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In this work, pullulan (PUL) nanofibrous films incorporated with water-in-oil emulsions (PE) were prepared by microfluidic blowing spinning (MBS). The microstructures of nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). With the addition of W/O emulsions, the thermal stability, mechanical, and water barrier properties of PUL nanofibers were improved. Increases in emulsion content significantly affected the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of nanofibrous films. ABTS and DPPH free radical scavenging rates increased from 10.26 % and 8.57 % to 60.66 % and 57.54 %, respectively. The inhibition zone of PE nanofibers against E. coli and S. aureus increased from 11.00 to 20.00 and from 15.67 to 21.17 mm, respectively. In addition, we investigated the freshness effectiveness of PE nanofibrous films on fresh-cut apples. PE nanofibrous films significantly maintained the firmness, and reduced the weight loss and browning index of the fresh-cut apple, throughout the 4 days of storage. Thus, the PE nanofibrous films exhibited good potential to prolong the shelf life of fresh-cut fruit and promote the development of active food packaging., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Partial replacement of mineral fertilisers (MF) with animal manures is a good alternative to reduce MF use and increase both nutrient cycling in agriculture and soil organic matter. However, the adoption of this practice must not lead to increased environmental impacts. In this two-year study conducted in an apple orchard, MF were partially replaced with various animal manures, including cattle slurry (CS), acidified cattle slurry (ACS), solid cattle manure (CsM), or poultry manure (PM), and their impacts on greenhouse gas emission (GHG: CO 2 , N 2 O and CH 4 ) were examined. A control (CTRL) receiving only MF served as the baseline, representing the conventional scenario in orchard fertilisation. Overall, replacing MF with manures increased GHG emissions, with the magnitude of the impacts depending on the specific characteristics of the manures and the amount of nutrients and organic matter applied. Comparing to the CTRL, application of ACS and CS led to higher CH 4 and N 2 O emissions, while PM application increased both N 2 O and CO 2 emissions. In contrast, replacement with PM and CsM decreased CH 4 emissions. Nevertheless, results varied between the two years, influenced by several factors, including soil conditions. While acidification showed potential to mitigate CH 4 emissions, it also led to increased N 2 O emissions compared to CS, particularly in 2022, suggesting the need for further investigation to avoid emission trade-offs. Replacement with CS (20.49 t CO 2-eq ha -1 ) and CsM (20.30 t CO 2-eq ha -1 ) showed comparable global warming potential (GWP) to the conventional scenario (CTRL, 19.49 t CO 2-eq ha -1 ), highlighting their potential as viable MF substitutes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Transfer molded pulp packaging (TMPP) is a viable alternative to single use plastic packaging. TMPP is typically produced from recycled newspapers, but the availability of this feedstock material is declining. Apple pomace (AP) pulp, primarily composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and pectin, can be used as the primary component of TMPP, but its high water retention value (WRV) and separation from other pulps (recycled cardboard (CB) in this study) limits its utilizations in TMPP. A pressing and thermal drying cellulose hornification treatment followed by a repulping step was implemented to reduce pulp WRV and enhance AP and CB fiber entanglements. 11 %, 20 %, and 25 % reductions in WRV were achieved through 1 t-force pressing and drying at 120 °C for 2.5, 15, or 27.5 min, named mild, medium, and strong hornification treatments, respectively. Increased AP and CB fiber entanglements were observed via microscopy with rising hornification drying times. The medium hornification treatment was identified as the optimal treatment for reducing pulp WRV and reducing pulp separation without decreasing pulp sheet tensile strength. This study introduced and validated a novel processing technique for improved functionality of AP-based pulp for packaging applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers' bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The Addiction Health Services Research (AHSR) Conference has been held since 2002. This Conference brings together researchers, graduate students, policymakers, and treatment providers to focus improving the organization, distribution, and financing of healthcare resources for prevention/care of SUD. The AHSR 2023 Conference took place in New York City, October 18-20 th , and was hosted by the Center for Health Economics of Treatment Interventions for Substance Use Disorder, HCV, and HIV (CHERISH; cherishresearch.org). Attended by more than 300 participants, the Conference comprised several themes relating to the latest research on addiction health services delivery, financing, and impact. The agenda also included pre-conference workshops, distinguished plenary speakers, a multitude of networking opportunities, and career support for early-stage and minority investigators. AHSR 2023 featured 3 plenary sessions, 120 oral presentations, and 143 poster presentations from academics throughout the world. Overall, AHSR 2023 provided numerous opportunities to advance the field of addiction health services research. The state-of-the-art techniques and insights gained by attending scholars will position them to be change-agents in the addiction field going forward., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: AJG receives an honorarium for an online chapter on alcohol management in the perioperative period from the UpToDate online reference. In the last three years, author AJG has been on the board of directors (without remunerations) of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), the Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction (AMERSA), and the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors (ISAJE), all non-for-profit organizations. These entities had no bearing over the contents of this manuscript. SMM served on an advisory board panel for Indivior, outside the submitted work.

The high-value apple cultivar ‘Honeycrisp’ is prone to bitter pit, a physiological disorder characterized by the development of dark, sunken lesions on fruit particularly towards the calyx-end. Identifying the genetic basis of bitter pit is critical for mitigation of the disorder and development of bitter pit-free varieties. To this end, we performed an RNA sequencing experiment to compare the peel and flesh transcriptomes of healthy and bitter pit-affected ‘Honeycrisp’ fruit, with the objective of identifying bitter pit candidate genes. A similar number of genes were expressed in flesh and peel (~ 27,000), and we detected flesh- and peel-specific expression. Within the flesh and peel datasets, 2.6% and 1% of genes were differentially expressed between healthy and bitter pit apples, respectively. We identified over 1000 differentially expressed genes in both flesh and peel datasets that are distributed throughout the genome, sixteen of which are within a previously identified bitter pit QTL, making them potential candidate genes. Both MdMADS5 and MdIDL1, the orthologs of Arabidopsis APETALA1 and INFLORESCENCE DEFICIENT IN ABSCISSION-LIKE 1, respectively, which are possibly involved in fruit development and organ abscission, stand out as candidate genes for bitter pit, based on their proposed function, differential expression, and location within a bitter pit QTL. The RNA-seq data also revealed that many genes involved with defense response and stress are upregulated in bitter pit-affected tissues. We discuss how these differentially expressed genes could provide important information about the physiology, development, and progression of bitter pit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Cytokinins play a central role in delaying senescence, reducing oxidative damage and maintaining plant growth during drought. This study showed that the ectopic expression of ProRE‐deleted MdIPT5b, a key enzyme involved in cytokinin metabolism, increased the drought tolerance of transgenic Malus domestica (apple) callus and Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) seedlings by maintaining cytokinin homeostasis, and thus maintaining redox balance. Under restricted watering regimes, the yields of transgenic tomato plants were enhanced. Heterodimers of C/S1 bZIP are involved in the cytokinin‐mediated drought response. The heterodimers bind the ProRE of MdIPT5b promoter, thus directly suppressing gene transcription. Single C/S1 bZIP members could not independently function as suppressors. However, specific paired members (heterodimers of MdbZIP80 with MdbZIP2 or with MdbZIP39) effectively suppressed transcription. The α‐helical structure is essential for the heterodimerization of C/S1 bZIP members and for synergistic transcriptional suppression. As negative regulators of drought tolerance, suppressing either MdbZIP2 or MdbZIP39 alone does not improve the expression of MdIPT5b and did not increase the drought tolerance of transgenic apple callus. However, this could be achieved when they were co‐suppressed. The suppression of MdbZIP80 alone could improve MdIPT5b expression and increase the drought tolerance of transgenic apple callus. However, these effects were reversed in response to the cosuppression of MdbZIP80 and MdIPT5b. Similar results were also observed during delayed dark‐induced senescence in apple leaves. In conclusion, the apple C/S1 bZIP network (involving MdbZIP2, MdbZIP39 and MdbZIP80) directly suppressed the expression of MdIPT5b, thus negatively modulating drought tolerance and dark‐induced senescence in a functionally redundant manner. Significance Statement: This study proposes the condition of cytokinin homeostasis (appropriate and steady concentration), which counteracts leaf senescence and essentially improves drought tolerance. A regulatory relationship was found between the C/S1 bZIP network and cytokinins, which provides insights into cytokinin regulation under drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Replicating circular RNAs are independent plant pathogens known as viroids, or act to modulate the pathogenesis of plant and animal viruses as their satellite RNAs. The rate of discovery of these subviral pathogens was low over the past 40 years because the classical approaches are technical demanding and time-consuming. We previously described an approach for homology-independent discovery of replicating circular RNAs by analysing the total small RNA populations from samples of diseased tissues with a computational program known as progressive filtering of overlapping small RNAs (PFOR). However, PFOR written in PERL language is extremely slow and is unable to discover those subviral pathogens that do not trigger in vivo accumulation of extensively overlapping small RNAs. Moreover, PFOR is yet to identify a new viroid capable of initiating independent infection. Here we report the development of PFOR2 that adopted parallel programming in the C++ language and was 3 to 8 times faster than PFOR. A new computational program was further developed and incorporated into PFOR2 to allow the identification of circular RNAs by deep sequencing of long RNAs instead of small RNAs. PFOR2 analysis of the small RNA libraries from grapevine and apple plants led to the discovery of Grapevine latent viroid (GLVd) and Apple hammerhead viroid-like RNA (AHVd-like RNA), respectively. GLVd was proposed as a new species in the genus Apscaviroid, because it contained the typical structural elements found in this group of viroids and initiated independent infection in grapevine seedlings. AHVd-like RNA encoded a biologically active hammerhead ribozyme in both polarities, and was not specifically associated with any of the viruses found in apple plants. We propose that these computational algorithms have the potential to discover novel circular RNAs in plants, invertebrates and vertebrates regardless of whether they replicate and/or induce the in vivo accumulation of small RNAs.

The columnar apple cultivar ‘McIntosh Wijcik’ was discovered as a spontaneous mutant from the top of a ‘McIntosh’ tree in the early 1960s. ‘McIntosh Wijcik’ exhibits the columnar growth phenotype: compact and sturdy growth, short internodes, and very few lateral shoots. Classical genetic analysis revealed that the columnar growth phenotype of ‘McIntosh Wijcik’ is controlled by a single dominant gene, Co. This review focuses on the advances made toward understanding the molecular mechanisms of columnar growth in the last decade. Molecular studies have shown that an 8.2 kb insertion in the intergenic region of the Co locus is responsible for the columnar growth phenotype of ‘McIntosh Wijcik’, implying that the insertion affects the expression patterns of adjacent genes. Among the candidate genes in the Co region, the expression pattern of MdDOX-Co, putatively encoding 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (DOX), was found to vary between columnar and non-columnar apples. Recent studies have found three functions of MdDOX-Co: facilitating bioactive gibberellin deficiency, increasing strigolactone levels, and positively regulating abscisic acid levels. Consequently, changes in these plant hormone levels caused by the ectopic expression of MdDOX-Co in the aerial organs of ‘McIntosh Wijcik’ can lead to dwarf trees with fewer lateral branches. These findings will contribute to the breeding and cultivation of new columnar apple cultivars with improved fruit quality.

Bitter rot and Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) of apples, caused by Colletotrichum species, are major diseases of apples around the world. A total of 98 isolates were obtained from apple fruits with bitter rot, and 53 isolates were obtained from leaves with leaf spot in the primary apple production regions in China. These isolates were characterized morphologically, and five gene regions (ITS, ACT, GAPDH, CHS-1 and TUB2) were sequenced for each isolate. A phylogenetic analysis, combined with a comparison of the morphological, cultural and pathogenic characters, sorted bitter rot isolates into six species: C. alienum, C. fructicola, C. gloeosporioides sensu stricto, C. nymphaeae, C. siamense and one new species, C. orientalis Dandan Fu & G.Y. Sun. Among these, C. siamense was the predominant pathogen associated with bitter rot. Isolates from leaf spot were identified as two species, C. aenigma and C. fructicola. This is the first report of C. orientalis as an apple bitter rot pathogen worldwide, and the results provide important insights into the diversity of Colletotrichum species in China.

The study involved seven species and cultivars of ornamental apple trees including Malus × floribunda, M. halliana, M. niedzwetzkyana, M. × purpurea, M. × purpurea ‘Ola’, M. × purpurea ‘Royalty’, and M. × purpurea ‘Selkirk’. The average value of increment, average length, and duration of shoots’ growth were determined to characterize the seasonal growth of Malus shoots. The percentages of rooted cuttings, callus formation without roots, and unviable cuttings were registered for each investigated taxon. Statistical analysis was performed in Microsoft Excel 2007 following Zaitsev (1990), and Atramentova & Utevskaya (2014). The total duration of shoots growth of the studied species and varieties ranged from 72 (M. × purpurea ‘Ola’) to 118 days (M. niedzwetzkyana); annual shoots reached a length from 213.75 mm (M. × purpurea) to 448.75 mm (M. niedzwetzkyana); the average increment of shoots ranged from 3.90 mm (M. × purpurea ‘Ola’) to 14.70 mm (M. floribunda). The rooting ability of Malus stem cuttings was limited to a reasonably short period of cutting procedure and depended on the application of biologically active substances, their concentrations, and complexes. The highest rooting rate (33.33 %) was observed in M. × purpurea ‘Ola’ after the treatment of its cuttings by 0.6 % indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) at the end of June. A slightly lower rooting rate (20.00 %) was observed in M. halliana cuttings treated by 0.4 % IBA and M. × purpurea ‘Selkirk’ cuttings treated by Podkorzen AB aqua at the end of June. Finally, 7.69 % of M. × floribunda cuttings were rooted with Podkorzen AB aqua at the beginning of July. The prediction of the rooting ability of Malus stem cuttings was confirmed by a strong negative correlation between the percentage of rooted cuttings and the duration of shoots’ growth (r = –0.88). Hence, the percentage of rooted cuttings increases with decreasing duration of shoots growth, depending on the genotype.

The production of complex mixtures of secondary metabolites is a ubiquitous feature of plants. Several evolutionary hypotheses seek to explain how phytochemical diversity is maintained, including the synergy hypothesis, the interaction diversity hypothesis, and the screening hypothesis. We experimentally tested a set of predictions derived from these hypotheses by manipulating the richness and structural diversity of phenolic metabolites in the diets of eight plant consumers. Across 3940 total bioassays, there was clear support for the interaction diversity hypothesis over the synergy or screening hypotheses. The number of consumers affected by a particular phenolic composition increased with increasing richness and structural diversity of compounds. Furthermore, the bioactivity of phenolics was consumer‐specific. All compounds tested reduced the performance of at least one consumer, but no compounds affected all consumers. These results show how phytochemical diversity may be maintained in nature by a complex selective landscape exerted by diverse communities of plant consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array technology has been increasingly used to generate large quantities of SNP data for use in genetic studies. As new arrays are developed to take advantage of new technology and of improved probe design using new genome sequence and panel data, a need to integrate data from different arrays and array platforms has arisen. This study was undertaken in view of our need for an integrated high-quality dataset of Illumina Infinium® 20 K and Affymetrix Axiom® 480 K SNP array data in apple (Malus × domestica). In this study, we qualify and quantify the compatibility of SNP calling, defined as SNP calls that are both accurate and concordant, across both arrays by two approaches. First, the concordance of SNP calls was evaluated using a set of 417 duplicate individuals genotyped on both arrays starting from a set of 10,295 robust SNPs on the Infinium array. Next, the accuracy of the SNP calls was evaluated on additional germplasm (n = 3141) from both arrays using Mendelian inconsistent and consistent errors across thousands of pedigree links. While performing this work, we took the opportunity to evaluate reasons for probe failure and observed discordant SNP calls. Results: Concordance among the duplicate individuals was on average of 97.1% across 10,295 SNPs. Of these SNPs, 35% had discordant call(s) that were further curated, leading to a final set of 8412 (81.7%) SNPs that were deemed compatible. Compatibility was highly influenced by the presence of alternate probe binding locations and secondary polymorphisms. The impact of the latter was highly influenced by their number and proximity to the 3′ end of the probe. Conclusions: The Infinium and Axiom SNP array data were mostly compatible. However, data integration required intense data filtering and curation. This work resulted in a workflow and information that may be of use in other data integration efforts. Such an in-depth analysis of array concordance and accuracy as ours has not been previously described in the literature and will be useful in future work on SNP array data integration and interpretation, and in probe/platform development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of smart and precise horticulture is to increase yield and product quality by simultaneous reduction of pesticide application, thereby promoting the improvement of food security. The scope of this research is apple scab detection in the early stage of development using mobile phones and artificial intelligence based on convolutional neural network (CNN) applications. The research considers data acquisition and CNN training. Two datasets were collected - with images of scab infected fruits and leaves of an apple tree. However, data acquisition is a time-consuming process and scab appearance has a probability factor. Therefore, transfer learning is an appropriate training methodology. The goal of this research was to select the most suitable dataset for transfer learning for the apple scab detection domain and to evaluate the transfer learning impact comparing it with learning from scratch. The statistical analysis confirmed the positive effect of transfer learning on CNN performance with significance level 0.05. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dopamine and its biosynthesis-limiting enzyme tyrosine decarboxylase (TyDC) play a vital part in mediating plant growth and the response to drought stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, drought stress markedly induced the expression of Malus domestica bHLH93 (MdbHLH93), the apple basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor. Moreover, MdbHLH93 directly bound to the Malus domestica TyDC (MdTyDC) promoter and positively regulated its expression, which resulted in dopamine synthesis and enhanced drought tolerance. Furthermore, the additive effect of overexpressing MdbHLH93 and MdTyDC simultaneously promoted dopamine synthesis and drought tolerance in apples, while the interference of MdbHLH93 inhibited this effect, indicating that MdTyDC -regulated dopamine synthesis and drought tolerance were positively regulated by MdbHLH93. Taken together, these findings suggest the positive regulation of dopamine accumulation by MdbHLH93 through its transcriptional regulation of MdTyDC and show that increased dopamine content confers drought tolerance in apples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) produces vast amounts of DNA sequence data, but it is not specifically designed to generate data suitable for genetic mapping. Recently developed DNA library preparation methods for NGS have helped solve this problem, however, by combining the use of reduced representation libraries with DNA sample barcoding to generate genome-wide genotype data from a common set of genetic markers across a large number of samples. Here we use such a method, called genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), to produce a data set for genetic mapping in an F1 population of apples (Malus × domestica) segregating for skin color. We show that GBS produces a relatively large, but extremely sparse, genotype matrix: over 270,000 SNPs were discovered but most SNPs have too much missing data across samples to be useful for genetic mapping. After filtering for genotype quality and missing data, only 6% of the 85 million DNA sequence reads contributed to useful genotype calls. Despite this limitation, using existing software and a set of simple heuristics, we generated a final genotype matrix containing 3967 SNPs from 89 DNA samples from a single lane of Illumina HiSeq and used it to create a saturated genetic linkage map and to identify a known QTL underlying apple skin color. We therefore demonstrate that GBS is a cost-effective method for generating genome-wide SNP data suitable for genetic mapping in a highly diverse and heterozygous agricultural species. We anticipate future improvements to the GBS analysis pipeline presented here that will enhance the utility of next-generation DNA sequence data for the purposes of genetic mapping across diverse species.

Two immuno-loop-mediated isothermal amplification assays (iLAMP) were developed by using a phage-borne peptide that was isolated from a cyclic eight-peptide phage library. One assay was used to screen eight organophosphorus (OP) pesticides with limits of detection (LOD) between 2 and 128 ng mL(-1). The iLAMP consisted of the competitive immuno-reaction coupled to the LAMP reaction for detection. This method provides positive results in the visual color of violet, while a negative response results in a sky blue color; therefore, the iLAMP allows one to rapidly detect analytes in yes or no fashion. We validated the iLAMP by detecting parathion-methyl, parathion, and fenitrothion in Chinese cabbage, apple, and greengrocery, and the detection results were consistent with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In conclusion, the iLAMP is a simple, rapid, sensitive, and economical method for detecting OP pesticide residues in agro-products with no instrumental requirement.

Sensory and cognitive performance decline with age. Neural dysfunction caused by nerve death in senile dementia and neurodegenerative disease has been intensively studied; however, functional changes in neural circuits during the normal aging process are not well understood. Caspases are key regulators of cell death, a hallmark of age-related neurodegeneration. Using a genetic probe for caspase-3-like activity (DEVDase activity), we have mapped age-dependent neuronal changes in the adult brain throughout the lifespan of Drosophila. Spatio-temporally restricted caspase activation was observed in the antennal lobe and ellipsoid body, brain structures required for olfaction and visual place memory, respectively. We also found that caspase was activated in an age-dependent manner in specific subsets of Drosophila olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), Or42b and Or92a neurons. These neurons are essential for mediating innate attraction to food-related odors. Furthermore, age-induced impairments of neural transmission and attraction behavior could be reversed by specific inhibition of caspase in these ORNs, indicating that caspase activation in Or42b and Or92a neurons is responsible for altering animal behavior during normal aging.

Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) caused by Colletotrichum spp. is a destructive disease of apple restricted to a few regions worldwide. The distribution and evolution of GLS symptoms were observed for two years in Uruguay. The recurrent ascopore production on leaves and the widespread randomized distribution of symptoms throughout trees and orchard, suggest that ascospores play an important role in the disease dispersion. The ability of ascospores to produce typical GLS symptom was demonstrated by artificial inoculation. Colletotrichum strains causing GLS did not result in rot development, despite remaining alive in fruit lesions. Based on phylogenetic analysis of actin, β-tubulin and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene regions of 46 isolates, 25 from fruits and 21 from leaves, C. karstii was identified for the first time causing GLS in Uruguay and C. fructicola was found to be the most frequent (89%) and aggressive species. The higher aggressiveness of C. fructicola and its ability on to produce abundant fertile perithecia could help to explain the predominance of this species in the field.

Advancements in rootstock breeding and selection have revolutionized the manner in which apples are grown throughout the world. Fruit tree breeding has typically focused on key horticultural characteristics. Even though agents with health benefits have been investigated more frequently during the recent years, information about the effect of different cultivation factors, such as the rootstock, on triterpene concentration is still lacking. The present study aimed to evaluate triterpene profiles and the quantitative composition of different parts of apple fruit that was grown on 17 various origin and vigor rootstocks. HPLC analyses of triterpenes in apple samples were performed. The highest total content of triterpenes (7.72 ± 0.39 mg/g) was found in peel samples of apples grown on the dwarf rootstock 62-396-B10®. Depending on the rootstock, apple peel samples accumulated 3.52 to 4.74 times more triterpene compounds than apple flesh samples. Ursolic acid was the predominant triterpene compound in apple peel and flesh samples. The highest content of ursolic acid (5.84 ± 0.29 mg/g) was found in peel samples of apples grown on the dwarf rootstock 62-396-B10®. Meanwhile, the lowest amount of ursolic acid (3.25 ± 0.16 mg/g) was found in apple peel samples grown on the dwarf rootstock Cepiland-Pajam®2. A proper match of a cultivar and a rootstock can program a fruit tree to grow larger amounts of higher quality, antioxidant-rich, and high-nutrition-value fruit.

Aim: Evolutionary processes of mountain plants in arid lands remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate population genomics of the endangered wild apple tree to interpret the effects of long‐term aridification on plant diversification and demographical history in Central Asian Mountains. Location: The Tianshan Mountains, spanning north‐western China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Taxon: Malus sieversii (Rosaceae) Methods: Using genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms, we assessed genetic diversity and genetic structure of 15 populations across the species' range. Demographical history was simulated with approximate Bayesian computation and species distribution modelling. We used a general linear model to identify key environmental factors affecting population genetic diversity and structure. Results: We separated the 15 populations into three groups: the eastern group of western Junggar Mountains in China; the central group of the Ili Valley, the Talas Alatau Mountains in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; and the western group of Tajikistan and the Dzungarian Alatau in Kazakhstan. Central populations had higher genetic diversity and effective population size than eastern and western populations. The three groups split at the late Miocene and subsequently experienced extensive admixture. We detected a significant pattern of isolation by distance, but not isolation by environment, among these populations. Population genetic diversity was significantly associated with longitudinal and current environmental gradients. Main conclusions: Long‐term aridification promoted distribution fragmentation and plant lineage divergence of relict broad‐leaved forests in Central Asian Mountains. Both geographical isolation and environmental heterogeneity shaped spatial patterns in genetic variation among M. sieversii populations. To maintain genetic integrity, we propose the establishment of an international network for the conservation of this endangered wild apple tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diplocarpon coronariae causes apple blotch, which results in significant economic losses. Resistance to apple blotch in commercial apple cultivars has not been reported in recent literature. The Malus germplasm collection from the Fruit Genebank of the Julius Kühn-Institut that is maintained in Dresden, Germany consists of 516 accessions of about 49 Malus species. This apple gene pool was evaluated for resistance to Diplocarpon coronariae. A four-year field survey was subsequently followed by artificial inoculation of field-selected accessions. Fifteen accessions that represent nine different species and hybrids were confirmed to be highly resistant following a repeated inoculation assay in the laboratory. The results from this investigation is of high interest to breeders for future apple breeding programmes and investigations of resistance to Diplocarpon coronariae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most fruit tree species cultivated in Romania, such as apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, cherry, as well as some berry species such as blackberry, raspberry and strawberry belong to the Rosaceae family. As most of these species are woody perennials, the traditional methods of creating new varieties are taking much longer time than in the case of annual species. New methods and tools based on the recent discoveries in molecular genetics are being developed in order to shorten the time needed to create new commercial varieties. Molecular markers, specific DNA regions linked to genes responsible for various traits (color, shape, taste, resistance/tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, etc.) are some of the tools used in genotype-assisted breeding programs. This review sums up the main results of studies on molecular markers regarding cultivated fruit tree species of Rosaceae family with commercial importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A collection of 30 Phytophthora cactorum and 12 P. pseudotsugae (subclade 1a) strains isolated from several recent surveys across California was phylogenetically compared to a worldwide collection of 112 conspecific strains using sequences from three barcoding loci. The surveys baited P. cactorum from soil and water across a wide variety of forested ecosystems with a geographic range of more than 1000 km. Two cosmopolitan lineages were identified within the widespread P. cactorum, one being mainly associated with strawberry production and the other more closely associated with apple orchards, oaks and ornamental trees. Two other well-sampled P. cactorum lineages, including one that dominated Californian restoration outplantings, were only found in the western United States, while a third was only found in Japan. Coastal California forest isolates of both Phytophthora species exhibited considerable diversity, suggesting both may be indigenous to the state. Many isolates with sequence accessions deposited as P. cactorum were determined to be P. hedraiandra and P. ×serendipita, with one hybrid lineage appearing relatively common across Europe and Asia. This study contains the first report of P. pseudotsugae from the state of California and one of the only reports of that species since its original description.

Virus and viroid-free apple rootstocks are necessary for large-scale nursery propagation of apple (Malus domestica) trees. Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) and Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) are among the most serious apple viruses that are prevalent in most apple growing regions. In addition to these viruses, a new infectious agent named Apple hammerhead viroid (AHVd) has been identified. We investigated whether thermotherapy or cryotherapy alone or a combination of both could effectively eradicate ACLSV, ASGV, and AHVd from in vitro cultures of four apple rootstocks developed in the Cornell-Geneva apple rootstock breeding program (CG 2034, CG 4213, CG 5257, and CG 6006). For thermotherapy treatments, in vitro plants were treated for four weeks at 36 °C (day) and 32 °C (night). Plant vitrification solution 2 (PVS2) and cryotherapy treatments included a shoot tip preculture in 2 M glycerol + 0.8 M sucrose for one day followed by exposure to PVS2 for 60 or 75 min at 22 °C, either without or with liquid nitrogen (LN, cryotherapy) exposure. Combinations of thermotherapy and PVS2/cryotherapy treatments were also performed. Following treatments, shoot tips were warmed, recovered on growth medium, transferred to the greenhouse, grown, placed in dormancy inducing conditions, and then grown again prior to sampling leaves for the presence of viruses and viroids. Overall, thermotherapy combined with cryotherapy treatment resulted in the highest percentage of virus- and viroid-free plants, suggesting great potential for producing virus- and viroid-free planting materials for the apple industry. Furthermore, it could also be a valuable tool to support the global exchange of apple germplasm.

Apple replant disease is a severe problem in orchards and tree nurseries. Evidence for the involvement of a nematode–microbe disease complex was reported. To search for this complex, plots with a history of apple replanting, and control plots cultivated for the first time with apple were sampled in two fields in two years. Shoot weight drastically decreased with each replanting. Amplicon sequencing of the nematode community and co-extracted fungal and bacterial communities revealed significant differences between replanted and control plots. Free-living nematodes of the genera Aphelenchus and Cephalenchus and an unidentified Dorylaimida were associated with replanted plots, as indicated by linear discriminant analysis effect size. Among the co-extracted fungi and bacteria, Mortierella and Methylotenera were most indicative of replanting. Some genera, mostly Rhabditis, Streptomyces and a fungus belonging to the Chaetomiaceae indicated healthy control plots. Isolating and investigating the putative disease complexes will help to understand and alleviate stress-induced root damage of apple in replanted soil.

Apple cultivars are one of the main factors setting the composition of bioactive compounds in apples and the quality of the fruit. However, research has been providing increasing amounts of data on the influence of rootstocks on the variations in the composition of bioactive compounds in apples. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of rootstocks on the changes in the qualitative and quantitative composition of phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity in vitro in apple flesh and peel. HPLC analyses of phenolic compounds in apple samples were performed. The rootstock–scion combination had a significant effect on the composition and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds in apple samples. Depending on the rootstock, the total content of phenolic compounds in apple flesh of the ‘Galaval’ cultivar could vary by 2.9 times, and in the peel by up to 90%. The genotype of the rootstock resulted in the highest variation in total flavan-3-ol content in apple flesh—by as much as 4.3 times—while the total content of flavonols varied by 2.1 times. In apple peel, on the contrary, the greatest variation was recorded for the total flavonol content (by 4.4 times), and the total flavan-3-ol content varied the least (by 1.8 times). A proper match of a cultivar and a rootstock can program a fruit tree to grow larger amounts of higher-quality, antioxidant-rich, and high-nutrition-value fruit.

Bacteria of the genus Arthrobacter are common inhabitants of the soil environment, but can also be recovered from leaf surfaces (the phyllosphere). Using enrichment cultures on 4-chlorophenol, we succeeded in specifically isolating Arthrobacter bacteria from ground cover vegetation in an apple orchard. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the isolates were found to belong to at least three different species of Arthrobacter. Compared to the model bacterial epiphyte Pantoea agglomerans, the Arthrobacter isolates performed as well or even better in a standardized laboratory test of phyllosphere fitness. A similar performance was observed with the well-characterized soil isolate Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus A6. These findings suggest that the frequently reported presence of Arthrobacter strains on plant foliage can be explained by the capacity to multiply and persist in the phyllosphere environment. As bacteria from the genus Arthrobacter are known for their ability to degrade a wide variety of organic pollutants, their high phyllosphere competency marks them as a promising group for future studies on phyllosphere-based bioremediation, for example, as foliar bioaugmentation on ground cover or buffer-zone vegetation to prevent pesticides from reaching soil, surface-, or groundwater.

A complicated storage reaction mechanism will occur during the storage period in fresh-cut apples, and oxalic acid could physiologically modify the flesh tissue to achieve preservation purposes. This study revealed the storage quality regulation mechanism treated with oxalic acid (3 mmol⋅L -1 ) in fresh-cut apples through nontarget metabolomics and physiological analyses. It was discovered that oxalic acid could enhance the antioxidant enzymes activities, i.e. superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, etc., contents of soluble solids, total phenolic and reducing sugar, postpone the enhancement of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion, and defer the decrease of titratable acid, hardness and total antioxidant capacity. 427 differentially expressed metabolites were identified by nontarget metabolomics. Among them, mainly involved in glycerol ester metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, etc. were up-regulated treated with oxalic acid. In summary, oxalic acid could enhance the antioxidant properties and regulate metabolite synthesis, leading to delayed quality deterioration of fresh-cut apples., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) (Ceratitis capitata, Diptera: Tephritidae), is an extremely polyphagous pest that threatens the fruit production and trading industry worldwide. Monitoring C. capitata populations and analysing its dynamics and phenology is considered of outmost importance for designing and implementing sound management approaches. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors regulating the population dynamics of the C. capitata in a coastal and semi-mountainous area. We focused on effects of topography (e.g. elevation), host presence and seasonal patterns of ripening on the phenological patterns considering data collected in 2008. The experimental area is characterized by mixed fruit orchards, and Mediterranean climate with mild winters. Two trap types were used for population monitoring. The female targeted McPhail type and the male targeted Jackson type. Traps were placed in farms located at different elevations and landscape morphology (coastal and semi-mountainous areas). The main crops included citrus, apples, peaches, plums, pears, figs, quinces and apricots. Adult captures were first recorded in May, peaked in mid-summer and mid-autumn and almost ceased at the end of the season (January 2008). Captures in the coastal areas preceded that of highlands by 15 days. Most of the adults detected during the fruit ripening of late stone fruit cultivars (first peak) and citrus (second peak). The probability of capturing the first adults preceded almost three weeks the peak of adult captures either considering the elevation or host focus analyses. The results provide valuable information on the seasonal population trend of C. capitata in mixed fruit Mediterranean orchards and can support the set-up of IPM systems in areas with various landscapes and different hosts throughout the fruit growing season., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The active ingredient group is a prominent feature reflecting the inherent characteristics of plant-based functional foods. Chinese hawthorn leaf (CHL), a tea substitute possessing intrinsic nutritional properties in anti-hyperlipidemia, was first found to be adulterated with Malus doumeri leaf (MDL) owing to similar commercial labels. In this context, the above-mentioned two contrasting species were explored through phytochemical profiling and activity assessment. The amelioration effect of CHL on free fatty acids-elicited lipid deposition in HepG2 cells was significantly better than that of MDL. Molecular networking-based metabolic profiles identified 68 and 67 components in CHL and MDL, with 33 shared components. Extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm with outstanding performance was selected to screen candidate components contributing to hypolipidemic activity, and the output was later interpreted by Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method. Twelve and eight components were separately screened as hyperlipidemic inhibitors in CHL and MDL, while only four constituents were shared. The bioactivity evaluation of selected ingredients and combinations further confirmed their anti-hyperlipidemia capacity. These findings emphasized the feasibility of filtering bioactivity-related compounds using interpretable machine learning approaches and illustrated that related species may contain different hypolipidemic contributors, even if shared constituents existed., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

6,7-Bis-(2-methoxyethoxy)-4(3H)-quinazolinone (BMEQ) was selected from quinazolinones for its strong tyrosinase inhibitory activity (IC 50  = 160 ± 6 μM). It suppressed tyrosinase activity in a competitive way and quenched the fluorescence of the enzyme through a static mechanism. The binding of BMEQ to tyrosinase increased the hydrophobicity of the latter and facilitated non-radiative energy transfer between them. The formation of BMEQ-tyrosinase complex was driven by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, and it loosened the basic framework structure of tyrosinase, affecting the conformation of the enzyme, and leading to a decrease in tyrosinase activity. In addition, the BMEQ postponed the oxidation of phenolics and flavonoids by inhibiting polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD), which resulted in the inhibition of the browning of fresh-cut apples. This study identified a novel tyrosinase inhibitor BMEQ and verified its potential application for improving the preservation of postharvest fruits., (Copyright © 2023 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The drying features of apples at different infrared drying settings were investigated. The drying time, moisture-effective diffusion, and activation energy of infrared dried apples were measured experimentally and statistically as a function of slice thicknesses, radiation intensity, and air velocity. The infrared intensity of 0.225, 0.130, and 0.341 W/cm 2 , slice thicknesses of 6, 4, and 2 mm, and airflow of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 m/s were used to dry apple slices. The data shows that the drying time reduced as IR increased, but airflow and slice thickness increased. Eight statistical factors were used to compare 11 alternative mathematical drying models. The experimentally acquired drying curves were matched to the thin-layer drying equations. According to the calculations, the Midilli et al. equation had the greatest (efficiency and R 2 ) and lowest (χ 2 , sum of squared errors, standard error of estimate, standard error, standard deviation of difference) values. As a result, this equation is the best for modeling the drying curves of apple slices across all drying circumstances. The optimum moisture diffusivity value varied from 2.59 to 9.07 × 10 -10  m 2 /s. The mean activation energy was determined to be 19.02-29.83 kJ/mol under various experimental conditions., (© 2024 Institute of Food Technologists.)

In this study, cashew apple juice was treated with different levels of powdered gelatin (2%, 5%, and 10%) to remove tannins. The results showed that the addition of 5% gelatin removed 99.2% of condensed tannins while did not affect reducing sugars of juice. Subsequently, tannin-free cashew apple juice (CA) was aerobically fermented for 14 days with Komagataeibacter saccharivorans strain 1.1 (KS) and Gluconacetobacter entanii HWW100 (GE) in comparison with Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium as control. The dry weight of bacterial cellulose (BC) obtained from the KS strain (2.12 and 1.48 g/L for CA and HS media, respectively) was higher than that from the GE strain (0.69 and 1.21 g/L for CA and HS media, respectively). Although GE showed low BC production yield, its viability in both media after 14-day fermentation was notable (6.06-7.21 log CFU/mL) compared to KS strain (1.90-3.30 log CFU/mL). In addition, the XRD and FT-IR analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the crystallinity and functional groups of BC films when cultured on CA and HS medium, while the morphology by SEM exhibited the phenolic molecules on the film surface. Cashew apple juice has been shown to be a viable and cost-effective medium for the BC production., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The retention of flavan-3-ols and other phenolic compounds during apple juice production at pilot plant scale (200 kg, cv. Boskoop) was investigated. An oxygen-excluding spiral filter press and a conventional decanter were used with and without pectinase mash treatment. Phenolic compounds were comprehensively identified and quantitated by RP-UHPLC and HILIC, both coupled to DAD-FLD and DAD-ESI(-)-QTOF-HR-MS/MS. These techniques combined with using a NIST cocoa flavan-3-ol standard allowed for the first time an individual quantification of flavan-3-ol fractions (DP 1-7) in apple juices. Spiral filter-pressed juices were exposed to less oxidation and exhibited four times higher total phenolic compound levels than decanter-made juices (1016 vs. 262 mg/L). Apple juices derived from pectinase-treated mashes had lower total phenolic compound levels than their non-treated counterparts. However, those made by spiral filter press still retained significantly higher concentrations (780 vs. 104 mg/L). Flavan-3-ols were especially well retained by spiral filter press processing, reaching unprecedentedly high concentrations of up to 713 mg/L. A 280 mL serving of non-treated spiral filter-pressed juice would therefore suffice to provide the daily intake of 200 mg flavan-3-ols, equaling the dose of cocoa flavan-3-ols associated with an authorized European health claim for healthy blood flow., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Lasiodiplodia is a widely distributed genus that is associated with a variety of diseases in many plant species, especially fruit trees. In this study, a disease survey of fruit trees growing in 12 orchards located in the Henan and Shandong provinces of China was conducted between 2020 and 2022. The symptoms observed included stem canker, branch dieback, and gummosis. Phylogenetic analyses of internal transcribed spacer, tub2 , tef1 , and rpb2 sequence data combined with morphological characteristics revealed that the 19 isolates collected during the survey belonged to five documented Lasiodiplodia species, namely, Lasiodiplodia citricola , L. chiangraiensis , L. huangyanensis , L. pseudotheobromae , and L. theobromae , and two previously undescribed species, L. xinyangensis and L. ziziphi . In addition, the survey identified three novel host-pathogen interactions: L. chiangraiensis on loquat, L. citricola on apple, and L. huangyanensis on grapevine. Furthermore, the detailed phylogenic analysis indicated that four previously described Lasiodiplodia species were genetically very closely related that they would be better classified as synonyms rather than distinct species, so L. paraphysoides and L. nanpingensis should be considered synonyms of L. citricola , L. fujianensis should be a synonym of L. iraniensis , and L. henanica should be a synonym of L. huangyanensis . Pathogenicity tests confirmed that representative isolates of the two novel species and three new host-pathogen interactions identified in the current study were pathogenic to their original hosts, thereby fulfilling Koch's postulates. Similarly, all of the isolates were found to be pathogenic on four alternative hosts, although a high degree of variation in virulence was observed., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

Competing Interests: None.

The present study investigated several properties such as friction, hardness, penetration work, and cutting forces in soaps formulated with apple and carrot pomace at varying concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15%. To gain insights into the molecular-level alterations within the formulated soap samples, they were spectroscopically analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The sliding friction analyses revealed that the investigated extrudate additives had no significant impact on the frictional forces of the soaps. However, notable differences were observed in the cutting force, hardness, and penetration work between the control and pomace-added samples. Excluding the control samples, no statistically significant distinctions were found between the cutting force, hardness, and work of penetration of soaps containing apple pomace and carrot pomace. Moreover, the quantity of pomace incorporated did not induce any significant variations in the results. The obtained samples were characterised at the molecular level using FTIR Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. On the other hand, alterations in band intensities suggested improved molecular packing of the compounds within the samples due to the presence of the additives., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Plant-derived cellulose biomaterials have been employed in various tissue engineering applications. In vivo studies have shown the remarkable biocompatibility of scaffolds made of cellulose derived from natural sources. Additionally, these scaffolds possess structural characteristics that are relevant for multiple tissues, and they promote the invasion and proliferation of mammalian cells. Recent research using decellularized apple hypanthium tissue has demonstrated the similarity of its pore size to that of trabecular bone as well as its ability to effectively support osteogenic differentiation. The present study further examined the potential of apple-derived cellulose scaffolds for bone tissue engineering (BTE) applications and evaluated their in vitro and in vivo mechanical properties. MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts were seeded in apple-derived cellulose scaffolds that were then assessed for their osteogenic potential and mechanical properties. Alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red S staining confirmed osteogenic differentiation in scaffolds cultured in differentiation medium. Histological examination demonstrated widespread cell invasion and mineralization across the scaffolds. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed mineral aggregates on the surface of the scaffolds, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the presence of phosphate and calcium elements. However, despite a significant increase in the Young's modulus following cell differentiation, it remained lower than that of healthy bone tissue. In vivo studies showed cell infiltration and deposition of extracellular matrix within the decellularized apple-derived scaffolds after 8 weeks of implantation in rat calvaria. In addition, the force required to remove the scaffolds from the bone defect was similar to the previously reported fracture load of native calvarial bone. Overall, this study confirms that apple-derived cellulose is a promising candidate for BTE applications. However, the dissimilarity between its mechanical properties and those of healthy bone tissue may restrict its application to low load-bearing scenarios. Additional structural re-engineering and optimization may be necessary to enhance the mechanical properties of apple-derived cellulose scaffolds for load-bearing applications.

In this study, an electrochemical and aptamer-based aptasensor was developed for the sensitive detection of patulin, a mycotoxin commonly found in fruits and fruit-based products. The aptasensor used an innovative structural switching signal-off platform for detecting patulin. The aptamer immobilization on screen-printed carbon electrodes was achieved through Au electrodeposition and thiol group (-SH) route. Response surface methodology was used to determine the optimal incubation times for the aptamer, blocking agent, and target molecule, which were found to be 180 min, 40 min, and 89 min, respectively. The response of the aptamer to different concentrations of patulin was measured using square wave voltammetry by exploiting the structural switching mechanism. The sensor response was determined by quantifying differences in the aptasensor's background current. The aptasensor exhibited a linear working range of 1-25 μM and a low detection limit of 3.56 ng/mL for patulin. The aptasensor's relative standard deviation and accuracy were determined to be 0.067 and 94.4%, respectively. A non-specific interaction was observed at low concentrations of two other mycotoxins, ochratoxin A and zearalenone. The interference from ochratoxin A in the measurements was below 10%. In real sample tests using apple juice, interference, particularly at low concentrations, had changed the recovery of patulin negatively with a significant effect on the structural switching behavior. Nevertheless, at a concentration of 25 ng/mL, the interference effect was eliminated, and the recovery standard deviation improved to 6.6%. The aptasensor's stability was evaluated over 10 days, and it demonstrated good performance, retaining 13.12% of its initial response. These findings demonstrate the potential of the developed electrochemical aptasensor for the sensitive detection of patulin in fruit-based products, with prospects for application in food safety and quality control., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Due to the characteristics of electrospun nanofibers (NFs), they are considered a suitable substrate for the adsorption and removal of heavy metals. Electrospun nanofibers are prepared based on optimized polycaprolactone (PCL, 12 wt%) and polyacrylic acid (PAA, 1 wt%) polymers loaded with graphene oxide nanoparticles (GO NPs, 1 wt%). The morphological, molecular interactions, crystallinity, thermal, hydrophobicity, and biocompatibility properties of NFs are characterized by spectroscopy (scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Thermogravimetric analysis), contact angle, and MTT tests. Finally, the adsorption efficacy of NFs to remove lead (Pb 2+ ) from water and apple juice samples was determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The average diameter for PCL, PCL/PAA, and PCL/PAA/GO NFs was 137, 500, and 216 nm, respectively. Additionally, the contact angle for PCL, PCL/PAA, and PCL/PAA/GO NFs was obtained at 74.32º, 91.98º, and 94.59º, respectively. The cytotoxicity test has shown non-toxicity for fabricated NFs against the HUVEC endothelial cell line by more than 80% survival during 72 h. Under optimum conditions including pH (= 6), temperature (25 °C), Pb concentration (25 to 50 mg/L), and time (15 to 30 min), the adsorption efficiency was generally between 80 and 97%. The adsorption isotherm model of PCL/PAA/GO NFs in the adsorption of lead metal follows the Langmuir model, and the reaction kinetics follow the pseudo-second-order. PCL/PA/GO NFs have shown adsorption of over 80% in four consecutive cycles. The adsorption efficacy of NFs to remove Pb in apple juice has reached 76%. It is appropriate and useful to use these nanofibers as a high-efficiency adsorbent in water and food systems based on an analysis of their adsorption properties and how well they work., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Certain types of soluble dietary fibre, such as pectin and pectic oligosaccharides from different sources, have demonstrated protective effects against inflammation in DSS-induced colitis mouse models. In this work, we have evaluated the impact of a diet enriched in apple pomace (AP-diet), an agricultural by-product with a significant content of pectin and that previously demonstrated prebiotic properties in human fecal batch fermentation models, on the gut microbiota composition, intestinal damage and inflammation markers in a DSS-induced colitis model. We found that the apple pomace enriched diet (AP-diet), providing a significant amount of pectin with demonstrated prebiotic properties, was associated with a slower increase in the disease activity index, translating into better clinical symptomatology of the animals. Histological damage scoring confirmed less severe damage in those animals receiving an AP-diet before and during the DSS administration period. Some serum inflammatory markers, such as TNFα, also demonstrated lower levels in the group receiving the AP-diet, compared to the control diet. AP-diet administration is also associated with the modulation of key taxa in the colonic microbiota of animals, such as some Lachnospiraceae genera and Ruminococcus species, including commensal short chain fatty acid producers that could play a role in attenuating inflammation at the intestinal level.

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has a promising application prospect in food surveillance. However, due to the complexity of food matrix and trace levels of pesticide residues, the effective and rapid detection of pesticides by IMS has been a challenge, especially when using electrospray ionization (ESI) as an ion source. In this study, low-temperature partitioning with dispersive solid-phase extraction (LTP-dSPE) was explored and compared with conventional procedures. Both methods were validated for the quantification of eight pesticides in apples, obtaining a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.02-0.12 mg/kg for LTP-dSPE and 0.02-0.09 mg/kg for conventional solid-phase extraction (SPE), lower than those usually stipulated by government legislation in food matrices. For LTP-dSPE, the matrx effect (ME) ranged from -16.3 to -68.6 %, lower than that for the SPE method, ranging from -70.0 to -92.9 %. The results showed satisfactory efficiency and precision, with recovery values ranging from 67.9 to 115.4 % for LTP-dSPE and from 62.0 to 114.8 % for conventional SPE, with relative standard deviations below 13.0 %. Notably, the proposed LTP-dSPE/ESI-IMS has been shown to be more cost-effective, easier to use, more environment-friendly, more accessible, and, most importantly, less matrix effect than the conventional method, thereby being suitably applicable to a wide range of food safety applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Selenium (Se) can be absorbed by plants, thereby affects plant physiological activity, interferes gene expression, alters metabolite content and influences plant growth. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the plant response to Se remains unclear. In this study, apple plants were exposed to Se at concentrations of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, and 48 μM. Low concentrations of Se promoted plant growth, while high Se concentrations (≥24 μM) reduced photosynthesis, disturbed carbon and nitrogen metabolism, damaged the antioxidant system, and ultimately inhibited plant growth. The transcriptome and metabolome revealed that Se mainly affected three pathways, namely the 'biosynthesis of amino acids', 'starch and sucrose metabolism', and 'phenylpropanoid biosynthesis' pathways. 9 μM Se improved the synthesis, catabolism and utilization of amino acids and sugars, ultimately promoted plant growth. However, 24 μM Se up-regulated the related genes expression of PK, GPT, P5CS, SUS, SPS and CYP98A, and accumulated a large number of osmoregulation substances, such as citric acid, L-proline, D-sucrose and chlorogenic acid in the roots, ultimately affected the balance between plant growth and defense. In conclusion, this study reveals new insights into the key metabolic pathway in apple plants responses to Se., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford) is an invasive species of ambrosia beetle known to attack apple trees in North America. Xylosandrus germanus are attracted to ethanol produced by stressed and injured trees and can be a serious problem when grafting a new cultivar onto established fruit trees (topworking). The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 2 insecticides (emamectin benzoate and azadirachtin) and injection timing (fall and spring) on their ability to control X. germanus colonization in apple trees with simulated topworking. Our study shows evidence that both emamectin benzoate and azadirachtin injections can reduce X. germanus infestations; however, our results were inconsistent. The timing of injections influenced X. germanus, with spring injected azadirachtin being more effective than fall injections. Residue analyses of emamectin benzoate and azadirachtin showed the presence of residues in woody tissue comparable to those found in leaves., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.)

Background: Compared with aerial plant tissues (such as leaf, stem, and flower), root-associated microbiomes play an indisputable role in promoting plant health and productivity. We thus explored the similarities and differences between rhizosphere and root endosphere bacterial community in the grafted apple system., Results: Using pot experiments, three microhabitats (bulk soil, rhizosphere and root endosphere) samples were obtained from two-year-old apple trees grafted on the four different rootstocks. We then investigated the bacterial community composition, diversity, and co-occurrence network in three microhabitats using the Illumina sequencing methods. Only 63 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) out of a total of 24,485 were shared in the rhizosphere and root endosphere of apple grafted on the four different rootstocks (M9T337, Malus hupehensis Rehd., Malus robusta Rehd., and Malus baccata Borkh.). The core microbiome contained 8 phyla and 25 families. From the bulk soil to the rhizosphere to the root endosphere, the members of the phylum and class levels demonstrated a significant enrichment and depletion pattern. Co-occurrence network analysis showed the network complexity of the rhizosphere was higher than the root endosphere. Most of the keystone nodes in both networks were classified as Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota and Bacteroidetes and were low abundance species., Conclusion: The hierarchical filtration pattern existed not only in the assembly of root endosphere bacteria, but also in the core microbiome. Moreover, most of the core ASVs were high-abundance species, while the keystone ASVs of the network were low-abundance species., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora , is a devastating bacterial disease that threatens apple and pear production. It is mainly controlled by using antibiotics, such as streptomycin. Due to development of E. amylovora resistant strains and the excessive agricultural use of antibiotics, there is an increased awareness of the possibility of antibiotic resistance gene transfer to other microbes. Urgent development of biocontrol agents (BCAs) is needed that can be incorporated into integrated pest management programs as antibiotic alternatives. A novel phage-carrier system (PCS) that combines an antagonistic bacterium, Pantoea agglomerans , with its ability to act as a phage-carrier bacterium for Erwinia phages has been developed. The low viability of P. agglomerans cells following spray-drying (SD) has been a challenge for the industrial-scale production of this PCS. Here, an SD protocol was developed for P. agglomerans by modifying the growth medium and bacterial cell formulation using D(+)-trehalose and maltodextrin. The developed protocol is amenable to the industrial-scale production of the BCA/PCS. The P. agglomerans viability was greater than 90% after SD and had a shelf life at 4 °C of 4 months, and reconstituted cells showed a 3 log reduction in E. amylovora counts with a pear disc assay.