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Xylella fastidiosa is one of the most dangerous plant‐pathogenic bacteria globally, affecting various host species. Plum leaf scald (PLS) is the primary disease affecting plum trees in Brazil, with plant eradication efforts significantly increasing in recent years. This study aims to elucidate the disease dynamics and its vector in three monitored orchards from 2010 to 2015 and associate the pattern of pathogen dispersal with mechanical pruning. The incidence was lower in Porto Amazonas, starting at 0% and reaching 14% after 5 years. In contrast, the orchards in Araucaria and Palmeira showed an initial incidence around 5% in the first year, exceeding 80% by the end of the study. Sharpshooter leafhoppers, the vectors, were collected at ground and plant canopy level during the last 3 years. In 2013, more leafhoppers were found near the ground, but their numbers equalized across heights in the following years. Kernel smoothing revealed spatial dependence, and an autologistic model indicated an aggregated infection pattern with increased PLS risk for neighbouring plants. The border effect at the epidemic's onset was linked to pathogen entry via external vectors. The disease's progression along rows was attributed to effective mechanical pathogen transmission through pruning. Therefore, in regions with several summer prunings, it is recommended to sanitize pruning shears to prevent pathogen transmission. Constant monitoring and control of the vector are essential for effective disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance to PPV and ESFY phytoplasma has been evaluated for Japanese plum ('Aphrodite', 'Black Amber', 'Crimson Glo', 'Santa Rosa') and pluot ('Dapple Supreme', 'Flav Queen', 'Flav Supreme') cultivars. Each cultivar was grafted by chip-budding on GF 305 peach rootstocks and infected with the virulent PPV-Rec or ESFY phytoplasma strain also by chip-budding. After bud break, cultivar evaluation consisted in observing presence or absence of symptoms on leaves, noting the symptom intensity on leaves and on the whole plant. Plants were studied in controlled conditions in a sealed screen-house for three consecutive growth periods. DAS-ELISA and RFLP-PCR analyses were also employed to verify the presence or absence of PPV, respectively ESFY phytoplasma. Results obtained in the context of this very severe biological test against PPV and ESFY phytoplasma confirm the high level of susceptibility of Japanese plum and pluot cultivars.

The objective of this study was to characterize the reproductive compatibility among cultivars and selections of Japanese plum through controlled pollination, both in vivo and in situ, to obtain a profile of reproductively compatible cultivars. In situ and in vivo self-pollinations were carried out in an F1 population of Japanese plum, and in vivo pollinations were conducted on the pollen-grain receptor cultivars: Laetitia, Zafira and Fortune, and the pollen-grain donor cultivars: Piamontesa, Selection Plum 86-13, Harry Pickstone, Black Amber, Bruce, SC-17, Laetitia, SC-15, SC 7, Zafira, Amarelinha, América, Reubennel and Fortune, to verify the percentage of germination of pollen grains and growth of pollen tubes in the pistils of the recipient plants. The in situ and in vivo assays for the F1 population confirm the self-compatibility of genotypes 13 and 35. The Laetitia cultivar is self-incompatible; however, it is compatible with the Selection 'Plum 86-13'. 'Zafira' is self-incompatible. 'Fortune' is compatible with 'Amarelinha', 'SC-7', 'America', 'Harry Pickstone' and 'Reubennel', but it is self-incompatible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Letícia AF is a mutation of the plum cultivar Laetitia that confers self-compatibility. This work compared the Letícia AF mutant cultivar with the standard Laetitia regarding fruit set, self-compatibility, yield, and fruit quality traits during four growing seasons. The study was carried out in two plum orchards with the cultivar Letícia AF (orchard 1) and Laetitia plus pollinizers trees (orchard 2) and in an experimental unit with Letícia AF and Laetitia planted side by side. A self-compatibility test was performed on covered branches to prevent pollinating insects from reaching the flowers. Fruit set occurs in covered branches of Letícia AF, whereas it was rare in Laetitia. In commercial orchards, Leticia AF plums yield was higher than that of Laetitia over the years. The results suggest that the oscillation in productivity across the years, mainly due to unfavorable conditions for insect pollination, may be lower in the plum Leticia AF orchard. On the other hand, the requirement for fruit thinning may be greater in Leticia AF. No significant differences were found between the mutant and the standard cultivar regarding fruit quality at harvest and after 30 days of cold storage, indicating the mutation did not alter the fruit characteristics.

Japanese plums have relatively high water requirements, which depend on supplementing rainfall volumes with accurately quantified irrigation water. There is a lack of knowledge on the seasonal water requirements of plum orchards. This gap in the literature poses an imminent threat to the long-term sustainability of the South African plum industry, which is particularly plagued by climate change and diminishing water resources. The systematic literature review conducted in this study aimed to provide a foundation for supporting water management in irrigated Japanese plum [Prunus salicina Lindl.] orchards. Seventeen peer-reviewed articles obtained from the literature were analyzed. Approximately 66% of the cultivars were cultivated under different regulated deficit irrigation regimes for water-saving purposes and to increase fruit quality. This review of our knowledge provided benchmark figures on the annual water requirements of Japanese plums. The full-year plum crop water requirements obtained from the literature ranged between 921 and 1211 mm a−1. Canopy growth, pruning and growing season length were the most common causes of differences in the water requirement estimates. Further research is required to measure the water requirement of plums from planting to full-bearing age and the response of plum trees to water stress, especially in the South African context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.)

Japanese plum, like other temperate fruit tree species, has cultivar-specific temperature requirements during dormancy for proper flowering. Knowing the temperature requirements of this species is of increasing interest due to the great genetic variability that exists among the available Japanese plum-type cultivars, since most of them are interspecific hybrids. The reduction of winter chilling caused by climate change is threatening their cultivation in many regions. In this work, the adaptation perspectives of 21 Japanese plum-type cultivars were analyzed in two of the main plum-growing regions in Spain, Badajoz and Zaragoza, to future climate conditions. Endodormancy release for subsequent estimation of chilling and heat requirements was determined through empirical experiments conducted during dormancy at least over two years. Chill requirements were calculated using three models [chilling hours (CH), chilling units (CU) and chilling portions (CP)] and heat requirements using growing degree hours (GDH). Chilling requirements ranged 277-851 CH, 412-1,030 CU and 26-51 CP, and heat requirements ranged from 4,343 to 9,525 GDH. The potential adaption of the cultivars to future warmer conditions in both regions was assessed using climate projections under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP), RCP4.5 (effective reduction of greenhouse gas emissions) and RCP8.5 (continuous increase in greenhouse gas emissions), in two time horizons, from the middle to the end of 21st century, with temperature projections from 15 Global Climate Models. The probability of satisfying the estimated cultivarspecific chilling requirements in Badajoz was lower than in Zaragoza, because of the lower chill availability predicted. In this region, the cultivars analyzed herein may have limited cultivation because the predicted reduction in winter chill may result in the chilling requirements not being successfully fulfilled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Copyright of Agronomía Colombiana is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia 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.)

Japanese plum, like other temperate fruit tree species, has cultivar-specific temperature requirements during dormancy for proper flowering. Knowing the temperature requirements of this species is of increasing interest due to the great genetic variability that exists among the available Japanese plum-type cultivars, since most of them are interspecific hybrids. The reduction of winter chilling caused by climate change is threatening their cultivation in many regions. In this work, the adaptation perspectives of 21 Japanese plum-type cultivars were analyzed in two of the main plum-growing regions in Spain, Badajoz and Zaragoza, to future climate conditions. Endodormancy release for subsequent estimation of chilling and heat requirements was determined through empirical experiments conducted during dormancy at least over two years. Chill requirements were calculated using three models [chilling hours (CH), chilling units (CU) and chilling portions (CP)] and heat requirements using growing degree hours (GDH). Chilling requirements ranged 277-851 CH, 412-1,030 CU and 26-51 CP, and heat requirements ranged from 4,343 to 9,525 GDH. The potential adaption of the cultivars to future warmer conditions in both regions was assessed using climate projections under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP), RCP4.5 (effective reduction of greenhouse gas emissions) and RCP8.5 (continuous increase in greenhouse gas emissions), in two time horizons, from the middle to the end of 21st century, with temperature projections from 15 Global Climate Models. The probability of satisfying the estimated cultivar-specific chilling requirements in Badajoz was lower than in Zaragoza, because of the lower chill availability predicted. In this region, the cultivars analyzed herein may have limited cultivation because the predicted reduction in winter chill may result in the chilling requirements not being successfully fulfilled.

Albino seedlings that arise during seed reproduction can have a significant impact on plant growth and breeding. In this research, we present the first report of albino occurrences in the seed reproduction process of Prunus salicina and describe the cytological, physiological, and transcriptomic changes observed in albino seedlings. The albino seedlings which were observed in several plum cultivars exhibited abnormal chloroplast ultrastructure and perturbed stomatal structure. Compared to normal seedlings, the photosynthetic pigment contents in albino seedlings decreased by more than 90%, accompanied by significant reductions in several chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. Furthermore, substantially changed photosynthetic parameters indicated that the photosynthetic capacity and stomatal function were impaired in albino seedlings. Additionally, the activities of the antioxidant enzyme were drastically altered against the background of higher proline and lower ascorbic acid in leaves of albino seedlings. A total of 4048 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified through transcriptomic sequencing, and the downregulated DEGs in albino seedlings were greatly enriched in the pathways for photosynthetic antenna proteins and flavonoid biosynthesis. GLK1 and Ftsz were identified as candidate genes responsible for the impaired chloroplast development and division in albino seedlings. Additionally, the substantial decline in the expression levels of examined photosystem-related chloroplast genes was validated in albino seedlings. Our findings shed light on the intricate physiological and molecular mechanisms driving albino plum seedling manifestation, which will contribute to improving the reproductive and breeding efforts of plums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese plum (Prunus salicina L.) is a fruit tree belonging to the Rosaceae family, native to south-eastern China and widely cultivated throughout the world. Fruit sugar metabolism and color change is an important physiological behavior that directly determines flavor and aroma. Our study analyzed six stages of fruit growth and development using RNA-seq, yielding a total of 14,973 DEGs, and further evaluation of key DEGs revealed a focus on sugar metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, carotenoid biosynthesis, and photosynthesis. Using GO and KEGG to enrich differential genes in the pathway, we selected 107 differential genes and obtained 49 significant differential genes related to glucose metabolism. The results of the correlation analyses indicated that two genes of the SWEET family, evm.TU.Chr1.3663 (PsSWEET9) and evm.TU.Chr4.676 (PsSWEET2), could be closely related to the composition of soluble sugars, which was also confirmed in the ethylene treatment experiments. In addition, analysis of the TOP 20 pathways between different growth stages and the green stage, as well as transient overexpression in chili, suggested that capsanthin/capsorubin synthase (PsCCS) of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway contributed to the color change of plum fruit. These findings provide an insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in the ripening and color change of plum fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese plums have relatively high water requirements, which depend on supplementing rainfall volumes with accurately quantified irrigation water. There is a lack of knowledge on the seasonal water requirements of plum orchards. This gap in the literature poses an imminent threat to the long-term sustainability of the South African plum industry, which is particularly plagued by climate change and diminishing water resources. The systematic literature review conducted in this study aimed to provide a foundation for supporting water management in irrigated Japanese plum [Prunus salicina Lindl.] orchards. Seventeen peer-reviewed articles obtained from the literature were analyzed. Approximately 66% of the cultivars were cultivated under different regulated deficit irrigation regimes for water-saving purposes and to increase fruit quality. This review of our knowledge provided benchmark figures on the annual water requirements of Japanese plums. The full-year plum crop water requirements obtained from the literature ranged between 921 and 1211 mm a−1. Canopy growth, pruning and growing season length were the most common causes of differences in the water requirement estimates. Further research is required to measure the water requirement of plums from planting to full-bearing age and the response of plum trees to water stress, especially in the South African context.

Postharvest fruit rot is one of the most serious diseases of fleshy stone fruits such as nectarine and plum. The efficacy of ozonated water sprayed in different doses in a packing line [low dose, 1.5 ppm ozone (Ο3) for 100 sec; medium dose, 3.0 ppm Ο3 for 100 sec; high dose, 1.5 ppm Ο3 for 400 sec] in controlling the brown rot (Monilinia fructicola) development was studied in the nectarine cultivar 'Τasty Free' and the plum cultivar 'Angelino.' Changes in flesh firmness, ripening index, ethylene and respiration rate, and peel color during storage (0℃ for 3 weeks) and shelf-life (20℃ for 4 days) were used as 'indicator' quality parameter responses in storage and shelf-life. The most efficient dose of O3 in controlling the Monilinia infection was the highest applied, followed by the middle O3 dose. The efficacy of O3 treatments was higher when a lower Monilinia spore concentration was applied. The O3 doses applied did not cause any visible symptoms of O3 toxicity, yet they caused an acceleration in the fruit ripening process, suggested mainly by an increase in the fruit respiration rate in both nectarine and plum, and an increase in the ripening index and darker peel coloration only in plums. In conclusion, spraying with ozonated water is an eco-friendly and efficient sanitizing agent, but in fleshy commodities such as nectarine and plum may diminish their postharvest performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) is one of the traditional and economically important stone fruit trees in China. Anthocyanins are important pigments in plums. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin accumulation in plum fruits, which has hindered research on the molecular mechanism of its utilization. Our research shows that the chlorophyll content was gradually decreased and the contents of anthocyanin and flavonoid increased during the coloring process of the pulp in ‘Huaxiu’ plums (P. salicina). Then, the RNA-Seq technique was used to analyze the transcriptome of pulp color changes with three different stages (yellow, orange, and red) in the ‘Huaxiu’ plum (P. salicina). A total of 57,119 unigenes with a mean length of 953 bp were generated, and 61.6% of them were annotated to public databases. The Gene Ontology (GO) database assigned 21,438 unigenes with biological process, cellular components, and molecular function. In addition, 32,146 unigenes were clustered into 25 categories for functional classification by the COG database, and 7595 unigenes were mapped to 128 KEGG pathways by the KEGG pathway database. Of these, 1095 (YS-versus-OS), 4947 (YS-versus-RS), and 3414 (OS-versus-RS) genes were significantly expressed differentially between two coloration stages. The GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that 20 and 1 differentially expressed genes (DEG) are involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and anthocyanin biosynthesis, respectively. Finally, we mainly identified three structural genes as candidate genes. The transcriptome information in this study provide a basis for further studies of pulp colors in plum and contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis in pulp.

The aim of this work was to evaluate how 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment affects appearance of plum fruit. Fruit of 'Angeleno' and 'Topend' cultivars were treated with 625 ppb gaseous 1-MCP at 1 °C for 24 h after harvest. Samples without treatment, called control, and those subjected to the treatment were stored at 1 °C for 8 weeks (Topend) and 10 weeks (Angeleno). The subgroup of initial samples and those withdrawn from cold storage were also measured after 7 d storage at 20 °C. According to measured parameters of ethylene, CO2 production, firmness, and total soluble solids content, there was a clear difference between 1-MCP- treated and control samples for both cultivars. Color attributes of hue angle and saturation changed significantly during storage, especially for flesh color measured on fruit cut in half. The comparison revealed that saturation responded more sensitively to changes. Firmness correlated significantly with color attributes, and flesh saturation reached the highest value of Pearson's correlation of r = 0.608 (p < 0.01) and Spearman's rank correlation of ρ = 0.636 (p < 0.01). The specific plum color was also evaluated with a normalized blue value, which obtained significant linear correlation with firmness (r = −0.7414, p < 0.001). There was significant difference between cultivars in terms of surface color and its correlation with firmness as Pearson's correlation obtained r = 0.833 (p < 0.001) for 'Topend' and r = 0.556 (p > 0.05) for 'Angeleno'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-incompatibility in Prunus species is governed by a single locus consisting of two highly multi-allelic and tightly linked genes, one coding for an F-box protein—i.e., SFB in Prunus- controlling the pollen specificity and one coding for an S-RNase gene controlling the pistil specificity. Genotyping the allelic combination in a fruit tree species is an essential procedure both for cross-based breeding and for establishing pollination requirements. Gel-based PCR techniques using primer pairs designed from conserved regions and spanning polymorphic intronic regions are traditionally used for this task. However, with the great advance of massive sequencing techniques and the lowering of sequencing costs, new genotyping-by-sequencing procedures are emerging. The alignment of resequenced individuals to reference genomes, commonly used for polymorphism detection, yields little or no coverage in the S-locus region due to high polymorphism between different alleles within the same species, and cannot be used for this purpose. Using the available sequences of Japanese plum S-loci concatenated in a rosary-like structure as synthetic reference sequence, we describe a procedure to accurately genotype resequenced individuals that allowed the analysis of the S-genotype in 88 Japanese plum cultivars, 74 of them are reported for the first time. In addition to unraveling two new S-alleles from published reference genomes, we identified at least two S-alleles in 74 cultivars. According to their S-allele composition, they were assigned to 22 incompatibility groups, including nine new incompatibility groups reported here for the first time (XXVII-XXXV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese plum (Prunus salicina L.) is a fruit tree belonging to the Rosaceae family, native to south-eastern China and widely cultivated throughout the world. Fruit sugar metabolism and color change is an important physiological behavior that directly determines flavor and aroma. Our study analyzed six stages of fruit growth and development using RNA-seq, yielding a total of 14,973 DEGs, and further evaluation of key DEGs revealed a focus on sugar metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, carotenoid biosynthesis, and photosynthesis. Using GO and KEGG to enrich differential genes in the pathway, we selected 107 differential genes and obtained 49 significant differential genes related to glucose metabolism. The results of the correlation analyses indicated that two genes of the SWEET family, evm.TU.Chr1.3663 (PsSWEET9) and evm.TU.Chr4.676 (PsSWEET2), could be closely related to the composition of soluble sugars, which was also confirmed in the ethylene treatment experiments. In addition, analysis of the TOP 20 pathways between different growth stages and the green stage, as well as transient overexpression in chili, suggested that capsanthin/capsorubin synthase (PsCCS) of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway contributed to the color change of plum fruit. These findings provide an insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in the ripening and color change of plum fruit.

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

The Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) is a fruit tree globally cultivated in temperate regions of the world. Its floral biology and yield are affected by several factors, with issues related to self- and cross- (in) compatibility among varieties being emblematic of the whole Rosaceae family. The aim of this work was to elucidate the fruit set, dynamics of pollen tube growth in pistil, and yield and other fruiting attributes, in 'Satluj Purple' and 'Kala Amritsari', probably the most popular subtropical Japanese plum varieties in northern regions of India. Specifically, we examined the response of six different pollination variants, namely to self-pollination, open-pollination with the two cultivars located in adjacent rows, open-pollination with the two cultivars located in distant rows, manual cross-pollination, supplementary pollination, and floral bouquet. During the two years of the investigation, both plum cultivars showed good in vitro pollen germination (on average, above 50%) at different sucrose concentrations, with the highest values for the 'Satluj Purple' and for the 15% concentration. In vivo, the analysis of the pollen growth in the various sections of the style indicated the best performance when pistils of 'Satluj Purple' were pollinated by pollen grains of cv. 'Kala Amritsari'. Cross-pollination also registered faster growth of pollen tube in pistil with the lowest number of incompatible pollen tubes compared to open- and self-pollination. From the productive point of view, cross-pollination showed the most pronounced results among the different pollination variants, with the highest initial fruit set (36.6%) and yield (28.0 kg/tree), and the shorter fruit development in 'Satluj Purple' (fruit set and yield in self-pollinated 'Satluj Purple' trees were 3.3% and 2.0 kg/tree, respectively). Conversely, the use of 'Satluj Purple' pollen for 'Kala Amritsari' showed poor results. Finally, in our study, 'Kala Amritsari' showed self-compatibility. We conclude that the main cause of poor fruit set in 'Satluj Purple' is self-incompatibility. The relevant genotypic-specific effects revealed by the analysis of the various pollination treatments also highlighted the importance of interplanting to increase fruit set and yield for subtropical Japanese plum varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, nursery plum trees are traditionally produced by interspecific budding, where the rootstock is propagated by peach seeds often obtained from the waste of peach industrialization, which promotes heterogeneity among rootstocks. In addition, the conventional system of nursery plum tree production under field conditions requires approximately 18 months, from taking seeds to selling grafted trees. This research has aimed to assess the technical feasibility of adventitious root formation in the softwood cuttings of six cultivars of Prunus spp., as well as the budding of 'Irati' plum in the recently rooted softwood cuttings developed in a greenhouse, in order to reduce the time required to produce nursery plum trees with cloned rootstocks. Two tests were carried out in a greenhouse involving the rootstock propagation step (1) and the 'Irati' plum budding on the recently rooted cuttings (2). Under the experimental conditions adopted, we have concluded that it is technically feasible to propagate the cultivars of Prunus spp. under an intermittent mist system with 22 cm-long softwood cuttings. The cultivars 'Genovesa', 'Marianna 2624', and 'Myrobalan 29C' showed good propagation ability with high percentage of live rooted cuttings (>90%) and low mortality in acclimation (=5.0%). On the other hand, the budding of the 'Irati' plum by the chip budding method made in April in the original rootstock cutting showed low percentages of success (between 17.1% and 31.4%) and the beginning of scion growth was only observed at the end of winter. Considering the time necessary for the softwood cutting to root and the satisfactory growth of the scion for planting the nursery trees at the appropriate time (winter), we could not produce budded nursery trees of 'Irati' plum in less than 12 months, counting from the cuttings made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known regarding the genes, compounds and physiological alternations that take place upon infection of black knot disease. This research aimed to unravel the genetic mechanism responsible for the resistance of Japanese plum ( Prunus salicina L.) trees against black knot ( Apiosporina morbosa Schwein.) using a Genome-Wide Association Study. Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS) was combined with a phenotyping system to analyze 200 genotypes of mixed origin. Population stratification identified four subpopulations, and the Fixed and Random Model Circulating Probability Unification (FarmCPU) algorithm was used for this analysis. Nineteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with black knot disease resistance were discovered across five chromosomes. Linkage disequilibrium analysis identified 55 genes near these SNPs, with eight genes related to plant defense, immunity, and biotic stress response. One SNP mutation was found in the 5' untranslated region of a gene regulating the first enzyme in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. The results provide valuable insights into the genetic mechanisms behind BLACK KNOT disease resistance in Japanese plum and identifies potential markers for use in molecular breeding., Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s). Plant‐Environment Interactions published by New Phytologist Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

No Brasil, as mudas de ameixeira são tradicionalmente produzidas por enxertia interespecífica, sendo o porta-enxerto propagado a partir de sementes de pessegueiro, muitas vezes obtidas do resíduo da industrialização do pêssego, o que promove heterogeneidade entre os porta-enxertos. Além disso, o sistema convencional de produção de mudas de ameixeira em condições de campo demanda em torno de 18 meses, desde a obtenção dos caroços à comercialização das mudas enxertadas. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a viabilidade técnica do enraizamento adventício de estacas herbáceas de seis cultivares de Prunus spp., bem como a realização da enxertia da ameixeira ‘Irati’ nas estacas recém-enraizadas em casa de vegetação, visando reduzir o tempo necessário para produzir mudas com porta-enxertos clonados. Dois experimentos foram conduzidos em casa de vegetação, envolvendo a fase de propagação do porta-enxerto (1) e a fase da enxertia da ameixeira ’Irati’ nas estacas recém-enraizadas (2). Nas condições experimentais adotadas, conclui-se que é tecnicamente viável a propagação vegetativa de cultivares de Prunus spp. sob nebulização intermitente, utilizando-se estacas herbáceas com 22 cm de comprimento. As cultivares Genovesa, Marianna 2624 e Myrobalan 29C apresentam boa capacidade de propagação, com alta porcentagem de estacas enraizadas vivas (>90%) e baixa mortalidade na aclimatação (≤5,0%). A enxertia de “borbulhia de escudo com lenho” da ameixeira ‘Irati’, realizada em abril na estaca original do porta-enxerto, apresenta baixas porcentagens de pegamento (entre 17,1% e 31,4%) e o início do crescimento dos enxertos só é observado no final do inverno. Considerando os períodos necessários ao enraizamento da estaca herbácea e ao crescimento satisfatório do enxerto, para o plantio da muda na época adequada (inverno), não é possível produzir mudas enxertadas da ameixeira ‘Irati’ em tempo inferior a 12 meses, contado a partir da estaquia.

To know the relationships between phenotypic and genetic variables in a germplasm collection of fruit crops is useful a pre-breeding and cultivar distinctness. A core collection of 23 peaches/nectarines (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch), and 16 Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl. var. salicina) cultivars were evaluated for 33 and 29 characteristics (botanical/productive) respectively during two growing seasons. Also, eight specific simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers were analyzed in both species. Principal components analyses revealed seven characteristics (related to the size of the fruit and the firmness of the pulp) as the most important for the 23 peach/nectarine cultivars and four characteristics (yield, fruit size, soluble solids, and harvest time) for the 16 Japanese plum cultivars. These analyses revealed three cultivars of peaches (Diamond Princess, Dixon, and Dr. Davis) and three of nectarines (Ruby diamond, Artic sweet, Summer fire) with the highest values for fruit size and pulp firmness. Four Japanese plum cultivars (Angeleno, Flavor Rich, Red Heart, and Pink Delight) showed the highest values of yield, fruit size, soluble solids, and harvest time. Elite germplasms to carry out a breeding program were identified from both the phenotypic and genetic analysis. Additionally, cultivar-specific SSR alleles were identified and are a relevant tool for cultivar distinctness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we studied the variation in leaf and fruit morphological traits and antioxidant contents in 43 local and foreign cultivars (cvs) grown under the same experimental conditions in the widely cultivated plum species Prunus domestica and Prunus salicina. The peel contribution of fruit bioactive compounds in a serving portion, correlations among the examined parameters, and group patterns in each plum species were also studied. The species and cvs were sufficiently separated. Compared to Japanese cvs, European cvs had less elongated leaves and smaller and sweeter fruit with less total phenol and antioxidant capacities. The Japanese cvs 'Red ace' and the widely grown 'Black Amber', together with the European 'Tuleu Dulce', 'BlueFre', and the landrace 'Asvestochoriou' make up groups with rich dietary sources of phytochemicals. The peel tissue contained higher total phenols and antioxidant capacities compared to the flesh, while the peel/flesh ratios varied widely among the cvs (6.6-fold). The variation in the antioxidant contents was lower among the cvs calculated per serving portion (3.7-fold); yet the peel tissue contribution was equal to that of the flesh (48.6%), signifying its high nutritive value. We observed increased sweetness in the fruit in the later-harvested cultivars, while cvs with more blue- and red-colored peel generally contained higher antioxidant contents mainly in the European plums. Moreover, larger fruit sizes were positively correlated with larger and more elliptic leaf shapes. In conclusion, the significant role of the genotype and the peel tissue as a source of bioactive compounds in plums were outlined with prospects of utilization in future breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylella fastidiosa is a generalist phytopathogen transmitted by several polyphagous species of sharpshooters. This bacterium is responsible for plum leaf scald disease (PLS), the main phytosanitary barrier for the culture in Brazil. As an aggravating factor, weed species present in orchards can be related to the epidemiology of the disease as a source of inoculum for the pathogen. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the natural infection by X. fastidiosa in weed species present in plum orchards with a high incidence of PLS in two producing regions of Brazil, as well as to determine the colonization capacity by three sequence types (STs 26, 67 and 71) of X. fastidiosa isolated from plum trees. A total of 12 prevailing weed species were collected, nine of which (Bidens pilosa, Lepidium ruderale, Lolium multiflorum, Plantago major, Parthenium hysterosphorus, Raphanus sativus, Rumex sp., Solanum americanum and Vernonia sp.) tested positive by PCR for X. fastidiosa infection. From these, L. ruderale and L. multiflorum had the highest infection rates of 70% and 90% in root and leaf samples of L. ruderale, respectively, and 100% in leaf samples of L. multiflorum. Mechanical inoculation allowed systemic infection of the bacteria in B. pilosa, L. ruderale, R. sativus and S. americanum. Our results indicate that several weed species in plum orchards are hosts of representative STs of X. fastidiosa that infect plum, and might play a role in the spread of the pathogen to plum trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The type of polymeric condensed tannins from plum fruit (Prunus salicina) (PCT), the degree of polymerization and the distribution of polymers were characterized by MALDI-TOF MS and NMR spectroscopy. The metal-binding capacity of PCT with five metal ions (Cu2+, Zn2+, Al3+, Fe2+, and Fe3+) was characterized by a fluorescence quenching method. The results demonstrated the following: epicatechin was the basic unit occurring in PCT, and A-type and B-type linkages were the most common between the structural units of the polymers. The PCT have a strong antioxidant activity, which is comparable with that of the synthetic antioxidant BHA. The quenching mechanism of the PCT's fluorescence intensity by Zn2+, Cu2+, and Al3+ was different from that of Fe3+ and Fe2+. Fe3+, Al3+ and Fe2+ had much higher affinities for the PCT than Zn2+ and Cu2+. A simple UV-Vis spectra method was developed to determine the protein-precipitating capacity of tannins. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was effectively precipitated by tannins isolated from plum fruits, Chinese gallnut, sorghum grain, and Platycarya strobilacea at pH values between 4.5 and 5.0. A statistically significant linear relationship (p < 0.0001 or p < 0.0003) existed between the amount of tannin–protein complex formed and the amount of tannins added to the reaction mixture. The slopes of these lines indicated the protein-precipitating capacity of tannins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant nutrition is one of the factors that can influence fruit yield and quality. Brazilian soils are generally highly weathered, acidic and have low natural fertility with generalized nutrient deficits, especially of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The use of alternative sources of nutrients such as rock powder and mining co-products, when applied together, can increase the efficiency of soluble sources of P and K, and could reduce the need for soluble fertilizer imports that are often expensive and have low residual effect in the soil. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate MBR matrix fertilizer rates on fruit quality and plum cultivation, cv. Irati. This study was conducted at the UTFPR Campus Pato Branco, from 2009 to 2014. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications and three plants per plot. Treatments (Tn) were: recommended chemical fertilizer replacement (T5); 2/3 of the recommended fertilization plus: 0 (T1), 500 (T2), 1000 (T3) and 2000 (T4) kg ha−1 yr−1 of MBR matrix; and without replacement (T6). Characteristics of plant quality, productivity and development, as well as leaf and soil contents of P and K were evaluated. The annual application of 1,000 kg ha−1 of the shale-based fertilizer matrix can be used as a complement to 1/3 of the P and K fertilization, in ‘Irati’ plum cultivation, by increasing accumulated production by 21.4%, maintaining the quality of the fruits, and maintaining adequate soil levels of P and K. The results demonstrate that the use of mining co-products of the Irati Formation has the potential for being used in agriculture as a source of nutrients, contributing to an increase in the efficiency of soluble sources of P and K, reducing the dependence on imported nutrient inputs and increasing local sustainable development..

The aim of this work was to evaluate how 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment affects appearance of plum fruit. Fruit of ‘Angeleno’ and ‘Topend’ cultivars were treated with 625 ppb gaseous 1-MCP at 1 °C for 24 h after harvest. Samples without treatment, called control, and those subjected to the treatment were stored at 1 °C for 8 weeks (Topend) and 10 weeks (Angeleno). The subgroup of initial samples and those withdrawn from cold storage were also measured after 7 d storage at 20 °C. According to measured parameters of ethylene, CO2 production, firmness, and total soluble solids content, there was a clear difference between 1-MCP- treated and control samples for both cultivars. Color attributes of hue angle and saturation changed significantly during storage, especially for flesh color measured on fruit cut in half. The comparison revealed that saturation responded more sensitively to changes. Firmness correlated significantly with color attributes, and flesh saturation reached the highest value of Pearson’s correlation of r = 0.608 (p < 0.01) and Spearman’s rank correlation of ρ = 0.636 (p < 0.01). The specific plum color was also evaluated with a normalized blue value, which obtained significant linear correlation with firmness (r = −0.7414, p < 0.001). There was significant difference between cultivars in terms of surface color and its correlation with firmness as Pearson’s correlation obtained r = 0.833 (p < 0.001) for ‘Topend’ and r = 0.556 (p > 0.05) for ‘Angeleno’.

Plum leaf scald (PLS) is the main obstacle to plum expansion in Brazil. This disease is caused by Xylella fastidiosa, which colonizes the foregut of xylem‐sap feeding insects and the xylem of the plants. Breeding programmes identified new plum genotypes that showed no leaf scald symptoms in the field and remained negative for X. fastidiosa for at least 10 years. However, the mechanisms that confer this resistance are not fully elucidated. One hypothesis is the emission of volatile organic compounds by the host. Therefore, we investigated the volatile compound profile from six plum genotypes with different resistance levels to PLS. Thirty‐nine compounds were identified. The major constituents in the plum volatile extract were phytol (46.76%) and limonene (2.48%). Cultivar Laetitia presented the highest total alkane content, Simka showed the highest alcohol content, while Fortune and SC13 exhibited the highest concentration of ketones. Cedrol was not detected in susceptible genotypes but was found in the resistant ones, SC7 and SC15. (E,E)‐α‐farnesene was detected in high concentrations in Fortune but was not found in SC13 and SC15. According to principal components analysis, genotypes were divided into four groups based on the similarity of the volatile profile: 1: Fortune and Laetitia; 2: Simka and SC13; 3: SC7; and 4: SC15. This is the first description of leaf volatile chemical components of Prunus salicina, and the putative factor related to resistance in SC7 and SC15 is discussed. We also propose a terpene pathway of the main volatile compounds found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetivou-se com esse trabalho avaliar os efeitos de porta-enxertos clonais e de plantas autoenraizadas na qualidade físico-química de ameixas ‘Letícia’, no meio-oeste de Santa Catarina-SC. Foram avaliados frutos da cv. Letícia produzidos nos ciclos produtivos de 2018, 2019 e 2020, provenientes de pomar experimental da Estação Experimental da Epagri em Videira-SC. As plantas foram enxertadas sobre 19 diferentes acessos (cultivares, híbridos interespecíficos e seleções) utilizados como porta-enxertos clonais, além da cv. Letícia autoenraizada (sem porta-enxerto). Avaliou-se acidez total, teor de sólidos solúveis, ratio, pH, firmeza de polpa e cor da epiderme dos frutos. Os valores de pH oscilaram de 2,98 para o porta-enxerto ‘Barrier’ (2018) a 3,68 para plantas sobre ‘Santa Rosa’ (2020). ‘Santa Rosa’ como porta-enxerto destacou-se pelo maior ratio (19,46) na safra 2020, seguido pelo ‘Flordaguard em 2018 (14,92). Os maiores valores de firmeza foram obtidos para GxN9 em 2018 e Nemared em 2020, e os menores por ‘Santa Rosa’ em 2019 e 2020. A resposta dos porta-enxertos não se repetiu ao longo das safras avaliadas, demonstrando que o fator safra teve maior influência sobre a qualidade dos frutos, com exceção de ‘Santa Rosa’. Os porta-enxertos Rigitano, Clone 15 (Prunus mume), Nemared e I-67-52-4 (P. persica) apresentaram incompatibilidade com a cultivar-copa Letícia. Plantas autoenraizadas de ‘Letícia’ produzem frutos com características físico-químicas semelhantes aos produzidos em plantas enxertadas nos porta-enxertos testados, tornando-se uma opção tecnicamente interessante de cultivo sem o uso de porta-enxertos.

The Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) is a fruit tree globally cultivated in temperate regions of the world. Its floral biology and yield are affected by several factors, with issues related to self- and cross- (in) compatibility among varieties being emblematic of the whole Rosaceae family. The aim of this work was to elucidate the fruit set, dynamics of pollen tube growth in pistil, and yield and other fruiting attributes, in ‘Satluj Purple’ and ‘Kala Amritsari’, probably the most popular subtropical Japanese plum varieties in northern regions of India. Specifically, we examined the response of six different pollination variants, namely to self-pollination, open-pollination with the two cultivars located in adjacent rows, open-pollination with the two cultivars located in distant rows, manual cross-pollination, supplementary pollination, and floral bouquet. During the two years of the investigation, both plum cultivars showed good in vitro pollen germination (on average, above 50%) at different sucrose concentrations, with the highest values for the ‘Satluj Purple’ and for the 15% concentration. In vivo, the analysis of the pollen growth in the various sections of the style indicated the best performance when pistils of ‘Satluj Purple’ were pollinated by pollen grains of cv. ‘Kala Amritsari’. Cross-pollination also registered faster growth of pollen tube in pistil with the lowest number of incompatible pollen tubes compared to open- and self-pollination. From the productive point of view, cross-pollination showed the most pronounced results among the different pollination variants, with the highest initial fruit set (36.6%) and yield (28.0 kg/tree), and the shorter fruit development in ‘Satluj Purple’ (fruit set and yield in self-pollinated ‘Satluj Purple’ trees were 3.3% and 2.0 kg/tree, respectively). Conversely, the use of ‘Satluj Purple’ pollen for ‘Kala Amritsari’ showed poor results. Finally, in our study, ‘Kala Amritsari’ showed self-compatibility. We conclude that the main cause of poor fruit set in ‘Satluj Purple’ is self-incompatibility. The relevant genotypic-specific effects revealed by the analysis of the various pollination treatments also highlighted the importance of interplanting to increase fruit set and yield for subtropical Japanese plum varieties.

Consumption of fresh fruit is known to protect against non-communicable diseases due to the fruit's content in compounds with an antioxidant capacity, among them is polyphenols. Asian plums (Prunus salicina L.) accumulate more than 40 phenolic compounds, with a remarkable diversity in their profiles, depending on the variety and environmental conditions. Although candidate genes have been indicated to control this trait, the loci controlling its phenotypic variation have not yet been defined in this species. The aim of this work was to identify the quantitative trait Loci (QTL) controlling the phenolic compounds content in the Asian plum skin and flesh. Using UHPLC-DAD-Orbitrap-MS, we determined that cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside are the main anthocyanins in Asian plums. Other anthocyanins found to a lesser extent were tentatively identified as cyanidin bound to different sugar and procyanidin moieties. Then we phenotyped fruits of 92 and 80 F1 seedlings from the cross < “98.99” × “Angeleno”> (98 Ang) for two harvest seasons. We used HPLC-DAD to quantify single anthocyanin and spectrophotometric techniques to determine the total content of phenols, flavonoids, procyanidins, and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP). To determine the phenotype-genotype association of phenolic compounds content, phenotypic values (adjusted by linear mixed-effects models), genotypic data and linkage maps were analyzed with the multiple QTL model (MQM) approach. We found a total of 21 significant trait-marker associations: 13 QTLs segregating from “98.99” and 8 QTLs from “Angeleno.” From these associations, 8 corresponded to phenolic compound content in the flesh and 13 in the skin. Phenotype variance was explained by the detected loci, ranging from 12.4 to 27.1%. The identified loci are related to the content of cyanidin-3-glucoside (LG4), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (LG4), total flavonoids and procyanidins (LG5 and LG8), and minor anthocyanin compounds (LG3 and LG4). These results will help improve the efficiency of breeding programs for the generation of Asian plum varieties with high phenolic compound content.

Consumption of fresh fruit is known to protect against non-communicable diseases due to the fruit's content in compounds with an antioxidant capacity, among them is polyphenols. Asian plums (Prunus salicina L.) accumulate more than 40 phenolic compounds, with a remarkable diversity in their profiles, depending on the variety and environmental conditions. Although candidate genes have been indicated to control this trait, the loci controlling its phenotypic variation have not yet been defined in this species. The aim of this work was to identify the quantitative trait Loci (QTL) controlling the phenolic compounds content in the Asian plum skin and flesh. Using UHPLC-DAD-Orbitrap-MS, we determined that cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside are the main anthocyanins in Asian plums. Other anthocyanins found to a lesser extent were tentatively identified as cyanidin bound to different sugar and procyanidin moieties. Then we phenotyped fruits of 92 and 80 F1 seedlings from the cross < "98.99" × "Angeleno"> (98 Ang) for two harvest seasons. We used HPLC-DAD to quantify single anthocyanin and spectrophotometric techniques to determine the total content of phenols, flavonoids, procyanidins, and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP). To determine the phenotype-genotype association of phenolic compounds content, phenotypic values (adjusted by linear mixed-effects models), genotypic data and linkage maps were analyzed with the multiple QTL model (MQM) approach. We found a total of 21 significant trait-marker associations: 13 QTLs segregating from "98.99" and 8 QTLs from "Angeleno." From these associations, 8 corresponded to phenolic compound content in the flesh and 13 in the skin. Phenotype variance was explained by the detected loci , ranging from 12.4 to 27.1%. The identified loci are related to the content of cyanidin-3-glucoside (LG4), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (LG4), total flavonoids and procyanidins (LG5 and LG8), and minor anthocyanin compounds (LG3 and LG4). These results will help improve the efficiency of breeding programs for the generation of Asian plum varieties with high phenolic compound content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of clonal rootstocks and self-rooted plants on the physicochemical quality of 'Letícia' plums in the mid-west of Santa Catarina. The evaluated fruits were from the 2018 to 2020 crops, from an experimental orchard of cv. Letícia, whose plants were grafted onto 19 different accessions (cultivars, interspecific hybrids, and selections) used as clonal rootstocks, in addition to own-rooted Letícia, at the Epagri Experimental Station in Videira-SC. Here, we evaluated total acidity, soluble solids content, ratio, pH, flesh firmness, and epidermis color of the fruits. The pH values ranged from 2.98 for the 'Barrier' rootstock (2018) to 3.68 for plants on 'Santa Rosa' (2020). 'Santa Rosa' as rootstock stood out for the highest ratio (19.46) in the 2020 harvest, followed by 'Flordaguard in 2018 (14.92). The highest firmness values were obtained for GxN9 in 2018 and Nemared in 2020, and the lowest for 'Santa Rosa' in 2019 and 2020. The performance of the rootstocks was not repeated throughout the evaluated crops, demonstrating that the yield factor had a greater influence on fruit quality, except for 'Santa Rosa'. The fruits of plants grafted onto 'Santa Rosa' showed more advanced maturation at harvest. 'Letícia' plums produced on 'Santa Rosa' presented precocity of maturation in relation to the other tested clonal rootstocks. The rootstocks Rigitano, Clone 15 (Prunus mume), Nemared and I-67-52-4 (P. persica) showed incompatibility with the 'Letícia' canopy cultivar. Own-rooted 'Leticia' plants produce fruits with physicochemical characteristics similar to those produced on plants grafted on the tested rootstocks, indicating that the own-root cultivation is a technically interesting option for this cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of modified atmosphere (MA) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment on low storage temperature (1.5 °C) and 1-MCP treatment on high storage temperature (8.0 °C) on fruit quality of ‘Laetitia’ plums, mainly on internal browning. The treatments evaluated were 1.5 °C; 1-MCP (1.0 µL L-1) + 1.5 °C; MA + 1.5 °C; 1-MCP + MA + 1.5 °C; 8.0 °C; 1-MCP + 8.0 °C. Fruit were stored for 30 and 40 days, followed by three day of shelf life. For fruit stored at 1.5 °C, the treatment with 1-MCP associated to MA provided higher flesh firmness, less intense skin red color and reduced occurrence of internal browning in comparison to the fruit stored at 1.5 °C of the remaining treatments, for both periods of storage. In fruit not treated with 1-MCP and stored at 8.0 °C there was no occurrence of internal browning, despite of lower flesh firmness and more intense red color of the skin and flesh in comparison to the fruit stored at 1.5 °C. The treatment with 1-MCP in fruit stored at 8.0 °C delayed those changes of flesh firmness and red color of the skin and flesh assessed after 30 days of storage, followed by three days of shelf life. The MA, regardless of 1-MCP treatment, had fruit with higher production of acetaldehyde after 30 days of storage, and ethanol after 30 and 40 days of storage at 1.5 oC. In fruit stored at 1.5 °C without MA, the treatment with 1-MCP reduced the production of ethyl acetate, acetaldehyde and ethanol. Fruit stored at 8.0 °C, regardless of 1-MCP treatment, had the lowest production of acetaldehyde and ethanol.

Maturity at harvest is a determining factor in fruit storage potential, especially in such perishable species as plums (Prunus salicina L.). However, harvest´s logistics is very complex, and a large percentage of fruits are harvested at a more advanced stage of maturity than the optimum recommended for long storage. Treatment with 1-MCP has shown to be effective in reducing the post-harvest deterioration rate of Japanese plums, but the effectiveness of this treatment may be reduced in late harvested fruit. The aim of this trial was to determine the efficiency of treatment with 0.4 µL L-1 of 1-MCP in Larry Ann plums harvested at 4 different maturity stages. The results showed that the treatment was effective in reducing the ripening rate of the fruit at all harvest timings. The duration of this effect and the number of parameters affected decreased as harvest was delayed. In maturity stage 1 (M1, ~62 N) and maturity stage 2 (M2, ~58 N), 1-MCP delayed ethylene production rate during shelf life after 30, 40, and 50 days of storage at 0 ºC and reduced loss of flesh firmness, and acidity. At the maturity stage 3 (M3, ~50N) 1-MCP delayed ethylene production rate during shelf life after 30 and 40 days of storage at 0 ºC and maintained higher flesh firmness values. In fruit harvested at the maturity 4 (M4, ~35 N), 1-MCP did not affect ethylene production rate, but reduced loss of flesh firmness during shelf life, supporting the hypothesis that the treatment has a direct inhibitory effect on softening enzymes, independent of ethylene.

To evaluate the effect of the management system on soil quality, chemical and biological properties were measured in soils (0–20 cm depth) from Japanese plum orchards managed under organic and conventional conditions. The experiment was conducted between 2005 and 2014 in orchards established at the agricultural research station at Alcalá del Río, Seville, Spain. Overall, the soil chemical parameters in the organic orchard showed higher concentrations of soil organic matter, total N, available P and Mg. There was a trend of higher concentrations of K and Na, though for these elements the differences were significant only in two and one years, respectively. Similarly, concentrations of Mn and Zn tended to be higher in the organic plots, whereas contradictory trends were shown for Fe and Cu. No differences were found between the treatments for other physicochemical parameters such as pH and electrical conductivity. Regarding soil biological properties, the organic system was characterised with a significantly greater abundance of bacteria and fungi compared with the conventional system. The rhizobia population and the legume biomass were also higher in the organic orchard and the plants had more nodules. Likewise, the number of earthworms was higher in the organic system. The results showed that long-term organic management, including the use of cover crops and compost, resulted in a significant shift of the chemical and biological characteristics of the soil compared with the conventional management practice, thus improving soil quality and suggesting that organic farming may provide a potential solution to achieve sustainable agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Mosca-das-frutas constitui-se na principal praga da ameixeira. Objetivou-se avaliar a produção e os danos por mosca-das-frutas em frutos de ameixeiras em cultivo protegido com tela, não protegido e convencional com inseticida. Foram utilizadas nove plantas de ameixeiras ‘Fortune’: três plantas testemunhas (sem tela e sem inseticida); três plantas envoltas lateralmente por tela sombrite 70%, com 5 m de altura; e três plantas com manejo convencional (inseticida). O experimento foi instalado no início do ciclo vegetativo. Na colheita, avaliaram-se a produção por tratamento, tamanho de fruto, firmeza de polpa, sólidos solúveis-SS, acidez titulável-AT e frutos danificados e/ou com larvas de mosca-das-frutas. Os tratamentos inseticida e tela apresentaram maior tamanho de fruto e firmeza de polpa se comparados à testemunha. Os tratamentos inseticida, tela e testemunha apresentaram 2%, 17% e 44% de queda dos frutos, na ocasião da colheita. Nos frutos colhidos na planta, os tratamentos inseticida, tela e testemunha mostraram 10%, 25% e 90% dos frutos danificados por mosca-das-frutas. O SS foi menor no tratamento com tela. AT dos frutos do tratamento testemunha foi menor em comparação aos demais tratamentos. O emprego da tela constitui-se numa alternativa sustentável para redução de danos por mosca-das-frutas em ameixeiras.

The type of polymeric condensed tannins from plum fruit (Prunus salicina) (PCT), the degree of polymerization and the distribution of polymers were characterized by MALDI-TOF MS and NMR spectroscopy. The metal-binding capacity of PCT with five metal ions (Cu2+, Zn2+, Al3+, Fe2+, and Fe3+) was characterized by a fluorescence quenching method. The results demonstrated the following: epicatechin was the basic unit occurring in PCT, and A-type and B-type linkages were the most common between the structural units of the polymers. The PCT have a strong antioxidant activity, which is comparable with that of the synthetic antioxidant BHA. The quenching mechanism of the PCT’s fluorescence intensity by Zn2+, Cu2+, and Al3+ was different from that of Fe3+ and Fe2+. Fe3+, Al3+ and Fe2+ had much higher affinities for the PCT than Zn2+ and Cu2+. A simple UV-Vis spectra method was developed to determine the protein-precipitating capacity of tannins. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was effectively precipitated by tannins isolated from plum fruits, Chinese gallnut, sorghum grain, and Platycarya strobilacea at pH values between 4.5 and 5.0. A statistically significant linear relationship (p < 0.0001 or p < 0.0003) existed between the amount of tannin–protein complex formed and the amount of tannins added to the reaction mixture. The slopes of these lines indicated the protein-precipitating capacity of tannins.

Fruit development is orchestrated by a complex network of interactions between hormone signaling pathways. The phytohormone gibberellin (GA) is known to regulate a diverse range of developmental processes; however, the mechanisms of GA action in perennial fruit species are yet to be elucidated. In the current study, a GA signaling gene PslSLY1 , encoding a putative F-box protein that belongs to the SLY1 (SLEEPY1)/ GID2 (gibberellin-insensitive dwarf2) gene family, was isolated from Japanese plum (Prunus salicina). PslSLY1 transcript abundance declined as fruit development progressed, along with potential negative feedback regulation of PslSLY1 by GA. Subcellular localization and protein–protein interaction assays suggested that PslSLY1 functions as an active GA signaling component that interacts with the ASK1 (Arabidopsis SKP1) subunit of an SCF–ubiquitin ligase complex and with PslDELLA repressors, in a GA-independent manner. By using a domain omission strategy, we illustrated that the F-box and C-terminal domains of PslSLY1 are essential for its interactions with the downstream GA signaling components. PslSLY1 overexpression in wild-type and Arabidopsis sly1.10 mutant backgrounds resulted in a dramatic enhancement in overall plant growth, presumably due to triggered GA signaling. This includes germination characteristics, stem elongation, flower structure, and fertility. Overall, our findings shed new light on the GA strategy and signaling network in commercially important perennial crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plums are a large group of closely related stone fruit species and hybrids of worldwide economic importance and diffusion. This review deals with the main aspects concerning plum agrobiodiversity and its relationship with current and potential contributions offered by breeding in enhancing plum varieties. The most recent breeding achievements are revised according to updated information proceeding from relevant scientific reports and official inventories of plum genetic resources. A special emphasis has been given to the potential sources of genetic traits of interest for breeding programs as well as to the need for efficient and coordinated efforts aimed at efficaciously preserving the rich and underexploited extant plum agrobiodiversity. The specific objective of this review was to: (i) analyze and possibly evaluate the degree of biodiversity existing in the cultivated plum germplasm, (ii) examine the set of traits of prominent agronomic and pomological interest currently targeted by the breeders, and (iii) determine how and to what extent this germplasm was appropriately exploited in breeding programs or could represent concrete prospects for the future.

The combined effects of postharvest 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment and controlled atmosphere (CA) storage on storage life and quality of ‘Angeleno’ (Prunus salicina Lindl.) plum were investigated after being treated with 1-MCP (625 ng g-1) at room temperature for 12 h. Following the treatment, fruit were stored in normal atmosphere (NA) and CA (1% O2-3% CO2) at 0 ºC and 90±5% relative humidity for 120 d. Fruit firmness, weight loss, respiration rate, ethylene production, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, fruit skin color and sensorial evaluation (external appearance, taste and chilling injury) were performed at harvest date and one month intervals during storage. Only 1-MCP treatment delayed the change in properties related to fruit ripening such as fruit softening, decrease in titratable acidity and increase in soluble solid content. Nevertheless, these effects were significantly higher when 1-MCP-treated plums were stored in CA conditions. The highest color change was found in NA conditions. ‘Angeleno’ plum stored in CA conditions gave the best results in terms of some quality parameters during storage. The combination of 1-MCP and CA storage prolonged storage life of ‘Angeleno’ plum compared to other treatments. These result demonstrated that the postharvest 1-MCP treatment can be used in the cold storage of Angeleno plums.

Turkey has quite a rich genetic diversity in various fruit and plant species. One of them is species in the Prunus genus. In addition, Turkey is the greatest or significant producer of many stone, nut and some fruit species. This study was conducted to determine the effects of intra-species hybridizations of some apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivars and inter-species hybridization of apricot cultivars with paternal parent plum (Prunus salicina L.) cultivars on fruit set and pomological properties of apricots. In both years of experiments, differences were observed in fruit set ratios of intra and inter-species hybrid combinations based on paternal parent cultivars. Among the apricot × plum inter-species hybrid combinations, the Black Amber plum cultivar was found to be prominent for the investigated parameters. Among the apricot × apricot intra-species hybrid combinations, Palstein group hybrids yielded greater values for the investigated parameters. Present findings may guide further researches to be conducted on intra and inter-species hybridizations of apricots and plums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plum leaf scald (PLS) is a serious disease caused by Xylella fastidiosa subsp. multiplex, a pathogenic bacterium transmitted by xylem-sap feeding leafhoppers, commonly named sharpshooters (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae). In Brazil, the development of plum genotypes that apparently are not infected under field conditions has opened new perspectives for disease control based on host plant resistance. For example, PLS incidence on 'SC13' and 'SC7' genotypes is almost null under field conditions, although 'SC13' is infected by graft inoculation. Thus, we hypothesized that the performance of these genotypes in the field may be related to vector behavior. To verify this hypothesis, we investigated the settling preference and probing and feeding behavior of the sharpshooters Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Berg) and Sibovia sagata (Signoret) on the PLS-resistant plum genotypes, 'SC7' and 'SC13', and on the naturally infected cultivar, 'Laetitia'. In the settling experiments, 'SC7' was less preferred by both vector species. For S. sagata held on 'SC13', reduced sap ingestion rates were observed. For B. xanthophis, probing and feeding activities differed between individuals held on 'SC13' and 'Laetitia'. Specifically, duration of the stylet pathway phase, duration of xylem sap ingestion events, and number of interruptions of the xylem phase differed for B. xanthophis held on 'SC13' and 'Laetitia'. The results show that the resistant genotypes affected host plant selection by the sharpshooters and highlight the importance of incorporating vector behavior into studies aimed at identifying or developing X. fastidiosa-resistant genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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