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Introduction: It has been suggested that the mechanism of phloem loading, that is apoplastic or symplastic loading, may affect a plant's ability to adapt to elevated CO2 levels. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) are two fruit crops that use different mechanisms to load sugars into the phloem - the former symplastically and the latter apoplastically - yet both species can increase their yields when grown in a CO2-enriched environment. In this study, we subjected strawberry and tomato plants to long-term CO2 enrichment to determine the morphological and physiological adaptations that enable them to increase their yields in response to higher CO2 levels. Methods: Transplanted tomato and strawberry plants were subjected to ambient (400 ppm) and elevated (800 ppm) CO2 for three months. We examined various parameters associated with growth, yield, photosynthesis, and carbon allocation by means of phenotyping, gas exchange analysis, and 13C labelling combined with isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Results: We found that CO2 enrichment promoted growth and reproductive development in both species, resulting in more flowers per plant (tomato and strawberry), larger crown (strawberry), and, eventually, higher yields. Gas exchange analysis and A/ci curves revealed that elevated CO2 increased carbon assimilation rate in strawberry, but not in tomato - the latter being limited by Rubisco's carboxylation efficiency. Finally, whereas both species prioritized fruit development over the development of other sink organs, they were both limited by carbon export at elevated CO2, since new photoassimilates were equally distributed to various sinks between CO2 treatments. Discussion: The findings suggest that both species will benefit from future increases in CO2 levels and support current glasshouse practices entailing CO2 enrichment. Those benefits probably stem from an enhanced performance of both species at early developmental stages, as differences in carbon assimilation rate (tomato) and carbon allocation between treatments at late developmental stages were absent. Moreover, crop adaptation to elevated CO2 seems to depend on the ability of each species to respond to elevated CO2, rather than on the phloem loading mechanism per se. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review focuses on the recent information on the effect of different types of magnetic fields (MFs) and ultraviolet radiation (UV-C) on the processes that may finally affect fruit quality and its storage potential. Firstly, the biological effect of MFs on every plant's growth and development level is described. The magnetic field interacts with a plant's metabolism and changes the permeability of membranes affecting cells' homeostasis. It also could affect early seedling development, stimulating enzyme activity and protein synthesis, and later on nutrient and water uptake of adult plants. In some cases, it makes plants more resilient, increasing their tolerance to environmental stresses. Also, MF treatment could lower the disease index of plants, thus improving the internal and external fruit quality indices. The second part of this review focuses on interesting perspectives of using UV-C radiation to reduce postharvest fruit diseases, but also to delay fruit ripening and senescence. The application of UV-C light to combat postharvest infections is associated with two mechanisms of action, such as direct elimination of microorganisms located on the fruit surface and indirect triggering of the plant's defense reaction. Moreover, the use of hormetic doses of UV-C can additionally increase the nutritional properties of fresh fruit, lead to the accumulation of desired phytochemicals such as polyphenols, for example, to increase anthocyanin or resveratrol content, or elevate antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit crops are an irreplaceable source of essential nutrients, macro- and microelements, vitamins, organic acids, and antioxidants. Today, the overwhelming part of fruit supply in the market is provided by foreign producers. Import substitution and meeting the demand of the Russian Federation population for fruit consumption by the domestic agro-industrial complex is impossible without expanding the geography of cultivation areas, including those in zones of risky agriculture, which requires breeding of frost-resistant (cold-resistant) cultivars (fruit crops). Application of modern biotechnological and molecular genetic methods in breeding work will increase the profitability of fruit growing by reducing the time required for obtaining plants with the desired traits and by complex evaluation of the prospects of genotypes of parental forms. The present review considers modern data on cold tolerance genes of various fruit and berry crops, summarizes the known mechanisms of their action, activation, and regulation.The review considers modern data on genes of fruit and berry crops resistance to low temperatures, including characterization of genes encoding key receptors, signaling, effector proteins, and transcription factors in apple, pear, peach, pineapple, and strawberry. The known mechanisms of their operation, activation, regulation are given, and signaling cascades are described.

Fruit rot is one of the most important diseases affecting watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). This disease has been associated with substantial economic losses. In May 2022, fruit rot on watermelons was found during the post-harvest storage phase in local markets located in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. The causal fungi were isolated from lesions and identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae based on morphological characteristics and a phylogenetic analysis of combined sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of ribosomal DNA, β-tubulin (tub), RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2), and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-α) genes. Subsequently, pathogenicity tests were conducted and the results showed that the isolated fungi caused symptoms of fruit rot in inoculated fruit specimens. This result was consistent with symptoms that were observed in local markets. This is the first report of post-harvest fruit rot on watermelons caused by L. theobromae in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Guava is one of the fruit trees with good economic returns. The aim with this study was to evaluate the production and fruit quality of five guava cultivars (Tailandesa, Cortibel SLG, Cortibel RM, Cortibel RG, and Paluma) submitted to staggered and continuous production pruning, in the bioclimatic conditions of Southwest Mato Grosso do Sul. The experiment was conducted during the year 2019/2020/2021, performing two production pruning (PP1 and PP2). In each production pruning, eight fructification pruning were carried out, with an interval of 30 days, namely: in PP1 (October/2019, November/2019, December/2019, January/2020, February/2020, March/2020, April/2020 and May/2020); and in PP2 (June/2020, July/2020, August/2020, September/2020, October/2020, November/2020, December/2020 and January/2021). Statistical analyzes were performed within each production period, not comparing the effects of these. The means were compared using the Tukey test for cultivars and the Scott-Knott test for staggered pruning. Higher yield values were observed in PP1 of the Tailandesa and Cortibel RM cultivar, in the pruning of October/2019 and January/2020. In PP2, the productivity of all cultivars was higher than in PP1, especially Cortibel RM and Tailandesa, with higher yields and lower amounts of non-marketable fruits in the pruning of November and December/2020 and January/2021. The fruits were classified as oblong and with quality for commercialization. Continuous staggered pruning, and Tailandesa and Cortibel RM cultivars are promising for cultivation in Southwest MS.

Abstract The paper presents data on phytosanitary monitoring of garden cenoses for fire blight in the Turkestan, Zhambyl, and Almaty regions of Kazakhstan. The purpose of this study is to assess the phytosanitary situation in various regions of Kazakhstan, determine the extent of fire blight spread, and isolate and identify the fire blight pathogen. During the study, methods such as hypersensitivity, pathogenicity, and fluorescent simplification-based specific hybridization polymerase chain reaction (FLASH-PCR) were used. It was found that in all the surveyed areas, disease foci were identified. For the first time, the fire blight pathogen was detected on fruit crops such as plum, peach, cherry plum, and quince, as well as on wild apricots. 274 plant samples were collected from which microorganisms were isolated. Isolates related to the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora were identified by methods of hypersensitivity, pathogenicity, and FLASH-PCR diagnostics. Of the 156 isolates of microorganisms isolated from apple tree plant samples, 21 inhibited the in vitro growth of E. amylovora to varying degrees. Isolates 16.2 and 19.2 with maximum antagonistic activity were selected, where the pathogen growth inhibition zones were 52.2 ± 2.58 mm and 45.6 ± 0.55 mm, respectively. Based on the obtained sequence of nucleotides of the 16SpRNA gene site, it was found that the selected isolates with high antagonistic activity belonged to the Pseudomonas genus. In the future, based on these isolates, a new biological product for fire blight control can be created and adapted to the natural and climatic conditions of Kazakhstan.

IntroductionIt has been suggested that the mechanism of phloem loading, that is apoplastic or symplastic loading, may affect a plant’s ability to adapt to elevated CO2 levels. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) are two fruit crops that use different mechanisms to load sugars into the phloem – the former symplastically and the latter apoplastically – yet both species can increase their yields when grown in a CO2-enriched environment. In this study, we subjected strawberry and tomato plants to long-term CO2 enrichment to determine the morphological and physiological adaptations that enable them to increase their yields in response to higher CO2 levels.MethodsTransplanted tomato and strawberry plants were subjected to ambient (400 ppm) and elevated (800 ppm) CO2 for three months. We examined various parameters associated with growth, yield, photosynthesis, and carbon allocation by means of phenotyping, gas exchange analysis, and 13C labelling combined with isotope ratio mass spectrometry.ResultsWe found that CO2 enrichment promoted growth and reproductive development in both species, resulting in more flowers per plant (tomato and strawberry), larger crown (strawberry), and, eventually, higher yields. Gas exchange analysis and A/ci curves revealed that elevated CO2 increased carbon assimilation rate in strawberry, but not in tomato – the latter being limited by Rubisco’s carboxylation efficiency. Finally, whereas both species prioritized fruit development over the development of other sink organs, they were both limited by carbon export at elevated CO2, since new photoassimilates were equally distributed to various sinks between CO2 treatments.DiscussionThe findings suggest that both species will benefit from future increases in CO2 levels and support current glasshouse practices entailing CO2 enrichment. Those benefits probably stem from an enhanced performance of both species at early developmental stages, as differences in carbon assimilation rate (tomato) and carbon allocation between treatments at late developmental stages were absent. Moreover, crop adaptation to elevated CO2 seems to depend on the ability of each species to respond to elevated CO2, rather than on the phloem loading mechanism per se.

Cherries (Prunus avium L.) are valued for their taste and nutritional properties. However, they are highly perishable. A low-temperature preservation technology can preserve cherries without spoiling their beneficial properties. This research experimentally substantiated the optimal methods and modes of freezing cherries, defined their refrigerated shelf-life, and identified varieties for low-temperature preservation. The study featured cherries of eight varieties grown in the northern foothills of Dagestan. Fresh cherries served as control. Some cherries were frozen by immersion in a liquid solution of water, alcohol, and sugar (65:20:15) at –24°C. Others were frozen in bulk in air at –30, –33, and –35°C to be stored at –22°C for 3, 9, and 12 months. The nutritional profile was determined by standard methods of chemical analysis. The amount of juice lost during defrosting was assessed by the difference in weight before and after defrosting. The sensory evaluation involved a five-point scale. The best nutritional profile belonged to the sample frozen in air at –35°C while the worst result was observed in the cherries frozen at –30°C. The cherries frozen in bulk in air at –33°C and those immersed in liquid coolant at –24°C demonstrated a poorer nutritional content (by 4.2–5.4%) than the sample frozen in air at –35°C. The sample frozen in air preserved 77.5–81.6% vitamin C, 83.7–89.0% pectin substances, 85.1–88.5% anthocyanins, and 81.4–86.4% sugar after 12 months of storage at –22°C. The sample frozen in liquid coolant retained 75.9–79.0% vitamin C, 84.4–88.2% pectin substances, 83.8–87.5% anthocyanins, and 80.3–84.7% sugar after 12 months of storage. The cherries of the Lezginka, Dagestanka, and Valery Chkalov varieties showed minimal changes after 12 months. The varieties of Buynakskaya, Krupnoplodnaya, and Polyanka could be recommended for nine-month storage. The varieties of Zhemchuzhnaya and Gudzon lost consumer attractiveness as early as after 3 months. When frozen in bulk in air at –33°C and immersed in liquid coolant at –24°C, the cherries preserved their physicochemical properties after 3, 9, and 12 months of storage at –22°C. The study expanded the existing data about low-temperature preservation of cherries and their health benefits.

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys Stål, is an invasive Pentatomidae species that causes damage to economically important agricultural crops. It originated in East Asia but has successfully spread to many European countries. It has been present in Croatia since 2017, and its first mass emergence was detected in a soybean field in 2019. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and population size of H. halys in perennial crops in important fruit growing areas in Croatia. According to the monitoring data, H. halys was detected in all surveyed areas and crops (apple, apricot, cherry, fig, grapevine, pear, plum, olive, and hazelnut). The largest population size was detected for hazelnut in the locality of Tovarnik, Vukovar-Syrmia County (79 individuals), for pear in the locality of Marijanci, Osjek-Baranja County (31 individuals), and for apple in the locality of Staro Čiče, Zagreb County (25 individuals). In view of the fact that the weekly catches at some monitoring sites exceeded the established treatment threshold, control measures must be taken to prevent an increase in the population and significant damage in the future. In addition to hazelnuts, crops such as pears, apples and cherries are particularly threatened by this pest.

In 2023, the 95th anniversary has been commemorated since the birth of Professor Vsevolod L. Vitkovsky, Doctor of Biological Sciences, a prominent scientist and fruit expert, one of the eldest staff members of the Department of Fruit Crop Genetic Resources at the Vavilov Institute.

This review focuses on the recent information on the effect of different types of magnetic fields (MFs) and ultraviolet radiation (UV-C) on the processes that may finally affect fruit quality and its storage potential. Firstly, the biological effect of MFs on every plant’s growth and development level is described. The magnetic field interacts with a plant’s metabolism and changes the permeability of membranes affecting cells’ homeostasis. It also could affect early seedling development, stimulating enzyme activity and protein synthesis, and later on nutrient and water uptake of adult plants. In some cases, it makes plants more resilient, increasing their tolerance to environmental stresses. Also, MF treatment could lower the disease index of plants, thus improving the internal and external fruit quality indices. The second part of this review focuses on interesting perspectives of using UV-C radiation to reduce postharvest fruit diseases, but also to delay fruit ripening and senescence. The application of UV-C light to combat postharvest infections is associated with two mechanisms of action, such as direct elimination of microorganisms located on the fruit surface and indirect triggering of the plant’s defense reaction. Moreover, the use of hormetic doses of UV-C can additionally increase the nutritional properties of fresh fruit, lead to the accumulation of desired phytochemicals such as polyphenols, for example, to increase anthocyanin or resveratrol content, or elevate antioxidant activity.

Surveys and surveillances were carried out during 2004 to 2022 to record the biodiversity of weevil species on the fruit crops in the Punjab state, India. Atotal of eight species of weevils viz., Arrhenodes sp., Deporaus marginatus (Pascoe), Hypolixus truncatulus (Fabricius), Mecopus hopei Rosenschoeld, Myllocerus undecimpustulatus Faust, Peltotrachelus cognatus Marshall, Rhynchaenus mangiferae Marshall and Xanthochelus major (Herbst) were observed to occur on seventeen fruit crops viz., kinnow mandarin, guava, mango, pear, litchi, ber, peach, plum, grapes, jamun, pomegranate, loquat, fig, bael or wood apple, phalsa, papaya and apple in different districts of Punjab. Highest number of species were observed in mango (5), followed by guava, ber, jamun and fig (2 each) while only one species was observed in kinnow mandarin, pear, litchi, peach, plum, grapes, pomegranate, loquat, bael, phalsa, papaya and apple. These weevils were observed to damage leaves, stem, bark, flowers and fruits. The damage caused by these weevils on different hosts ranged between 2-3 per cent for most species except, D. marginatus (10%) and R. mangiferae (8%). Further studies on their biology, life cycle, population dynamics and management are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted on the territory of the educational and experimental farm of the K.A. Timiryazev Russian State Agrarian University of Agriculture in Moscow during 2018-2020. The examination of apple-tree plantings, ornamental plantings, and weed vegetation was carried out for three years with determination of pathogens of the main diseases by microscopy method. The Alternaria fungi species membership were identified by morphological features of conidia and sporulation habitus, and the specific pathogen species was confirmed by PCR analysis. Two unspecified species of Alternaria tenuissima and Alternaria infectoria fungi were found to infect apple trees and other species of the surveyed plants with Alternaria blight. The fungus species, Alternaria tenuissima was predominantly recorded on apple trees. Out of 186 examined apple cultivars, the development of Alternaria blight was found in 85.5% of the cultivars with different ripening periods. The apple cultivars most resistant to Alternaria blight were identified. The apple cultivars, in which the damage of fruits by Alternaria blight was recorded, were identified. Infestation of apple seeds by Alternaria genus obtained from fruits affected by this pathogen was determined. The possibility of high Alternaria blight infestation degree in apple tree seedlings was detected. A high degree of Alternaria tenuissima and Alternaria infectoria fungi development was recorded in a number of orchard-protecting and ornamental plants, as well as in weeds, and their possible role as reservoirs and transmitters of infection to fruit crops was established. The efficacy of fungicides: Luna Tranquiliti, KS; Skor, KE; Medea, ME; Zato, VDG; Horus, VDG; Coside Super, VDG in suppressing Alternaria blight development on apple cultivars of different ripening dates was compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The β-cyclocitric acid (β-CCA) is a bioactive apocarotenoid previously shown to improve drought tolerance in annual plants. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of this process remains largely elusive. Moreover, the question about the activity of β-CCA in perennial fruit crops is still open. Here, we found that treatment of β-CCA enhances drought tolerance in peach seedlings. The application of β-CCA significantly increased the relative water content and root activity and reduced the electrolyte leakage of peach seedlings under drought stress. Moreover, treatment with β-CCA under drought stress increased chlorophyll fluorescence, indicating a positive effect on photosynthesis, while also enhancing superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity and reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Consistent with these alterations, transcriptome analysis revealed an up-regulation of photosynthesis and antioxidant-related genes upon the application of β-CCA under drought stress. We also detected an induction in genes related to detoxification, environmental adaptation, primary metabolism, phytohormone, phenylpropanoid and the biosynthesis of cutin, suberine and wax, which might contribute to the induction of drought resistance. Altogether, our study reveals that β-CCA positively modulates peach drought tolerance, which is mainly mediated by enhancing photosynthesis and reducing ROS, indicating the potential of utilizing β-CCA for drought control in peach and perhaps other fruit crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Few plants have captured the imagination and palettes of the world like those which bear edible fruits, providing novel insights into the relationships between plants and people. This special collection of reviews and research highlights the unique challenges and opportunities we face when studying, breeding, and working to conserve these species. The 18 articles included here examine fruiting plants across diverse scales and topics, from the genome to global sustainability, and from fruit morphology to species' geographic distributions, yet they showcase only a fraction of the immense evolutionary, phenotypic, and genomic diversity present in fruit‐bearing plants. Across the special collection, our hope is to not only offer highlights of fruit diversity and importance but also provide a taste of future research in this area. We hope you enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Fire blight disease, caused by the bacterial pathogen Erwinia amylovora, has been a significant concern for over 50 countries worldwide. The efficacy of chemical pesticides currently available for disease control is limited. To address this issue, research is being conducted to explore environmentally friendly control methods, particularly biological control using beneficial microorganisms. However, there is limited research on the apple microbiota community and minimal research has been conducted on fungal communities that may exhibit reliable performance in apple trees. Therefore, our objective was to analyze the fungal communities present in apples at different developmental stages and in different tissues, aiming to identify potential biological control agents for fire blight disease. Our findings indicate that the fungal communities present in apple buds, flowers and leaves play an important role in inhibiting the invasion of E. amylovora. Specifically, we propose GS11 and Lipomyces starkeyi as potential keystone taxa that respond to fire blight disease. These findings provide insights into the continuity and discontinuity of fungal community structure in different developmental stages of apples and offer predictions for potential biological control agents for fire blight disease.

The paper covers the results of the civic science project that involved VIR partners – Russian Geographical Society, Russian Schoolchildren’s Movement and the Association of Communicators in Education and Science – as organizers and schoolchildren, students and their parents from different regions of Russia as participants. The project, started in 2020 with observations of a single crop – an apple tree, elicited a positive response from motivated schoolchildren and was continued in 2021–2022 with the inclusion of various fruit and berry crops. In the course of the three years of the project, a phenological database was replenished with 3340 entries made by 670 project participants.

Few plants have captured the imagination and palettes of the world like those which bear edible fruits, providing novel insights into the relationships between plants and people. This special collection of reviews and research highlights the unique challenges and opportunities we face when studying, breeding, and working to conserve these species. The 18 articles included here examine fruiting plants across diverse scales and topics, from the genome to global sustainability, and from fruit morphology to species' geographic distributions, yet they showcase only a fraction of the immense evolutionary, phenotypic, and genomic diversity present in fruit‐bearing plants. Across the special collection, our hope is to not only offer highlights of fruit diversity and importance but also provide a taste of future research in this area. We hope you enjoy the fruits of our labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health risks linked to the consumption of microcystin-accumulating crops have been increasing worldwide in toxic cyanobloom-occurring regions. The bioaccumulation of microcystins (MCs) in agricultural produce at environmentally realistic concentrations is poorly investigated. In this field study, we assessed the health risks of MCs in raw water used for irrigating fruit crops (bioaccumulation) and watering farm animals in the Lalla Takerkoust agricultural region (Marrakesh, Morocco). Thus, MCs were extracted from water and fruit samples and quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in order to calculate the health risk indicators. MCs posed a high health-risk level to poultry and horses, with estimated daily intakes (EDI) being 14- and 19-fold higher than the recommended limits (3.1 and 2.3 μg MC-LR L−1), respectively. Furthermore, pomegranate posed the same level of risk, with EDI being 22- and 53-fold higher than the limit dose (0.04 μg MC-LR kg−1) for adults and children, respectively. There was an urgent need for guidelines regarding water use and management in MC-polluted areas, besides the setup of nature-based tools for toxin removal from raw water used in farming practices. Moreover, MCs could contaminate the human food chain, which implies further investigations of their potential accumulation in livestock- and poultry-based food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horticultural crop production is severely threatened by the changing global climate, as plants are vulnerable to a range of abiotic and biotic stresses. Abiotic stressors, such as floods, UV radiation, heat, drought, salt, and cold, often lead to crop damage and loss. However, plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms enabling them to respond effectively to stressful conditions, thereby enhancing their ability to overcome challenges. They have evolved complex systems that detect stress signals and enable optimum growth responses, thus enabling them to survive in harsh environments. Due to their potential to mitigate the adverse impacts of abiotic stress, phytohormones have garnered significant research attention in recent years. Current findings have highlighted the crucial role that diverse phytohormones play in strengthening horticulture plants resistant to abiotic stress. Furthermore, plant growth regulators that function similarly to phytohormones, such as melatonin, have also been proven to be effective methods for mitigating the adverse impacts of both biotic and abiotic stress on fruit crops. A comprehensive understanding of the complex hormonal interactions that occur in a range of horticultural crops when exposed to biotic stress is a crucial summary of the function of phytohormones like plant growth regulators in decreasing abiotic stress and their associated crosstalk in the growth and development of plants under repeated stressful situations. The primary objective of this investigation is to focus on the fundamental advancements in the abiotic stress tolerance of fruit crops through the utilization of a diverse array of hormones including gibberellin (GA), brassinosteroids (BRs), abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), strigolactones (SLs), jasmonates (JAs), and melatonin (MEL). The insights gained from this study have the potential to facilitate sustainable plant growth, as hormones play a critical role in enhancing the abiotic stress resilience of horticultural crops.

Abstract Fruit crops, consist of climacteric and non-climacteric fruits, are the major sources of nutrients and fiber for human diet. Since 2013, CRISPR/Cas (Clustered Regularly Interspersed Short Palindromic Repeats and CRISPR-Associated Protein) genome editing system has been widely employed in different plants, leading to unprecedented progress in the genetic improvement of many agronomically important fruit crops. Here, we summarize latest advancements in CRISPR/Cas genome editing of fruit crops, including efforts to decipher the mechanisms behind plant development and plant immunity, We also highlight the potential challenges and improvements in the application of genome editing tools to fruit crops, including optimizing the expression of CRISPR/Cas cassette, improving the delivery efficiency of CRISPR/Cas reagents, increasing the specificity of genome editing, and optimizing the transformation and regeneration system. In addition, we propose the perspectives on the application of genome editing in crop breeding especially in fruit crops and highlight the potential challenges. It is worth noting that efforts to manipulate fruit crops with genome editing systems are urgently needed for fruit crops breeding and demonstration. Graphical Abstract

The influence of the mineral and hormonal composition of the growing medium on the development of explants of fruit crops and grapes in vitro has been studied. As a result of the studies, it has been found that phytohormones have a positive effect on the regeneration of explants in vitro. When using standard compositions of nutrient media not adding auxins, cytokinins and gibberellins, shoot regeneration is reduced, and growth and development are inhibited. The data on the studied media for explants cultivation obtained during the research showed that agarized growing media MS are optimal for microclonal propagation in vitro. Especially this refers to their modifications with a content of 1.0 mg/l 6-BAP at the first planting; a combination of 1.0 mg/l 6-BAP with 1.0 mg/l GK3 during transplantation; 0.5 mg/L IAA at the second transplant. The study of the effect of growth regulators BAP and kinetin combinations on the reproduction factor and the average length of various explants shoots has showed that at the micropropagation stage it is advisable to use BAP and kinetin together at a concentration of 0.5 mg/l each, which ensures the maximum reproduction factor.

The shift from traditional agriculture towards horticulture, floriculture, fisheries, etc. hasn't gone unnoticed. Fresh fruits and vegetables of every kind are readily available in India due to the country's varied environment. Drip irrigation not only saves water and electricity but also reduces the amount of fertilizers and is an efficient method of watering that slowly delivers water directly to the plant root system. The present paper reviews and discusses extensive research conducted by the authors and other academics on drip irrigation technology in fruit crops in order to provide farmers and future researchers with a clear understanding of the knowledge, adoption and impact of drip irrigation. It was found that the majority of farmers had high levels of knowledge about drip irrigation systems, followed by moderate levels of knowledge. It was shown that the implementation of drip irrigation was positively correlated with landholding size. An overwhelming majority of the farmers (85%) had moderate as well as high levels of cumulative socio-economic impact of Drip Irrigation in Fruit crops. It was concluded that this water-saving technology must be extended to all regions to elucidate the benefit of drip irrigation through proper extension services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mango is the fifth most important fruit crop in the world in terms of production with an increasing demand for high-quality plant material for new plantings. Compared to other fruit tree crops, vegetative propagation in mango is slow and allows only a relatively limited production of plant material. To date, efficient procedures for in vitro establishment and micropropagation are not yet available in mango. This work aims at filling this gap. Germination of mango seeds in vitro, compared with ex vitro conditions, significantly increased the germination rate for the monoembryonic genotype tested ('Irwin'). In vitro germination also increased the number of developed embryos for the two polyembryonic genotypes analysed, 'Ataulfo' and 'Gomera-4'. Regarding the use of shoot tips for in vitro establishment and micropropagation, our results confirmed that this explant is not adequate for this purpose. We report for the first time the use of cotyledonary nodes as initial explants in mango. Axillary shoots were obtained in all the genotypes tested ('Ataulfo', 'Sabre', 'Gomera-4', 'Irwin' and 'Keitt'), although the regeneration rate was highly genotype-dependent. Thidiazuron induced high-frequency regeneration patterns. The best results were observed with 'Keitt'. When 3.0 mg l−1 thidiazuron was added to the medium, a 63.15% regeneration rate was reached and about 4 shoots per regenerating explant were obtained. Subsequently, microshoots excised from the cotyledonary nodes were successfully rooted in vitro and acclimatized to ex vitro conditions. Our results show that the use of cotyledonary nodes is efficient for mango mass propagation and, consequently, represents a qualitative advance for in vitro propagation of this recalcitrant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subject and purpose of work: The study aims to analyse the existing marketing system along with marketing channels, costs, margins, and marketing efficiency.

The basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) superfamily is the most widespread family of transcription factors in eukaryotic organisms, which can activate the expression of genes by interacting with specific promoters in the genes. The bHLH transcription factors direct the development and metabolic process of plants, including flowering initiation and secondary metabolite production, by attaching to specific sites on their promoters. These transcription factors are essential for encouraging plant tolerance or the adjustment to harsh environmental conditions. The involvement of bHLH genes in anthocyanin formation in fleshy fruit-bearing plants, as well as the role of these genes in response to stimuli including drought, salt, and cold stress, are discussed in this article. New concepts and goals for the production of stress-tolerant fruit species are suggested. Furthermore, solid evidence for the critical role of bHLH genes in the growth and development, as well as anthocyanin biosynthesis in fleshy fruit plants, are also presented in this article. This review identifies several future research directions that can shed light on the roles of bHLH genes in fruit-bearing plants and will assist the use of these genes in efforts to breed fruit crop varieties that are more resistant to stress. Generally, there has been little research carried out on the role of bHLHs transcription factor family genes in fleshy fruit-bearing plant species and more in-depth studies are required to fully understand the diverse role of bHLH genes in these species.

Recently, the trend of using fruit and berry crops as ingredients for functional and dietary nutrition, the development and implementation of flavors, pigments, new medicines and dietary supplements has been actualized. Because the direction of use depends on the biochemical properties of fruits, which are determined not only by species and varietal characteristics, but also by reproduction conditions, the study of the biochemical composition of fruits grown in various regions of the world continues to be relevant. In this regard, the collection of N.I. Vavilov Institute (VIR), which has a wide diversity of fruit and berry crops, is of great interest for study. Ribes nigrum fruits have a balanced set of sugars, organic acids, essential oils, microelements, a high content of vitamins, anthocyanins, pectins. Lonicera caerulea fruits are characterized by high values of phenolic substances: bioflavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, polyphenols, anthocyanins, as well as vitamins, carotenoids, iridoid glycosides and other natural antioxidants. The investigation of L. caerulea and R. nigrum fruit’s accessions from the VIR collection using gas-liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry allows us to obtain new information about the biochemical characteristics of fruits, to identify L. caerulea and R. nigrum varieties with optimal economically valuable characteristics, to determine the specificity of L. caerulea and R. nigrum metabolomic spectra in the setting of Northwest Russia. As a result of the analysis, typical compounds of the metabolomic profile of each culture were identified. Organic acids, phenol-containing compounds and polyols prevailed in L. caerulea, while mono- and oligosaccharides, in R. nigrum. The qualitative composition of the black currant varieties ‘Malen’kii Printz’, ‘Dobriyi Dzhinn’, ‘Tisel’, ‘Orlovskii Val’s’, and blue honeysuckle ‘S 322-4’, ‘Malvina’, ‘Leningradsky Velikan’ was optimal for food consumption; the varieties of blue honeysuckle ‘Bazhovskaya’ and black currant ‘Aleander’ had a good representation of biologically active compounds, which makes samples attractive as raw materials for the production of biologically active additives, including with the use of microorganisms’ cultures.

Somatic mutations are genetic changes that occur in non-reproductive cells. In fruit trees, such as apple, grape, orange, and peach, somatic mutations are typically observed as "bud sports" that remain stable during vegetative propagation. Bud sports exhibit various horticulturally important traits that differ from those of their parent plants. Somatic mutations are caused by internal factors, such as DNA replication error, DNA repair error, transposable elements, and deletion, and external factors, such as strong ultraviolet radiation, high temperature, and water availability. There are several methods for detecting somatic mutations, including cytogenetic analysis, and molecular techniques, such as PCR-based methods, DNA sequencing, and epigenomic profiling. Each method has its advantages and limitations, and the choice of method depends on the research question and the available resources. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors that cause somatic mutations, techniques used to identify them, and underlying molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, we present several case studies that demonstrate how somatic mutation research can be leveraged to discover novel genetic variations. Overall, considering the diverse academic and practical value of somatic mutations in fruit crops, especially those that require lengthy breeding efforts, related research is expected to become more active. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global declines in wild and managed bee populations represent a major concern for the agricultural industry. Such declines result, in part, from the loss of natural and semi-natural habitats in and around agricultural ecosystems. However, remaining forest patches in heavily modified landscapes represent nesting habitats that may be crucial to preserving wild bees and their services. Because wild bees are the main pollinators of fruit crops, preserving potential nesting habitats might be particularly important for the crops' yield and profitability. Here, we assessed whether the abundance and richness of visiting wild bees in blueberry crops relates to the amount of surrounding forest cover and if so, whether those relationships varied with spatial scale. Specifically, we sampled wild bee communities in 18 blueberry fields during the blooming period in Montérégie, Quebec, Canada, where sampling consisted of pan trap triplets and direct observation of flower visitors on blueberry bushes. Then, we quantified the proportion of forest in radii of 0.5 km, 1 km, and 2 km around each field. Wild bee abundance was positively related to the proportion of forest habitat surrounding the crop field, but the relationship for wild bee richness was less clear. Moreover, these relationships were strongest at 1 and 2 km radii of measured land cover. Overall, pollinator diversity was highest when at least 30% of the surrounding landscape consisted of forest patches, representing a total area of at least 1 km2. Our results suggest that preserving large habitat patches in agricultural landscapes can help prevent further decline in wild bee diversity while maximizing pollination services to fruit crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anastatus japonicus Ashmead is an egg parasitoid wasp important for the biological control of fruit crop pests. The olfaction of parasitoids is crucial to searching for host pests in fruit crops. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the antennal and abdominal transcriptomes of A. japonicus to better understand the olfactory mechanisms in this species. A total of 201 putative olfactory receptor genes were identified, including 184 odorant receptors (ORs) and 17 ionotropic receptors (IRs). Then, we assayed the tissue-specific and sex-biased expression profiles of those genes based on the transcriptional levels. In total, 165 ORs and 15 IRs had upregulated expression in the antennae. The expression levels of 133 ORs, including odorant receptor co-receptor (AjapORco), and 10 IRs, including AjapIR8a, were significantly different between the female and male antennae. Our results provide valuable information for further studies on the molecular mechanisms of the olfactory system in A. japonicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, science and technology are continuously evolving by convergence with each other. In agriculture, new concepts such as smart farm, vertical farming, and urban agriculture have emerged beyond the traditional form. Among the various types of smart farms, vertical farms are considered one of the most advanced forms of agriculture, and research and related industries are rapidly increasing. However, vertical farming has several limitations. The biggest problem is that the types of crops grown within this system are extremely limited. Industrially, only minimal crops are cultivated, and a significant number of many crops are rarely attempted due to cultural or economic limitations. This is especially the case with fruit crops because the innate form and various traits of fruit crops are not suitable for vertical farming. Therefore, this review will discuss the attributes of which fruit crops need to be improved to be grown on vertical farms. Finally, we show how the latest biotechnology and breeding techniques can enable the fast and accurate development of crops tailored to vertical farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding a species' current and future potential habitat is crucial to design its policy for management and cultivation practices that are more resilient in the face of climate change. This study assessed the present-day distribution and predicted the potential effect of climate change on the distribution of Anacardium occidentale's habitat in Togo under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) by 2055. Maximum Entropy algorithm, 2538 species occurrence records, and a combination of 23 climate- and soil-related variables were used. Soil, isothermality, temperature seasonality, and annual precipitation are the most significant environmental factors affecting the distribution of the species in Togo. Based on the current model, 54.45% of the Togolese landscape is favourable for cashew development, mainly in the plains of Guinean and Sudanese savannahs. Unfavourable areas (15.20%) are in the southern mountainous areas of Togo and coastal areas. An increase in favourable areas and a slight decrease in unfavourable and moderately favourable areas are predicted by 2055, considering the two scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) superfamily is the most widespread family of transcription factors in eukaryotic organisms, which can activate the expression of genes by interacting with specific promoters in the genes. The bHLH transcription factors direct the development and metabolic process of plants, including flowering initiation and secondary metabolite production, by attaching to specific sites on their promoters. These transcription factors are essential for encouraging plant tolerance or the adjustment to harsh environmental conditions. The involvement of bHLH genes in anthocyanin formation in fleshy fruit-bearing plants, as well as the role of these genes in response to stimuli including drought, salt, and cold stress, are discussed in this article. New concepts and goals for the production of stress--tolerant fruit species are suggested. Furthermore, solid evidence for the critical role of bHLH genes in the growth and development, as well as anthocyanin biosynthesis in fleshy fruit plants, are also presented in this article. This review identifies several future research directions that can shed light on the roles of bHLH genes in fruit-bearing plants and will assist the use of these genes in efforts to breed fruit crop varieties that are more resistant to stress. Generally, there has been little research carried out on the role of bHLHs transcription factor family genes in fleshy fruit-bearing plant species and more in-depth studies are required to fully understand the diverse role of bHLH genes in these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruits are widely regarded as protective food necessary for maintaining human health. Though growing fruit crops is a highly remunerative enterprise, their cultivation faces many challenges like fluctuations in climatic factors, irregular bearing, pests and diseases etc. This causes instability in production and productivity with low economic returns from per unit area. Alternate bearer fruit cultivars are one of the serious economic problems to the fruit growers. Physiological factors like carbohydrate reserves, nutrient metabolism and phytohormones are known to be involved in flowering thereby regulating bearing habit. Draining out of carbohydrate and nitrogen reserves during ‘On’ year is known to lead to a lean crop in the ‘Off’ year as they are important for fruit bud initiation i.e., high C/N ratio helps for fruit bud initiation. The developing fruit provides a strong sink for photo assimilates. It was therefore, thought that depletion of photo assimilates, especially carbohydrates from the bud which prevents flowering induction, a hypothesis known as the nutritional theory. Knowledge about impact of carbohydrates and nutrients along with other important factors influencing flowering process is helpful in understanding the phenomena of bearing in fruit crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]