulp. Positive correlations between Se and dry matter, Ca and Sr, Ca and Co, Ca and Fe, and Cr and carotenoids, and negative correlations between Se and Mo, Se and K, and Mo and dry matter were recorded. The results indicate that seed stress caused by long-term spaceflight affects both the biochemical characteristics and mineral composition of tomato fruits and causes the peel/pulp redistribution of carotenoids as well as macro- and micro-elements, improving Se accumulation levels in the fruit peel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'Huangguan' pear is one of the high-quality pear cultivars produced in China. However, the bagged fruit of the 'Huangguan' pear often suffers from peel browning spots after rain during their mature period. In this study, in an effort to discover the impact of bagging treatments on the occurrence of peel browning spots and fruit quality, fruits were covered by single-layer, two-layer, or triple-layer paper bags six weeks after reaching full bloom. The results showed that the bagged fruits were characterized by smooth surfaces and reduced lenticels compared with the unbagged ones. The unbagged and the two-layer bagged fruits had yellow/green peels, while the single- and triple-layer bagged ones had yellow/white peels. Compared with the unbagged fruits, the bagged fruits had higher vitamin C (Vc) contents and values of peel color indexes L and a and lower soluble solid contents (SSCs), titratable acid (TA) contents, absorbance index differences (IAD), and b values. Additionally, the triple-layer bagged group was superior to other groups in terms of fruit quality, but it also had the maximum incidence of peel browning spots. Before and after the appearance of peel browning spots, the bagged fruits had smoother and thinner cuticles compared with the unbagged ones. Furthermore, the triple-layer bagged fruits had minimum lignin contents and maximum phenolic contents in their peels, with minimum activity of lignin synthesis-related enzymes such as phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), as well as minimum expressions of relevant genes such as cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), cinnamoyl CoA reductase (CCR), 4-coumarate: coenzyme A ligase (4CL6), and cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H1). It was deduced that POD activity and the relative expressions of CAD9, CCR3, CCR4, and CCR5 may play key roles in the occurrence of peel browning spots. In summary, lignin synthesis affected the incidence of peel browning spots in bagged 'Huangguan' pears. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the incidence of peel browning spots in 'Huangguan' pears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orlando tangelo fruits, originating from tropical and subtropical regions, have demonstrated a tendency to be susceptible to chilling injury when subjected to cold storage conditions. This study investigated the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) (50 µM), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (5 mM), and MeJA (50 µM) + GABA (5 mM) on chilling injury of Orlando tangelo fruits throughout cold storage (90 days at 3 ± 0.5 °C plus 5 days at 20 °C, shelf life). The findings demonstrated that all treatments considerably decreased fruit weight loss. Although all treatments significantly decreased chilling injury, MeJA treatment resulted in the least amount of chilling injury. Malonaldehyde was also significantly lower in the treated fruits in comparison to the control. Maximum phenol and flavonoid were observed in the MeJA treatment, which was 1.47 and 1.63 times higher than the control fruit, respectively. On average, the antioxidant activity of the treatments was 1.33 times higher than that of the control. The treatments increased the activity of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) enzymes in fruit juice and peel. Whereas, the highest activity of CAT and POD enzymes in the peel was observed in the treatments of MeJA and MeJA + GABA, respectively. Compared to other treatments, MeJA significantly increased the activity of the CAT enzyme in the fruit peel. Even though MeJA exhibited a more pronounced positive effect, the overall results indicate that both individual treatments and MeJA + GABA could be utilized to enhance the cold tolerance of Orlando tangelo fruit during extended periods of cold storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ege Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Ege Universitesi, Ziraat Fakultesi 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.)

Introduction: Citrus fruit is considered a superfood due to its multiple nutritional functions and health benefits. Quantitative analysis of the numerous quality characteristics of citrus fruit is required to promote its sustainable production and industrial utilization. However, little information is available on the comprehensive quality assessment of various fruit quality indicators in different citrus cultivars. Methods: A total of nine different fresh citrus fruits containing seeds were collected as the experimental materials. The objectives of this study were: (i) to determine the morphological and juice properties of citrus fruits, (ii) to measure the mineral elements in the peel, pulp, and seeds, and (iii) to evaluate the fruit quality index (FQI) using the integrated quality index (IQI) and the Nemoro quality index (NQI) methods. Results: There were significant differences in fruit quality characteristics, including morphological, mineral, and juice quality, among the investigated citrus cultivars. The proportion of pulp biomass was the highest, followed by that of peel and seeds. N and Cu had the highest and lowest concentrations, respectively, among the measured elements across all citrus fruits, and the amounts of N, P, Mg, Cu, and Zn in seeds, K and Al in pulp, and Ca, Fe, and Mn in peel were the highest, dramatically affecting the accumulation of minerals in the whole fruit and their distribution in various fruit parts. Additionally, Ningmeng fruits had the highest vitamin C and titratable acidity (TA) but the lowest total soluble solids (TSS) and total phenolic (TP) contents, resulting in the lowest TSS/ TA and pH values. In contrast, Jinju fruits had the highest TSS and TP contents. Based on the mineral element and juice quality parameters, principal component analysis showed that the citrus fruits were well separated into four groups, and the dendrogram also showed four clusters with different distances. The FQI range based on the IQI method (FQIIQI) and NQI method ( FQINQI) was 0.382- 0.590 and 0.106-0.245, respectively, and a positive relationship between FQIIQI and FQINQI was observed. Conclusion: Our results highlight the great differences in mineral and juice characteristics among fruit parts, which mediated fruit quality. The strategy of fruit quality assessment using the FQI can be expanded for targeted utilization in the citrus industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) fruit is characterized by rapid metabolic changes following ripening, and softening occurs due to the gradual breakdown of the cell membrane by direct catabolic cascades of phospholipase D enzyme on the phospholipid bilayer. Cell membrane weakening is also enhanced by the generation of reactive oxygen species during stress conditions such as cold storage and postharvest handling. This research evaluated the postharvest hexanal dipping application on persimmon fruit storage quality. RESULTS: The response of 'MKÜ Harbiye' persimmon fruit to exogenous hexanal at different concentrations (0.04% and 0.08%, named as HEX‐I and HEX‐II, respectively) on quality parameters, chilling injury (CI), microbial growth, antioxidant compounds and free radical scavenging capacity (FRSC) during storage at 0 °C and 80–90 ± 5% relative humidity for 120 days were evaluated. Both hexanal treatments retained quality and delayed senescence, as indicated by greener peel (lower a* and L* values), higher firmness, total phenol concentration, FRSC and titratable acidity, but lower weight loss, electrical conductivity, rate of CO2, ethylene production, decay and microbial growth than the control. Total soluble solids were lower in treated fruit than the control up to 100 days, and were much lower in HEX‐I treatment as compared to HEX‐II treatment. HEX‐I treatment exhibited lower CI than the other treatments during storage. CONCLUSION: Hexanal at 0.04% could be used to increase the storage period of 'MKÜ Harbiye' persimmon fruit up to 120 days at 0 °C and 80–90 ± 5% relative humidity by retaining quality and delaying senescence. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus plants rely heavily on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) due to their lack of root hairs. Most experiments have been conducted with AMF inoculation under potted conditions, while field inoculation of AMF on citrus, especially a high economic hybrid tangor variety Beni-Madonna (Citrus nanko × C. amakusa), has been rarely recorded. This study aimed to analyze the effects of two AMF inoculations (a single Funneliformis mosseae and a mixture of F. mosseae, Diversispora versiformis, and Rhizophagus intraradices) on the internal and external fruit quality, leaf antioxidant defense system, and soil fertility and structure of top-worked Beni-Madonna tangor citrus trees. Three and a half years after AMF inoculations, soil hyphal length and root mycorrhizal colonization rate increased by 61.2–101.8% and 15.85–29.6% in inoculated plants, respectively. Inoculated trees had higher external fruit coloration value, fruit horizontal diameter, and fruit weight, and lower fruit rigidity than uninoculated trees. AMF-inoculated trees had higher glucose levels of fruit peels, fructose and sucrose levels of fruit fleshes, and the ratio of fruit soluble solids/titratable acids, as well as lower titratable acids concentrations than non-AMF-inoculated trees. AMF inoculation significantly increased leaf nitrogen balance index, chlorophyll index, peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione reductase activities, as well as reduced glutathione and oxidized glutathione concentrations, resulting in lower hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels when compared to the uninoculated treatment. In addition, inoculated trees presented higher soil nutrient levels, including organic carbon, available K, and Olsen-P as, well as soil aggregate stability (based on mean weight diameter) than uninoculated trees. This study concluded that field AMF inoculation improved fruit quality, enhanced leaf antioxidant defense system, and improved soil fertility of Beni-Madonna trees, with mixed AMF being prominent in improving fruit quality and F. mosseae being prominent in enhancing leaf antioxidant defense system and improving soil fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese jujube (also called Chinese date, Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) is an economically important tree in China and provides a rich source of sugars, vitamins, and bioactive components, all of which are indispensable and essential for the composition and participation in life processes of the human body. However, the location of these metabolites in jujube fruits has not been determined. This study applied matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) to investigate the spatial distribution of sugars, organic acids, and other key components in jujube fruits at different developmental periods. Soluble sugars such as hexoses and sucrose/maltose significantly increase with fruit ripening, while organic acids show an overall trend of initially increasing and then decreasing. Procyanidins and rutin exhibit specific distributions in the fruit periphery and peel. These findings suggest that MALDI-MSI can be used to study the spatial distribution of nutritional components in jujube fruits, providing insights into the changes and spatial distribution of substances during jujube fruit development. This technique offers a scientific basis for jujube breeding, utilization, and production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is intriguing to understand the influence of the watering volume and growing design on the growth, yield, and quality of cherry tomatoes. This study sought to identify the most effective watering volume and growing design treatment for the production and quality of the cherry tomato cultivar Ruby. This study was an exploration using a factorial experiment with an RCBD design. The treatment factors included the growing design (greenhouse, rain shelter, and screen house) and the watering volume (100% ETc, 75% ETc, and 50% ETc). The results showed that the root dry weight and root–shoot ratio were higher in the screen house design, while the fruit firmness was higher in the rain shelter design. Considering the effect of the watering volume, a higher fruit diameter, heavier fruits, more fruits per plant, higher ultimate fruit and biological yield per plant, higher root and shoot biomass, better root–shoot ratio, higher leaf chlorophyll content, greater fruit skin firmness, and greater elasticity were noted for the 100% ETc treatment. In contrast, the growth rate was higher for the 50% ETc treatment. Cultivating cherry tomatoes in a greenhouse using a watering volume of 100% ETc is recommended based on the results. These conditions led to better growth, higher fruit yield, and improved fruit quality, making them favorable options for successful cherry tomato production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postharvest quality detection and grading are important factors to improve the commercial value of fruit. The natural biological characteristics bring challenges to the rapid and non-destructive evaluation of the internal quality of fruits with large size and thick peel. A lot of studies have tried to establish a feasible technique to achieve rapid, non-destructive, and accurate detection for this kind of fruit in commercial real-time grading. This article focuses on large-sized and thick-skinned fruits and comprehensively reviews the latest technical progress in the non-destructive detection of internal quality. It can provide a valuable reference for the development of postharvest processing technology for this kind of fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Henan Agricultural Sciences is the property of Editorial Board of Journal of Henan Agricultural Sciences 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.)

Apple skin color is essential for market value. Therefore, this study evaluated the efficiency of pneumatic defoliation (PD) on the enhancement of red skin color and anthocyanin pigments in 'Picnic' apples. Three weeks before harvesting, apple trees were treated with PD with low- (0.7 bar) and high- (0.9 bar) air pressure at a tractor driving speed of 2 km/h. Undefoliated trees served as controls. Higher leaf defoliation and leaf damage rates were observed in the high-PD treatment than those in the low-PD treatment. Photosynthetically active radiation inside the canopies was the highest in trees subjected to high-pressure PD than in those that underwent low-pressure PD and the controls. At harvest, the fruit color (a*) value, red-colored area, and anthocyanin content in the fruit skin were the highest in the high-PD treatment, intermediate in the low-PD treatment, and the lowest in the control treatments. Additionally, a higher expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes was observed in both defoliation treatments, especially under high PD. However, except for higher flesh firmness under low PD, the L* and b* values and fruit quality indices (fruit weight, starch pattern index, titratable acidity, soluble solids content, and sunburn occurrence) were not significantly affected by either PD treatment. In conclusion, PD can be used to enhance skin coloration and anthocyanin pigments in apples; further PD with high air pressure achieved optimum red skin coloration in 'Picnic' apples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry is a worldwide demanded edible fruit with high economic and nutritional value; however, a very short storage life largely limits its supply and marketing. In this study, strawberries were treated using sodium selenite with different concentrations (6, 12, 18, and 24 mg/L), and the postharvest fruit quality and resistance to Botrytis cinerea were substantially assessed. Among all concentrations, 12 mg/L Se was the most effective treatment, which maintained fruit skin brightness, reduced natural decay incidence, severity, and weight loss, increased the Se content in fruit, and thus maintained the postharvest fruit quality of the strawberry. Furthermore, strawberries treated with 12 mg/L Se had lower flavonoid, phenolic, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, H2O2, and O2− contents compared to the control and, correspondingly, lower antioxidant capacity; moreover, 12 mg/L Se treatment decreased the decay incidence and severity caused by the infection of B. cinerea. Collectively, our findings may provide a reference for developing safe and environmentally friendly alternative methods to sustain quality and manage gray mold in postharvest strawberries as well as other horticultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of different fruit load treatments during peach growth and development on the internal and external quality of peach fruit were studied. At 47 days after full bloom, the plant materials were divided into four treatments: about 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% of fruit were retained. The results showed that as the fruit load was reduced during fruit growth and development, the fruit weight, size, soluble solid contents (SSC), total sugar content, sugar/acid ratio and color quality increased, while the flesh firmness, index of absorbance difference (IAD) and total acid content decreased. Compared with the control treatment in which the fruit were not thinned, the weight of individual mature fruit increased by 24.52%, 39.73% and 51.68% under three fruit thinning treatments (in which about 75%, 50% and 25% of the fruit were left on the tree). SSC increased by 30.78%, 37.63% and 49.69%; total sugar content increased by 13.58%, 22.33% and 31.42%; and the sugar-acid ratio increased by 13.25%, 13.59% and 19.47%, respectively, under the three conditions. In addition, the longitudinal, transverse and lateral diameters of fruit increased to varying degrees when the fruit load was reduced. Furthermore, the fruit firmness and IAD value of fruit skins decreased, and fruit ripening was advanced when the fruit load was reduced. The results showed that fruit quality and flavor were improved significantly by fruit thinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-year experiment using 'Murcott' mandarin (Citrus reticulata) was conducted under deficit irrigation (DI) strategies with an anti-stressor application and then stored. The three DI regimes were 70% crop evapotranspiration (70% ETC), 85% ETc, and full irrigation (100% ETc). Anti-stressor treatments consisted of a foliar application of either sodium nitroprusside (SNP), selenium nanoparticles (NanoSe), microalgae (Spirulina platensis), or a non-treated control. Mean water productivity values were highest for trees at 70% ETc and 85% ETc when they were sprayed with microalgae, which was 42% and 51% greater, respectively, compared to control trees at 100% ETc, but only 6.5% and 13% greater, respectively, compared to trees sprayed with microalgae at 100% ETc. Trees sprayed with microalgae at 100% ETc or 85% ETc had the highest and second-highest fruit yields. The percentage of fruit water loss after 15 d storage at either 1.5 °C + 90% RH or 16 ± 2 °C + 60–65% RH was reduced at all DI regimes when trees were sprayed with an anti-stressor compared to control trees at the same DI regime. Trees sprayed with 150 μmol L−1 SNP had the only fruit peel that maintained the carotenoid content after cold storage. In general, trees sprayed with SNP were most successful at each DI regime for reduced Malondialdehyde (MDA), but after 15 d of cold storage, only trees sprayed with 150 μmol L−1 SNP at 85% ETc or 100% ETc and/or trees sprayed with NanoSe at 70% ETc had fruit that maintained low MDA content. Catalase and peroxidase enzyme activities and proline content were enhanced when trees were sprayed with 150 μmol L−1 SNP during DI strategies. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of deficit irrigation combined with anti-stressor applications to improve water productivity, fruit yields, and post-storage quality of 'Murcott' mandarin trees. These findings offer valuable insights into sustainable citrus production under limited water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mango (Mangifera indica L.), acclaimed as the 'king of fruits' in the tropical world, has historical, religious, and economic values. It is grown commercially in more than 100 countries, and fresh mango world trade accounts for ~3,200 million US dollars for the year 2020. Mango is widely cultivated in sub-tropical and tropical regions of the world, with India, China, and Thailand being the top three producers. Mango fruit is adored for its taste, color, flavor, and aroma. Fruit color and firmness are important fruit quality traits for consumer acceptance, but their genetics is poorly understood. Methods: For mapping of fruit color and firmness, mango varieties Amrapali and Sensation, having contrasting fruit quality traits, were crossed for the development of a mapping population. Ninety-two bi-parental progenies obtained from this cross were used for the construction of a high-density linkage map and identification of QTLs. Genotyping was carried out using an 80K SNP chip array. Results and discussion: Initially, we constructed two high-density linkage maps based on the segregation of female and male parents. A female map with 3,213 SNPs and male map with 1,781 SNPs were distributed on 20 linkages groups covering map lengths of 2,844.39 and 2,684.22cM, respectively. Finally, the integrated map was constructed comprised of 4,361 SNP markers distributed on 20 linkage groups, which consisted of the chromosome haploid number in Mangifera indica (n =20). The integrated genetic map covered the entire genome of Mangifera indica cv. Dashehari, with a total genetic distance of 2,982.75 cM and an average distance between markers of 0.68 cM. The length of LGs varied from 85.78 to 218.28 cM, with a mean size of 149.14 cM. Phenotyping for fruit color and firmness traits was done for two consecutive seasons. We identified important consistent QTLs for 12 out of 20 traits, with integrated genetic linkages having significant LOD scores in at least one season. Important consistent QTLs for fruit peel color are located at Chr 3 and 18, and firmness on Chr 11 and 20. The QTLs mapped in this study would be useful in the marker-assisted breeding of mango for improved efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】 The effects of different ground mulching types on fruit light environment, photosynthetic characteristics and fruit quality were studied. 【Method】 In the study, seven years old own-rooted grape was used as experimental material, fruit zone light environment and photosynthetic characteristics of leaves were measured at the stage of fruit coloring, and peel color and fruit quality were measured when the fruit was ripe under different ground mulching types (inter-row mulch with black geotextile or grass). 【Result】 The diurnal variation of light intensity in fruit zone was unimodal curve under different ground mulching types. The transmission light intensity of leaf curtain under grass cultivation type was slightly higher than CK and time was earlier than CK. The ground reflection radiation intensity under inter-row mulching with black geotextile and grass cultivation was obviously lower than CK and time was also earlier. The diurnal variation of ultraviolet light, purple light, blue light, blue-green light, green light, yellow-green light, yellow light, yellow-red light, red light and near-infrared light 2 were ‘V’ shapes, and far-red light had an inverted ‘V’ shape. The spectrum had two absorption peaks, with the first absorption peak at 746.7 nm and the second absorption peak at 773 nm. The second absorption value at the fruit region was higher than the first absorption peak, and the proportion of near-infrared light 2, green light, blue-green light and yellow light changed under grass cultivation type. The net photosynthetic rate showed a ‘double peak’ curve, and grass cultivation could prolong the photosynthetic time. Berry weight decreased under black geotextile, and the soluble solid increased by 6.84% compared with the control and there was no difference. However, berry weight was increased for grass cultivation, and the soluble solid decreased by 5.08% compared with the control and there was no difference. Titratable acid content and Vc content were slightly higher for different ground mulch types than for the control. The anthocyanins content of fruit peel accumulated along with fruit ripening, when fruits were ripe, the anthocyanins content for black geotextile was the highest, and the anthocyanins content for the control was the lowest. 【Conclusion】 In extremely dry and hot areas such as Turpan, grass cultivation type can be selected compared with traditional clear tillage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melon's fruit skin quality is an agriculturally important and consumer-appealing trait. To identify molecular markers associated with fruit skin qualities, including reticulation and color, a total of 1200 Insertion/Deletion (InDel) markers randomly selected from the whole genome re-sequencing data of melon were combined with bulk segregant analysis to analyze a panel of melon genetic resources presenting reticulated- and smooth-skinned fruits as well as varying fruit skin colors. Four DNA bulks, including reticulated skin DNA bulk, smoothed skin DNA bulk, green skin DNA bulk, as well as white skin and light yellow skin DNA bulks, were developed. Four DNA pools were created by combining the DNA of 12 representative plants from each DNA bulk for polymorphism analysis, and 200 polymorphic InDel markers were selected. These polymorphic markers were used to characterize typical genetic bands within each DNA bulk. Two InDel markers, MC8-52 and MC4-7, were discovered to be related to fruit surface patterning (reticulated- and smooth-skinned fruits) and fruit color (green and white--light yellow fruits), respectively. These markers offer a high degree of detection accuracy. InDel marker MC8-52 on chromosome 8 achieved detection accuracies of 78.33% and 90.56%, whereas marker MC4-7 on chromosome 4 displayed detection accuracies of 92.92% and 83.35%, respectively. However, these markers were seen as a likely means of identifying strongly related markers for these traits. Hence, a high-resolution map of genomic regions carrying them is required for the development of highly linked markers for these traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus exhibits unique nutritional values. Most citrus cultivars are derived from mutations. However, the effect of these mutations on fruit quality is unclear. We have previously found a yellowish bud mutant in the citrus cultivar 'Aiyuan 38'. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of the mutation on fruit quality. 'Aiyuan 38' (WT) and a bud mutant variant (MT) were used to analyze variations in fruit color variation and flavor substances using colorimetric instruments, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS), and odor activity values (OAVs). The mutation in MT conferred yellowish characteristics to its peel. Although the differences in total sugar and acid content of the pulp were not statistically significant between WT and MT, the MT glucose content was significantly lower and the malic acid level was significantly higher. HS-SPME-GC–MS analysis revealed that the MT pulp released more types and contents of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than the WT, whereas the opposite trend was observed for the peel. Analysis of the OAV revealed that the MT pulp contains 6 unique VOCs, whereas the peel contains only 1. This study provides a useful reference for the study of flavor substances associated with citrus bud mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted on field evaluation of in vitro derived mutants of different varieties of banana during (October–September), 2018–19 and (September–August), 2019–20 at the Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India. The one thirty-eight (138) in vitro derived banana mutants both physical and chemical mutagens treated plants along with check were planted. The experiment was laid out in augmented block design with 6 blocks and 26 subplots each block having 23 in vitro mutant lines and three checks. The cultivars used for the experiment were viz., Yelakki bale, Rajapuri bale and Nanjangud rasabale. Among 138 in vitro derived mutants in plant crop, there was no significant difference noted in pulp weight, pulp to peel ratio and fruit firmness. Among different mutants in pulp weight parameter the maximum pulp weight was recorded in NR45Gy-09 (86.45 g), peel weight, RAJ45Gy-14 (20.00 g) pulp to peel ratio YB35Gy-05 (6.70) flavour acceptance, YB40Gy-03 (7.82) fruit firmness, YB40Gy-12 (18.82 N) and shelf life YB40Gy-14 (8.10 days). in ratoon crop, the maximum pulp weight was recorded in NR45Gy-09 (86.45 g), peel weight, RAJ45Gy-14 (25.00 g) pulp to peel ratio, YB35Gy-24 (7.36) flavour acceptance, RAJ45Gy-03 (7.48) fruit firmness, YB40Gy-11 (16.50 N) and shelf life YB45Gy-08 (9.00 days). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different rootstocks for grapes can significantly affect fruit color and quality, possibly by affecting hormone contents, related genetic pathways, and fruit coloring mechanisms in skin. 'Cabernet Sauvignon' was grafted to '5BB', 'SO4', '140R', 'CS', '3309M' and 'Vitis riparia' rootstocks, with self-rooting seedlings as the control (CS/CS), and sampled from the early stage of veraison to the ripening stage. The effects of rootstock on the contents of gibberellin (GA3), auxin (IAA), and abscisic acid (ABA) in grape skin were determined alongside the expression levels of eight anthocyanin synthesis related genes using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR methods. The rootstock cultivars exhibited accelerated fruit color change, and the CS/140R combination resulted in grapes with more color than the control group in the same period. With the development of fruit, the IAA and GA3 contents in the skin of different rootstock combinations showed trends of increasing initially, then decreasing, while the ABA content decreased initially and then increased. During the verasion (28 July), the various 'Cabernet Sauvignon' rootstock combinations exhibited varying degrees of increases in GA3, ABA, and IAA contents; correlation analysis showed that, at the start of veraison, the expression levels of the anthocyanin synthesis-related genes VvCHS, VvDFR, and VvUFGT had strong positive correlations with hormone contents, which indicated they are key genes involved in the endogenous hormone responsive anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. The results of this study showed that rootstock regulates the fruit coloring process by influencing the metabolism level of peel hormones in the 'Cabernet Sauvignon' grape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mandarin production has increased in recent years, especially for fresh consumption, due to its ease of peeling, its aroma, and its content of bioactive compounds. In this sense, aromas play a fundamental role in the sensory quality of this fruit. The selection of the appropriate rootstock is crucial for the success of the crop and its quality. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the influence of 9 rootstocks ("Carrizo citrange", "Swingle citrumelo CPB 4475", "Macrophylla", "Volkameriana", "Forner-Alcaide 5", "Forner-Alcaide V17", "C-35", "Forner-Alcaide 418", and "Forner-Alcaide 517") on the volatile composition of "Clemenules" mandarin. For this, the volatile compounds of mandarin juice were measured using headspace solid-phase micro-extraction in a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Seventy-one volatile compounds were identified in the analyzed samples, with limonene being the main compound. The results obtained showed that the rootstock used in the cultivation of mandarins affects the volatile content of the juice, with "Carrizo citrange", "Forner-Alcaide 5", "Forner-Alcaide 418", and "Forner-Alcaide 517" being those that presented the highest concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosehips of various Rosa spp. are well known for having human health-promoting compounds like mineral nutrients, vitamins, fatty acids, and phenolic compounds. However, little is known about rosehip characteristics which describe the fruit quality and may indicate appropriate harvest times. Our study evaluated the pomological (width, length, and weight of fruits, flesh weight, and seed weight), texture, and CIE colour parameters (L*, a*, and b*), chroma (C), and hue angle (h°) of rosehip fruits of Rosa canina, Rosa rugosa, and genotypes of Rosa rugosa 'Rubra' and 'Alba', harvested at five ripening stages (I–V). The main results revealed that genotype and ripening stage significantly affected parameters. The significantly longest (R. canina) and widest fruits (R. Rugosa) were measured at ripening stage V. Genotypes of R. rugosa 'Rubra' and 'Alba' had significantly higher fruit and flesh weights at ripening stage V. Rosehips of all investigated genotypes expressed darkness (lower L*) during ripening, and had the highest hue angle h° values at ripening stage I while the lowest was at stage V. The significantly lowest skin elasticity of rosehips was found at stage V. However, R. canina was distinguished by the highest fruit skin elasticity and strength. As our results show, the desired pomological, colour, and texture features of various species and cultivars rosehips can be optimised according to the harvest time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (EEG) released from arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi exhibits many roles in soil and plants, while it is not clear whether the biostimulator alone or in combination with agronomic practices can improve soil characteristics and fruit quality in citrus. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of foliar sprays of EEG, singly or in combination with fruit bagging (FB), reflective film mulching (RF), and grass-proof cloth mulching (GPC) on root mycorrhizal colonization rate, fruit internal and external quality, and soil structure and fertility on an early-ripening Satsuma mandarin "Oita 4" (Citrus unshiu cv. Oita 4). Exogenous EEG application increased root mycorrhizal colonization, while agronomic practices dramatically inhibited root mycorrhizal colonization in EEG-treated trees. Foliar EEG application significantly improved the internal and external quality of fruits, but the combination of three agronomic practices with EEG did not further enlarge the improved effect on the external quality of fruit and even produced an inhibitory effect. Also, the addition of RF further amplified the improved effect of EEG on the contents of fruit vitamin C and soluble solids. EEG application also significantly elevated sucrose in the fruit pith and juice sac, fructose in the fruit peel, fruit pith, segment membrane, and juice sac, and glucose in the fruit pith, segment membrane, and juice sac. Additional RF treatment could increase sucrose in the fruit peel and juice sac as well as glucose in the fruit peel to varying degrees in EEG-treated trees. EEG application also significantly increased soil organic carbon, mean weight diameter, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium levels, with additional agronomic practices almost reducing the promoting effect of EEG on these soil variables. It has been summarized that a single EEG application had positive effects on fruit quality and soil fertility, while the additional agronomic practices resulted in little change or even suppressed the positive effects of EEG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orchard cultural practices, i.e., irrigation, fertilizer, and fruit thinning, are crucially encompassed to enhance fruit yield and quality. Appropriate irrigation and fertilizer inputs improve plant growth and fruit quality, but their overuse leads to the degradation of the ecosystem and water quality, and other biological concerns. Potassium fertilizer improves fruit sugar and flavor and accelerates fruit ripening. Bunch thinning also significantly reduces the crop burden and improves the physicochemical characteristics of the fruit. Therefore, the present study aims to appraise the combined impact of irrigation, sulfate of potash (SOP) fertilizer, and fruit bunch thinning practices on fruit yield and quality of date palm cv. Sukary under the agro-climatic condition of the Al-Qassim (Buraydah) region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To achieve these objectives, four irrigation levels (80, 100, 120, and 140% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), three SOP fertilizer doses (2.5, 5, and 7.5 kg palm−1), and three fruit bunch thinning levels (8, 10, and 12 bunches palm−1) were applied. The effects of these factors were determined on fruit bunch traits, physicochemical fruit characteristics, fruit texture profile, fruit color parameters, fruit skin separation disorder, fruit grading, and yield attributes. The findings of the present study showed that the lowest (80% ETc) and highest (140% ETc) irrigation water levels, lowest SOP fertilizer dose (2.5 kg palm−1), and retaining the highest number of fruit bunch per tree (12 bunches) had a negative effect on most yield and quality attributes of date palm cv. Sukary. However, maintaining the date palm water requirement at 100 and 120% ETc, applying SOP fertilizer doses at 5 and 7.5 kg palm−1, and retaining 8–10 fruit bunches per palm had significantly positive effects on the fruit yield and quality characteristics. Therefore, it is concluded that applying 100% ETc irrigation water combined with a 5 kg palm−1 SOP fertilizer dose and maintaining 8–10 fruit bunches per palm is more equitable than other treatment combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) and floral cluster thinning are commonly used to improve grape yield and quality, but their effects on different fruit quality attributes in the 'Shine Muscat' are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the impact of PGRs and floral cluster thinning on various fruit quality parameters such as the cluster weight, berry weight, diameter, shape, sugar and acid content, firmness, and residual feel of peel. Our results indicate that the gibberellic acid 3 (GA3) 25 mg/L + thidiazuron (TDZ) 5 mg/L treatment at full bloom and GA3 25 mg/L treatment at 12 days after full bloom showed the largest cluster weight, berry weight, and diameter, while the forchlorfenuron (CPPU)-treated group, with a more balanced effect on fruit skin and flesh firmness, had the highest proportion of a positive residual feel of the peel. Floral cluster thinning by 4 cm was found to be effective for promoting fruit growth and maintaining an appropriate sugar–acid ratio, while thinning by 5 cm resulted in a higher number of berries but smaller berry size and lower sugar–acid ratio. These findings can be useful for grape growers and researchers in optimizing PGR and floral cluster thinning treatments to improve grape yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mandarins are the second most farmed citrus. Consumers demand a mandarin fruit that is both tasty and excellent in quality. The fruit quality, flavonoid profile, antioxidant capacity and total carotenoid content of five varieties ('Zorica', 'Chahara', 'Kawano Wase', 'Owari' and 'Saigon') of Satsuma mandarins grown in Neretva valley (Croatia) were determined. In this research, the distribution of bioactive compounds was different for mandarin juice, dry pulp residue and dry peels. Dry peels showed higher levels of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Total carotenoids were found to be in a greater concentration in dry pulp residue than in the dry peel. The highest levels of total carotenoids (543 μg β-carotene/g) were found in the dry pulp residue of 'Owari' and 'Saigon', while the lowest levels were in 'Chahara' (227.87 μg β-carotene/g). In dry mandarin peels, the highest levels of total carotenoids were in 'Kawano Wase' (227.58 μg β-carotene/g), and the lowest levels were in 'Chahara' (52.24 μg β-carotene/g). The most abundant component of polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) in mandarin dry peel was nobiletin, ranging from 0.204 mg/g ('Chahara') to 0.608 mg/g ('Saigon'), followed by tangeretin, ranging from 0.133 mg/g ('Chahara') to 0.251 mg/g ('Saigon'), and sinesestin ('Zorica'), ranging from 0.091 mg/g to 0.353 mg/g ('Saigon'). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spain is the world's leading producer of cherimoya, a climacteric fruit highly appreciated by consumers. However, this fruit species is very sensitive to chilling injury (CI), which limits its storage. In the present experiments, the effects of melatonin applied as dipping treatment on cherimoya fruit CI, postharvest ripening and quality properties were evaluated during storage at 7 °C + 2 days at 20 °C. The results showed that melatonin treatments (0.01, 0.05, 0.1 mM) delayed CI, ion leakage, chlorophyll losses and the increases in total phenolic content and hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activities in cherimoya peel for 2 weeks with respect to controls. In addition, the increases in total soluble solids and titratable acidity in flesh tissue were also delayed in melatonin-treated fruit, and there was also reduced firmness loss compared with the control, the highest effects being found for the 0.05 mM dose. This treatment led to maintenance of fruit quality traits and to increases in the storage time up to 21 days, 14 days more than the control fruit. Thus, melatonin treatment, especially at 0.05 mM concentration, could be a useful tool to decrease CI damage in cherimoya fruit, with additional effects on retarding postharvest ripening and senescence processes and on maintaining quality parameters. These effects were attributed to a delay in the climacteric ethylene production, which was delayed for 1, 2 and 3 weeks for 0.01, 0.1 and 0.05 mM doses, respectively. However, the effects of melatonin on gene expression and the activity of the enzymes involved in ethylene production deserves further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of plant regulators (gibberellic acid and naphthalene acetic acid) and adjuvant LI 700® with and without hand pollination on the fruiting and quality of Annona squamosa L. cultivars. The experiment was conducted in the experimental orchard of the Florida Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC/UF) in Homestead, Florida, USA. The experimental design in random blocks comprised 14 treatments, 10 repetitions and 3 flowers per treatment and per tree for 'Red' and 'Lessard Thai' cultivars. To assess quality, 9 fruit from each treatment were used, with 3 repetitions and 3 fruit per repetition. High instability was observed in fruit fixation rates between cultivars. The application of growth regulators did not increase fruit fixation in the tested cultivars. The application of naphthalene acetic acid had a deleterious effect on the flowers of the sugar apple cultivars. The most uneven (asymmetrical) fruit was obtained in the treatments with the application of growth regulators. The application of the adjuvant showed toxicity, causing damage to the skin of the fruit. The fruit with the greatest symmetry had the lowest levels of soluble solids and the highest toxicity. The application of growth regulators associated with hand pollination was not efficient, presenting a low percentage of fruit fixation for Annonaceae cultivars. None of the studied treatments produced parthenocarpic fruit (without seeds). The utilization of an adjuvant in the applied concentration caused damage to the fruit peels (darkening) due to toxicity in both cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted to determine the compositional and textural characteristics and sensory profile of 'Ambrosia' apples with different dry matter content (DMC) as estimated using a Felix-750 Produce Quality Meter (Felix Instruments Inc., Camas, WA, USA). Fruits were harvested from a commercial orchard in Cawston and an experimental field in Summerland Research and Development Centre (SuRDC) in British Columbia, Canada, when the average absorbance difference index/coefficient of fruit skin δAbsorbance (δA) dropped under 0.45 ± 0.10. DMC levels were estimated after harvest at the blush/background transition zone for fruit categorization on 300 fruits from each location. Fruits were coded with an individual number and grouped in different DMC categories. The distribution of the estimated DMC levels obtained from two locations was different. The results indicate that DMC levels were strongly and positively correlated with the soluble solids content (SSC) of the fruit (r = 0.81). Sensory evaluations also demonstrated that apples in the lowest DMC category (12.5% ± 0.5 from Cawston) were considered the least sweet apples with the least overall flavour quality by panellists compared to the apples from the other DMC categories included in the sensory evaluations from the two locations. Panellists also perceived less-than-expected "fresh apple" and "tropical" flavours but more-than-expected "no flavour" and "bland" off flavour from the lowest-DMC-category apples. The non-destructive DMC measurements show a potential to be used to sort apples for SSC, sweetness and flavour; nevertheless, they were not related to firmness or textural attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study involved morphometric evaluation of flake and fruit quality traits in nineteen Jackfruit genotypes/varieties. Greater variability was observed in fruit traits viz., fruit length (31.5-68.5 cm), fruit diameter (45.5-75.9 cm), fruit weight (2.739- 11.185cm) fruit shape (oblong, ellipsoid, spheroid, irregular), fruit rind weight per kg fruit (330-524gm), fruit rind-thickness (0.60-2.90 cm), core-thickness (1.40-8.85cm) and latex exudation (low, medium, high).Variability was also observed in flake quality traits viz., flake length (4.34-7.3 cm), flake width (2.95-5.88 cm), flake thickness (0.35-1.66 cm), individual flake weight (13.33-70.50), weight of flakes/kg of fruit (450-709 gm), no. of flakes/kg of fruit(13-29.50), and flake colors (cream, yellow, orange and coppery red). Maximum variation was observed for the flake thickness (52.95%) followed by fruit rind thickness (33.51 cm) and minimum variation was observed for core thickness (2.41cm). Among nineteen genotypes a higher fruit length, fruit diameter, and fruit weight was observed in G1 (68.5 cm), G4 (75.9cm) and G10 (11.185 kg), respectively. Similarly, a higher fruit rind weight per kg fruit was recorded in G8 (524 gm), fruit rind thickness in G19 (2.9 cm) and core thickness in G13 (8.85 cm). ANOVA revealed a significant mean sum of squares for all fruit and flake quality traits except for fruit rind weight/kg of fruit and number of flakes/kg of fruit. Genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance for the 12 characters were analysed. A trend of higher magnitude of PCV than GCV was observed. The estimates of PCV ranged from 15.22- 44.46 per cent and a higher per cent of PCV was recorded for fruit rind thickness (44.46%). The estimates of GCV ranged from 9.23-32.95 per cent, heritability ranged from 26.97 to 99.49 per cent and GAM ranged from 9.87-69.40 per cent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of altering carbohydrate supply, carried out through branch girdling, on the carpometric and qualitative characteristics of the Feminello Zagara Bianca variety lemon fruits were evaluated. Four girdling times (70, 100, 130, 160 days) were compared with a control. The results showed important effects of alteration times of the supply of carbohydrates to fruit sinks on many carpometric and qualitative characteristics of lemons. Fruits from trees with early girdled branches (70 and 100 DAFB) showed higher weights and juice contents than those with later girdled branches (130 and 160 DAFB) and from ungirdled trees. The increased availability of carbohydrates for fruit in the initial period of the cell enlargement phase allowed the lemons of the trees girdled at 70 and 100 DAFB to anticipate the degreening process of the peel and pulp and ripening process. The advancement of the ripening process determined that the fruits of trees with early girdled branches had a lower acidity content compared with those harvested after the catabolism of citric acid. The knowledge acquired with this study provides new information on factors affecting the growth and ripening of lemons, the improvement of fruit quality, and the anticipation of harvest time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no report on the effect of the length of Jizhen 2 interstock on the growth and fruit quality of Tianhong 2 apple trees, which are usually grown in Baoding, Hebei Province, China. We surveyed the tree size, branch types, fruit set, fruit quality and root parameters of 3–5-year-old 'Tianhong 2/Jizhen 2/Malus × robusta Rehder' apple trees, to study the effects of dwarfing interstock length on the growth of the tree's aboveground parts and roots, as well as fruit yield and quality. The tree height and the stem girths of the interstock and scion decreased as interstock length increased, and the dwarfing degree of the apple trees gradually increased. Trees with an interstock length of 30 cm had the fewest long branches, the most short branches, and the greatest proportion of short branches. An interstock length of 30 cm provided the highest fruit-set rate, the highest yield per tree and per unit cross-sectional area, the highest single fruit weight, the highest soluble: acid ratio, the highest color brightness (L*), and better red skin coloration (higher a*) of the fruit skin. The root length density, root surface area density, and root volume density exhibited two growth peaks in a year, during the slow growth period when spring and autumn shoots are stopped. Root length density, root surface area density, and root volume density decreased with interstock length. Root death peaked during the growth peak period of the autumn shoots, and root length density of dead roots and root turnover frequencyincreased with the interstock length. A 30 cm length was the most suitable for the Tianhong 2 apple trees when the Jizhen 2 was used as the interstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was conducted on the genotypes of P. edulis and P. edulis var. Flavicarpa species cultivated in the Manavgat region of Antalya. When the genotypes were analyzed, fruit weight varied between 42.65-47.14 g, fruit size between 47.85-49.53 mm, and fruit length between 7.24-59.65 mm. Among the genotypes, the highest fruit flesh weight was determined in Genotype 2 with 21.54 g. The average peel weight varied between 23.00 g and 25.87 g, and fruit peel firmness varied between 3.93 mm and 4.67 mm. The number of seeds and seed ratio, which is an important fruit quality characteristic of passion fruit, was found to be Genotype 2. It was also determined that seed weights varied between 1.75 g and 2.46 g. When the genotypes were compared in terms of fruit color, it was determined that the L* value of the fruits belonging to Genotype 3 was higher than the other genotypes, thus forming brighter fruits. In addition, the lowest a* value and the highest b* value were determined in Genotype 3. In the study, the hardest-firmness fruits were obtained as 9.33 kg/N in Genotype 3. This was followed by Genotype 1 with 7.88 kg/N and Genotype 2 with 6.63 kg/N, respectively. The highest total phenolic content was measured in Genotype 3 with 216.00 mg GAE/100g, the highest total flavanoid content was measured in Genotype 2 with 16.37 mg catechin/g, the highest total antioxidant value was measured in Genotype 1 with 100.72 μmol Trolox/L fresh weight and the highest vitamin C content was measured in Genotype 3 with 14.00 100 g/mg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ten fig accessions were evaluated under atypical climatic conditions in Čačak region, Serbia. • Nineteen main fruit physical and chemical properties and antioxidant activity was investigated. • Mean values of parameters showed a highly significant difference between accessions. • Dark skin fruits had better chemical traits and antioxidant power, whereas accessions with lighter skin have better fruit size. During two consecutive years, we investigated main physical and chemical properties of 10 native fig accessions grown in situ under atypical i.e. moderate climate of Serbia. This study represents the first detailed research on the analysis of different types of fig accessions and evaluation of their main fruit quality attributes. Results showed that all evaluated traits significantly varied among accessions, whereas influence of year and interaction accession × year was minor. Fruit weight (FW) and fruit size were much higher in lighter accessions compared to dark colored ones. Three accessions ('TMAF 5', 'TMAF 9' and 'TMAF 10') had soluble solids content (SSC) higher than 20°Brix. 'TMAF 8' with brighter skin had the sweetest fruits compared to the rest. 'TMAF 7' accession with yellow-green skin had smaller values of SSC, pH juice, ripening index (RI) and ash and low to moderate titratable acidity (TA). This accession also had the lowest content of phenolic compounds. In contrast, dark skin fruits exhibited a higher total polyphenol content (TPC) compared to lighter fruits. The majority of significant correlation coefficients were found in the characteristics representing FW with fruit dimensions i.e. fruit size and fruit shape indexes. Also, strong correlations between the amounts of total phenolics, total flavonoids (TFC), antioxidant capacity (TAC), chlorophylls (a, b) and carotenoids were found. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first three components explained 82.20% of the total variation, where fruit physical and chemical traits contributed most of the total variation. Since the knowledge and experience about growing figs in Serbia is extremely modest, it is necessary to continue testing in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been an increasing need to prolong the quality of matured fruits to promote the distribution of fresh fruits to consumers and processing facilities. Studies have shown that 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an inhibitor of ethylene, can maintain the firmness and quality of several fruits for a long duration. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of 1-MCP treatment on the firmness, rind color, and decay rate of the Japanese pear 'Shizukisui'. Results showed that 1-MCP treatment alone and 1-MCP treatment after precooling significantly maintained the firmness of mature fruits compared with untreated fruits. However, the presence or absence of ethylene addition did not significantly affect fruit firmness; moreover, 1-MCP treatment after precooling tended to reduce moisture loss in immature fruits. Regarding the peel color of the fruits, 1-MCP treatment alone and 1-MCP after precooling treatment increased the L*, b*, and C* values of mature fruits but reduced the values in immature fruits. Compared with the control group, the 1-MCP treatment caused a decrease in the decay area of wounded 'Shizukisui' and 'Kosui' fruits and decreased the decay rate of wounded 'Kosui'. Overall, this study showed that 1-MCP treatment maintained the firmness and peel color of Japanese pear and reduced its decay rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mandarin 'Murcott' (Citrus reticulata Blanco) trees aged five years that were grafted onto lemon 'Volkamer' (Citrus volkameriana) rootstock and grown in sandy soil under a drip irrigation system were used in this study during the growing seasons of 2018 and 2019. Ten different fertilization treatments combining inorganic, organic, and biofertilization in a completely randomized block were performed. The results revealed that fertilizing 'Murcott' mandarin trees with 75% of the recommended dose (RD) of nitrogen as inorganic nitrogen (33.5% N) in the form of NH4NO3 + 25% of RD as organic nitrogen in the form of chicken manure (3% N) per tree per year without or with a biofertilizer (Effective Microorganisms, EM1) at 150 mL/tree increased the weight, size, pulp, and peels of mandarin fruit, as well as the fruit juice volume, juice volume/fruit, and vitamin C, but reduced the total acidity in both seasons. However, fertilizing 'Murcott' mandarin trees with 100% of RD as inorganic nitrogen increased the pulp/fruit ratio, and fertilizing with 25% of RD as inorganic nitrogen + 75% of RD as organic nitrogen + biofertilizer EM1 increased the peel/fruit ratio, peel thickness, and fruit firmness. Fertilizing 'Murcott' mandarin trees with 100% organic nitrogen + biofertilizer EM1 increased total soluble solids (TSS) and total sugar contents while producing the lowest nitrate (NO3) percentage in 'Murcott' mandarin fruit compared with trees fertilized with inorganic nitrogen only. The fruit produced by 'Murcott' mandarin trees fertilized with 100% of RD as organic nitrogen with or without biofertilizer EM1 contained higher TSS, total carbohydrates, and sugars and lower nitrate percentages than those fertilized with inorganic nitrogen and biofertilizer EM1. This study contributes to reducing the use of inorganic fertilizers by adding a percentage of an organic fertilizer to obtain a healthy product that contains a lower percentage of NO3, which affects the health of the consumer, and is of high quality and suitable for export. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit rind appearance traits significantly affect the commercial market value. The molecular basis and underlying gene(s) affecting rind strip pattern are still being investigated around the world. In this study, two contrasted inbred watermelon lines (non-striped "K2" and striped "L1") were crossed to derive three F2 mapping populations in different environments over two years, and fine genetic mapping of a candidate gene affecting fruit stripe pattern was performed. Genetic segregation analysis and marker genotyping within three mapping populations (120-F2A, 230-F2B, and 155-F2C) collectively identified the major-effect genetic region on Chr-6 which exhibited that the striped-rind pattern is mainly regulated by the dominant gene locus (ClSP) over the non-stripped rind pattern. Fine genetic mapping with a large mapping population of 1100-F2 individuals and screened recombinant lines revealed six functionally annotated genes in a 62.5-kb interval. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of a widely collected panel of 144 watermelon accessions with extreme fruit stripe variation analysis similarly confirmed the candidate genetic region on Chr-6, regulating the watermelon rind strip pattern. The pair-wise sequences alignment further proved that Cla97C06G126560 is the significant gene encoding the polygalacturonase-1 non-catalytic subunit beta (ClGP1). The phylogenetic associations of the watermelon ClSP gene with homologous protein sequences of 16 different plant species revealed the highest percentage of identical sequences with melon, cucumber, and pumpkin, and depicted highly conserved domains of the BURP superfamily. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) significantly validated the differentiated gene expression profiling in both lines "K2" and "L1", respectively. In addition, the sequence analysis exhibited two SNPs, "SNP28280025 (A-C)" and "SNP28281451 (G-C)" in the Cla97C06G126560 gene, that were found to be correlated in 49 striped-type watermelon accessions of GWAS material. We expect that our novel research outcomes will be valuable for understanding the detailed genetic mechanism of the ClSP gene and for further genetic improvement of watermelon varieties with the desired fruit rind appearance trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘Terigas’ mandarin is one of the cultivars cultivated in almost all of Indonesia’s provinces. However, this cultivar is prone to cracking, and little research has been conducted on fruit cracking in Indonesia. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of fruit cracking on peel anatomy, leaf nutrient content, and fruit quality in ‘Terigas’ cultivar. A Completely Block Design (CBD) with three replications was used. Results showed that the peel thickness of uncracked with big fruit size was significantly the highest, while epidermis of cracked fruit with big size was the thickest. The largest oil glands size was shown in uncracked fruit with a big size. The leaf that supported uncracked fruit with a big size had the highest Ca content, whereas the lowest Ca content was observed in the leaf that supported cracked fruit with a small size. In contrast, the leaf that supported cracked with a small fruit size had the highest Zn content. Regardless of fruit size, fruit weight, fruit diameter, and pH of uncracked fruit were significantly much higher than cracked ones. Nevertheless, the Total Soluble Acid and vitamin C of cracked fruit were significantly higher than uncracked ones. This study may provide the important keys to the fruit cracking effect, and as a tool to lessen citrus fruit cracking, especially in ‘Terigas’ mandarin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】The study aimed to find out the impact of tree shapes on the physiological characteristics of Jun jujube leaves on different branches of fruit quality and on its fruit quality.【Method】Taking 7-year-old Jun jujube as experimental materials, the leaf characteristics, photosynthetic physiological characteristics, inter-tree shape yield and fruit quality in the jujube head open center, small crown sparse layer shape and open heart shape canopy were measured, analyzed and comprehensively evaluated.【Result】（i） The leaf area, leaf thickness, leaf dry matter content, relative chlorophyll content of different canopy leaves showed upper layer>middle layer>lower layer, and the morphological structure of jujube head shape, sparse canopy shape leaves was beneficial to improve photosynthesis, reduce transpiration.（ii） The net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate of different tree shapes all showed an increasing trend of the canopy from the lower layer to the upper layer（open center shapes was divided into the middle and lower layer according to the height, the same as below）.（iii） The leaf water use efficiency of Jun jujube was significantly negatively correlated with stomatal conductance and transpiration rate.The correlation coefficients were-0.998 and-1.000, respectively, but not significantly correlated with other indicators. The number of results per plant was significantly positively correlated with stomatal conductance and the correlation coefficients were 1.000 and 0.998, respectively; The transpiration rate was significantly negatively correlated with water use efficiency and the correlation coefficient was-0.999 with no significant correlation with other indicators.（iv） A comprehensive evaluation method of principal component analysis was used to comprehensively evaluate the effects of the three tree shapes on yield, fruit external quality and internal quality. The secondary fruit rate, soluble solids, Vc and total flavone content were the most important indexes affecting the comprehensive traits of Jun jujube, followed by the transverse diameter, the fruit skin date, fruit setting number, yield per plant and reducing sugar content.【Conclusion】The head shape trees have the highest comprehensive score, with higher tree yield and better quality performance, and is thus suitable for high light efficiency cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a non-toxic, pollution-free, non-residual toxicity, safe, and effective physical method, UV light irradiation can extend the shelf life of fruits, improve the quality of fruits, and conform to the current trend of consumers to pursue green, healthy, and natural food. However, most UV treatments are performed in the postharvest stage. Due to the weak resistance of fresh fruits to mechanical damage, after harvest, UV light treatment of fruits needs to flip the fruits to obtain the full effect of an effective dose, which will inevitably cause different degrees of damage to the skin of the fruits. The research shows that the beneficial effects obtained by UV light treatment are systematic, and the fruits treated by UV light before harvest can obtain similar effects to those treated after harvest. This paper reviewed the effects of preharvest UV light treatment on fruit quality. The effects of preharvest UV light treatment on fruit appearance, flavor, and disease resistance were considered. We conclude that the application of UV light before harvest is of positive significance for the improvement of fruit quality and the extension of shelf life. However, researchers and growers must still correlate the UV light treatment dose with plant response in actual production. Data recording and dose-cultivar-response curve drawing can provide essential guidance for future research and production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preharvest fruit drop is a significant physiological problem that affects numerous commercially significant apple varieties, including 'Gala.' AVG and 1-MCP are two plant growth regulators commonly used to reduce fruit drop by reducing ethylene synthesis and perception, respectively. To optimize yield and market acceptance, a complete investigation of AVG and 1-MCP impacts on fruit drop and fruit quality of 'Gala' apples is required. In this study, four trials were conducted over the course of three years to determine the effects of AVG and 1-MCP on fruit drop and quality at harvest and after cold storage. Our results indicated that applications of AVG at the full-rate (130 mgL−1) three weeks before harvest (WBAH) were more effective at minimizing fruit drop than applications at the half-rate (65 mgL−1) and did not differ significantly from the double rate (260 mgL−1). Additionally, a single application of AVG was as effective in preventing fruit drop as two applications of 1-MCP. We also demonstrated that AVG decreased fruit skin pigmentation when used alone or in conjunction with GA4+7 or 1-MCP, while 1-MCP applications had no negative effect on fruit color. Finally, our data showed that when compared to 1-MCP and GA4+7, AVG alone was more effective in preventing stem-end splitting in Gala apples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of chitosan emulsion (CE) in combination with essential oils (Eos) on blue mold control, as well as on aroma and quality attributes of "Fuji" apples after storage. Treatments evaluated were control, CE (1%) and CE (1%) combined with citronella, clove and copaiba EOs (all EOs at 500 μl L−1). Fruits treated with EC and EC + OEs showed lower total phenolic compounds in the peel in all treatments. Fruits treated with EC combined with citronella OEs (242.4 OD mg–1 of protein min–1) and clove (205.8 OD mg–1 of protein min–1) showed lower peroxidase activity in fruit peel tissue. Therefore, CE and CE combined with citronella, clove and copaiba essential oils reduced the development of blue mold in "Fuji" apples. In addition, the treatments with lower severity of blue mold showed lower peroxidase activity in the peel and pulp tissues of the fruit, indicating induction of resistance by essential oils. Novelty impact statement: Chitosan biofilm reduces rot by P. expansum in "Fuji" apples, and when in addition to chitosan, essential oils of citronella, clove and copaiba are used, there was an increase in the reduction of disease severity.The aroma of the fruit did not present a characteristic aroma of the essential oils used with the method of application used.There were no changes in fruit quality attributes with the use of chitosan and chitosan biofilm with the addition of essential oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]