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Crop growth is impacted by soluble salts that determine the normalcy or salinity of soils and natural waterways. Salt-affected soils have a critical role in land deterioration in irrigated areas. In view of this, a field experiment was conducted in the 2020 and 2021 wet and dry seasons in the eastern and western sectors of the Kano River Irrigation Project (KRIP), Garun Mallam and Kura local government areas, Kano (11°45'N and 12°05'N; 8°45E' and 9°05'E) in the Sudan savanna agro-ecology of Nigeria to evaluate the effect of organic manure on the growth and yield of tomato in the saline and sodic soils of KRIP. Treatments consisted of farmer practice, recommended fertilizer rates (100:30:30), poultry manure, and cow dung, which were laid out in a randomized complete block design in which a farmer constitutes a replication. Soil data (pre-planting and post-harvest) were taken, and plant data were taken on plant height, leaf area index, days to 50% flowering, number of fruits, fruit yield, and an economic analysis was performed to determine the profitability of the treatments. Plant height, number of fruits, and fruit yield show significant differences (P<0.05) with the application of treatments. Results showed that application of poultry manure increased plant height, the number of fruits, and fruit weight. However, leaf area index, number of days to 50% flowering, and number of days to first fruit were not significantly affected. Results also revealed that poultry manure was more economical when compared to the other treatments. The application of poultry manure was also found to increase the level of pH in the soil, reduce the electrical conductivity, and increase the effective cation exchange capacity as a result of the increase in Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ in the exchangeable sites relative to Na+. It can be recommended that the application of organic manure in areas affected by salinity be encouraged for tomato production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present study was conducted during the period 2019 - 2021 at the Institute of Agriculture, Kyustendil. The productivity, fruit quality, and sensitivity to codling moth of 10 apple cultivars and 9 hybrids were evaluated. Standard technology was implemented to grow the fruit-bearing trees, which were grafted on MM 106 rootstock and planted at a distance 4.5×2.5 m. The highest average yields were obtained from the cultivar Rosana (30.4 kg/tree) and hybrid 9 (28.3 kg/tree). Fruit weight ranged from 83 g (hybrid 2/4) to 248 g (Charden). Goldrush had the highest fruit flesh firmness - 10.0 kg/cm2 and hybrid 1/7 the lowest - 6.7 kg/cm2. No differences in the sensitivity to codling moth were observed among cultivars and hybrids. The percentage of damage ranged from 3.7% (hybrid 1/3) to 5% (Rosana) in 2020 and from 43.6% (hybrid 2/4) to 55.7% (Golden Resistan) in 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit cracking and sunburn are two major disorders that can negatively impact pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) production. To address these problems, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of silica (0, 100, 300, and 500 ppm) and calcium nitrate (0, 0.75%, and 1.5%) spraying on the fruit of 'Malase-Saveh' pomegranate. The treatments were applied three times during the growing season and a factorial experiment was conducted based on the completely randomized block design. The results indicate that most of the qualitative and quantitative traits were influenced by foliar spraying of these substances. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that foliar application of silica, calcium nitrate, and their interaction significantly affected fruit cracking. The lowest fruit cracking (1.06%) was obtained by spraying 500 ppm silica and 1.5% calcium nitrate, while the highest fruit cracking (21.6%) was recorded from untreated plants. The highest fruit weight (215.4 g) was observed in the treatment 1.5% calcium nitrate. Most of the treatments had a positive effect on fruit weight and increased it compared to the control. Moreover, the treatments improved some qualitative characteristics, such as an increase in fruit acidity and decrease in sunburn disorder. Ultimately, this study concluded that combined spraying of silica with calcium is more effective than individual use and results in the highest fruit yield and quality, as well as the lowest cracking and sunburn disorders. These findings suggest there are synergistic effects between these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Kirkuk University for Agricultural Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Hortícolas is the property of Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Horticolas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the current study, a collection of forty-seven tomato accessions divided into five groups and the sensitive control MoneyMaker were evaluated based on their performance under the condition of reduced irrigation. The tomato accessions were exposed to water stress (50% reduced irrigation). The reproductive traits (flower and fruit number, fruit set) and fruit weights were used in assessing the drought tolerance. A decrease in the flower number, fruit number, the fruit set and fruit weight from 2nd to 5th inflorescence was observed in scarcity. Among the studied tomato groups, the indeterminate, the large fruited ones were the most strongly affected by the stress: reductions of 41.5% in the number of fruits and 40.0% of the average fruit weight were observed. The studied “Cherry” tomato and the accessions from Solanum pimpinellifolium L. have had a better drought tolerance compared to other groups. The cluster analysis showed that the individual accessions belonging to sensitive groups also possessed a better tolerance to water deficit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen is the most commonly managed mineral nutrient in olive groves because it is essential for plant growth. The precise management of N fertilization in olive cultivation is still not fully clarified, but it is essential for providing sustainable production. A nitrogen fertilizer experiment with olive trees (cv. Kalinioti) was carried out over a six-year period. Seven levels of nitrogen fertilizer given as ammonium nitrate (control, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 kg/tree) were annually applied in order to determine the effect of nitrogen on vegetative growth, fruit set, fruit weight, yield, maturation index, and leaf N, P, and K concentrations. The results indicate that, under these conditions, application of up to 4 kg NH4NO3/tree significantly increased yield to 62.5 kg/tree compared to the control (37.09 kg/tree). The positive effect was attributed to the initial and final fruit set increases (7.63 and 3.73%, respectively at 4 kg NH4NO3/tree). However, the weight of 100 olives (W100 = 331 g) at 4 kg NH4NO3/tree obtained during harvest was considerably lower compared to the control (W100 = 384 g). Higher nitrogen rates decreased yield while increasing overall shoot growth. Nitrogen fertilization did not significantly influence the oil content of olive fruit. Fruit weight, maturation index, and concentration of oil reached maximum levels in the beginning of December, indicating a suitable start to olive harvesting. The concentration of N in olive leaves increased from 1.23% to 2.38% as fertilizer levels increased from 0 to 6 kg NH4NO3. Maximum yield was achieved at a level of 6 kg NH4NO3/tree, which corresponded to 2.01% N in leaves. The results suggest that application of 3 kg NH4NO3/tree can be recommended for table olive production, due to the fact that fruit weight was not decreased, while fertilization with 4 kg NH4NO3/tree was suitable for oil olives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was carried out to determine the performance of different cucumber varieties. The research was carried out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 4 treatments and 6 replications. The varieties used are Bhaktapur local, Kamini, Ragini, and Ranjha. Data were collected on the following parameters such as stem length, plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, number of male flowers, number of female flowers, days to first flowering, male to female flower ratio, days to first male flowering, days to first female flowering, fruit weight, fruit length, number of fruits per plant and yield. It is found that among the performance of different varieties, Kamini was the best high yielding variety for this locality with a yield of 58.93 ton ha-1 followed by Ranjha. Kamini exhibited a greater count of female flowers and fruits. In comparison, Bhaktapur local outperformed other varieties in various aspects such as plant height (193.37 cm), number of leaves (42.39), number of branches (7.13), and male to female ratio (2.63). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was carried out to determine the relationships between pomological characteristics of hazelnuts collected manually from the branch and the ground. The research was carried out in three different orchards belonging to a producer, which contains Tombul, Foşa and Çakıldak hazelnut varieties in Kocaali district of Sakarya province (Türkiye). The orchards, located at an altitude of 300 m, face north. Hazelnut samples of Tombul, Foşa and Çakıldak varieties were collected from the branch in the first (2009) and second year (2010), on 12-15 August, 15-18 August and 22-25 August, respectively, and from the ground on 24-27 August, 27-30 August and 4-7 September, respectively. Nut weight, nut size, shell thickness, kernel weight, kernel size, kernel cavity, kernel percent, shriveled kernel ratio, good kernel ratio, full and average blanching ratios were determined in dried fruits. Correlation analysis was performed between the properties examined separately in the two groups of samples. In the samples collected from the branch and the ground, the highest variation was seen in the shriveled kernel ratio and the lowest in the good kernel ratio. It was determined that all of the significant correlation coefficients in the samples collected from the branch were positive, and the highest correlation coefficients were between full blanching ratio-average blanching ratio, nut weight-kernel weight and nut size-kernel size, respectively. In the samples collected from the ground, more significant correlations, and also negative significant relationships were found between the investigated properties. It was determined that the highest positive correlations were found between nut size-kernel weight, nut weight-kernel weight, full blanching rate-average blanching rate, nut weight-kernel size and nut sizekernel size, respectively; the highest negative correlations were found between the shell thickness-good kernel ratio, the shell thickness-kernel size, and the shriveled kernel ratiogood kernel core ratio, respectively. It can be said that the samples collected manually from the ground in hazelnut were more homogeneous than those collected from the branch in terms of the quality characteristics examined; in the samples collected from the ground, the good kernel ratio and kernel size were negatively affected by the shell thickness, the shriveled kernel ratio was positively affected, and there were no differences between the samples in terms of other relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato quality is influenced by fertilization and matutity level. This study aimed to determine the best dosage of amino acid-enriched leaf fertilizer (Amiboost) and to determine the best nutritional content at several ripeness levels of ‘Optima’ tomatoes. Amiboost is an inorganic foliar fertilizer that is rich in amino acids that can be easily absorbed by plants. The experiment used a factorial (RCBD) with 3 repetitions. The ‘Optima’ tomatoes were grown at Wonosobo and fertilized with 4 levels of Amiboost fertilizer consisting of 0, 1, 2, 4 L ha-1 amino acid fertilizer, and 2 L ha-1 comparison fertilizer (standard fertilizer). The research was conducted at the Horticulture Sub-Laboratory, UGM at 27 °C with a relative humidity of 75%. The tomato quality observed was CO2 concentrations, visual quality rating (VQR), fruit weight percentage, fruit hardness, fruit color, total soluble solids, total titrated acid, vitamin C, carotenoids, lycopene, and flavonoids. The observation was terminated when the score of VQR reached 1 as the shelf life of tomatoes. The best dose of amino acid-enriched leaf fertilizer (Amiboost) is 2 L ha-1 for the lightness (*L) of fruit color, ascorbic acid, and lycopene. The maturity stage of fruit significantly affected vitamin C, flavonoids, total soluble solids, carotenoids, and lycopene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In apple (Malus domestica), the level and timing of crop load have a major impact on the final fruit size and can also play a role in optimising internal fruit quality. Ideal crop loads vary with cultivar, but very few cultivars have recommended crop load targets that consider the effect of crop load on both return bloom and fruit quality. To address this issue, studies examining a range of crop loads and thinning times were undertaken on several apple cultivars. Return bloom and multiple fruit quality parameters were examined. The results of these studies demonstrate positive effects for early thinning, not only on fruit size but also on firmness and soluble solids content. Early-thinned fruit showed higher sugar levels than late-thinned fruit. Previously undemonstrated positive relationships between fruit sugar content and weight and between fruit firmness and weight in both 'Fuji' and 'Delicious', as well as between fruit sugar content and fruit firmness in 'Delicious', indicate that early thinning is a valuable tool in improving fruit quality. The current target crop load recommendations of 4–6 fruit cm−2 trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA) for 'Fuji' and 2–4 fruit cm−2 TCSA for 'Delicious' are confirmed by this study. New recommendations are proposed for the other cultivars in this study taking into account the impact of crop load on both fruit quality and return bloom. Both 'Pink Lady' and 'Gala' can support crop loads of up to eight fruit cm−2 TCSA without impacting return bloom, but fruit quality is compromised; hence, lower targets in the range of 4–6 fruit cm−2 TCSA are recommended. Large fruit size and good return bloom can be maintained in 'Jonagold' at crop loads of eight fruit cm−2 TCSA, while crop loads of four fruit cm−2 TCSA are suggested for 'Braeburn' to sustain regular bearing and good fruit size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the high genetic diversity in the apricot population of Iran, the first step in cultivar breeding is the pomological evaluation of this population and the identification of superior genotypes. Therefore, in order to identify superior apricot genotypes in the Karaj climate, the quantitative and qualitative traits of 29 apricot genotypes were evaluated based on the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) during two consecutive years (2016-2017). The results showed a high genetic diversity in the studied apricot population in terms of morphological and pomological characteristics. The highest fruit weight was recorded in the Shahroud -43 (51.57 g) and Shahroud - 50 (50.85 g), while the lowest fruit weight was recorded in the Shahroud -42 (15.77 g) and Shahroud -48a (13.90 g) genotypes, respectively. The genotypes Shahroud -50, Shahroud -32, Shahroudi, and Shahroud -15 showed the longest fruit length. In addition, the highest amount of total soluble solids was measured in the Shahroud -13, Nasiri and Ghorban-Maraghe genotypes. Both Moorpark and Shams cultivars also had the highest pH of fruit juice. Based on the obtained results Shahroud -39, Shahroud - 50, Shahroud -58, Shahroud -49 and Shahroudi cultivar and genotypes were introduced as suitable genotypes for use as fresh fruits. Also, Shahroud -13, Nasiri, Ghorban-Maraghe, Shahroud -48, Shahroud -37 and Shahroud -43 are suitable genotypes and cultivars for both fruit processing and fresh fruits, due to high sugar content and other desirable characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of foliar application of humic acid (HA) and seaweed extract (SWE) on growth, yield and quality in two cultivars (Camarosa and Nabila) of strawberry. The HA and SWE were applied as foliar sprays individually (1.0 ml l-1 and 2.0 ml l-1) as well as in combination to the strawberry plants starting from one month after planting of uniform runners upto 120 days after planting at 15 days interval. The plants which received foliar spraying of water were treated as control. There were total nine treatments, which were replicated thrice under factorial randomized block design. The results indicated that foliar spraying of 2.0 ml l-1 HA + 1.0 ml l-1 SWE significantly increased the plant spread, number of leaves, number of crowns, leaf area, length of petiole, number of flowers, number of fruits, fruit weight, length of fruits and fruit yield over control plants. However, fruits with significantly the highest total soluble solid, ascorbic acid, total sugar content were recorded with the foliar application of 2.0 ml l-1 HA + 2.0 ml l-1 SWE. This treatment also found to be the best for producing the lowest acidic fruits. Among the strawberry cultivars, the performance of Camarosa in respect of fruit yield and quality was better than Nabila. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the impact of plant growth regulators on the growth and yield of sweet peppers. The study, conducted in Southern Odisha, used a Randomized Block Design with seven treatments. The results revealed that different growth regulators had varying effects on plant height, fruiting branches, fruit weight, and yield. The study concluded that the application of BA (5 ppm) resulted in the highest fruit yield and early harvesting, which could be beneficial for farmers. Overall, the use of growth regulators at the flowering stage enhanced plant growth and development, leading to increased fruit yield. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Hortícolas is the property of Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Horticolas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Olive mill wastewater (effluents from olive oil extraction during harvest) is a source of environmental pollution due to its high acidity and heavy loads of polyphenols and organics. Our aim is to study the phytotoxicity of olive mill wastewater (OMW) at different concentrations on the germination and growth of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.). To assess this, we measured the percentage of germination (GP), the germination inhibition rate (GIR), the length of the main stem, the number of leaves, and the biomass of the stem, leaves, and roots. The germination test was carried out by placing 25 tomato seeds on filter paper in Petri dishes and then irrigating with different concentrations of OMW (0%, 1%, 2%, 5%, 7%, 10%). The boxes were placed in an incubator at a temperature of 25 °C for 10 days. The results obtained show that, after 10 days of germination, the GP is maximal (more than 98%) at concentrations of less than 7% (r = -0.98; p<0.000) and with an "inhibitory" effect at more than 7% (r = +0.98; p<0.000). However, the growth in length (8.514±2.612 cm) and the number of leaves (4.667±0.866 leaves) were maximum, respectively, at 2% and 1%, after a period of 30 days. However, the dry weight is maximum (0.235±0.049 g) at 5% OMW, however, there is no significant difference in the fresh and dry weights of the stems and leaves for different concentrations. In light of these results, the OMW of crushing units using the continuous three-phase process could be used as an irrigation source at concentrations below 7%, for better tomato yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is focused on the influence of fertilisation and plant care on the productivity of the black currant variety 'Siuita Kyivska'. Black currant was planted on the Rodnikovka Experimental Farm of the Uman State Agrarian University. Better conditions for the development of such signs as the number of clusters per shrub and the length of a cluster were provided under the application of mineral fertilisation as a background and foliar application of fertiliser Riverm 5%, maintaining of interrow space as clean fallow and mulching plants in the row with straw. The best characteristics of clusters were obtained with N60P90K90 as background fertilisation. Foliar application of fertiliser Riverm 5% resulted in an increased (by 251.2-299.8) number of clusters per plant and longer (by 0.60-0.80 cm) clusters. A combination of clean fallow and application of Riverm 5% against the background of mineral fertilisation resulted in lower indicators of the fruit weight in a cluster compared to the control. This means that the yield structure of black currant under the effect of fertilisation and plant care changes towards an increase in the number of clusters, thereby reducing the number of fruits and the weight of fruits from one cluster. It was also found that foliar application of fertiliser Riverm 5% against the background of mineral fertilisation contributed to an increase in the yield of black currant. In the treatment with clean fallow between rows and mulching plants in rows, application of fertiliser Riverm 3% or 5% against the background of mineral fertilisation N60P90K90, the yield of fruits was 13.1 t/ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using organic and inorganic substances is a healthy and affordable way to enhance fruit quality during storage. Apple is a popular fruit with high nutritional value and mainly experiences prolonged storage periods. The present study was conducted to optimize the shelf-life of apple fruits (Malus domestica Borkh. 'Golden Delicious') by Aloe vera gel and calcium chloride (CaCl2) and to evaluate apple characteristics after 90 days of cold storage. Using response surface methodology (RSM), measurements were aimed at fruit weight loss, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), total sugar (TS), fruit firmness, and juice content. As evidenced from RSM analysis, optimal conditions for apple shelf-life were achieved by 5.9% CaCl2 and 33.6% Aloe vera gel, which reduced weight loss and maintained fruit firmness, pH, total soluble solids, total sugars, and juice content. Aloe vera gel and CaCl2 showed similar modes of action in each case of the measured traits, except for TSS where the Aloe vera gel increased apple TSS, whereas CaCl2 decreased it. Therefore, an optimized combination of Aloe vera gel and CaCl2 offered a promising approach to the maintenance of apple quality in storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality of melon indicated by size (fruit weight), appearance, and sweetness. Melons with a weight of 800 to 1,200 grams per fruit are favored by the public and have their own market share. Mainly, the melon was cultivated in open fields during the dry season with several limitations of cultivation. To cope with those problems, melon was cultivated inside the greenhouse. However, there are several parameters influenced by melon quality inside the tropical greenhouse with hydroponic system. There were a few studies on the prediction model development of melon inside the greenhouse in a tropical area, Indonesia. The aim of this study was to develop an artificial neural networks (ANNs) model to predict the melon production inside the greenhouse (fruit weight) using several parameters such as the number of days to fruit formation, number of days to maturity, plant length, fruit width, fruit length, fruit cavity diameter, flesh diameter, branch number, fruit branch number, and leaf number. The result of this study was the ANN model with configurations of 10 input layers, 6 hidden layers, and 1 output layer with R2 was 0.9312. This study concluded that there is a correlation between the input parameters with the weight of the melon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Polytechnic is the property of Journal of Polytechnic and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction In sustainable farming systems, the use of organic fertilizers is of particular importance in increasing crop production and maintaining sustainable soil fertility. Nowadays, the consumption of organic foods is introduced to consumers as an alternative. The result of the application of chemical products is the crisis of environmental pollution, soil and water resources, and the health risk to human society. Nowadays, in order to reduce the effects of misuse of chemical inputs, chemical fertilizers can be replaced with organic biological fertilizers, including animal manure, compost, and green manure. In this regard, chicken manure has a positive effect on the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the soil, and due to its richness in uric acid, the nitrogen contained in it is used by the plant much faster than the nitrogen of other organic fertilizers. Vermicompost is considered a good source of soil fertility due to its organic materials. Organic matter in the soil improves the permeability and drainage of the soil and also prevents excessive dryness of the soil by maintaining sufficient moisture. Despite the fact that vermicompost can be used as a fertilizer in organic farming, high levels of this fertilizer may cause salinity effects in the plant, which affects the growth and development of the plant and even it can cause the death of cucumber as one of the crops sensitive to soil and water salinity. The cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is one of the important vegetables that can be produced in a greenhouse all year round. Fresh consumption of cucumber throughout the year has increased its production. The development of technology and the short growth period of this product has made it possible to grow it in most climate zones. Therefore, in this research, the effects of different levels of water deficit with the simultaneous application of vermicompost and chicken manure on cucumber plants in the Behbahan region have been investigated. Materials and Methods In this study, different levels of irrigation water, vermicompost, and poultry manure on ground cucumber were investigated. The experiment was performed in the form of split plots based on completely randomized design and the form of stacks. Treatments included three levels of poultry manure (2, 4 and 8 ton ha-1), three levels of vermicompost (3, 6 and 9 ton ha-1) and three levels of water stress (100, 75 and 50% of plant water requirement). Both vermicompost and poultry manure were applied to the soil before planting. Harvest was done every three days. Fruit weight, diameter and length, plant length, the protein of the dry matter of the fruit percentage, and leaf chlorophyll in each plot were carefully measured. Also, the yield and water productivity at the end of the season were calculated. Water productivity Referring to the yield to irrigation water ratio, is obtained by the following relation (Payero et al., 2009): WP=Y/IR (1) In this equation, WP represents water productivity (kg/m3), Y denotes the yield (kg/ha), and IR shows the amount of irrigation water (m3/ha). Statistical analysis The analysis of variance for the results obtained from different treatments was conducted using SAS software (SAS 9.1, SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). The mean values of the main factors and interactive effects were compared using the Duncan method at the 1% and 5% levels of significance. Results and Discussion The results showed that irrigation, poultry manure and vermicompost had a significant effect on the measured parameters at the level of one and five percent probability. Reduction of water consumption reduced yield and yield components, but in this regard, no significant difference was observed between 100% and 75% of water requirement. The highest yield was obtained in the treatment of 100% of plant water requirement and consumption of 4 ton ha-1 of poultry manure and 6 ton ha-1 of vermicompost, in this regard, no significant difference was observed with the treatment of 75% of water requirement. According to the results obtained from this study, it can be said that there is no significant difference in terms of yield between treatments of 75 and 100% of plant water requirement. Therefore, the amount of water given to the plant can be reduced to 75% of the plant water requirement, and with proper management, less water can be consumed without a significant reduction in crop yield. Examining the effects of irrigation water on the amount of the protein of the dry matter of the fruit showed that the highest amount of the protein of the dry matter of the fruit (56.31%) was obtained in the treatment of 75% of the water requirement and the protein of the dry matter of the fruit was less in other treatments. The interaction effect of vermicompost and poultry manure resulted in the highest percentage of cucumber protein at a treatment of 4 tons ha-1 of poultry manure and 6 tons ha-1 of vermicompost (58.42%). However, when the simultaneous use of 8 tons ha-1 of poultry manure and different levels of vermicompost was employed, the percentage of protein in the fruit's dry matter decreased. The combination of drought stress, poultry manure, and vermicompost, along with their interaction effects, significantly influenced the chlorophyll a and b values at both the 1% and 5% probability levels. As the depth of irrigation water decreased, the amounts of chlorophyll a and b also decreased. The treatment with 100% water requirement of the plant showed the highest amounts of chlorophyll a (0.63 mg/g fresh weight) and chlorophyll b (0.36 mg/g fresh weight). However, no significant difference was observed compared to the 75% treatment. Regarding the interactions between vermicompost and poultry manure, it was found that when using 6 tons ha-1 of vermicompost to reduce yield and its components, the use of poultry manure should be reduced to 4 tons ha-1. On the other hand, when higher levels of vermicompost (9 tons ha-1) are used, the application of poultry manure should be reduced to 2 tons ha-1. Result According to the results obtained from this research, it can be said that there is no significant difference in performance between the treatments of providing 75% and 100% of the water requirement of the plant, therefore, the amount of water given to the plant can be reduced to the amount of 75% of the water requirement of the plant. With proper management, less water can be consumed without significantly reducing the yield of the product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted to standardize container gardening techniques for guava (Psidium guajava L), pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and citrus (Citrus aurantifolia L.) to meet out the nutritional requirement of city dwellers. There was maximum average plant biomass (1072 g/plant) in guava and minimum (423g) in pomegranate. Maximum shoot biomass (1012.11g) was recorded in plant grown in 45 cm × 45 cm and minimum (402.78g/plant) in 30 cm × 30 cm container. Destructive method was used to extract the root mass for analysis. Significant variation in root biomass was also recorded. There was maximum root biomass (506.11g) in guava and minimum (239.86 g) in pomegranate, however root biomass was recorded significantly maximum (509.78 g) in 45 cm × 45 cm. Root to shoot ratio was recorded maximum (0.63) in Citrus crops. The root:shoot ratio had significant correlation with stem girth and negatively correlated with fruit weight, fruit yield and root hairs diameter. Collar diameter has significantly positive correlation with plant height, fruit weight and yield. The container size as well as growing media (substrate) influenced plant growth, root and shoot biomass, fruit yield and root morphology remarkably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guava is commonly known for its food and nutritional value across the world. The medicinal properties of guava fruit, leaf and other parts of the plant are also well known in traditional system of medicine. Since each part of guava plant possesses economic value, it is cultivated on commercial scale. Guava because of its high nutritional value is considered as poor man's apple in tropics. Guava is rich in tannins, phenols, triterpenes, flavonoids, essential oils, saponins, carotenoids, lectins, vitamins, fiber and fatty acids. Guava fruit is higher in vitamin C (80 mg/100 g of fruit weight)than citrus andcontains an appreciable amount of vitamin A as well. Guava fruits are also a good source of pectin, which is considered a useful dietary fiber responsible for bowel movement. Its fruits are very rich in antioxidants and vitamins and high in lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene. Guava being source of flavonoids and quercetin demonstrates antibacterial, antidiarrhea and antidysentery activity, relaxes intestinal muscle and inhibits bowel contractions. Several value-added products, viz. jam, jelly, cheese, marmalade, nectar, squash, dried powder, ice cream, etc. can be prepared from guava fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present experiment was carried out in the main experiment station, department of horticulture, faculty of agriculture sciences, Bhagwant University, Ajmer, India during 2019-20 on 15 years old plant of ber (Zizyphus mauritiana Lamk.) cv. Gola which were pruned and maintained properly. The collected data were analysed using randomized block design (RBD) with four replications. Single plant was used as a unit. Spraying was done at fruit setting stage. In the present investigation it is found that the application of ZnSO4, borax and GA3 on the growth and yield of ber fruits was studied and it was found that highest Fruit set (48.06%), fruit retention (39.24%), fruit yield (89.00), fruit weight (19.03 g), seed pulp ratio (12.79) and moisture per cent (83.18%) was recorded with foliar application of ZnSO4 0.5% + Borax 0.5% + GA3100ppm and the minimum are found under the control during the present investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient nutrient availability and occurrence of intermittent drought other stress during critical growth periods are the significant limiting factors in production of apple in dry temperate region of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. Foliar fertilization is a common practice of supplying fruit crop production with mineral nutrients, especially under limited soil nutrient availability conditions. To evaluate the potential effectiveness of foliar application of Aquafert foliar apple in apple growing regions of Himachal Pradesh, an experiment was conducted at Regional Horticultural Research & Training Station, Sharbo (Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh), to determine the response of Aquafert as a foliar fertilizer on apple cv. Royal Delicious. It turns out that three rounds foliar application of Aquafert foliar apple 100 g/plant at 15, 30 and 45 days after petal fall stage of fruit development has shown better influence on fruiting and quality parameters of Apple cv. Royal Delicious. Higher fruit weight (182.50 g), fruit diameter (76 mm), yield (32 kg), Reducing Sugars (6.05 %), Total sugars (7.14 %), visual fruit colour (94%) and Shelf life (142 days) was recorded with Aquafert foliar apple 100 g/plant at 15, 30 and 45 days after petal fall stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic diversity in morphological and physico-chemicaltraits of nine genotypes of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) growing under the agroclimatic conditions of Bihar was studied during 2018-19. The genotypes IC-0614730 and IC-0614737 exhibited bright pink colour of young leave and others had yellowish green. Its fruit shape and colour was round and deep pink, respectively. Pink flushes genotypes were late, while yellowish green were early in maturity. These two genotypes showed lowest fruit weight (17.35 g and 16.38 g), TSS (17.86 and 18.35 Brix), seed content (10.66% and 11.97%) but higher pulp content (71.18% and 74.66%). Significant variations were recorded in phenolics and flavonoids contents among the genotypes with highest content in both IC-0614730 and IC-0614737. These two genotypes can be potentially exploited in litchi industry for pulp making and nutraceutical uses. The genotypes differed in most of the morphological characteristics which can be exploited for improvement in litchi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to show the best effect of the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) for parents and their hybrids of the studied traits. The study included two main successive seasons. In the first season, cherry tomato pure lines were selected that were introduced from the Tomato Genetics Resource Center (TGRC) at University of California, Davis in USA, 5 pure lines were selected which were the most genetically Distant which are (LA4451, LA4753, LA3334, LA1221 and LA4689) and its code (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) respectively and entered into Full Diallel crossing program to produce individual crosses. The second season included an experiment to compare genotypes (5 parents + 20 cross-hybrids. and its reciprocal hybrids) according to RCBD design with three replications. The results were as follows: parents 1 showed a general significant ability to combine in the desired direction in terms of fruit set percentage and fruit weight, while the superiority of parent 4 in terms of plant yield and total yield. The parent 5 was superior in the number of flowers in the inflorescence, the number of total flowers of the plant and the number of fruits, whereas the hybrid (5×1) showed superiority in the number of flowers in the inflorescence 35.667, number of total flowers 259.66, the percentage of the set 15.69 and the number of fruits 86.83. (1×4) appeared significant effect of (SCA) were shown significant and desirable in the traits average fruit weight 1.47, plant yield 0.55 and total yield 0.69. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for tomato fruit has increased along with the human populaion. The increasing income of peoples also affect the demand orientation for high nutrition content and the shortage of resources is the obstacle for future tomato farming. Breeding tomato has been intended to create a new culivar with high yield and quality. Previously, there were fourteen selected promising lines with high fruit firmness and yield components resulting from plant breeding program. Therefore, further steps need to be evaluated regarding yield potential and the plant quality. This study aimed to identify fourteen promising lines of high yield and high quality and compared to commercial varieties. Fourteen tomato accessions were evaluated by three control varieties. The accessions and controls varieties were assigned in a randomized completely block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data collections were analyzed using Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and continued with Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) analysis with α=5%. Path analysis showed that the selection criteria for selecting high yield of tomato lines were fruit length, pulp thickness, fruit weight/plant, and flowers number per bunch. There were five lines of fourteen accessions which had high yield potential and four tomato lines which had worth considering fruit size and fruit firmness. These lines contained high potential characters to be used as breeding materials for improvement of hybrid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to measure the effectiveness of stingless bee Tetragonula cf. biroi pollination on the fruit formation of bitter melon Momordica charantia plants. We used hoods on the observed bitter melon plants. In the first hood, stingless bees are inserted to help pollinate 100 bitter melon plants, while in the other hoods, stingless bees are not inserted so that there is no assistance in pollinating the other 100 bitter melon plants. The method used is the focal sampling method for 25 days of observation. Based on the results of the study, stingless bee pollination assistance increased the percentage of the number of flowers that became fruit by 390%, the weight of seeds/fruit by 64%, number of seeds/fruit by 260%, fruit weight by 163%, fruit diameter by 91%, and fruit length by 86%. In addition to the size of the fruit, the shape of the bitter melon pollinated by bees is standard (long and straight). In contrast, the bitter melon that does not get pollination assistance grows with a bent shape resembling the letter "C." Bitter melon is an agricultural commodity that needs pollinating agents such as stingless bees because of its monoecy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the main elements that cause heavy metal pollution, which is one of the important types of environmental pollution. There is a constant quest to reduce or eliminate the effects of Cd pollution. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is one of these possible solutions. PGPRs not only increase plant growth but also protect plants against organic and inorganic stresses. In this study, the effects of three different Pseudomonas strains (MS-7, MS-12, and MS-13) on morphological and pomological characteristics of three different strawberry cultivars (Rubygem, Kabarla, and YFL) exposed to three different Cd doses (0, 100 and 300 mg kg-1) were investigated to determine the effectiveness of PGPR against Cd toxicity in strawberry. To this end, root collar diameter (RCD), root length (RL), root fresh weight (RFW), root dry weight (RDW), shot fresh weight (SFW), shot dry weight (SDW), leaf area (LA), mean fruit weight (MFW), mean fruit length (MFL), and mean fruit diameter (MFD) were examined. It was observed that the effects of different Pseudomonas strains were cultivar-specific and affected some parameters more. Rubygem MS-7 bacterial strain preserved SDW (3.21 g) and MS-12 bacterial strain preserved RFW (13.01 g) at 300 mg kg-1 Cd dose significantly better against Cd toxicity than other bacterial strains. In Kabarla MS-7 bacterial strain preserved RDW (3.72 g) at 300 mg kg-1 Cd dose and MS-12 bacterial strain preserved SFW (15.27 g) at 100 mg kg-1 Cd dose significantly better against Cd toxicity than other bacterial strains. Likewise, in YFL, MS-13 bacterial strains preserved MFW (7.509 g) and RL (30.00 cm) at 300 mg kg-1 Cd dose, and MS-7 bacterial strain preserved LA (57.87 cm2) at 100 mg kg-1 Cd dose significantly better against Cd toxicity than other bacterial strains. The results of the study showed that formulations containing Pseudomonas sp. can be used as an agricultural improver in areas with heavy metal pollution. As a result of the study, it was observed that PGPR applications were effective in preserving the morphological and pomological characteristics that decreased with the increase in Cd dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this research was to compare the effect of local farm resources, date palm waste compost, as growing media, with the imported substrate, coconut fiber, on the fruit yield and some growing indices of melon plants, under hydroponics culture system. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized blocks in four replications, comparing the following substrates: date palm trunk compost (DPT), date palm waste (70%) and animal manure (30%) compost (DPAM), coconut fiber (CF), and soil as control, respectively. Although there was no significant difference between different treatments in the fruit yield, the pH of the juice, and the firmness of fruits, the substrates induced a significant enhancement in fruit weight, plant length, and TSS compared to the soil control. While coconut fiber was the best substrate in enhancing fruit weight (1392g) and TSS (12 °Brix), the compost of date palm trunk had the best promoting effect on the number of leaves and plant length with a difference of 63 cm compared to the control. Our results revealed that substrates based on date palm wastes, especially trunk compost, could be promising less-costly alternatives to the imported coconut fiber substrate in soilless cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Lucrari Stiintifice, Universitatea de Stiinte Agricole Si Medicina Veterinara Ion Ionescu de la Brad Iasi, Seria Horticultura is the property of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (Editura Ion Ionescu de la Brad) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study of genetic diversity is an important step in planning crop breeding programs. According to researchers, diversity of the population under selection ensures the desired results in breeding programs. In this regard, using the capacity of local populations to create new cultivars and achieve maximum diversity is very efficient. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the agro-morphological traits of pepper populations to identify the breeding potential of local populations for producing hybrid cultivars. Materials and Methods In the present study, 30 populations of Iranian peppers were planted in five replications in the research greenhouse of Department of Plant Production and Genetics of Urmia University, inorder to study the genetic variability in terms of some agro-morphological traits. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) in pot conditions in 2016-2017. In this study, variance analysis (ANOVA) and mean comparison of traits by Duncan's multiple range test, estimation of phenotypic correlation by Pearson method and principal component analysis on correlation coefficient and also cluster analysis by Ward method has done and realized. Also, the variance components, heritability h), phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV), genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), and environmental coefficient of variation (ECV) were calculated. Results and Discussion The results showed significant difference among the populations for all studied traits. The highest phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) (88.36) was observed for single fruit weight and also the highest genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) (83.63) was observed for the same trait (single fruit weight). The pulp weight and fruit yield (0.950) had the highest significant positive correlation coefficient and the single fruit weight and fruit number (-0.558) had the highest significant negative correlation coefficient. According to the results of hierarchical cluster analysis, the studied populations were divided into five clusters based on the studied traits. The Tabriz population in the first cluster and the Gharah Bagh-Urmia population in the fourth cluster were superior in the fruit number trait. Conclusion In this study based on the results of mean comparisons Bash Ghala (from Urmia), Nakhchivan (from Urmia) and Keshtiban (from Urmia) populations were superior in terms of most of the studied traits. Also, Bash Ghala (from Urmia), Nakhchivan (from Urmia) and Keshtiban (from Urmia) populations were in the same cluster had higher fruit yield than other studied populations. Therefore, these populations can be used as one of the top parents in the intersection with other populations to create desirable genetic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research is carried out to determine the effects of different dates and temperatures on shoot length, fruit weight, oil content %, and maturity index of Gemlik and Memecik olive cultivars. The phenological growth stages of cultivars in 'yield' year were also described in the study using the BBCH (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt, Chemische Industrie) scale. The shoot length observations were made on trees in the 'on' and 'off' periods between March 15, 2017, and December 29, 2017, every 15 days. It was determined that the shoot elongation of the trees in the 'off' period was even longer compared to the trees in the 'on' year. While the fruit weight of Gemlik had the highest value (3.775 g) on October 30, it had the highest value (3.330 g) on November 15 in Memecik. While fruit weight increased for 153 days for Gemlik, this period was determined as 122 days for Memecik. The maximum oil contents (%) were determined in Gemlik with 29.071 % on December 30 and in Memecik with 22.180 % on December 15. The maturity index of olive fruits reached its maximum level on December 15 in both varieties. As a result, it has been revealed that there is no serious difference between the phenological stages of the trees in the period of 'on' and 'off' depending on the periodic fruit yield. Moreover, the shoot development is generally more in the trees with 'off'in terms of the course of shoot development, and when the pomological analysis regarding the productivity status are examined, there are some serious differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine some morphological characteristics of 94 tomato genotypes at the S4 level and to reveal the relationships between these materials. In the study, leaf attitude, leaf length, leaf width, number of flowers, fruit color, fruit weight, fruit width, fruit length, the thickness of pericarp, fruit shape, fruit diameter, number of locules, and total soluble solid content (TTSC) were measured and observed in these genotypes. As a result of the phenotypic assessment, the maximum fruit weight values of the genotypes were observed as in G9 (317.59 g), G54 (310 g), G92 (292.85 g), G70 (287.01 g), and G110 (276.66 g); and the lowest fruit weight values were observed in G26 (18.302 g) and G8 (14.48 g). Average fruit length, fruit width, pericarp thickness, and the number of carpels were recorded (69.09 mm, 56.90 mm, 6.37 mm, and 4 carpels respectively). Tomato genotypes were also investigated using Cluster and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method based on these measurements and observations. As a result of this analysis, five independent principal component axes were obtained. While these axes represent 69.28% of the total variation, the eigen values were ranged between 1.06 and 4.02. According to the PCA analysis results, genotypes G7, G81, G93, and G103 were prominent in terms of leaf length, fruit width, fruit weight, and carpel number parameters. Based on TSSC results, the G65 genotype was found to be the most prominent one, and the genotypes G12 and G114 exhibit promising results for fruit color. A high degree of morphological variation was detected among tomato genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing new sweet cherry cultivars with different ripening times is one of the most important goals of cherry breeding programs in Iran. „Zoshk‟ cultivar was selected from the native sweet cherry genotypes of Khorasan Razavi Province by implementing eight research projects for 21 years since 1998. The results of this study showed that this cultivar had semi-spreading tree habits and a moderate degree of branching. The time of the first flowering of the „Zoshk‟ cultivar was in the second week of April. A pollination study demonstrated that this cultivar was self-incompatible. „Sefid-90‟, „Surati-e-Lavasan‟, and „Dovomras-e-Mashhad‟ cultivars were suitable pollinizer cultivars for „Zoshk‟. In addition, the harvesting time of this cultivar was in the third week of June. The average fruit weight of the „Zoshk‟ cultivar (10.17 g) was higher than those of „Shandiz‟ (7.23 g), „Toos‟ (6.87 g), and „Siah-e-Mashhad‟ (7.80 g). Further, the total soluble solid was higher in „Zoshk‟ (19.66%) compared to „Shandiz‟ (16.63%) and „Toos‟ (17.13%) cultivars. Moreover, the yield of „Zoshk‟ in the economic fruiting stage was 33.67 kg per tree, higher than those of „Shandiz‟ (22.43 kg) and „Toos‟ (12.67 kg) cultivars. Regarding the high yield, average fruit weight, percentage of soluble solids, and extended ripening time of the „Zoshk‟ cultivar, the expansion of this cultivar is recommended in some sweet cherry orchards in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to estimate heritability, general and specific combining ability and the relationship between traits. Investigated traits were fruit number per plant, total yield per plant, average fruit weight, flesh thickness, flesh firmness, seed cavity size, total soluble solid, fruit length in melon. A complete diallel design was conducted for this purpose five parental genotypes were crossed and the hybrids were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance of traits showed a significant differences between hybrids, therefore the first Griffing method was used to analyze the combining ability. The general combining ability effects were significant for all parents in the evaluated traits. The specific combining ability of yield per plant was higher than the general combining ability, which indicates the dominance and non-additive actions of genes. High narrow-sense heritability for yield per plant, flesh firmness and the number of fruit per plant (0.86, 0.72 and 0.70, respectively) indicated low environmental effect for these traits and the greater role of additive effects. The highest narrow-sense heritability was estimated for yield per plant (0.86). The role of non-additive effects of genes in controlling yield and flesh firmness traits was greater than additive effects. Therefore, the preparation of superior hybrids using breeding methods based on progeny tests will be effective in improving the mentioned traits in melon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a two-year study (2017-2018), the aim was to determine the incidence of shot hole disease (Stigmina carpophila) on plum cultivar 'Čačanska lepotica' in four different training systems with tree spacings of 4 x 1.5, 4 x 2, 5 x 2.5 and 6 x 3 m. Fruit size (width and length) and fruit weight were also assessed during harvest of fruit in the four training system. Cultivar 'Čačanska lepotica' was susceptible to shot hole disease and showed shot hole symptoms in both years and in all training systems. In 2017, the highest disease incidence was observed in the 4 x 1.5 m plot (34% in June and 85% at the end of September). In June and July, the 6 x 3 m training system had the lowest disease incidence. In August and September, the 5 x 2.5 m training system had the smallest incidences of the disease among the training systems. In 2018, except for one assessment date (18 August) the 4 x 1.5 m plot had higher incidences than the other three training systems. Training system and years had almost no effect on fruit size, but there were some differences in fruit weight among the training systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anadolu Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi, Ziraat Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study was conducted in one of the private orchards in Al-Haritha region, Northern Basra city to study the effect of spraying antioxidants with three concentrations of (0, 3 and 6) ml.L-1 on two cultivars of jujube trees, Alarmouti and Altfahic. The physical traits of the stages of fruit growth were studied, starting from 50 days after flowering to the final maturity 120 days after of flowering. The results of the study recorded It is too complicated. The progress of the growth and development fruits for all the traits. The study revealed that the Alarmouti cultivar significantly excelled in most of the studied traits at all different growth stages, where the highest values were recorded in the traits of size, length, diameter, and fruit weight (11.07 cm3, 35.99 mm, 27.40 mm, and 21.97 g) respectively. It also excelled in chemical traits during growth stages. The study also showed that the antioxidant concentration of 6 ml.L-1 significantly excelled in most of the studied physical and chemical traits. The bi-interaction also had a significant effect on the studied traits, while the fresh weight of the seed was not significant different between cultivars, concentrations, and their -interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Lucrari Stiintifice, Universitatea de Stiinte Agricole Si Medicina Veterinara Ion Ionescu de la Brad Iasi, Seria Horticultura is the property of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (Editura Ion Ionescu de la Brad) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ripe jackfruit is among the favorite fruits of many people. However, what is usually eaten is the pulp. The other parts, known as co-products like rags, peel, pith, seeds and seed coat are just thrown away as wastes. This study was conducted to find out if jackfruit co-products can be made into a high value product like wine and to determine the physico-chemical and sensory qualities of wine produced from jackfruit co-products. The study had five treatments, with the type of co-products representing the treatments. The wine products from these treatments were evaluated by 10 trained sensory panelists from the Department of Food Science and Technology in the Visayas State University. Results of the study showed that all of the sensory attributes evaluated (i.e., color, taste, aroma, clarity and flavor) did not significantly differ among treatments. After two weeks of fermentation, wine from the five treatments had general mean acceptability ratings ranging from 5.30 (neither like nor dislike) for the wine from jackfruit rags (T3) to 6.2 (like slightly) for the wine from jackfruit peel (T4). In terms of physico-chemical characteristics, the wine from seed coat, pith and peel had acceptable titrable acid (TA) values of 0.53%, 0.5%, and 0.44%, respectively. Wine from all treatments also had reduced TSS, which means that sugar was broken down into alcohol, a sign of successful fermentation of the must into wine. These results suggest that the jackfruit co-products are potential raw materials for the processing of wine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blueberry fruits have gained consumer attention in recent years due to their good taste and high nutritional value. However, the short shelf-life of the fruit is one of the main downsides in intensive blueberry production. Therefore, optimized storage technology with a modified atmosphere is necessary to prolong blueberry fruit quality on the market. The aim of this study was to investigate long-term storage of fruit of the highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) ‘Liberty’ under the air control (0.5% CO2, 19.5% O2, 80% N2) and controlled atmosphere conditions of: 5% CO2, 5% O2, 90% N2; 15% CO2, 5% O2, 80% N2; and 25% CO2, 5% O2, 70% N2. Fruit sampling was performed four times during storage (17, 30, 44, 62 days). Evaluation was carried out for fruit weight, total and individual sugar and organic acid contents, sugar-to-organic acid ratio, and individual phenolics contents. After 44 days of storage, weight loss was highest with 15% CO2 and lowest with 5% CO2, with minor variations. The greatest breakdown of total sugars was seen for the air control, and the least for 25% CO2. Organic acids were significantly reduced under all of these storage conditions. Consequently, a high sugar-to-organic acid ratio was maintained in fruit stored with 25% CO2. The contents of all of the identified phenolics significantly decreased with 15% and 25% CO2. After 62 days of storage with 5% CO2, there were small decreases in flavan-3-ols and hydroxycinnamic acids, while flavonoid and anthocyanin contents were unchanged, or for some individual phenolics, content increased. These data show that 15% CO2 or higher accelerates degradation of the phenolics. We can conclude that for maintenance of weight and nutritional quality of the blueberry fruit ‘Liberty’, the optimal controlled atmosphere under long-term storage is 5% CO2, 5% O2, and 90% N2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to balance the production and consumption of assimilates according to crop conditions as a basis to reduce the waste of assimilation through leaf and fruit control. There were four treatments: one fruit and two leaves (F1L2); two fruits and two leaves (F2L2); two fruits and three leaves (F2L3); and two fruits and four leaves (F2L4). This study showed that, as the number of leaves increased in Periods 1 and 2, the stem diameter and average weight decreased, with F1L2 having the highest stem diameter and average weight, although its numbers of leaves and fruits were the fewest. In the summer, Period 3, F1L2 production was the lowest due to increased rates of flower drop and fruit drop. In Period 4, when ambient temperature and light levels were decreased, the number of fruits was increased. However, the production was decreased. F1L2 and F2L4 showed significant decreases in production. Although F1L2 showed the highest average weight, it had a low production due to a decrease in the number of fruits. F2L4 showed weak generative growth due to an imbalance in growth over the summer. After reaching the last stage of development, the number of leaves showed the highest average weight and production in F2L4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was carried out at B.B.A. University, Lucknow (UP), India during rabi season of 2017-18 and 2018-19 to study the performance of tomato genotypes for growth and yield. The twenty genotypes were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications. Among the genotypes Pusa Sadabahar proved superior for growth and yield contributing characters i.e. plant height (30.9), number of branches per plant (7.0), number of cluster per plant (20.4), number of flower per cluster (9.8), number of fruits per cluster (5.0), number of fruits per plant (18.3), average fruit weight (53.0 g), fruit yield per plant (974.8 g), fruit yield (15.1 kg/plot) and fruit yield (36.1 tha-1) respectively, followed by Selection -7. On the other hand, minimum values of these parameters were recorded in Toleu-32, took plant height (25.1), number of branches per plant (4.5), number of cluster per plant (5.4), number of flower per cluster (5.6), number of fruits per cluster (3.1), number of fruits per plant (13.1), average fruit weight (41.9 g), fruit yield per plant (550.8 g), fruit yield (8.8 kg/plot) and fruit yield (20.4 t ha-1) consequently. The genotype Toleu-32 was significantly superior for days to 50 % flowering (41.9). The accession H-86 was found to be superior for TSS (5.4 0Brix). The check variety VRT-50 was found to be superior for vitamin C (27.7mg) followed by TLCV-16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, pollination in water melon with stingless bee Tetragonula iridipennis Smith, open pollination and control (pollinator’s exclusion) have been evaluated. Comparative pollination index worked out using foraging parameters, and fruit production and quality parameters was used. Data revealed that T. iridipennis bee pollination resulted in heavier fruits (3.428 kg) with bigger size (26.39 cm) as compared to control (0.583 kg), and open pollination treatments (2.996 kg). Fruit set (89.75%) and healthy fruits (81.62%) were more in stingless bee pollination than other modes. Significantly less fruit set (39.57%) was observed without pollination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]