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Heavy irrigation and soil compaction cause hypoxic stress in plant roots, which limits crop growth. This issue can be solved by root-zone aeration, but the photophysiological responses of crop plants to the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in irrigation water remain unclear. Here, a greenhouse plot experiment was conducted to investigate the changes in leaf photosynthesis and plant growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. ‘Omanda 3′) under aerated irrigation with various DO concentrations. Plants were treated with three different levels of aeration: 5 mg L–1 DO (conventional subsurface irrigation as a non-aeration control), 15 mg L–1 DO (low aeration treatment), and 30 mg L–1 DO (high aeration treatment). Compared with the control, the aeration treatments promoted electron transport from the primary to secondary plastoquinone acceptors (QA to QB) of photosystem II (PSII) and increased leaf net photosynthetic rate in plants at the seedling, fruit expansion, and maturation stages. The opposite effects of aeration treatments were observed at the flowering and fruit-setting stage. The enhancement of leaf photosynthetic performance contributed to improved plant growth, fruit yield, and quality of tomato as a result of increased oxygen supply in the root zone. The aeration treatments additionally facilitated the biosynthesis and transport of photosynthetic carbon assimilates in plant tissues, as evidenced by increased starch and sucrose contents in the leaves and sucrose content in the roots. However, under the high aeration level, excessive transport of sucrose from leaves to roots hindered further improvements in tomato yield and biomass at the maturation stage. Based on plant photophysiological and yield performance, aerated irrigation with a low concentration of DO (15 mg L–1) is recommended for greenhouse tomato crops during the seedling, fruit expansion, and maturation stages, and there is no need of root-zone aeration at the flowering and fruit-setting stage.

In viticulture, choosing the most suitable rootstock for a specific scion cultivar is an efficient and cost-effective way to increase yield and enhance the physicochemical characteristics of the fruit. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic performance of the ‘BRS Tainá’ grapevine on different rootstocks under the conditions of the Sub-Middle São Francisco Valley. The main experimental factor consisted of eight rootstocks (IAC 313, IAC 572, IAC 766, 101-14 MgT, Paulsen 1103, Ramsey, SO4, and Teleki 5C), arranged in randomized blocks with four replicates. The experiment was conducted over four production cycles, from 2021 to 2023, in a commercial crop area in Petrolina, PE, Brazil. There were significant effects of rootstocks for the yield and number of bunches per plant, as well as berry length and firmness. ‘BRS Tainá’ achieved the highest yield (22.2 kg per plant) when grafted onto the Paulsen 1103 rootstock, which was superior to the yield on 101-14 MgT, IAC 313, and IAC 572 rootstocks. The highest number of bunches (88) was obtained with ‘BRS Tainá’ grafted on Paulsen 1103, while the lowest number (63) was obtained on IAC 572; both these rootstocks were not significantly different from the other rootstocks. For all scion–rootstock combinations, the mean values for soluble solid (SS) content, titratable acidity (TA), and the SS/TA ratio were similar to those previously described for ‘BRS Tainá’, meeting the commercialization standard. The results for the yield and number of bunches per plant indicate the suitability of grafting ‘BRS Tainá’ on Paulsen 1103 under the semi-arid tropical conditions of the São Francisco Valley.

The cacao fruit is a rich source of polyphenols, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, which possess significant health benefits. The accurate identification and quantification of these bioactive compounds extracted from different parts of the cacao fruit, such as pods, beans, nibs, and cacao shells, require specific treatment conditions and analytical techniques. This review presents a comprehensive comparison of extraction processes and analytical techniques used to identify and quantify polyphenols from various parts of the cacao fruit. Additionally, it highlights the environmental impact of these methods, exploring the challenges and opportunities in selecting and utilizing extraction, analytical, and impact assessment techniques, while considering polyphenols’ yield. The review aims to provide a thorough overview of the current knowledge that can guide future decisions for those seeking to obtain polyphenols from different parts of the cacao fruit.

Globally, there has been an increase in stringent regulations governing the use of chemical soil fumigants for controlling diseases, pests, and weeds. Grafting has been identified as an effective alternative to soil fumigation for managing soilborne diseases and pests in intensive vegetable cropping systems. The majority of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) grafting research confirms that selected rootstocks play a role in improving plant resistance or tolerance to common soilborne diseases. Currently, there is a lack of evidence-based literature on the effects of grafting on watermelon fruit quality attributes and yield components. Previous reviews report wide variation in the impact of grafting on watermelon production, depending on rootstock-scion combinations and environmental conditions. This review employed evidence-based synthesis methods to comprehensively and methodically summarize research results of the impact of grafting on watermelon, with a focus on fruit quality and yield. In this systematic review, 548 citations (studies published during 2011-21) were screened against strict inclusion criteria, and data were extracted from 47 studies. Meta-analysis of percent differences between the grafted watermelon treatment and the nongrafted or self-grafted watermelon control was performed using extracted data of yield components and a wide range of fruit quality attributes. Meta-analysis of research data with variance measures was also conducted based on a rather limited number of studies. Our findings showed higher levels of total yield, average fruit weight, fruit length and width, fruit lycopene and soluble solids content, rind thickness, flesh firmness, lightness, chroma, and flesh nitrogen (N) content in grafted watermelon treatments compared with the nongrafted or self-grafted control. In particular, total yield, average fruit weight, and flesh firmness exhibited significant increases of a more than 10% difference. In contrast, grafted plants demonstrated decreases in fruit pH, hue angle, and flesh calcium content, although the reduction was not greater than 10% relative to the control. Meta-analysis of research data with variance measures further confirmed significantly greater total yield and flesh N content in grafted watermelon treatments compared with the nongrafted or self-grafted control. In addition, the meta-analysis results confirmed greater benefits of watermelon grafting in the presence of known soilborne disease pressure in contrast to the production scenarios without soilborne disease problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

. Since the first occurrence of Huanglongbing (HLB) in the Florida commercial citrus industry in 2004, fruit yield and yield components of HLB-affected citrus have declined in endemically affected citrus tree groves. Optimal fertilization is thus critical for improving tree performance because nutrients are vital for tree growth and development, and play a significant role in tree disease resistance against various biotic and abiotic stresses. The objective of the current study was to determine whether leaf nutrient concentration, tree growth, yield, and postharvest quality of HLB-affected citrus trees were improved by the split application of nutrients. The four micronutrient application rates were used as fixed factors and the three nitrogen (N) rates were used as random factors for leaf nutrient analyses, tree growth, fruit yield, and postharvest analyses. Significant leaf manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were detected when trees received foliar and soil-applied micronutrients regardless of the N rates. There was a strong regression analysis of leaf Mn and Zn nutrient concentration and nutrient rates with R²: 0.61 and 0.59, respectively. As a result, a significant leaf area index associated with foliar and soil-applied micronutrient rates had a positive correlation with leaf area index and soil pH with R²: 0.58 and 0.63 during the spring and summer seasons, respectively. Trees that received a moderate (224 kg·ha-1) N rate showed the least fruit decay percentage and total soluble solids (TSS) of 8% more than the lowest (168 kg·ha-1) and highest (280 kg·ha-1) N rates, even though fruit yield variations were barely detected as these micronutrients promoted vegetative growth. Moreover, the TSS to titratable acidity (TA) ratio of foliar and soil-applied micronutrient-treated trees showed 2% and 7% greater values than the foliar-only treated and control trees, respectively. Although micronutrients exacerbated stem-end rind breakdown (SERB), these nutrients significantly improved fruit storage when the fruits were stored for extended periods (8–11 weeks). Thus, moderate N rate, foliar (1×), and soil-applied (1×) micronutrient treatments improved tree growth, fruit postharvest, and fruit storage characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different irrigation water quality and silicon doses on leaf soil plant analysis development meter readings, chlorophyll content and carotenoid contents of tomato plants. Tybiff Aq tomato seedlings were grown in 3-liter pots filled with 1100 g of 1:1 peatperlite mixture for 70 days. Four different types of irrigation water quality were prepared with the use of sea and tap water. Irrigation waters included i) Full seawater, ii) ½ seawater + ½ tap water, iii) ¼ seawater + ¾ tap water, iv) full tap water (control). Each irrigation water was supplemented with silica gel (SiO2.x H2O) at 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mM Si doses. Nutrient solutions were supplied to meet macro and micronutrient requirements of tomato plants. Leaf chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents significantly increased with increasing tap water ratios of the irrigation water. Significant increases were observed in chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents with increasing silicon doses. Such increases achieved with silicon treatments were more remarkable for chlorophyll-a and total chlorophyll contents. Leaf chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents significantly decreased with increasing leaf sodium, chlorine and magnesium contents, but significantly increased with increasing leaf active iron and potassium contents. Leaf chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents increased with increasing leaf calcium contents, but such increases were not significant. Leaf carotenoid contents significantly increased with increasing tap water ratios of the irrigation water. Effects of silicon doses on leaf carotenoid contents varied with the type of irrigation water. The 0.5 mM silicon supplementation into tap water significantly increased carotenoid contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean tillage frequently causes the loss of soil nutrients and weakens microbial ecosystem service functions. In order to improve orchard soil nutrient cycling, enhance enzyme activities and microbial community structure in a "Jiro" sweet persimmon orchard, sod culture management was carried out to clarify the relationship among soil nutrient, microbial communities, and fruit yield and quality in persimmon orchard. The results showed that sod culture management increased the content of organic matter, total organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the soil, thus improving soil fertility. Compared with clean tillage orchards, sod culture methods significantly increased soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) content. The abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE) and the simplest richness estimators (Chao l) indices of the bacterial community and all diversity and richness indices of the fungal community significantly increased in the sod culture orchard, which indicated that sod culture could increase the richness and diversity of the soil microbial community. The dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria (32.21~41.13%) and Acidobacteria (18.76~23.86%), and the dominant fungal phyla were Mortierellomycota (31.11~83.40%) and Ascomycota (3.45~60.14%). Sod culture drove the composition of the microbial community to increase the beneficial microbiome. Correlation analyses and partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) comparative analyses showed that the soil chemical properties (mainly including soil organic matter content, total organic carbon content, total potassium content, and total nitrogen content), soil enzyme activities and soil microorganisms were strongly correlated with fruit yield and quality. Meanwhile, soil nutrient, soil enzyme, and soil microbes had also influenced each other. Our results showed that long-term ryegrass planting could improve soil fertility, enzyme activities, and microbial community compositions. Such changes might lead to a cascading effect on the fruit yield and quality of "Jiro" sweet persimmons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raising attentions have focused on how to alleviate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from orchard system while simultaneously increase fruit production. Microalgae-based biofertilizer represents a promising resource for improving soil fertility and higher productivity. However, the effects of microalgae application more especially live microalgae on GHG emissions are understudied. In this study, fruit yield and quality, GHG emissions, as well as soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions were examined in a hawthorn orchard, under the effects of live microalgae-based biofertilizer applied at three doses and two modes. Compared with conventional fertilization, microalgae improved hawthorn yield by 15.7%−29.6% with a maximal increment at medium dose by root application, and significantly increased soluble and reducing sugars contents at high dose. While microalgae did not increase GHG emissions except for nitrous oxide at high dose by root application, instead it significantly increased methane uptake by 1.5−2.3 times in root application. In addition, microalgae showed an increasing trend in soil organic carbon content, and significantly increased the contents of soil dissolved organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon, as well as soil ammonium nitrogen and dissolved organic nitrogen at medium dose with root application. Overall, the results indicated that the live microalgae could be used as a green biofertilizer for improving fruit yield without increasing GHG emissions intensity and the comprehensive greenhouse effect, in particular at medium dose with root application. We presume that if lowering chemical fertilizer rates, application of the live microalgae-based biofertilizer may help to reduce nitrous oxide emissions without compromising fruit yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outdoor experiment was performed for six months to evaluate the effects of organic fertilizers obtained from marine residual materials on strawberry plants. Three types of organic fertilizers were used, i.e., cod (Gadus morhua) bone powder, common ling (Molva molva) bone powder, and pellets obtained by mixing small cod bone powder and rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) residues. A tabletop system for strawberry cultivation was designed, in which two bare-root strawberry plants of cultivar 'Albion' were planted in a peat substrate in each pot. Five treatments were applied, i.e., cod bone powder (F1), common ling bone powder (F2), small cod bone powder and rockweed residue pellets (FA), chemical fertilizer (E), and a control (C). The number of leaves and their nutrient content, fruit yield and quality characteristics of the strawberries grown using the organic fertilizers were similar or better than those corresponding to treatments E and C. Organic fertilizers derived from the residues of fish and macroalgae could be a promising alternative to chemical fertilizers in strawberry production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】 Water and nutrients combine to mediate crop acquisition of resources from soil. This paper studies the integrated effect of irrigation and fertilization on yield and fruit quality, as well as water use efficiency of substrate-cultured tomato. 【Method】 The experiment was conducted in a solar greenhouse at Hexi in northwestern China. The substrates used in the experiment comprised 50% of corn straw, 30% of slag, and 20% of cow dung and biological microbes. There were four irrigation-fertigation treatments: N 615 kg/hm2, P2O5 315 kg/hm2, K2O 750 kg/hm2, and irrigation 6 000 m3/hm2 (T0, used by local farmers); N 435 kg/hm2, P2O5 150 kg/hm2, K2O 600 kg/hm2, and irrigation 4 500 m3/hm2 (T1); reducing the irrigation and fertilization in T0 by 10% (T2), reducing the irrigation and fertilization in T1 by 10% (T3). For each treatment, we measured fruit yield and quality, and its water use efficiency. 【Result】 Irrigation and fertilization affected fruit yield and quality, and the water-fertilizer utilization efficiency significantly. The biomass, oxidase activity, proline, quality indexes, yield, and water-fertilizer utilization efficiency of the crop were the highest in T3, least in T0, with T1 and T2 between. T3 gave the highest commercial-standard tomato fruits (87%) and best fruit flavor, with the ratio of soluble sugar to organic acids being 5.13. Compared to T0, other treatments increased the fruit yield by 3.6% to 27.8%. T3 gave the highest yield (152 489.25 kg/hm2), the highest irrigation water use efficiency and partial fertilizer productivity, which were 30.8 kg/m3 and 116.9 kg/kg, respectively. 【Conclusion】 Irrigating 4 950 m3/hm2 of water coupled with fertilizing 480 kg/hm2 N, 165 kg/hm2 P2O5 and 660 kg/hm2 K2O was optimal to improve growth, fruit yield and quality, and water-fertilizer use efficiency of the substrate-cultured tomato grown in solar greenhouses in the arid areas in Hexi, northwestern China.

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

Background: Xylella fastidiosa is a multi-host bacterium that can be detected in hundreds of plant species including several crops. Diseases caused by X. fastidiosa are considered a threat to global food production. The primary method for managing diseases caused by X. fastidiosa involves using insecticides to control the vector. Hence, it is necessary to adopt new and sustainable disease management technologies to control not only the insect but also the bacteria and plant health. We demonstrated that N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a low-cost cysteine analogue, is a sustainable molecule that can be used in agriculture to decrease the damage caused by X. fastidiosa and improve plant health., Results: Using 15 N-NAC we proved that this analogue was absorbed by the roots and transported to different parts of the plant. Inside the plant, NAC reduced the bacterial population by 60-fold and the number of xylem vessels blocked by bacterial biofilms. This reflected in a recovery of 0.28-fold of the daily sap flow compared to health plants. In addition, NAC-treated citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) plants decreased the oxidative stress by improving the activity of detoxifying enzymes. Moreover, the use of NAC in field conditions positively contributed to the increase in fruit yield of CVC-diseased plants., Conclusion: Our research not only advances the understanding of NAC absorption in plants, but also indicates its dual effect as an antimicrobial and antioxidant molecule. This, in turn, negatively affects bacterial survival while improving plant health by decreasing oxidative stress. Overall, the positive field-based evidence supports the viability of NAC as a sustainable agricultural application. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

In viticulture, choosing the most suitable rootstock for a specific scion cultivar is an efficient and cost-effective way to increase yield and enhance the physicochemical characteristics of the fruit. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic performance of the 'BRS Tainá' grapevine on different rootstocks under the conditions of the Sub-Middle São Francisco Valley. The main experimental factor consisted of eight rootstocks (IAC 313, IAC 572, IAC 766, 101-14 MgT, Paulsen 1103, Ramsey, SO4, and Teleki 5C), arranged in randomized blocks with four replicates. The experiment was conducted over four production cycles, from 2021 to 2023, in a commercial crop area in Petrolina, PE, Brazil. There were significant effects of rootstocks for the yield and number of bunches per plant, as well as berry length and firmness. 'BRS Tainá' achieved the highest yield (22.2 kg per plant) when grafted onto the Paulsen 1103 rootstock, which was superior to the yield on 101-14 MgT, IAC 313, and IAC 572 rootstocks. The highest number of bunches (88) was obtained with 'BRS Tainá' grafted on Paulsen 1103, while the lowest number (63) was obtained on IAC 572; both these rootstocks were not significantly different from the other rootstocks. For all scion-rootstock combinations, the mean values for soluble solid (SS) content, titratable acidity (TA), and the SS/TA ratio were similar to those previously described for 'BRS Tainá', meeting the commercialization standard. The results for the yield and number of bunches per plant indicate the suitability of grafting 'BRS Tainá' on Paulsen 1103 under the semi-arid tropical conditions of the São Francisco Valley.

The cacao fruit is a rich source of polyphenols, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, which possess significant health benefits. The accurate identification and quantification of these bioactive compounds extracted from different parts of the cacao fruit, such as pods, beans, nibs, and cacao shells, require specific treatment conditions and analytical techniques. This review presents a comprehensive comparison of extraction processes and analytical techniques used to identify and quantify polyphenols from various parts of the cacao fruit. Additionally, it highlights the environmental impact of these methods, exploring the challenges and opportunities in selecting and utilizing extraction, analytical, and impact assessment techniques, while considering polyphenols' yield. The review aims to provide a thorough overview of the current knowledge that can guide future decisions for those seeking to obtain polyphenols from different parts of the cacao fruit.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different irrigation water treatments and silicon doses on leaf SPAD meter readings, chlorophyll content and carotenoid contents of tomato plants. Tybiff Aq tomato seedling were grown in 3-liter pots filled with 1100 g of 1:1 peat-perlite mixture for 70 days. Four different type of irrigation waters were prepared with the use of sea and tap water. Irrigation waters included I) Full sea water, II) ½ sea water + ½ tap water, III) ¼ sea water + ¾ tap water, IV) Full tap water (control). Each irrigation water was supplemented with silica gel (SiO2.xH2O) at 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mM Si doses. Nutrient solutions were supplied to meet macro and micronutrient requirements of tomato plants. Leaf chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents significantly increased with increasing tap water ratios of the irrigation water. Significant increases were observed in chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents with increasing silicon doses. Such increases achieved with silicon treatments were more remarkable for chlorophyll-a and total chlorophyll contents. Leaf chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents significantly decreased with increasing leaf sodium, chlorine and magnesium contents, but significantly increased with increasing leaf active iron and potassium contents. Leaf chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents increased with increasing leaf calcium contents, but such increases were not significant. Leaf carotenoid contents significantly increased with increasing tap water ratios of the irrigation water. Effects of silicon doses on leaf carotenoid contents varied with the type of irrigation water. The 0.5 mM silicon supplementation into tap water significantly increased carotenoid contents.

Globally, there has been an increase in stringent regulations governing the use of chemical soil fumigants for controlling diseases, pests, and weeds. Grafting has been identified as an effective alternative to soil fumigation for managing soilborne diseases and pests in intensive vegetable cropping systems. The majority of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) grafting research confirms that selected rootstocks play a role in improving plant resistance or tolerance to common soilborne diseases. Currently, there is a lack of evidence-based literature on the effects of grafting on watermelon fruit quality attributes and yield components. Previous reviews report wide variation in the impact of grafting on watermelon production, depending on rootstock–scion combinations and environmental conditions. This review employed evidence-based synthesis methods to comprehensively and methodically summarize research results of the impact of grafting on watermelon, with a focus on fruit quality and yield. In this systematic review, 548 citations (studies published during 2011–21) were screened against strict inclusion criteria, and data were extracted from 47 studies. Meta-analysis of percent differences between the grafted watermelon treatment and the nongrafted or self-grafted watermelon control was performed using extracted data of yield components and a wide range of fruit quality attributes. Meta-analysis of research data with variance measures was also conducted based on a rather limited number of studies. Our findings showed higher levels of total yield, average fruit weight, fruit length and width, fruit lycopene and soluble solids content, rind thickness, flesh firmness, lightness, chroma, and flesh nitrogen (N) content in grafted watermelon treatments compared with the nongrafted or self-grafted control. In particular, total yield, average fruit weight, and flesh firmness exhibited significant increases of a more than 10% difference. In contrast, grafted plants demonstrated decreases in fruit pH, hue angle, and flesh calcium content, although the reduction was not greater than 10% relative to the control. Meta-analysis of research data with variance measures further confirmed significantly greater total yield and flesh N content in grafted watermelon treatments compared with the nongrafted or self-grafted control. In addition, the meta-analysis results confirmed greater benefits of watermelon grafting in the presence of known soilborne disease pressure in contrast to the production scenarios without soilborne disease problems.

Purpose A field study was conducted at Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia, with an objective to find out an optimum combination of inorganic (NP) fertilizer and excreta-based vermicompost for best economic yield and quality of tomato and to assess their effect on selected physicochemical properties of amended soil after crop harvest. Methods The experiment consisted of eight treatments where the mineral (NP) fertilizer and the excreta-based vermicompost were combined in different proportions being arranged in a completely randomized block design replicated three times. Results Growth, yield and quality attributes of tomato as well as the post-harvest soil nutrient status were markedly influenced by the nutrient treatments. The highest values for the various growth, yield and quality attributing parameters were recorded for the treatment combination consisting 75% of the recommended rate of NP fertilizer ? 11.25 ton ha-1 vermicompost (T6), this treatment was also observed to have the highest net benefit with acceptable economic return as well as a fairly high residual soil nutrient status. Following this treatment, is the integration of 50% of recommended rate of NP fertilizer ? 7.5 ton ha-1 vermicompost (T3) which surpassed the sole mineral fertilizer and vermicompost in terms of the cropâs yield and its economic return. Conclusion 25â50% of the recommended rate of chemical fertilizer can be supplemented through vermicompost. However, in order to generate more reliable information, there is a need to conduct more such studies using more integration ratios of these nutrient sources (NP fertilizer and vermicompost) at various soil and agro-climatic conditions.

Organic materials added to soil create anaerobic conditions that can reduce soil-borne pathogens that reduce the yield and quality of agricultural crops. Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) requires relatively large quantities of readily available, inexpensive organic materials. We evaluated the impact of ASD with rice bran and biochar organic materials on changes to the soil’s physicochemical properties, microbial taxa, and strawberry fruit yield. We found that the organic materials applied at different dose rates significantly increased the control effect of the soil Fusarium spp. and Phytophthora spp. to 69–99% and 63–98%, respectively. In addition, ASD significantly increased soil organic matter and ammonium nitrogen contents. Strawberry yield also increased significantly after ASD treatment with biochar applied at 10 t/ha, which was positively correlated with increased soil nutrients and a significant reduction in pathogens. High-throughput gene sequencing showed that ASD significantly increased the abundance of some beneficial microorganisms such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Mortierella, possibly due to changes in the soil’s physicochemical properties that favored their survival. We found for the first time that biochar applied at 10 t/ha could create anaerobic conditions that effectively reduced soil-borne pathogens and increased crop yield.

The present study investigated the combined effect of chitosan and gibberellic acid on the fruit yield and production of peach (Prunus persica L.). The experiment was conducted to explore sustainable and eco-friendly strategies to enhance peach productivity, reduce chemical inputs, and promote overall plant health. The design was Randomized Complete Block (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment exhibited two factors, application of gibberellic acid (Control, 100, 200, 300 ppm) and chitosan (Control, 50, 100, and 150 ppm) abundant were damaged to take its effect on the performance of peach. An early grand variety of peach was used in this research work. Trees treated with gibberellic acid had resulted in lowest Number of fruits (9.93 kg-1), highest Single Fruit weight (262.01 g), Fruit volume (108.75 cm3), Fruit yield tree-1 (52.3 kg), Fruit firmness (4.29 kg/cm2), Total soluble solid (TSS) (12.82°Brix), Ascorbic Acid (6.3 mg/100g-1), lowest Fruit Drop (8.63%), Chlorophyll content (48.75SPAD), lowest Fruit Juice pH (4.47), were recorded in plants representative with 200 mg L-1 gibberellic acid concentration, Those tree which not treated with gibberellic acid resulted in highest Number of fruits (13.17 kg-1), minimum Single Fruit weight (181.1 g), Fruit volume (89.5 cm3), minimum no of Fruit yield tree-1 (44.58 kg), Fruit firmness (2.5kg/cm2), Total soluble solid (TSS) (9.22°Brix), Ascorbic Acid (4.8 mg/100 g-1), maximum no of Fruit Drop (%), minimum Chlorophyll content (35.8 SPAD), maximum Fruit Juice pH (5.3). On the other kind, Tree treated by chitosan concentration at the level of 150 ppm have resulted in minimum Number of fruits (9.96 kg-1), maximum Single Fruit weight (267.1 g), Fruit volume (109.17 cm3), Fruit yield tree-1 (57.2 kg), Fruit firmness (4.55 kg/cm2), Total soluble solid (TSS) (13.81°Brix), Ascorbic Acid (6.17 mg/100 g-1), minimum Fruit Drop (7.4%), Chlorophyll content (51.33SPAD), minimum Fruit Juice pH (4.49). while trees that were not treated with chitosan concentration is resulted in maximum, Number of fruits (12.38 kg-1), minimum Single Fruit weight (185.6 g), Fruit volume (88.67 cm3), Fruit yield tree-1 (40.81 kg), Fruit firmness (2.8 kg/cm2), Total soluble solid (TSS) (9.28°Brix), Ascorbic Acid (5.1 mg/100 g-1), maximum Fruit Drop (11.7%), Chlorophyll content (33.8SPAD), maximum Fruit Juice pH (5.38). A recorded plant of control treatment has been clear since the investigate data that collected gibberellic acid and chitosan consideration improved peach quality and yield. It will be concluded to gibberellic acid application at the rate of 200 ppm and chitosan use of 150 ppm widely improved fruit yield and quality feature of peach. Therefore, gibberellic acid and chitosan use (200 ppm and 150 ppm) are recommended for attain to a developed growth and as well as peach production in Peshawar climatic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitellaria paradoxa (shea) has interannual variability in fruit yield patterns, which results in unpredictable export volumes. Research on factors accounting for this inconsistency is needed to manage tree stands for optimum yield, but existing studies on the topic have shown conflicting results. In order to synthesize research approaches used in examining determinants of shea reproductive success, and to identify research gaps, we reviewed the existing literature on the subject available in Scopus and Google Scholar from 2000 to 2021. Out of 119 primary research articles identified in our literature search, 40 articles met our predefined inclusion criteria. Geographically, most studies (75%) were conducted in West Africa, and six times as many studies used quantitative approaches compared with either qualitative or mixed method approaches. Fruiting emerged as the most studied aspect of shea reproductive biology (73% of studies), whereas less is known on floral biology and pollination. All studies that assessed the effect of agro-ecology, seasonality, pollination, and altitude reported significant effect of these factors on fruit yield. However, there were divergent outcomes on land use/management, dendrometry and parkland tree diversity on fruit yield. The majority of the studies examined single factor effects on yield for one flowering/fruiting season, which is a major weakness of the existing research. We recommended several strategies to improve the reliability of future studies on determinants of shea reproductive success, such as designing multi-factorial experiments to cater for extraneous variables, profiling land use history of the shea parkland and conducting experiments for multiple seasons.

The African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L., Gilo group) is one of the most common traditional vegetables in Tanzania. The yield of the African eggplant in Tanzania is far lower than the potential yield expected, which is due primarily to biotic and abiotic stresses. We conducted experiments at two locations in Tanzania to study whether or not plant growth and the fruit yield of the Gilo group of African eggplant can be significantly improved through transplanting coupled with the inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) at sowing. Many plants, particularly for the directly sown treatment, died well before harvesting, and, in addition, many surviving plants showed symptoms of wilting. The transplanting of tray seedlings and using AMF inocula at sowing led to an overall significant increase in fruit yield by 30%–40% and 20%–25%, respectively. Increased fruit yield per experimental plot resulted primarily from a greater number of plants that survived and reached the harvesting stage. The exact effect of planting method (i.e., transplanting or direct sowing) and AMF inoculation, however, varied greatly with plant accessions. Further research is needed to understand the cause(s) for plant mortality in order to develop appropriate plant management practices.

Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which causes huanglongbing (HLB) in citrus trees, has a great impact on tree root health, fruit development, and juice quality. HLB-affected trees have a fibrous root density loss of ∼30% to 80%, resulting in the limited capacity of citrus trees to uptake nutrients. Therefore, this study was conducted for 3 years to 1) assess the temporal changes in root density as a result of varied fertilization, 2) determine dynamics of HLB with regard to root growth and distribution as a result of varied fertilization for Valencia orange trees, and 3) evaluate the impact of varied fertilization rate and method of fertilization on fruit yield for HLB-affected trees. Macronutrients and micronutrients were applied at varying fertilization rates (0×, 1×, 2×, and 4×, of University of Florida guidelines). Root scans were done using minirhizotrons at 0 to 19.1 cm, 19.1 to 40.7 cm, 38.2 to 59.8 cm, and 57.3 to 78.9 cm soil depths. Results obtained from the study showed that root growth and distribution were greater in 0 to 19.1 cm than 19.1 to 40.7 cm to 57.3 to 78.9 cm soil depths. Thus, root growth decreased (P < 0.0004) with increasing soil depth due to variation in nutrient availability for tree uptake. Increased nutrient availability at occurrence of physiological processes in citrus trees also influenced root growth and distribution, resulting in root growth flushes in the months of Nov to early Feb and Jul to early Aug. Fruit yield was significantly different between treatments in 2 of the 4 years of the study (P = 0.001 and P = 0.003), and largely ascribed to soil fertilization of micronutrients compared with foliar. Therefore, at higher fertilization rates, particularly via soil application, nutrient availability was increased, thus promoting root growth and distribution and fruit yield in HLB-affected orange trees.

Due to a scarcity of freshwater resources, agriculture is dependent on the use of poor quality water for irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions. Hence, the effective use of poor quality water requires pioneering water management and nitrogen fertilizer practices for increasing yield and resource efficiency. This study aimed to investigate the effect of saline water levels, nitrogen fertilizer, and irrigation methods on eggplant yield, water productivity, NPK uptake, and nitrogen use efficiency. The experiment was conducted in 2019 and 2020 under drip (IM1) and surface flood irrigation (IM2). The treatments included three saline water levels i.e. canal water (SW1), ECiw=2.5 dS/m (SW2), and ECiw=5.0 dS/m (SW3) along with the three nitrogen levels of 75% (N1), 100% (N2), and 125% (N3) of the recommended dose of nitrogen. Application of saline water using IM1 reduced the ECe by 41.8% (SW2) and 34% (SW3) over IM2. The fruit yield, water productivity (WP), NPK uptake, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was increased by 22%, 127.6%, 39.8%, 16.6%, 11.8%, and 23.8% under IM1 over IM2, respectively. A high saline water level under IM2 can cause more reduction in fruit yield, NPK uptake, and water use. Applying saline water through IM1 improves fruit yield, WP, and NUE by 13-32.8%, 104.1-147.3%, and 10.5-35.2% as compared to IM2. We found that saline water and N applied by drip improved eggplant yield, water productivity, and NPK uptake. It is concluded that irrigation water and nitrogen fertilizer consumption are optimized when saline water is applied through drip irrigation.

ABSTRACT Bacterial diseases are a major cause of yield loss in tomato plants worldwide, and there is a need to identify strategies for control of these diseases. Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum (RS) and bacterial spot caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv vesicatoria (Xav) are amongst the bacterial diseases affecting tomato crops. The current study investigates Euphorbia hirta (E. hirta) methanol extract (EHM) for its antibacterial activity against RS, and Xav induced diseases in tomato plants, along with its biostimulant potential in increasing fruit yield. EHM at 1280 mg/L exhibited 90% inhibition in the growth of both RS and Xav bacteria. Further, evaluation of EHM on Arka Vikas, a susceptible tomato variety, showed that pre-treatment of 15 days and 45 days tomato plants with 1280 mg/L EHM exhibited moderate resistance to bacterial wilt and spot disease, respectively, with increased tomato yield and improved chlorophyll b levels compared to control plants. The effectiveness of EHM in increasing fruit yield was further confirmed using field evaluation on ‘Namdhari NS 538’ variety of tomato plants. A 3.5-fold increase in numbers and weight of tomato was observed with foliar application of EHM (1280 mg/L). A significant reduction in fruit spoilage along with an increase in mRNA level of ethylene receptor factor (ERF1) was also observed. The study is the first to demonstrate the cost-effective and eco-friendly antibacterial and biostimulant potential of EHM (1280 mg/L) for tomato plants.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is Egypt's third major fruit crop. The latest study aimed to evaluate 11 foreign mango cultivars Kent, Palmar, Yasmina Rose, Shelly, Nam Doc Mai, Osten, Glenn, Sensation, Kensington Pride, Heidi, and Joa, in two successive seasons of 2018 and 2019, under Egyptian environmental conditions. The experiment comprised a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 11 treatments and three replications to analyze the mango cultivars for floral aspects, fruit yield, its components, and fruit quality characteristics. Results indicated that cultivars Sensation and Yasmina Rose produced the highest fruit yield per tree. Cultivars Osten, Yasmina Rose, and Kent gained the maximum fruit weight. The study noted the uppermost value of fruit retention (%) for cultivars Palmar, Osten, and Joa. As for the initial fruit set, the highest value appeared in cultivars Heidi and Yasmina Rose, while cultivars Heidi and Kensington Pride revealed the highest value of fruit pulp firmness at the early stage of ripening in July. The Shelly cultivar recorded the highest percentage of pulp per fruit, while the lowest fruit fibers and total acidity percentage came from the Glenn cultivar. The fruits of Nam Doc Mai cultivar contained the highest total soluble solids and total sugar percentages, whereas fruits of the Heidi cultivar contained the highest value of vitamin C. Cultivars noted with the alternate bearing habit consisted of Kensington Pride, Palmer, and Shelly, while all other cultivars exhibited regular bearing. Mango cultivars Glenn, Nam Doc Mai, Osten, Kensington Pride, Shelly, Joa, Yasmina Rose, Sensation, Kent, Palmer, and Heidi (first mentioned, most recommended in descending order) received high recommendations for successful cultivation under the Egyptian environmental conditions based on relatively better fruit setting and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering time and fruit yield are important traits in watermelon crop improvement. There is limited information on the inheritance and genomic loci underlying flowering time and yield performance, especially in citron watermelon. A total of 125 citron watermelon accessions were evaluated in field trials over two growing seasons for days to male and female flowers, fruit count, fruit weight, and fruit yield. The germplasm was genotyped with more than two million single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers generated via whole-genome resequencing. Trait mapping was conducted using a genomewide association study (GWAS). Broad-sense heritability for all traits ranged from moderate to high, indicating that genetic improvement through breeding and selection is feasible. Significant marker-trait associations were uncovered for days to female flower (chromosomes Ca04, Ca05, Ca08, and Ca09), fruit count (on Ca02, Ca03, and Ca05), fruit weight (on Ca02, Ca06, Ca08, Ca10, and Ca11), and fruit yield on chromosomes Ca05, Ca07, and Ca09. The phenotypic variation explained by the significant SNPs ranged from 1.6 to 25.4, highlighting the complex genetic architecture of the evaluated traits. Candidate genes relevant to flowering time and fruit yield component traits were uncovered on chromosomes Ca02, Ca04, Ca05, Ca06, Ca09, and Ca11. These results lay a foundation for marker-assisted trait introgression of flowering time and fruit yield component traits in watermelons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out with different tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genotypes during 2018 and 2019 at Division of Basic Sciences and Humanities (SKUAST-K), Shalimar, Srinagar (J&K) to assess the plant and fruit growth with quality characters and mineral composition. Healthy and uniform seedlings of twelve tomato genotypes were transplanted in pots with four replications. Among different genotypes, 2016/TODVAR-9 (G8) recorded the highest leaf area (713.6 cm2) and fruit yield (1.77 kg/plant) that also showed maximum values TSS (4.35%), titrable acidity (1.32%), vitamin C (36.18 mg/100g), lycopene (6.84 mg/100g) and carotenoid (8.28 mg/100g) contents coupled with maximum P (0.83%), K (2.35%), Mg (0.52%) and Ca (0.23%) contents. Regression analysis of the data showed a strong correlation between leaf area and fruit yield (r = 0.86**), leaf area and fruit sugar content (r = 0.60*), PLW and fruit Ca content (r = -0.97**), fruit Ca content and storage life (r = 0.97**) and fruit PLW and storage life (r = -0.98**)

The production of misshapen fruits in 'Hayward' kiwifruit, due to genetic potential, or environmental conditions, is the main factor for reducing exportable and marketable fruits. To solve this problem and produce uniformity in the fruits, it is recommended to thin the malformed fruits immediately after setting. This study was conducted as a randomized complete block design with four replications. The experimental treatments included thinning all of the small, flat, fan-shape and misshapen fruits at four different times: 15, 30, 45 and 60 days after fruit set in the whole vine. Fruits were harvested when reached at maturity stage, and characteristics such as fruit yield per vine, fruit grading according to size, fruit firmness, dry matter percentage, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, TSS/TA, pH and ascorbic acid content were measured. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the thinned and control vines for fruit yield. Fruit thinning times caused a significant increase in the percentage of extra grade fruits, so that the highest extra fruit percentage was found when fruit thinning carried out 15 days after fruit set (49.01%), which showed an increase of about 25 percent compared to control (24.71%). Furthermore, fruits thinning reduced flesh firmness, titratable acid and ascorbic acid as compared to control, but increased fruits dry matter percentage, soluble solids, TSS/TA, pH and fruit volume. Overall, early fruit thinning; 15 days after fruit set, with increasing extra grade fruits and reducing grade 2 and out-of-grade fruits caused improve in proportion of marketable and exportable fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AKFruitYield is a modular software that allows orchard data from RGB-D Azure Kinect cameras to be processed for fruit size and fruit yield estimation. Specifically, two modules have been developed: i) AK_SW_BENCHMARKER that makes it possible to apply different sizing algorithms and allometric yield prediction models to manually labelled color and depth tree images; and ii) AK_VIDEO_ANALYSER that analyses videos on which to automatically detect apples, estimate their size and predict yield at the plot or per hectare scale using the appropriate algorithms. Both modules have easy-to-use graphical interfaces and provide reports that can subsequently be used by other analysis tools.

Growth and yield of watermelon are significantly influenced by spacing and variety. To quantify these effects, field experiments were conducted from August to November 2016 in Ogbomoso and Sepeteri, Oyo State, Nigeria. The treatments consisted of four watermelon cultivars (Sugar baby, Kaolack, Grey belle and Collos F1) and five spacings (1.0 × 0.5 m, 1.0 × 0.75 m, 1.0 × 1.0 m, 1.0 × 1.5 m and 1.0 × 2.0 m). Data collection on reproductive and fruit yield attributes. Results showed that the growth parameters of the crop grown at Sepeteri were significantly better while those grown at Ogbomoso had higher fruit yield/yield parameters. In both locations, spacing significantly (p = 0.05) influenced the fruit yield parameters for all the varieties. In Collos F1, vine line, number of secondary vines, leaves, flowers and rotten fruits were the highest while the number of fruits/plot and fruit yield (t/ha) were significantly higher in Kaolack cultivar. Spacing however had no significant influence on growth parameters but significantly affected number of fruits/plot and fruit yield/ha. In Ogbomoso, Kaolack sown at 1.0 x 0.75 m had highest fruit yield (41.7 t/ha) while the least (9.3 t/ha) was obtained from Sugar baby sown at 1.0 x 0.5m. Similarly, in Sepeteri, Kaolack sown at 1.0 x 0.75 m produced the highest fruit yield (19.4 t/ha) while the least (5.0 t/ha) was obtained from Collos F1 at 1.0 x 1.5 m. Planting Kaolack at spacing 1.0 x 0.75 m in both Ogbomoso and Sepeteri was the best agronomic practices for achieving the best fruit yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We evaluated the effect of Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract (ASE) formulation on tomato under drought stress. • Tomato yielded more when ASE was applied at 5 mL L–1 as a soil drench than as a foliar spray. • Water productivity was maximized at 5 mL L–1 for all soil moisture levels. • Soil or foliar application of ASE at 5 mL L−1 could be regarded as an optimum dose. • ASE at 5 mL L−1 as a soil drench is more effective than its application as a foliar spray. The scarcity of irrigation water is a major threat restricting growth and productivity of almost all agronomic and horticultural crops. The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is no exception. Seaweed extracts are widely used as biostimulants for the improvement of plant growth and development. Two independent pot experiments were conducted to find out the best soil drench or foliar spray dose of a commercial Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract (ASE) formulation (Amino Seaweed, SV Group, Bangkok, Thailand) on growth, physiological and biochemical parameters, fruit yield, quality, and water productivity of tomato under water-deficit stress. The commercial ASE formulation was applied in five doses (0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mL L−1) as a soil drench (Experiment 1) or as a foliar spray (Experiment 2) under three soil moisture levels (50, 75, and 100% field capacity [FC]). Severe soil moisture deficit of 50% FC caused a 67 and 52% reduction in fruit yield, 11 and 11% reduction in fruit length, 25 and 29% decrease in leaf relative water content, while total soluble solids content was increased by 38 and 49% compared with 100% FC in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Soil drench or foliar spray of the commercial ASE formulation at 5 mL L−1 was effective at all soil moisture levels. Soil drench of the commercial ASE formulation at 5 mL L−1 resulted in 225% higher fruit yield in comparison to the untreated plants at 50% FC, whereas its application as a foliar spray resulted in 271% higher fruit yield in comparison to the untreated plants subjected to severe water-deficit stress (50% FC). Water productivity was found lower for the untreated plants regardless of soil moisture levels in both application methods; however, it was maximized at 5 mL L–1 for all soil moisture levels. The beneficial effects of 5 mL L–1 ASE formulation dose was also evident in physiological/biochemical traits and fruit quality of tomato regardless of application methods. Tomato yielded more when the commercial ASE formulation was applied at 5 mL L–1 as a soil drench (523.3 g plant–1 fruit yield) rather than as a foliar spray treatment (397.1 g plant–1 fruit yield). The results indicate that (i) 5 mL L−1 could be regarded as an optimum dose of the commercial ASE formulation for tomato applied either as a soil drench or foliar spray and (ii) exogenous application of the commercial ASE formulation at 5 mL L−1 as a soil drench treatment is more efficient, especially in fruit yield improvement, compared with its application as a foliar spray and, therefore, this technique holds promise for tomato cultivation under moderate water-deficit stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theobroma grandiflorum is a perennial fruit-bearing species with a long breeding cycle (~ 12 years). In multi-harvest data analyses, one frequently observes heteroscedasticity and genetic/statistical imbalance, which requires adequate statistical methods. This study aimed to (i) compare multi-harvest models with homogenous and heterogeneous residual variance, (ii) define the optimal number of harvests for an accurate genetic selection of T. grandiflorum genotypes, and (iii) select T. grandiflorum hybrid families with high fruit yield and resistance to witches' broom using an additive index. We used a generalized linear mixed model to analyse the resistance to witches' broom. The data refers to an unbalanced trial with 34 triple-cross hybrid families, arranged in a randomized complete block design. We evaluated these families throughout 9 consecutive harvest years regarding fruit yield and resistance to witches' broom. The variance components, genetic parameters and genotypic values were estimated/predicted through residual maximum likelihood/best linear unbiased prediction methodologies. The model with heterogeneous residuals had a better fit than the homogeneous model for the fruit yield trait, according to Akaike information criterion. The results attest to the genetic variability in the evaluated population. To select the best individual for the next breeding cycle, three harvests are enough for selecting accurately for fruit yield and resistance to witches' broom. For commercial release, nine harvests are necessary for both traits. We identified ten high-performance families regarding fruit yield and resistance to witches' broom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important management strategy for the development of sustainable agriculture in orchards is the management of ground cover. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the effects of ground cover on fruit yield and quality. We performed a meta-analysis of 580 observations collected from 116 peer-reviewed field studies, to assess the effects of ground cover on fruit yield and quality indicators. Overall, ground cover significantly increased fruit yield, soluble solid content, sugar content, and vitamin C content by 6.98%, 6.77%, 7.83%, and 14.59%, respectively, and significantly reduced fruit acidity by 10.63%. The effects of ground cover on fruit yield and quality were greater in subtropical regions and semi-humid, humid zone. These effects also mostly depended on ground cover types. Cover crops and mulch both significantly improved fruit quality. However, compared to clean tillage practice, legume cover crops substantially enhanced fruit yield while non-legume cover crops significantly decreased fruit yield. This effect was attributed to greater soil moisture and fertility with legume cover crops. Our analysis synthesized the scientific evidence on ground cover management to help orchard managers and policy makers improve orchard fruit yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Understanding the mutual co-ordination of vegetative and reproductive growth is important in both agricultural and ecological settings. A competitive relationship between vegetative growth and fruiting is often highlighted, resulting in an apparent trade-off between structural growth and fruit production. However, our understanding of factors driving this relationship is limited. Methods We used four scions grafted onto a series of size-controlling rootstocks to evaluate the relationships between the annual fruit yield and radial growth of trunks, branches and roots. To assess tree radial growth, we measured ring widths on extracted tree cores, which is an approach not frequently used in a horticultural setting. Key Results We found that the yield and radial growth were negatively related when plotted in absolute terms or as detrended and normalized indices. The relationship was stronger in low vigour trees, but only after the age-related trend was removed. In contrast, when trunk radial growth was expressed as basal area increment, the negative relationship disappeared, suggesting that the relationship between trunk radial growth and fruit yield might not be a true trade-off related to the competition between the two sinks. The effect of low yield was associated with increased secondary growth not only in trunks but also in branches and roots. In trunks, we observed that overcropping was associated with reduced secondary growth in a subsequent year, possibly due to the depletion of reserves. Conclusions Our results show that variation in annual fruit yield due to tree ageing, weather cueing and inherent alternate bearing behaviour is reflected in the magnitude of secondary growth of fruit trees. We found little support for the competition/architecture theory of rootstock-induced growth vigour control. More broadly, our study aimed at bridging the gap between forest ecology and horticulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verticillium dahliae (Vd) and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) are two major fungal pathogens that infect tomato plants, causing significant challenges in their control since both pathogens can persist in the soil for several years even in the absence of a host plant and no effective fungicides are available at present. This study investigated the efficacy of two biocontrol formulations, Clonotri (containing Trichoderma and Clonostachys microorganisms) and Strepse (comprising Streptomyces and Pseudomonas microorganisms), against Vd and Fol and their impact on tomato fruit quality and yield under greenhouse conditions. The pathogenicity experiment demonstrated that the Clonotri formulation, containing Trichoderma and Clonostachys spores, significantly reduced Fusarium wilt disease by 32% compared to the control group. However, in the Vd pathogenicity experiment, the formulations did not exhibit disease reduction, although treatment with Strepse, containing Streptomyces and Pseudomonas microorganisms, resulted in a preserved total fruit number when compared to uninfected plants. Analysis of fruit quality attributes revealed no significant differences among the various interventions. Furthermore, Fol infection in the first fruit set significantly increased fruit firmness, while Vd infection resulted in elevated levels of total soluble solids in fruits. These findings demonstrate that the evaluated biocontrol formulations provide a degree of protection against fungal wilt pathogens in tomato plants and can increase yield in greenhouse conditions while having minimal impact on overall fruit quality attributes.

June-bearing strawberry cultivars have been widely grown in Japan. Since they are harvested in winter and spring, little produce is available in summer and autumn. To achieve stable year-round supply, we need to expand the production area of ever-bearing cultivars. Here, we examined whether it is possible to increase dry matter (DM) production and fruit yield by increasing the CO2 concentration within the plant canopy through local application to promote photosynthesis in summer and autumn protected culture. We investigated the CO2 concentration in the plant canopy, DM production characteristics, yield characteristics, fruit quality, projected leaf area, cumulative light interception, and light use efficiency. We confirmed that the CO2 concentration within the plant canopy could be increased in summer and autumn (Control; 398 ppm, CO2; 1280 ppm), significantly increasing DM production and total yield (Control; 349 g, CO2; 447.5 g). We consider that local application of CO2 increased the projected leaf area and thus cumulative light interception. This method may help to increase fruit yield in summer and autumn protected culture.

Influence of foliar application of potassium nitrate and copper sulfate on the production and quality of Pear cv. Le Conte was carried out at Horticulture Research Farm and Postharvest Laboratory, The University of Agriculture Peshawar-Pakistan, during the year 2018–19. The aim of the study was to get quality pear production with minimal disease incidence. The research was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The study contained two factors, i.e., different concentrations of potassium nitrate (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%) as Factor A, while different levels of copper sulfate (0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, and 0.8%) as factor B and the treatments were applied in spring season at the fruit set stage. The application of 2% potassium nitrate to the pear plants resulted in heaviest fruit (188.30 g), maximum fruit volume (203.80 cm3), fruit yield tree−1 (60.13 kg) with minimum fruit drop (8.52%) and disease incidence (5.28%), while maximum fruit firmness (7.66 kg.cm−2), total soluble solids (12.40 ○Brix), fruit juice pH (5.38), ascorbic acid content (5.56 mg.100 g−1) while minimum Titratable acidity (0.41%) were noted in fruits of plants sprayed with 3% potassium nitrate solution. However, the maximum fruit weight (192.04 g), fruit yield tree−1 (59.06 kg), minimum fruit drop (6.75%), and disease incidences (3.54%) were recorded in pear plants applied with 0.6% foliar copper sulfate solution. However, maximum fruit firmness (7.53 kg.cm−2), total soluble solids (12.38 ○Brix), fruit juice pH (5.31), ascorbic acid content (5.22 mg.100 g−1) with minimum Titratable acidity (0.42%) were noted in the plants sprayed with 0.8% copper sulfate solution. This study will provide a basis for high yield and quality fruit production, which will affect the storability of pear and other important fruit crops. Further studies should be conducted to optimize the dose, timing, and method of application of these fungicides for other pome fruits.

This study was carried out in 2019 to determine the effects of methyl jasmonate (MJ), gibberellic acid (GA3) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) applications on fruit yield and essential oil content in anise (Pimpinella anisum L.). Different concentrations of MJ (0, 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mM), GA3 (0, 50, 100 and 150 ppm) and NAA (0, 25, 50 and 100 ppm) were pulverized to the plant during the beginning of the flowering. Phytohormone applications had a statistically significant effect on the parameters examined in the study, and the effects of the applications generally varied depending on the application doses. While GA3 and NAA applications significantly increased the fruit yield and essential oil content compared to the control, high-dose MJ applications generally had a negative effect on all parameters except that the thousand-grain weight. The highest fruit yield was obtained from 100 and 150 ppm GA3 and 25 and 50 ppm NAA applications, while 1 mM MJ applications significantly reduced fruit yield compared to the control. Depending on the applications, the fruit essential oil content varied between 1.94%-2.69% and the essential oil yield varied between 1.42-3.18 L/da. While the highest essential oil yields were obtained from 100 ppm GA3 and 50 ppm NAA applications, 1 mM MJ applications caused a significant decrease in essential oil yield compared to the control.

Information on gene action controlling the inheritance of quantitative traits is essential for selecting parents for hybridization and multiline varieties. Twenty hybrids obtained through 5 × 5 diallel mating with their parents were established on Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, in September 2018 using Randomized Complete Block Design in three replicates. The plants were observed for numbers of days to 50% flowering, plant height at flowering, stem girth, number of branches per plant, plant height at maturity, number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width, and fruit yield per plant. Data were subjected to variance analysis, General and Specific Combining abilities were estimated, and gene effects and parameter ratios were done using Hayman’s method. Mid- and better-parent heterosis were estimated using Allard’s procedure. Genotype ‘NGB00356’ was the most desirable parent for earliness and the number of fruits per plant, while hybrid ‘NGB00347’ × ‘NGB00356’ was the best hybrid for fruit yield per plant. ‘NGB00356’, with its significant and positive general combining ability value for the number of fruits per plant, can be used as a parent in a hybridization program for yield improvement in okra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Saffron spice owes its commercial appreciation to its specific apocarotenoids: crocins, picrocrocin, and safranal. In Crocus sativus, these compounds are biosynthesized from zeaxanthin through oxidative cleavage by the carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 2 (CCD2). Transgenic tomato plants expressing CsCCD2 in the fruit, named Tomaffron, accumulate high levels of saffron apocarotenoids despite the low substrate availability for CsCCD2. In the present study, CsCCD2 has been introduced into Xantomato; this tomato variety accumulates high levels of zeaxanthin and β‐carotene in ripe fruit due to a combination of four mutant alleles. Xantomato and Tomaffron genotypes have been combined to optimize apocarotenoid production. The best transgenic lines accumulated 15 and 14 times more crocins and picrocrocin than Tomaffron, alongside a fourfold increase in β‐carotene compared to Xantomato, albeit at a cost in fruit yield. Segregation of the four mutations has been carried out to find the best combination for obtaining high levels of saffron apocarotenoids without adverse effects on fruit yield. Plants harboring the high‐pigmented 3 (hp3) and BETA (BSh) mutations accumulated 6 and 15 times more crocins and picrocrocin than Tomaffron, without observable pleiotropic effects. Additionally, those high levels of saffron apocarotenoids were obtained in fruit accumulating high levels of both lycopene and β‐carotene independently or in combination, suggesting a regulatory role for the apocarotenoids produced and indicating that it is possible to increase the levels of both types of healthy promoting molecules simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of four ammonium N rates on fruit yield and leaf nutrient concentration in blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) cultivars grown on a substrate. The experiment was conducted with increasing ammonium sulfate (NH4–N) rates 0, 100, 200, and 300%), using plants of two-year-old of pot-grown nine highbush blueberry cultivars, grown in 35 liters (L) pots with soilless media, consisting of coconut fiber, peat, and perlite at 2:2:1 (v/v). Leaf nutrient concentration was affected by cultivar and nitrogen (N) rate. Increasing the N rate increased N, P (phosphorus), Ca (calcium), Mg (magnesium), S (sulfur), and Mn (manganese) concentrations and decreased K (potassium), Cu (copper), and B (boron) concentrations in most cultivars. Increasing the N rate increased fruit yield per plant equivalent to 67%, 93%, and 152% concerning the control. Considering the highest fruit production obtained with NH4–N rates from 100% to 300% leaf nutrient concentrations (%) ranged from 1.83 to 2.82 for N, 0.10 to 0.15 for P, 0.62 to 1.04 for K, 0.31 to 0.63 for Ca, 0.13 to 0.24 for Mg, and 0.20 to 0.59 for S. The main conclusions obtained are: leaf N and S concentration responded positively to applied N, yield was almost always positively affected by N, and the reference standard for foliar analysis in blueberry should be adjusted according to the cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]