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Background: Natural medicines present a considerable analytical challenge due to their diverse botanical origins and complex multi‐species composition. This inherent complexity complicates their rapid identification and analysis. Tangerine peel, a product of the Citrus species from the Rutaceae family, is widely used both as a culinary ingredient and in traditional Chinese medicine. It is classified into two primary types in China: Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CP) and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride (QP), differentiated by harvest time. A notable price disparity exists between CP and another variety, Citri reticulatae "Chachi" (GCP), with differences being based on the original variety. Methods: This study introduces an innovative method using portable miniature mass spectrometry for swift on‐site analysis of QP, CP, and GCP, requiring less than a minute per sample. And combined with machine learning to differentiate the three types on site, the method was used to try to distinguish GCP from different storage years. Results: This novel method using portable miniature mass spectrometry for swift on‐site analysis of tangerine peels enabled the characterization of 22 compounds in less than one minute per sample. The method simplifies sample processing and integrates machine learning to distinguish between the CP, QP, and GCP varieties. Moreover, a multiple‐perceptron neural network model is further employed to specifically differentiate between CP and GCP, addressing the significant price gap between them. Conclusions: The entire analytical time of the method is about 1 minute, and samples can be analyzed on site, greatly reducing the cost of testing. Besides, this approach is versatile, operates independently of location and environmental conditions, and offers a valuable tool for assessing the quality of natural medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Currently, organic farming has become a feasible approach for the production of high‐quality fruits. To evaluate the response of fruit quality and mineral nutrition contents of Hayward Kiwifruit affected by different organic and inorganic fertilizers, the present study was conducted in Citrus and Subtropical Fruits Research Center, Iran, in 2017–2021, as a randomized block design with three replications. The studied treatments were organic fertilizers (cow, vermicompost and Azolla) and chemical fertilizers. After 4 years of fertilization, the fruit's nutritional elements content and some fruit bioactive compounds were evaluated after 3 months of cold storage and then analyzed by the principal component analysis (PCA) method. RESULTS: The use of organic amendments boosted the calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron content of the kiwifruits compared to chemical fertilizers. The highest fruit potassium and phosphorus content were recorded in the cow manure treatment. The lowest amount of nitrate and the highest calcium, zinc, copper and manganese accumulation were recorded in the fruits treated with vermicompost. In addition to mineral nutrients, the dry matter, total soluble solids, total phenolic and antioxidant capacity of kiwifruit were improved by the application of vermicompost amendment compared to the other fertilizer sources. However, the highest fruit vitamin C and total soluble carbohydrates were measured in the cow manure treatment. The PCA results of the fruit quality indices indicated that fertilization treatments were ranked as vermicompost (1.88) > cow manure (1.63) = chemical (1.60) > Azolla (1.54). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the application of 40 kg of vermicompost or 40 kg of cow manure in the next rank in Hayward kiwifruit orchards in March (growth stage beginning of bud swelling) may be a more suitable approach for improving the nutritional quality of the fruit. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue mold, caused by Penicillium italicum, is one of the main postharvest diseases of citrus fruits during storage and marketing. The pathogenic mechanism remains largely unclear. To explore the potential pathogenesis-related genes of this pathogen, a T-DNA insertion library of P. italicum PI5 was established via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT). The system yielded 200–250 transformants per million conidia, and the transformants were genetically stable after five generations of successive subcultures on hygromycin-free media. 2700 transformants were obtained to generate a T-DNA insertion library of P. italicum. Only a few of the 200 randomly selected mutants exhibited significantly weakened virulence on citrus fruits, with two mutants displaying attenuated sporulation. The T-DNA in the two mutants existed as a single copy. Moreover, the mutant genes PiBla (PITC_048370) and PiFTF1 (PITC_077280) identified may be involved in conidia production by regulating expressions of the key regulatory components for conidiogenesis. These results demonstrated that the ATMT system is useful to obtain mutants of P. italicum for further investigation of the molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity and the obtained two pathogenesis-related genes might be novel loci associated with pathogenesis and conidia production. Highlights: •The ATMT approach has been optimised to construct mutant library of P. italcum. •Two mutants deficient in conidia production with reduced pathogenicity on citrus. •The corresponding mutant genes were identified as PiBla and PiFTF1, respectively. •The expression of three key regulators of conidiogenesis was altered in the mutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this study, tea saponin was used as an emulsifier to construct tea saponin-cinnamaldehyde nanoemulsion (TS-CNE) system by high-pressure homogenization nanotechnology. Preparation conditions of TS-CNE were optimized using single factor and response surface methods. The results showed that optimal TS-CNE had a particle size of 88.81 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.113 and 86.49% retention of cinnamaldehyde. TS-CNE was stored at 4 and 25 °C for 180 days and the nanosystem was stable. Antioxidant assay showed that TS-CNE had good radicals scavenging. Furthermore, antimicrobial assay showed that the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of TS-CNE was 1.95 mL/L against three pathogenic fungi (Penicillium italicum, Penicillium digitatum, and Geotrichum citri-aurantii) of citrus. TS-CNE (MFC and 10 × MFC) effectively suppressed disease development in citrus inoculated with the three fungi. Consequently, TS-CNE had good physicochemical properties and was a promising natural preservative for citrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

D‐limonene is a widely used flavouring additive in foods, beverages and fragrances due to its pleasant lemon‐like odour. This study aimed to investigate the effects of D‐limonene on the central nervous system when subjected to chronic restraint stress in rats for 21 days. Forty rats were randomly divided into five groups: i) control, ii) D‐limonene, iii) restraint stress, iv) restraint stress+D‐limonene and v) restraint stress+fluoxetine. Following the induction of restraint stress, the sucrose preference test, the open field test, the novel object recognition test and the forced swimming test were performed. The levels of BDNF, IL‐1β, IL‐6 and caspase‐1 were measured from hippocampal tissue using the ELISA method. Sucrose preference test results showed an increase in consumption rate in the stress+D‐limonene and a decrease in the stress group. The stress+D‐limonene group reversed the increased defensive behaviour observed in the open‐field test compared to the stress group. In the novel object recognition test, the discrimination index of the stress+D‐limonene group increased compared to the stress group. BDNF levels increased in the stress+limonene group compared to the stress group. In contrast, IL‐1β and caspase‐1 levels increased in the stress group compared to the control and decreased in the stress+limonene group compared to the stress group. In this study, D‐limonene has been found to have antidepressant‐like properties, reducing anhedonic and defensive behaviours and the impairing effects of stress on learning and memory tests. It was observed that D‐limonene showed these effects by alleviating neuroinflammation induced by chronic restraint stress in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel tactics for controlling insect pests in perennial fruit and nut crops are needed because target pests often display decreased susceptibility to chemical controls due to overreliance on a handful of active ingredients and regulatory issues. As an alternative to chemical controls, entomopathogenic fungi could be utilized as biological control agents to manage insect pest populations. However, development of field ready products is hampered by a lack of basic knowledge. Development of field ready products requires collecting, screening, and characterizing a greater variety of potential entomopathogenic fungal species and strains. Creation of a standardized research framework to study entomopathogenic fungi will aid in identifying the potential mechanisms of biological control activity that fungi could possess, including antibiotic metabolite production; strains and species best suited to survive in different climates and agroecosystems; and optimized combinations of entomopathogenic fungi and novel formulations. This mini review therefore discusses strategies to collect and characterize new entomopathogenic strains, test different potential mechanisms of biocontrol activity, examine ability of different species and strains to tolerate different climates, and lastly how to utilize this information to develop strains into products for growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen heterocyclic compounds play a beneficial role in plants, and their presence in foods, such as Citrus fruits, cinnamon, carrots, and parsley, has been documented in recent years. Published research articles reported several extractions and chromatographic techniques for their determination. The aim of this review was to take into consideration the research articles published from 2016 to 2024 in which the authors developed extraction and chromatographic analysis methods of oxygen heterocyclic compounds in foods. The objective of this review was to assist researchers in choosing the best approach for their future work by identifying all the possible approaches to characterize coumarins, furocoumarins, and polymethoxyflavones in foodstuffs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freezing temperatures are a severe issue in North Florida, primarily due to occasional cold snaps and frost events in winter and early spring that cause damage to citrus groves, resulting in reduced fruit yield. The apoplasm is the primary cell component that interacts with environmental stress and is essential for plant tolerance to freezing temperatures. The present study was conducted to gain insight into how the application of silicon (Si) and potassium (K) are involved in the leaf apoplasm contributes to freezing stress tolerance, and regulates carbohydrate metabolism. We used Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.), the most successful commercially grown citrus cultivar in North Florida, and treated trees with two concentrations of Si and K (50 and 100 ppm) both individually and combined as foliar spray to determine their effect as they relate to improving cold hardiness. Freezing stress (-6 °C) caused a severe reduction in photosynthesis, and modulations in leaf carbohydrate metabolism resulted in inhibited plant growth. The exogenous application of Si and K both improved the photosynthesis rate, soluble sugars, and activities of enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism such as fructokinase, phosphofructokinase, hexokinase, sucrose and phosphate synthase, and acid and neutral invertase. Applying Si (100 ppm) and combined treatment (Si + K-50) showed the best response by inducing the maximum tolerance to freeze stress. Our data demonstrated the ameliorative effect of Si and K under freezing stress in citrus is associated with modification in carbohydrate metabolism in the leaf apoplasm. This study provides direction for future research to investigate the effect of Si and K on the transcriptome and metabolome in citrus plants and their tissues under freezing stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for essential nutrients provided by fruits has led to an increase in processed fruit products. However, this processing generates a significant amount of byproducts. Due to a lack of awareness about their nutritional and health benefits, these byproducts are often treated as waste, negatively impacting the environment. To address this, this review focuses on the potential health effects and industrial reusability of these byproducts and their bioactive compounds from commonly consumed fruits in the United States including apples, bananas, citrus, and watermelon. The reviewed studies showed that these by-products, including peels, seeds, pomace, skin, and rinds, are rich sources of bioactive compounds at higher concentrations than the fruit flesh, offering potential health benefits including antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, immunomodulatory, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. Incorporation of these byproducts in foods improved their physicochemical and nutrition properties as they are rich in dietary fiber and polyphenols. While many studies show promising results in vitro and in animal models, further research is needed to understand their effectiveness in humans and their potential for sustainable food innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antibiofilm and antimicrobial properties of tropical honey types including Malaysian stingless bee honey remain explicitly unexplored when compared with Apies honey. The antibiofilm and antimicrobial activities of the Malaysian Trigona honey were characterized with two stinging bee honey types (Centaurea hyalolepis and Citrus honeys) from Jordan. The antibiofilm and antimicrobial investigations were conducted on a set of seven microbial strains; five bacterial species of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145, Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 19615, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883, and two fungal strains Candida albicans ATCC 10231 and Candida krusei ATCC 14243. The antimicrobial investigations revealed a broad spectrum activity for Trigona honey against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and fungal strains over the two honey types. One-way ANOVA showed a significant difference (p < 0.001) in the zone of inhibition ranging from 9 to 25 mm and minimum inhibition activity (MIC) ranged from 9.4–29.6% (w/v) against the microbial strains. Moreover, the addition of honey to established biofilms has induced a degradation activity in the biofilm mass. Two-way ANOVA showed a significant biofilm degradation proportion (p < 0.001) ranging from 1.3% to 91.3% following treatment with Trigona honey and the other honey types in relevance to the concentration ranging from 10% to 50% (w/v). Moreover, the antibiofilm activity was highly consistent with MIC affecting bacterial growth inhibition. In conclusion, a robust antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity for Trigona stingless bee honey over the stinging bee Centaurea hyalolepis and Citrus honeys is noticed which endows the usage of Trigona honey in the antimicrobial industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citriculture has been one of the most important agricultural activities worldwide. Brazil is among the five major citrus producers in the world, together with China, the European Union (EU), the United States, and Mexico. Together, these five groups are responsible for about 50% of the global citrus fruit production and this industrial segment is responsible for generating direct and indirect jobs. However, several citric diseases such as citrus canker, huanglongbing, citrus variegated chlorosis, and citrus black spot have been associatedwith annual losses of tons of fruits and orange trees impacting the global economy for decades. Citrus canker is caused by theGram-negative bacteria Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri. and is associatedwith symptoms such as the formation of chlorotic rings in the leaves, stems, and fruits. Huanglongbing (HLB) is mainly associated with the Gram-negative bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter spp. and its main symptoms are the appearance of yellowish branches and deformed small leaves with yellowish spots. Citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) is associated with the bacterium Xylella fast idiosa and causes chlorotic spots with irregular edges on leaves and deformation of newleaves. Citrus black spot (CBS) is caused by the fungus Phyllosticta citricarpa and generates lesions on fruits and reddish-brown leaf lesions. Since citrus is important for global agriculture, the current review addresses the main features of these important diseases includingtheir symptoms andtransmission, aswell as thediagnosis and control strategies that have been studied so far for application in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anthocyanin accumulation in juvenile tissues can enhance the ornamental value, attract pollinators, and help improve abiotic stress. Although transcriptional regulation studies of anthocyanin have been relatively extensive, there are few reports on the mechanism of anthocyanin accumulation in young tissues. This study reveals that many juvenile citrus tissues (flowers, leaves, and pericarp) undergo transient accumulation of anthocyanins, exhibiting a red coloration. Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified CitWRKY75 as a candidate gene. After detecting the expression levels of CitWRKY75 in various citrus juvenile tissues, the expression trend of CitWRKY75 was highly consistent with the red exhibiting and fading. Overexpression of CitWRKY75 in tobacco significantly increased the anthocyanin content. LUC and yeast one-hybrid assay demonstrated that CitWRKY75 could bind to the promoter of CitRuby1(encoding the key transcription factor promoting anthocyanin accumulation) and promote its expression. Finally, comparing the expression levels of CitWRKY75 and CitRuby1 in the late development stage of blood orange found that CitWRKY75 was not the main regulatory factor for anthocyanin accumulation in the later stage. This study used reverse genetics to identify a transcription factor, CitWRKY75, upstream of CitRuby1, which promotes anthocyanin accumulation in citrus juvenile tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Climate change poses a significant threat to agriculture, primarily through the increased frequency and severity of droughts. These extreme weather conditions reduce water availability, impacting crop yields and biomass production. Drought stress is particularly challenging for regions already prone to water scarcity, compromising food security. Addressing these issues requires innovative strategies and a thorough understanding of plant responses to water deficit conditions. This study aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in Citrus, crucial for developing adaptive strategies. The findings show that Bitters (C22) exhibits greater drought tolerance than Carrizo Citrange and identify key genes involved in responding to water scarcity. In conclusion, this research enhances our understanding of how citrus plants respond to water stress and identifies promising candidate genes. These insights will guide future research aimed at developing drought-tolerant plants. Agriculture faces the dual challenge of increasing food production and safeguarding the environment. Climate change exacerbates this challenge, reducing crop yield and biomass due to drought stress, especially in semi-arid regions where Citrus plants are cultivated. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in Citrus is crucial for developing adaptive strategies. Plants of two citrus rootstocks, Carrizo Citrange and Bitters (C22), were grown in aerated half-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution. Post-acclimation, the plants were exposed to a solution containing 0% (control) or 15% PEG-8000 for 10 days. Leaf malonyl dialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content were measured to assess the reached oxidative stress level. Total RNA was extracted, sequenced, and de novo-assembled. Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to examine the relationship between gene expression patterns and the levels of MDA and H2O2 used as oxidative stress indicators. Plant visual inspection and MDA and H2O2 contents clearly indicate that Bitters is more tolerant than Carrizo towards PEG-induced drought stress. RNA-Seq analysis revealed a significantly higher number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Carrizo (6092) than in Bitters (320), with most being associated with drought sensing, ROS scavenging, osmolyte biosynthesis, and cell wall metabolism. Moreover, the WGCNA identified transcription factors significantly correlated with MDA and H2O2 levels, thus providing insights into drought-coping strategies and offering candidate genes for enhancing citrus drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This updated umbrella review aimed to evaluate the evidence regarding the associations between dietary factors and the risks of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify relevant studies. The quality of the included meta-analyses was evaluated using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2). For each association, the number of cases, random effects pooled effect size, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), heterogeneity, 95% prediction interval (PrI), small-study effect, and excess significance bias were recalculated to determine the evidence level. Results: We identified 33 meta-analyses describing 58 dietary factors associated with ESCC and 29 meta-analyses describing 38 dietary factors associated with EAC. There was convincing evidence regarding the association of 2 dietary factors (areca nut and high alcohol) with the risk of ESCC. There was highly suggestive evidence regarding the association of only 1 dietary factor (healthy pattern) with the risk of ESCC. There was suggestive evidence regarding the association of 11 dietary factors with the risk of ESCC, including fruit, citrus fruit, vegetables, pickled vegetables, maté tea, moderate alcohol, hot beverages and foods, hot tea, salt, folate, and vitamin B6. There was convincing evidence regarding the association of one dietary factor (vitamin B6) with the risk of EAC. There was suggestive evidence regarding the association of 4 dietary factors with the risk of EAC, including processed meat, dietary fibre, carbohydrate, and vitamin B12. The convincing evidence regarding the associations between dietary factors and the risks of ESCC and EAC remained robust in sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: This umbrella review highlighted convincing evidence regarding the associations of areca nut and high alcohol with a higher risk of ESCC. Additionally, an association between vitamin B6 and a decreased risk of EAC was observed. Further research is needed to examine the dietary factors with weak evidence regarding their associations with ESCC and EAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using methods such as dynamics and thermodynamics, the drying laws, dynamic models, moisture migration, thermodynamic parameters, etc. of citrus Gonggan slices during hot air drying at different temperatures were studied. The effects of ultrasound-microwave synergistic pretreatment on the drying efficiency of citrus Gonggan slices during hot air drying were also analyzed. The results showed that the drying process followed the Two term exponential model and the drying rate was co-related with the drying temperature. The drying rate was the fastest when the drying temperature was 80 °C. The ultrasound-microwave synergistic pretreatment effectively reduced the drying time by 0. 5 hours to 1. 5 hours. The activation energy (Ea) of moisture diffusion was significantly lowered by 1. 620 kJ/ mol. At a given hot air drying temperature, the ΔH≠, ΔS≠, and ΔG≠ of the ultrasound-microwave synergistic pretreatment group were all lower than the control group. The ultrasoundmicrowave synergistic pretreatment could increase the effective coefficient of water diffusion of citrus Gonggan slices (4.333 x 10-7 to 8. 967 x 10-7), resulting in more pores on their surfaces. Therefore, the ultrasound-microwave synergistic pretreatment could effectively improve the hot air drying efficiency of citrus Gonggan slices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embolism resistance of xylem tissue varies among species and is an important trait related to drought resistance, with anatomical attributes like pit membrane thickness playing an important role in avoiding embolism spread. Grafted Citrus trees are commonly grown in orchards, with the rootstock being able to affect the drought resistance of the whole plant. Here, we evaluated how rootstocks affect the vulnerability to embolism resistance of the scion using several rootstock/scion combinations. Scions of 'Tahiti' acid lime, 'Hamlin', 'Pera' and 'Valencia' oranges grafted on a 'Rangpur' lime rootstock exhibit similar vulnerability to embolism. In field‐grown trees, measurements of leaf water potential did not suggest significant embolism formation during the dry season, while stomata of Citrus trees presented an isohydric response to declining water availability. When 'Valencia' orange scions were grafted on 'Rangpur' lime, 'IAC 1710' citrandarin, 'Sunki Tropical' mandarin or 'Swingle' citrumelo rootstocks, variation in intervessel pit membrane thickness of the scion was found. The 'Rangpur' lime rootstock, which is known for its drought resistance, induced thicker pit membranes in the scion, resulting in higher embolism resistance than the other rootstocks. Similarly, the rootstock 'IAC 1710' citrandarin generated increased embolism resistance of the scion, which is highly relevant for citriculture. Summary statement: Different Citrus rootstocks influence scion vulnerability to embolism, with 'Rangpur' lime inducing less vulnerability and thicker pit membranes. Besides, in field‐grown trees, measurements of leaf water potential did not suggest significant embolism formation even during the dry season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study aimed at the solution of stability problems of extra virgin olive oil rich (oil:aqueous phase ratio = 50:50) model oil‐in‐water emulsions prepared with pectin using green tea (GTE) and grape seed extracts (GSE), and (+)‐catechin (CAT). Olive oil‐in‐water emulsion prepared with pectin at 0.5% (w/v) without phenolics lost 36% of its stability within 1 day. GTE at 1% (w/v) caused a limited increase in emulsion stability while emulsions with GSE at ≥0.25% or CAT at 1% maintained >90% of their stability after 14 days. GSE and CAT reduced the emulsion droplet size (2.6‐ and 1.9‐fold) while GTE increased the emulsion droplet size (1.5‐fold). Emulsions with GSE showed the smallest and most densely packed lipid droplets. The highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity in emulsions were obtained with CAT followed by GSE and GTE. This work is significant in that it showed the possibility of using GSE to obtain stable extra virgin olive oil emulsion‐based functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of the parasitoid species of the citrus leafminer (CLM), Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), a cosmopolitan pest of citrus, was carried out in 2019 and 2020 in the major citrus production area of Tunisia. Four different Eulophidae species were found: Citrostichus phyllocnistoides (Narayanan), representing 81.82% of the identified parasitoids, Semielacher petiolatus (Girault) (9.40%) and the native species Pnigalio pectinicornis (L.) (2.82%). Cirrospilus ingenuus Gahan (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a new report for the parasitoid entomofauna of P. citrella in the country, representing 5.96% of the identified parasitoids. It has probably spread naturally from other Mediterranean regions. Predation by generalist predators is the main mortality factor of CLM (up to 59.11% of the mortality was caused by natural enemies), followed by parasitism (oviposition) (22.47%) and host-feeding (18.42%). Second and third instar larvae of the CLM were the preferred stages for parasitism. Host-feeding and generalist predators' attacks were most common on first and second instars. Data highlighting the ability for C. phyllocnistoides to develop and disperse clearly predominates in Tunisian citrus orchards. Citrostichus phyllocnistoides may compete with S. petiolatus, exerting a complementary action to that of C. phyllocnistoides, particularly earlier in the season when the densities of the latter species are low. Further studies focusing on inter-specific relationships between these two exotic parasitoids are needed in order to test whether the observed field results could have been estimated from laboratory assays. This will be helpful in critically evaluating the results of the classical biological control programme developed against CLM in Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work used headspace solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS) to analyze the volatile components of hydrosols of Citrus × aurantium 'Daidai' and Citrus × aurantium L. dried buds (CAVAs and CADBs) by immersion and ultrasound–microwave synergistic-assisted steam distillation. The results show that a total of 106 volatiles were detected in hydrosols, mainly alcohols, alkenes, and esters, and the high content components of hydrosols were linalool, α-terpineol, and trans-geraniol. In terms of variety, the total and unique components of CAVA hydrosols were much higher than those of CADB hydrosols; the relative contents of 13 components of CAVA hydrosols were greater than those of CADB hydrosols, with geranyl acetate up to 15-fold; all hydrosols had a citrus, floral, and woody aroma. From the pretreatment, more volatile components were retained in the immersion; the relative contents of linalool and α-terpineol were increased by the ultrasound–microwave procedure; and the ultrasound–microwave procedure was favorable for the stimulation of the aroma of CAVA hydrosols, but it diminished the aroma of the CADB hydrosols. This study provides theoretical support for in-depth exploration based on the medicine food homology properties of CAVA and for improving the utilization rate of waste resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity of the coumarin component isolated from lime peel and coumarin derivatives synthesized using various techniques against eight types of food-poisoning bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the 3b [5,7-dihydroxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin] derivative was measured as 1.5 mM in Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus; that for the 3c [7-hydroxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin] derivative was 1.7 mM in Enterococcus facium; and that for the 3n [dicoumarol] derivative was 1.2 mM in L. monocytogenes. These results confirmed that coumarin derivatives with CF3 and OH substituents had enhanced antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Citrus flower‐green tea (CT) is a scented tea processed from green tea (GT) and fresh citrus flower, which is favored by consumers due to its potential health benefits and unique citrus flavor. This study evaluated the quality of CT and revealed the mechanism of its quality formation. Results: The CT had a significant citrus flavor and a good antioxidant activity, and its sensory quality was superior to that of GT. Headspace solid‐phase microextraction‐gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS‐SPME‐GC–MS) analysis revealed that the scenting process resulted in a significant increase of alkenes such as β‐pinene, trans‐β‐ocimene, α‐farnesene, isoterpinolene, and γ‐terpinene, as well as a significant decrease of alcohols such as α‐terpineol, l‐menthol, and linalool in CT in comparison with GT. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analysis revealed that the levels of flavonoids (such as neohesperidin, hesperidin, tangeritin, hesperetin 5‐O‐glucoside, and nobiletin) and alkaloids (such as trigonelline and theobromine) in CT increased significantly after scenting process, while the levels of amino acids (such as valine and l‐phenylalanine) and organic acids (such as ascorbic acid) decreased significantly. Conclusion: These observations showed that the scenting process promoted the absorption of aroma from citrus flowers by GT and the changes in its non‐volatile metabolites, leading to the formation of citrus flavor quality in CT. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dwarfing is a pivotal agronomic trait affecting both yield and quality. Citrus species exhibit substantial variation in plant height, among which internode length is a core element. However, the molecular mechanism governing internode elongation remains unclear. Here, we unveiled that the transcriptional cascade consisting of B‐BOX DOMAIN PROTEIN 22 (BBX22) and ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) finely tunes plant height and internode elongation in citrus. Loss‐of‐function mutations of BBX22 in an early‐flowering citrus (Citrus hindsii "SJG") promoted internode elongation and reduced pigment accumulation, whereas ectopic expression of BBX22 in SJG, sweet orange (C. sinensis), pomelo (C. maxima) or heterologous expression of BBX22 in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) significantly decreased internode length. Furthermore, exogenous application of gibberellin A3 (GA3) rescued the shortened internode and dwarf phenotype caused by BBX22 overexpression. Additional experiments revealed that BBX22 played a dual role in regulation internode elongation and pigmentation in citrus. On the one hand, it directly bound to and activated the expression of HY5, GA metabolism gene (GA2 OXIDASE 8, GA2ox8), carotenoid biosynthesis gene (PHYTOENE SYNTHASE 1, PSY1) and anthocyanin regulatory gene (Ruby1, a MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN). On the other hand, it acted as a cofactor of HY5, enhancing the ability of HY5 to regulate target genes expression. Together, our results reveal the critical role of the transcriptional cascade consisting of BBX22 and HY5 in controlling internode elongation and pigment accumulation in citrus. Unraveling the crosstalk regulatory mechanism between internode elongation and fruit pigmentation provides key genes for breeding of novel types with both dwarf and health‐beneficial fortification in citrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus trees are affected by many plant‐pathogenic fungi. The present study aimed to characterize Colletotrichum species on citrus showing anthracnose symptoms, leaf and fruit spot and wither tip in northern Thailand using multilocus data and assay their pathogenicity. The surveys were carried out from December 2021 to January 2022 and 73 isolates were obtained from infected tissues. The fungal strains were identified based on morphological traits and were confirmed via amplification and sequencing of ITS, ACT, CHS‐1, GAPDH and TUB2. In all, 41 isolates were subjected to multilocus phylogeny. Forty of these isolates of Colletotrichum species belonged to the C. gloeosporioides species complex and one isolate belonged to the C. orchidearum species complex. Colletotrichum siamense, comprising 19 isolates, was the most dominant species associated with symptomatic citrus, followed by C. gloeosporioides (17 isolates), C. fructicola (three isolates), C. endophytica (one isolate) and C. plurivorum (one isolate). C. plurivorum is reported for the first time from citrus in the world. These isolates were obtained from mandarin (Citrus reticulata), pomelo (C. maxima), Persian lime (C. latifolia), Thai lime (C. hystrix) and acid lime (C. aurantifolia). The pathogenicity of the isolated fungi was tested through inoculation on branch, fruit and leaf using the detached method on mandarin, pomelo and Persian lime hosts, confirming Koch's postulate. In terms of disease severity, C. gloeosporioides and C. siamense were observed to be the most pathogenic species. This is the first pathogenic and molecular study of Colletotrichum species infecting citrus in northern Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phyllosticta citricarpa, the citrus black spot causal agent, requires both mating types, designated as MAT1‐1 and MAT1‐2, to produce ascospores. Mating‐type ratio in some citrus‐growing areas has been characterized but remains little known in the São Paulo (SP) citrus belt, the largest sweet orange producer worldwide. A protocol for in vitro ascospore production was developed recently; however, there are few studies regarding the optimal conditions for their production. Thus, this study aimed to determine the mating‐type ratio in SP and quantify ascospores produced under different conditions in vitro. The mating types were identified by duplex PCR, and ascospore production was assessed in five culture media: potato dextrose agar (PDA), ½ PDA, malt extract agar (MEA), oatmeal agar (OMA) and citrus agar (CA), and at temperatures from 10 to 30°C. The ratio of MAT1‐1 and MAT1‐2 was similar to 1:1. Ascospore production reached peaks of 8.0, 7.0 and 3.0 × 103 ascospores/mL in MEA, PDA and ½ PDA, respectively. There were no ascospores observed in OMA and CA. P. citricarpa ascospores were observed only at 15, 20 and 25°C in PDA, with peaks of up to 2.0 × 103 ascospores/mL at 42, 35 and 21 days, respectively. There were no ascospores observed at 10 and 30°C. Both mating types are similarly distributed in the SP citrus belt, and in vitro ascospore production may be optimized by using MEA at 25°C. These data provide a better understanding of P. citricarpa sexual reproduction and a background for further studies with ascospores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Citrus is a model plant for studying adventitious embryos, a form of asexual reproduction controlled by a single dominant gene, RWP. This gene has been identified as the causal gene for nucellar embryogenesis, but its function has not yet been fully understood. In this study, we used the fast‐growing Fortunella hindsii as a system to explore chromatin accessibility during the nucellar embryony initiation, emphasizing elevated chromatin accessibility in polyembryonic (PO) genotypes compared to monoembryonic ones (MO). Notably, a higher level of accessible chromatin was observed in one allele of the promoter region of FhRWP, consistent with increased expression of the allele carrying the causal structural variant. By independently performing RNAi and gene editing experiments on PO genotypes, we found the downregulation of FhRWP expression could reduce the number of nucellar embryos, while its knockout resulted in abnormal axillary bud development. In overexpression experiments, FhRWP was identified as having the unique capability of inducing the embryogenic callus formation in MO stem segments, possibly through the regulation of the WUS‐CLV signaling network and the ABA and cytokinin pathway, marking the inaugural demonstration of FhRWP's potential to reignite somatic cells' embryogenic fate. This study reveals the pleiotropic function of RWP in citrus and constructs a regulatory network during adventitious embryo formation, providing a new tool for bioengineering applications in plant regeneration. Significance Statement: FhRWP plays a central role in regulating multiple developmental phenotypes, including axillary bud differentiation, nucellar embryo formation, and somatic embryogenesis in citrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) occur naturally in citrus peels and citrus-derived foods as well as in other plants. Many in vitro and some in vivo studies have shown potentially relevant biological effects of PMFs, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerosis, and neuroprotective activities. These promising biological effects still require further research to establish their impact on human health. This review updates the current clinical trials data. It highlights the limited information available on the bioavailability and metabolism of PMFs (pharmacokinetics, human phase I and II metabolites in biological fluids and tissues, and gut microbiota metabolism). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy product alternatives have increased in recent years as a result of medical prescriptions or personal preferences. The main purpose of the present study was to optimize vegan‐based cream cheese formulation added with citrus fiber considering the textural and physicochemical properties of the samples. The physicochemical (pH value, water activity, and color), texture, microstructure, and sensory properties of manufactured vegan‐based cream cheese were characterized and compared to those of a commercial one. Three optimized products were produced, according to the textural properties. The addition of citrus fiber did not affect the pH and water activity values of the cheese samples significantly. Although citrus fiber had an effect on the color values of the samples, a significant difference in the sensory scores was not recorded by the panelists. The sample having 1.21% citrus fiber (A) showed a hardness value similar to that of control sample and it received high sensory appreciation. The sample added with 1.41% citrus fiber (B) was scored high by the panelists, with no significant difference compared to commercial cream cheese, even though it showed high hardness. According to the results of the current research, vegan‐based cream cheese can be produced as a promising food as a new alternative to milk and dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article evaluates the impact of submerged culture parameters on growth and naringinase activity of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens D1 isolated from citrus gardens of North-East India. The study describes the morphological, biochemical and molecular characteristics of bacterial isolates, profiling of fatty acids, 16S rRNA gene analysis and homology. It examines the effects of incubation period, potential of hydrogen, temperature, carbon and nitrogen sources on growth and naringinase activity.

Wounding stress stimulates secondary metabolism and induces the phytochemical accumulation of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables. This research aims to study the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in citrus peel by-products after different wounding intensities. Orange, grapefruit, and lemon peels were cut into rectangular shapes of 8.5 × 2 cm (CTRL), 1 × 1 cm dices (D), and 0.25 cm grates (G). Samples were stored at 15 °C and 65% relative humidity. Their total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and individual organic and phenolic compounds were analyzed after 0, 4, 8, 24, 28, and 36 h. The results showed that the metabolite content decreased with the incubation time, so it is recommended to sample by-products between the first 8 h to achieve the maximum content. Grating, the most severe abiotic stress, was not a suitable technique to induce the synthesis of biocompounds because it allowed the full recovery of flavedo, but partial of albedo. However, it was different for CTRL and D, whose TPCs were ~170 and ~200%, ~98 and ~78%, and ~8 and ~36% higher for orange, grapefruit, and lemon, respectively, compared to G. A principal component analysis confirmed differences between the fruit species and cutting shapes combining all factors. Wounding citrus peels induces the accumulation of phytochemical compounds, but the layer of peel recovered in the cut is crucial in the concentration of phytochemicals extracted. It could be an innovative tool to revalorize these inedible parts of citrus, but further research is still needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facility-forcing cultivation could effectively improve the quality of 'Beni Madonna' citrus (Citrus nankao × C. amakusa) and advance the ripening period. However, segment drying (KS) before harvest caused fruit quality deterioration and commodity value loss. In this research, we investigated the physiological and molecular characteristics involved in citrus segment drying under facility-forcing cultivation. The juice yield, sugar, acid, vitamin C, and lignin contents in KS fruits were significantly decreased, and the contents of pectin and cellulose were significantly increased. The relative contents of abscisic acid and abscisic acid glucosyl ester in KS fruits were significantly decreased. A total of 1215 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened by transcriptome sequencing. DEGs were significantly enriched in water metabolism, sugar metabolism, transportation, cell wall and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction. The decrease in water absorption and sugar synthesis, the increase of pectin and cellulose synthesis, and the decrease in ABA accumulation may be the main reasons that cause citrus fruit segments to dry under facility-forcing cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of our studies on Citrus cultivars in Greece, the chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) from the peels and leaves of orange, pummelo, and tangelo (mandarin × grapefruit hybrid) cultivated in Greece have been studied. All EOs have been analyzed through GC-MS, and a total of 47 and 87 metabolites were identified in the peels and leaves, respectively. These metabolites are classified into the chemical groups of terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones, and organic acids. Limonene was the most abundant compound in the peel EOs. Moreover, bioactive polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) were isolated and structurally determined from the peels of orange and tangelo, highlighting them as a good potential source of natural PMFs. All EOs were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against nine human pathogenic microorganisms (six bacteria and three fungi), showing an interesting profile. The EOs from the peels of all Citrus species exhibited a stronger antimicrobial activity compared to those from the leaves. The susceptibility of the assayed Gram-positive bacteria was observed to be greater than that of Gram-negative bacteria, while the fungi were also relatively less resistant than bacteria. The rootstock choice did not influence the EO profile of the fruit peel but exerted an influence on the chemical profile of the leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During postharvest cold storage, fruit sustains physical and biochemical changes, which may result in physiological rind disorders that consequently affect the fruit's marketability. Preharvest conditions are known to affect postharvest fruit quality, with the effect of preharvest shade netting being currently unknown. To this end, 'Nadorcott' mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) fruit, grown under shade netting and without it, was harvested during two consecutive seasons from an orchard in Citrusdal, Western Cape, South Africa. The fruit was evaluated prior to, as well as after a 7-day shelf-life period following cold storage at either −0.6 or 4 °C for 14, 27 and 34 days, respectively, for changes in rind and pulp colour, rind carotenoids, soluble solid content (SSC), citric acid content and SSC/citric acid ratio. Weight loss and the incidence of rind physiological disorders (staining) were also recorded. The results showed that shade net did not affect the storage behaviour of the fruit, as no treatment differences were seen. However, a storage duration effect for both treatments was evident in some internal and external quality parameters, viz., weight loss percentage and carotenoid content increased over the storage duration. Inconsistency regarding the storage duration effect on the rind colour, SSC and acid content were evident between seasons, at both temperatures. Staining only occurred in the first season after 34 days at both temperatures. The results indicated that shade netting had no negative effect on the cold-storage behaviour of 'Nadorcott' fruit. However, contrasting findings from this study emphasized that the condition of the fruit at harvest plays a significant role in the postharvest behaviour of the fruit during cold storage, and different growing conditions may also be a contributable factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Brewing is the property of China Brewing Editorial Office 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.)

Adhering to a healthy diet has a protective effect on human health, including a decrease in inflammatory diseases due to consuming fiber. The purpose of this manuscript was to obtain and compare two extracts based on fiber (BF and IF-C), derived from two plants particularly present in the Mediterranean region: bergamot (Citrus bergamia) and prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica). The parts used by these plants have been the "pastazzo" for the bergamot and the cladodes for the prickly pear. In addition to in vitro evaluations, the antioxidant activity was also measured on human neurons under inflammatory conditions. Furthermore, the extracts of interest were examined for their effects on the cell cycle and the regulation of pro-apoptotic proteins, caspase 9 and 3, induced by LPS. The results indicated that both extracts had a protective effect against LPS-induced damage, with BF consistently exhibiting superior functionality compared to IF-C. Moreover, the extracts can reduce inflammation, which is a common process of disease. By exploring this avenue, studying the consumption of dietary fiber could enhance our understanding of its positive effects, but additional experiments are needed to confirm this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As self-incompatibility is a major issue in pummelo breeding and production, its mechanism in citrus was analyzed to improve breeding efficiency and reduce production costs. Rutaceae belongs to S-RNase type of gametophytic self-incompatibility. While the function of S-RNase/SLF and the mechanism of self-incompatibility have been studied extensively, the transcriptional regulation of S-RNase has been less studied. We performed transcriptome sequencing with the styles of ‘Shatian’ pummelo on the day of anthesis and 1–5 days before anthesis, and found that the transcript level of S-RNase gradually decreased with flower development. By analyzing differentially expressed genes and correlation with the expression trend of S-RNase, we identified a candidate gene, CgHSFB1, and utilized biochemical experiments such as yeast one-hybrid assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assay and dual-luciferase assay, as well as transient transformation of citrus calli and Citrus microcarpa and demonstrated that CgHSFB1 could directly bind to the S1-RNase promoter and repress the expression of S1-RNase, which is involved in the pummelo self-incompatibility response. In contrast, CgHSFB1 did not bind to the promoter of S2-RNase, and there was specificity in the regulation of S-RNase.Key message: Transcription factor CgHSFB1 regulates the expression of S -RNase and is thus involved in self-incompatibility in citrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing climatic temperatures and precipitation in the autumn may lead to increased injury and decay during extended storage of mandarin fruits. In this study, we examined the internal fruit quality, rind color, ultrastructure of the peel, inorganic composition of albedo, and flavonoid contents of the flavedo at harvest in the early-maturing cultivar satsuma mandarin 'Miyagawa Wase.' Fruits were treated with a mixture of gibberellic acid (GA; 25 mg L− 1) and prohydrojasmon (PDJ; 100 mg L− 1) denoted as (GP), only GA (25 mg L− 1), and only PDJ (100 mg L− 1) in August and September. Specific gravity and titratable acidity (TA) of the GA-treated fruits were higher than those of the non-GA-treated fruits (PDJ and control), while lower ratios of soluble solids content (SSC) and TA were observed. The GA-treated fruits' L* (lightness), a* (bluish-green/red-purple hue component), b* (yellow-blue hue component), and C* (chroma) values were significantly lower than those of non-GA-treated fruits. In particular, a* value of GP (0.5) was significantly lower than that of control (24.6). The non-GP-treated fruits had higher epicuticular wax on the peel than GP-treated fruits. The distributions of N, P, and Mg in the GA-treated fruits were higher than those in non-GA-treated fruits. Nobiletin and tangeretin contents of the flavedo were the highest in the GP treatment, followed by the GA, PDJ, and control treatments. The occurrence of rind disorder after 20 d of storage was the lowest in GP, whereas PDJ and control treatments showed 18% over. These results indicate that the combined treatment with GA and PDJ has a more substantial effect than treatment with only GA or PDJ in controlling peel ripening at harvest and rind disorder after storage in satsuma mandarin fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavanones, a type of polyphenol, are found in substantial amounts in citrus fruits. When high- or moderate-dose orange juice consumption occurs, flavanones make up a significant portion of the total polyphenols in plasma. Disaccharide derivative narirutin, mainly dihydroxy flavanone, is found in citrus fruits. The substantial chemotherapeutic potential of narirutin has been amply demonstrated by numerous experimental studies. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to compile the research that has already been done showing narirutin to be a promising anticancer drug, with its mechanism of action being documented in treatment plans for various cancer forms. Narirutin functions in a variety of cancer cells by regulating several pathways that include cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, antiangiogenic, antimetastatic, and DNA repair. Narirutin has been shown to modify many molecular targets linked to the development of cancer, including drug transporters, cell cycle mediators, transcription factors, reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, and inflammatory cytokines. Taken together, these reviews offer important new information about narirutin's potential as a potent and promising drug candidate for use in medicines, functional foods, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, and other products targeted at improving the treatment of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplements, citrus (CTS) and cucumber (CMB), on the jejunum and cecum microbiota of 14- and 28-days old broiler chickens to evaluate their impact on the gut health and assess their role as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (ABGPs). 16SrRNA gene sequencing revealed the overall bacterial microbiota composition was significantly affected by the gut site (p?

In order to meet the demand of the intelligent and efficient picking of fresh citrus fruit in a natural environment, a flexible and independent picking method of fresh citrus fruit based on picking pattern recognition was proposed. The convolutional attention (CA) mechanism was added in the YOLOv7 network model. This makes the model pay more attention to the citrus fruit region, reduces the interference of some redundant information in the background and feature maps, effectively improves the recognition accuracy of the YOLOv7 network model, and reduces the detection error of the hand region. According to the physical parameters of the citrus fruit and stem, an end-effector suitable for picking citrus fruit was designed, which effectively reduced the damage during the picking of citrus fruit. According to the actual distribution of citrus fruits in the natural environment, a citrus fruit-picking task planning model was established, so that the adaptability of the flexible handle can make up for the inaccuracy of the deep learning method to a certain extent when the end-effector picks fruits independently. Finally, on the basis of integrating the key components of the picking robot, a production test was carried out in a standard citrus orchard. The experimental results show that the success rate of the citrus-picking robot arm is 87.15%, and the success rate of picking in the natural field environment is 82.4%, which is better than the success rate of 80% of the market picking robot. In the picking experiment, the main reason for the unsuccessful positioning of citrus fruits is that the position of citrus fruits is beyond the picking range of the end-effector, and the motion parameters of the robot arm joint will produce errors, affecting the motion accuracy of the robot arm, leading to the failure of picking. This study can provide technical support for the exploration and application of the intelligent fruit-picking mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture ecosystems are seriously threatened by lead (Pb) contamination, which impacts plant growth and productivity. In this study, green synthesized manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnO NPs) using citrus peel were used for priming of wheat seeds. For the synthesis of MnO nanoparticles, peel extract of Citrus paradisi and 1 mM solution of manganese acetate were stirred and calcinated at 500 °C. Successful synthesis of MnO NPs was determined using advanced techniques. In Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the presence of amines, alkanes, aldehydes, and alcohol molecules, on the surface of MnO NPs, confirmed their stability. X-ray diffraction analysis described their average size (22 nm), while scanning electron microscopy showed tetragonal crystalline shape and nano-flowers structure of MnO NPs. Sharp peaks of energy dispersive x-ray analysis described the presence of oxygen (28.81%) and manganese (71.19%) on MnO NPs. Priming of wheat seeds with synthesized MnO NPs significantly improved the growth attributes of wheat seedlings including the size of leaf, root length, size of shoots, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, relative water content, decreased relative electrolyte leakage, high proline accumulation and decreased concentration of malondialdehyde. Application of MnO NPs also helped plants to accumulate antioxidant enzymes in their leaves. These results proved that the priming of MnO NPs can greatly reduce lead-induced stress in wheat seedlings and these NPs can also be used for the priming of other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyploidy induction is a promising strategy for enhancing stress tolerance and physiological resilience in crop plants. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of oryzalin treatment in inducing autoploidy in the finger lime hybrid 'UF SunLime' and examined its implication for cold tolerance and physiological responses to stress. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with oryzalin (0, 4, 6, and 8 mg/L) was applied to germinated seeds or adventitious shoots for 3 or 6 days, and the optimal conditions for maximal tetraploid induction were determined. Ploidy analysis using flow cytometry confirmed the ploidy level of the generated seedlings and shoots. Oryzalin applied at 6 mg/L for 6 days was the most effective concentration at generating the highest percentage of autotetraploids (60%), followed by 6 mg/L for 3 days (40%). Phenotypic characterization revealed significant differences in leaf morphology and chlorophyll content between tetraploid and diploid plants. Moreover, tetraploid plants exhibited decreased water loss and electrolyte leakage during cold stress assessments compared to their diploid counterparts. Pigment content analysis indicated differential responses to cold stress, with tetraploid plants generally exhibiting greater total phenolic compound content. Differential expression of transcription factors related to cold stress were identified as contributing factors to the cold tolerance induced by tetraploidy. Overall, our findings highlight the successful induction of autoploidy in the 'UF SunLime' finger lime hybrid cultivar via oryzalin treatment and provide insights into the physiological responses and stress tolerance conferred by polyploidization in citrus plants.Key message: Autotetraploid finger lime ‘UF SunLime’ plants had enhanced cold tolerance due to increased chlorophyll content and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the potential for generating biogas and clean energy by processing organic waste, a process that can become a sustainable solution to Syria's energy needs. Focusing on agricultural residues generated from citrus fruit orange, date, and jujube cultivation in Syria, this study evaluates the potential for anaerobic digestion of these residues for biogas production. It highlights the influence of substrate composition and the optimization of fermentation processes on biogas and methane production. The study focuses on evaluating the anaerobic digestion process by examining various dosages ranging from 20% to 50% dry matter for citrus orange waste, and different types of substrate with a fixed ratio of 20% substrate dry matter. It specifically discusses the factors influencing the inhibitory effect of anaerobic digestion, giving particular consideration to orange waste, a significant byproduct of the citrus industry. The biogas produced maintained a stable methane content when a citrus‐to‐inoculum ratio of 30:70 was used. Jujube waste, characterized by a composition rich in cellulose and hemicellulose, exhibited a higher potential for biogas and methane generation among the fruit waste investigated, particularly when combined with the inoculum in a 20:80 ratio. The research findings underscore the potential of using Syrian agricultural residues, including orange citrus peel, date, and jujube fruit, for the production of biogas through anaerobic digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the rapid development of single-cell sequencing technology, histological studies are no longer limited to conventional homogenized tissues. Laser microdissection enables the accurate isolation of specific tissues or cells, and when combined with next-generation sequencing, it can reveal important biological processes at the cellular level. However, traditional laser microdissection techniques have often been complicated and time-consuming, and the quality of the RNA extracted from the collected samples has been inconsistent, limiting follow-up studies. Therefore, an improved, simple, and efficient laser microdissection method is urgently needed. Results: We omitted the sample fixation and cryoprotectant addition steps. Instead, fresh samples were embedded in Optimal Cutting Temperature medium within 1.5 ml centrifuge tube caps, rapidly frozen with liquid nitrogen, and immediately subjected to cryosectioning. A series of section thicknesses of citrus rind were tested for RNA extraction, which showed that 18 μm thickness yielded the highest quality RNA. By shortening the dehydration time to one minute per ethanol gradient and omitting the tissue clearing step, the resulting efficient dehydration and preserved morphology ensured high-quality RNA extraction. We also propose a set of laser microdissection parameters by adjusting the laser power to optimal values, reducing the aperture size, and lowering the pulse frequency. Both the epidermal and subepidermal cells from the citrus rind were collected, and RNA extraction was completed within nine hours. Using this efficient method, the transcriptome sequencing of the isolated tissues generated high-quality data with average Q30 values and mapping rates exceeding 91%. Moreover, the transcriptome analysis revealed significant differences between the cell layers, further confirming the effectiveness of our isolation approach. Conclusions: We developed a simple and rapid laser microdissection method and demonstrated its effectiveness through a study based on citrus rind, from which we generated high-quality transcriptomic data. This fast and efficient method of cell isolation, combined with transcriptome sequencing not only contributes to precise histological studies at the cellular level in citrus but also provides a promising approach for cell-specific transcriptome analysis in a broader range of other plant tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants employ sophisticated defense mechanisms, including releasing volatile organic compounds, to defend against biotic and abiotic stresses. These compounds play a crucial role in plant defense by attracting natural enemies and facilitating communication between plants to activate defense mechanisms. However, there has been no research on how exposure to these compounds activates defense mechanisms in citrus plants. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms governing citrus defensive activation, we conducted a molecular analysis of the rootstock Citrange carrizo [a hybrid of Citrus sinensis × Poncirus trifoliata] in response to defense activation by the volatile (Z)-3-hexenyl propanoate [(Z)-3-HP], utilizing a groundbreaking transcriptomic analysis involving the genomes of both parental species. Our results revealed significant gene expression changes, notably the overexpression of genes related to plant immunity, antioxidant activity, defense against herbivores, and tolerance to abiotic stress. Significantly, P. trifoliata contributed most notably to the hybrid's gene expression profile in response to (Z)-3-HP. Additionally, plants exposed to (Z)-3-HP repelled several citrus pests, attracted natural predators, and led to diminished performance of two key citrus pests. Our study emphasizes the complex molecular basis of volatile-triggered defenses in citrus and highlights the potential of plant volatiles in pest control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renowned for their nutritional benefits, citrus fruits are harvested at various stages in China for functional food production. This study introduces an innovative analytical method, DART-MS, enabling direct qualitative analysis of citrus samples without the need for preprocessing. Simultaneously, the combination of chemometrics can be applied to distinguish between three different citrus samples: Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride, and Citri Reticulatae "Chachi". Notably, given the international regulatory concerns surrounding synephrine, a precise quantitative analysis method for synephrine was developed. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 39 ng mL−1 and 156 ng mL−1, respectively. The recovery rates obtained varied from 98.46% to 100.71%. Furthermore, the intra-day and inter-day precision demonstrated robust consistency, with values spanning 5.0–6.1% and 5.03–6.08%, respectively, offering quicker results compared to those from HPLC-MS, promising a safer assessment of herbal and food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the severe impact of Citrus Huanglongbing on orchard production, accurate detection of the disease is crucial in orchard management. In the natural environments, due to factors such as varying light intensities, mutual occlusion of citrus leaves, the extremely small size of Huanglongbing leaves, and the high similarity between Huanglongbing and other citrus diseases, there remains an issue of low detection accuracy when using existing mainstream object detection models for the detection of citrus Huanglongbing. To address this issue, we propose YOLO-EAF (You Only Look Once–Efficient Asymptotic Fusion), an improved model based on YOLOv8n. Firstly, the Efficient Multi-Scale Attention Module with cross-spatial learning (EMA) is integrated into the backbone feature extraction network to enhance the feature extraction and integration capabilities of the model. Secondly, the adaptive spatial feature fusion (ASFF) module is used to enhance the feature fusion ability of different levels of the model so as to improve the generalization ability of the model. Finally, the focal and efficient intersection over union (Focal–EIOU) is utilized as the loss function, which accelerates the convergence process of the model and improves the regression precision and robustness of the model. In order to verify the performance of the YOLO-EAF method, we tested it on the self-built citrus Huanglongbing image dataset. The experimental results showed that YOLO-EAF achieved an 8.4% higher precision than YOLOv8n on the self-built dataset, reaching 82.7%. The F1-score increased by 3.33% to 77.83%, and the mAP (0.5) increased by 3.3% to 84.7%. Through experimental comparisons, the YOLO-EAF model proposed in this paper offers a new technical route for the monitoring and management of Huanglongbing in smart orange orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening, is currently the most devastating citrus disease with limited success in prevention and mitigation. A promising strategy for Huanglongbing control is the use of antimicrobials fused to a carrier protein (phloem protein of 16 kDa or PP16) that targets vascular tissues. This study investigated the effects of genetically modified citrus trees expressing Citrus sinensis PP16 (CsPP16) fused to human lysozyme and β-defensin-2 on the soil microbiome diversity using 16S amplicon analysis. The results indicated that there were no significant alterations in alpha diversity, beta diversity, phylogenetic diversity, differential abundance, or functional prediction between the antimicrobial phloem-overexpressing plants and the control group, suggesting minimal impact on microbial community structure. However, microbiota diversity analysis revealed distinct bacterial assemblages between the rhizosphere soil and root environments. This study helps to understand the ecological implications of crops expressing phloem-targeted antimicrobials for vascular disease management, with minimal impact on soil microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the challenges of low detection precision and limited generalization across various ripeness levels and varieties for large non-greenripe citrus fruits in complex scenarios. We present a high-precision and lightweight model, YOLOC-tiny, built upon YOLOv7, which utilizes EfficientNet-B0 as the feature extraction backbone network. To augment sensing capabilities and improve detection accuracy, we embed a spatial and channel composite attention mechanism, the convolutional block attention module (CBAM), into the head's efficient aggregation network. Additionally, we introduce an adaptive and complete intersection over union regression loss function, designed by integrating the phenotypic features of large non-green-ripe citrus, to mitigate the impact of data noise and efficiently calculate detection loss. Finally, a layerbased adaptive magnitude pruning strategy is employed to further eliminate redundant connections and parameters in the model. Targeting three types of citrus widely planted in Sichuan Province--navel orange, Ehime Jelly orange, and Harumi tangerine--YOLOC-tiny achieves an impressive mean average precision (mAP) of 83.0%, surpassing most other state-of-the-art (SOTA) detectors in the same class. Compared with YOLOv7 and YOLOv8x, its mAP improved by 1.7% and 1.9%, respectively, with a parameter count of only 4.2M. In picking robot deployment applications, YOLOC-tiny attains an accuracy of 92.8% at a rate of 59 frames per second. This study provides a theoretical foundation and technical reference for upgrading and optimizing low-computing-power ground-based robots, such as those used for fruit picking and orchard inspection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department 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.)

Variety detection provides technical support for selecting XinHui citrus for use in the production of XinHui dried tangerine peel. Simultaneously, the mutual occlusion between tree leaves and fruits is one of the challenges in object detection. In order to improve screening efficiency, this paper introduces a YOLO (You Only Look Once)v7-BiGS(BiFormer&GSConv) citrus variety detection method capable of identifying different citrus varieties efficiently. In the YOLOv7-BiGS network model, initially, the BiFormer attention mechanism in the backbone of the YOLOv7-based network strengthens the model's ability to extract citrus' features. In addition, the introduction of the lightweight GSConv convolution in place of the original convolution within the ELAN of the head component effectively streamlines model complexity while maintaining performance integrity. To environment challenge validate the effectiveness of the method, the proposed YOLOv7-BiGS was compared with YOLOv5, YOLOv7, and YOLOv8. In the comparison of YOLOv7-BiGS with YOLOv5, YOLOv7, and YOLOv8, the experimental results show that the precision, mAP and recell of YOLOv7-BiGS are 91%, 93.7% and 87.3% respectively. Notably, compared to baseline methods, the proposed approach exhibited significant enhancements in precision, mAP, and recall by 5.8%, 4.8%, and 5.2%, respectively. To evaluate the efficacy of the YOLOv7-BiGS in addressing challenges posed by complex environmental conditions, we collected occluded images of Xinhui citrus fruits from the Xinhui orchard base for model detection. This research aims to fulfill performance criteria for citrus variety identification, offering vital technical backing for variety detection endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]