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Anthocyanins are pigments ubiquitous in plants that are responsible for the red to almost black color, mainly of flowers and fruits. Dark-colored fruits contain the highest amounts of anthocyanins. A potential source of anthocyanins can be cornelian cherry fruit (Cornus mas L.) from a long-lived tree growing in temperate climate zones. The aim of this review is to summarize the latest research on cornelian cherry anthocyanins and the possibility of their use in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, without taking into account their use in medicine. The content of anthocyanins in cornelian cherry fruits is high and comparable to fruits considered to be the richest sources of these compounds, so they may be a good source of these natural colorants used in industry. The content of anthocyanins varies due to genetic traits, growing conditions, the ripeness of fruits, and finally, how the fruits are stored and processed. Anthocyanins can be found in various cornelian products, such as juices, jams, powders, and others, so they may be available outside the period of supply of fresh fruit on the market. The lack of experience on the influence of the method of cultivation of cornelian cherries on the anthocyanin content of fruits determines new directions for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was the evaluation of whether the application of 5-ALA, which has potential as a plant growth stimulating agent with indirect anti-stress activity, can limit the damage caused by low temperatures in winter. The research was conducted on frost-sensitive apple cultivars for three years in an orchard and in a laboratory. During the vegetative seasons of each year, the trees of three apple cultivars (‘Golden Delicious’, ‘Gala’ and ‘Šampion’) were subject to 5-ALA foliar application. Three times during each winter following the field application, apple shoots were taken to the laboratory and frozen at −20°C, −25°C and −30°C. After incubation, the damage to the sensitive parts of the shoots was evaluated. The application had a positive effect on the frost resistance of all cultivars, most often at the end of dormancy, which is especially noteworthy because frost damage occurs most frequently during this period. Positive effects of the application were found in most of the experiment combinations of cultivar, year, freezing date and shoot part. Additionally, the positive influence of 5-ALA application on frost resistance was found to increase with each year of the research.

The measurement of ethylene concentration in the apple core is considered a good method of determining OHD, but requires high accuracy and expensive equipment. The measurement of ethylene production seems to be a technologically easier method. During research conducted in the years 2003-2008, measurements of ethylene production were evaluated as a method for determining the harvest maturity of ‘Jonagored’ apples intended for storage. Measurements were carried out every 4-5 days starting a few weeks before the estimated harvest date. Apples were picked on four dates and after five months the loss of mass, firmness, TSS and TA was measured, the incidence of physiological disorders and fungal diseases was assessed and sensory tests were conducted to evaluate storability. Based on this evaluation it was determined which of those dates was OHD. After a period of low ethylene production, the production accelerated rapidly to reach an average level between 10.0 and 12.5 ppm kg-1 hr-1 on the OHD. Later, ethylene production rose still more sharply and quickly reached several dozens of ppm kg-1 hr-1. The accuracy of the new method was compared with other methods used to determine the maturity stage. The results obtained through the measurement of ethylene production showed the least deviation from the six-year average and only the results obtained using the Streif index method, which may be unreliable for some cultivars according to the literature, had a comparable margin of error.

Temperature is the basic factor that differentiates vegetation around the world. All field experiments require the indication of the range of temperatures occurring in a given growing season. Temperature is an important factor determining fruit plant production, both in the growing season and in the winter dormant period. Various air temperature indicators were developed in a way that allowed the best possible description of adaptations of species, cultivars, and regions of adaptations to cultivation. They are based on experimentally obtained data and calculated optimal temperatures of growth and development of plants in particular development stages. In horticulture, the description of dependencies of the growth and development of plants on weather began to be accompanied with the development of simulation models. The aim of this manuscript was a new review of fruit plant temperature indices to predict abiotic and biotic hazards in fruit production for various selected types of fruit crops in a seasonal temperate climate. This is especially important due to the growing risk of climate change, which significantly alters local growing conditions. Therefore, it is very important to evaluate and present a set of specific indicators for producers, which we have reviewed from the current literature and presented as follows. Climatic conditions characteristic of a given region should be of key importance for the selection of species for commercial cultivation and planning of protection measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research was carried out during the 1999-2007 growing and storage season using ‘Ligol’ apples from trees grafted on M.26, and fertilised in accordance with recommendations for commercial orchards. The approximate optimum harvest date was determined mainly on the basis of starch index measurements and Streif index calculations, evaluated 7-8 times every 4-5 days each year. In addition to samples collected to determine OHD each year, there were four harvests of fruit intended for storage. The apples were stored in a cold storage room at 1-2°C and RH of around 90% for about five months. Following a storage period lasting the same number of days for each harvest, the quality of fruits was examined and the correlation between the concentration of minerals in apples and all fungal diseases and physiological disorders was calculated. In years with high precipitation in the period preceding the harvest, the share of fruits affected by fungal diseases and physiological disorders after storage depended more on weather conditions prevailing in the growing season than on the harvest date. The incidence of bitter pit increased with the number of days preceding OHD. Other recorded losses were caused by internal breakdown and superficial scald, but they were small and did not seem significant for ‘Ligol’ apples. Each characteristic mineral concentration in the fruit at harvest (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) was correlated with the incidence of physiological disorders and/or fungal diseases. The incidence of bitter pit and lenticel blotch pit and the sum of physiological disorders increased along with the increase in nitrogen concentration. The feature that best predicted the storability of ‘Ligol’ was the K/Ca ratio.

The CIE L* a* b* colour system is used to evaluate food colours. Its advantage is that the base skin colour in apples can be measured on the same fruit before and on the optimum harvest date. The aim of the research conducted between 2002 and 2006 was to evaluate a quick and non-destructive method of determining the optimum harvest date of apples intended for long storage based on the changes observed in the base skin colour. Another important research aspect was to compare this method with other methods or indicators used to determine the harvest date. The colour measurement was conducted on two apple cultivars, Šampion and Royal Gala, with the aim of, amongst other factors, establishing a standard for each that could be used in practice in fruit production. From amongst the evaluated colour indicators L*, a*, b*, Hueab angle and chroma, changes in the base colour were best illustrated by the a* coordinate value and Hueab angle value. Based on the evaluation of the quality of fruits after storage, it can be stated that the fruits had the best quality when the a* coordinate during harvest ranged between -7 and -8 for ‘Šampion' and between -3 and -5 for ‘Royal Gala’. The Hueab angle assumed a value between 100 and 101 for ‘Šampion' and between 96 and 99 for ‘Royal Gala’ during the optimum harvest date. Therefore, the a* coordinate and the Hueab angle can be used to indicate harvest maturity.

The experiment was carried out to investigate the possibility of extension of the postharvest longevity of cut shoots of Polygonatum multiflorum depending on the type of conditioning. The shoots were collected for three experiments in May, June, and July. The following substances were used for conditioning: gibberellic acid (in May, June, and July) at a concentration of 50 and 100 mg dm−3, benzyladenine (in May) at a concentration of 50 or 100 mg dm−3, and 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate (in July) at a concentration of 200 mg dm−3. The conditioning was carried out at a temperature of 5 °C or 18 °C (May, June) or 18 °C (July). After conditioning, shoots were stored in a room at a temperature of 18 °C (May, June) or at 18 °C or 22 °C (July). The shoots of Polygonatum multiflorum harvested in July and conditioned with gibberellic acid at a concentration of 100 mg dm−3 were characterized by extended longevity. Benzyladenine at a concentration of 50 mg dm−3 proved to be useful for conditioning. In turn, 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate had no influence on the longevity of the shoots. The variation in the temperature during conditioning and storage was found not to have a positive impact on longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowers have always accompanied people thanks to their manifold aesthetic properties. Some species have also become a component of the human diet. Recent years have seen an increased interest in edible flowers and, consequently, research has been undertaken to determine their chemical composition. Dyes that are abundantly contained in flowers, whose role is to attract pollinating animals, are recognized substances with health-promoting properties. Anthocyanins are a group of dyes that are very common in petals and other parts of flowers. Studies carried out in the twentieth and twenty-first century on flowers growing in temperate climates have found very strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of anthocyanins. Therefore, flowers used by humans for centuries to decorate their surroundings may become an easily available source of nutrients and health-promoting substances. This paper discusses the health-promoting properties of anthocyanins and collects literature on anthocyanin content in edible flowers commonly grown on balconies, terraces, and roofs in countries of temperate climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among popular crops, plum (Prunus domestica L.) has received special attention due to its health-promoting properties. The seasonality of this fruit makes it impossible to consume it throughout the year, so new products in a powder form may offer an alternative to fresh consumption and may be used as high-quality natural food ingredients. A 100% plum (cultivar "Valor") juice was mixed with three different concentrations of maltodextrin or subjected to sugars removal by amberlite-XAD column, and dried using the freeze, spray, and vacuum (40, 60, and 80 °C) drying techniques. The identification and quantification of phenolic acids, flavonols, and anthocyanins in plum powders was performed by LC-MS QTof and UPLC-PDA, respectively. L-ascorbic acid, hydroxymethylfurfural, and antioxidant capacity were measured by the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) ABTS and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) methods in order to compare the influence of the drying methods on product quality. The results indicated that the profile of polyphenolic compounds in the plum juice powders significantly differed from the whole plum powders. The drying of a sugar free plum extract resulted in higher content of polyphenolic compounds, L-ascorbic acid and antioxidant capacity, but lower content of hydroxymethylfurfural, regardless of drying method applied. Thus, the formulation of plum juice before drying and the drying method should be carefully selected in order to obtain high-quality powders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]