Search Results (55)

Drosophila suzukii is an invasive pest of many fruit crops worldwide. Employing the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) could mitigate D. suzukii population growth and crop damage. This study evaluated the efficacy of SIT on commercial fruit, by (1) validating the quality of irradiated sterile males (male mating competitiveness, courtship, and flight performance) in the laboratory, and (2) assessing population suppression and fruit damage reduction in commercial raspberry fields. Treatment with SIT was compared to the grower’s standard chemical insecticide program throughout the season. The principal metrics of efficacy were trap counts of wild adult female D. suzukii in crops and larvae per fruit during harvesting. These metrics together with monitoring of border areas allowed targeting of high-pressure areas with higher releases of sterile males, to maximise efficacy for a given release number. The sterile male D. suzukii were as competitive as their fertile non-irradiated counterparts in laboratory mating competitiveness and flight performance studies while fertility egg-to-pupae recovery was reduced by 99%. In commercial raspberry crops, season-long releases of sterile males significantly suppressed the wild D. suzukii population, compared to the grower standard control strategy; with up to 89% reduction in wild female D. suzukii and 80% decrease in numbers of larvae per harvested fruit. Additionally, relative fruit waste (i.e., percentage of harvested fruits rejected for sale) at harvest was reduced for early, mid and late harvest crops, by up to 58% compared to the grower standard control. SIT has the potential to provide an effective and sustainable strategy for managing D. suzukii in raspberries, increasing marketable yield by reducing adult populations, fruit damage and waste fruit. SIT could therefore serve as a valuable tool for integrated pest management practices in berry production systems. Full article

Alternative feed additives are being investigated due to the restriction of antibiotics use to decrease antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food-producing animals. This study investigated the effects of dietary American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and wild blueberry (V. angustifolium) pomaces on the cecal microbiota and resistome profiles as well as the short-chain fatty acid levels. Male broiler chickens Cobb500 were fed a basal diet with either 55 ppm bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD); 0.5% (CRP0.5) and 1% (CRP1) cranberry pomace; and 0.5% (LBP0.5) and 1% (LBP1) lowbush blueberry pomace with or without a multienzyme mixture (ENZ). The results showed that at 21 days of age, the total coliform counts decreased in the CRP0.5-fed birds compared to BMD (p < 0.05). The use of pomace significantly increased the abundance of Lactobacillus and Bacteroides regardless of ENZ, while CRP decreased the Proteobacteria phylum abundance. In-feed ENZ tended to increase the relative abundance of genes conferring aminoglycoside resistance. Treatment with CRP0.5 decreased the abundance of cepA genes encoding for macrolide (MACROLIDE) and lincomycin (InuD) resistance while increasing those for tetracycline (tetO and tetX) resistance. These results showed, for the first time, the potential of the studied enzymes in influencing berry pomace’s effects on antimicrobial resistance gene profiles in broilers. Full article

Object segmentation algorithms have heavily relied on deep learning techniques to estimate the count of grapes which is a strong indicator for the yield success of grapes. The issue with using object segmentation algorithms for grape analytics is that they are limited to counting only the visible grapes, thus omitting hidden grapes, which affect the true estimate of grape yield. Many grapes are occluded because of either the compactness of the grape bunch cluster or due to canopy interference. This introduces the need for models to be able to estimate the unseen berries to give a more accurate estimate of the grape yield by improving grape cluster segmentation. We propose the Grape Counting Network (GCNet), a novel framework for grape cluster segmentation, integrating deep learning techniques with correction factors to address challenges in indoor yield estimation. GCNet incorporates occlusion adjustments, enhancing segmentation accuracy even under conditions of foliage and cluster compactness, and setting new standards in agricultural indoor imaging analysis. This approach improves yield estimation accuracy, achieving a R² of 0.96 and reducing mean absolute error (MAE) by 10% compared to previous methods. We also propose a new dataset called GrapeSet which contains visible imagery of grape clusters imaged indoors, along with their ground truth mask, total grape count, and weight in grams. The proposed framework aims to encourage future research in determining which features of grapes can be leveraged to estimate the correct grape yield count, equip grape harvesters with the knowledge of early yield estimation, and produce accurate results in object segmentation algorithms for grape analytics. Full article

Contamination of fresh blueberries via contact with an equipment surface is an important food hygiene/safety issue. In this study, four and six over-the-row blueberry machine harvesters in Georgia or Oregon were each sampled twice on two different harvest days in the 2022 harvest season. Nine sites on the top loaders (n = 8) and seven sites on the bottom loaders (n = 2) were sampled before and after cleaning/sanitation. Populations of total aerobes (TA), total yeasts and molds (YM), total coliforms (TC), and the presence of fecal coliforms (FC) and enterococci (EC) in collected samples were determined. Data collected was analyzed using the split-plot ANOVA of SAS. On average, cleaned/sanitized surfaces had about one log lower (p ≤ 0.05) TA and YM counts than the uncleaned surfaces, while no difference in TC counts was observed. The vertical and horizontal conveyors and fruit-catch plates had significantly higher TA, YM, and TC counts than other sampled sites. FC and EC were detected in 7.8% or 14.1% of the Georgia samples and 5.6% or 10.2% of the Oregon samples. The type and concentration of sanitizers and frequency and approach of cleaning/sanitation treatments all impacted the hygiene status of berry-contact surfaces of machine harvesters. Full article

Time to maturity and yield are important traits for highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) breeding. Proper determination of the time to maturity of blueberry varieties and breeding lines informs the harvest window, ensuring that the fruits are harvested at optimum maturity and quality. On the other hand, high-yielding crops bring in high profits per acre of planting. Harvesting and quantifying the yield for each blueberry breeding accession are labor-intensive and impractical. Instead, visual ratings as an estimation of yield are often used as a faster way to quantify the yield, which is categorical and subjective. In this study, we developed and shared a high-throughput phenotyping method using neural networks to predict blueberry time to maturity and to provide a proxy for yield, overcoming the labor constraints of obtaining high-frequency data. We aim to facilitate further research in computer vision and precision agriculture by publishing the labeled image dataset and the trained model. In this research, true-color images of blueberry bushes were collected, annotated, and used to train a deep neural network object detection model [You Only Look Once (YOLOv11)] to detect mature and immature berries. Different versions of YOLOv11 were used, including nano, small, and medium, which had similar performance, while the medium version had slightly higher metrics. The YOLOv11m model shows strong performance for the mature berry class, with a precision of 0.90 and an F1 score of 0.90. The precision and recall for detecting immature berries were 0.81 and 0.79. The model was tested on 10 blueberry bushes by hand harvesting and weighing blueberries. The results showed that the model detects approximately 25% of the berries on the bushes, and the correlation coefficients between model-detected and hand-harvested traits were 0.66, 0.86, and 0.72 for mature fruit count, immature fruit count, and mature ratio, respectively. The model applied to 91 blueberry advance selections and categorized them into groups with diverse levels of maturity and productivity using principal component analysis (PCA). These results inform the harvest window and yield of these breeding lines with precision and objectivity through berry classification and quantification. This model will be helpful for blueberry breeders, enabling more efficient selection, and for growers, helping them accurately estimate optimal harvest windows. This open-source tool can potentially enhance research capabilities and agricultural productivity. Full article

Canada is a leading producer of wild lowbush blueberries, most of which are mechanically harvested, washed, individually quick frozen (IQF), and bulk packaged. Still, some berries are harvested by more gentle methods and sold as fresh-packed products. These berries do not undergo a wash step, nor are subjected to antimicrobial treatments. The purpose of this study was to conduct a microbiological survey of berries harvested in the province of Nova Scotia to assess their potential for harborage of bacterial foodborne pathogens. A combination of standardized plate count methods and 3M-Petrifilm protocols were used to enumerate total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (APC), yeasts and molds (YMC), coliforms, and generic E. coli, the latter being an indicator of fecal contamination. Overall, APC and YMC levels were 1.2 and 0.5 log greater, respectively, for berries collected early in the harvest season versus those acquired late season and varied significantly (p < 0.05) between farm (location) and harvest practices used. Berries harvested by our team using sanitized hand rakes (SH) had consistently lower APC and YMC levels than those harvested by farm crews. Yet, when gentle harvesting (GH) methods (hand-raking, walk-behind or modified mechanical harvesters) were employed on farms, lower numbers were generally observed compared to berries harvested by traditional tractor-mounted mechanized harvesters (MH). The presence of coliforms (and their levels) was also impacted by the harvest method, with detection rates of ~29%, 73%, and 92% in SH, GH, and MH samples, respectively. Mean counts were < 2.5 log₁₀ CFU/g for both SH and GH berries, but significantly higher (p < 0.05) on MH berries (3.6 log₁₀ CFU/g). Although ~56% of all berry samples collected (n = 350) contained coliforms, only 12 were positive for E. coli, 9 of which were MH samples. Only the latter had numbers > 2 log₁₀ CFU/g, but none tested positive for Shiga toxin-producing serotype O157 (STEC O157) or Salmonella spp. when using internationally recognized selective enrichment and plating methods. ATP luminescence was used to assess the general hygiene of processing lines, whereby “hot spots” for microbial activity were identified, even after cleaning., Standard selective enrichment and plating methods were used for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes on 61 swab samples taken from berry totes or conveyor belts at different times during processing; 4 swabs tested positive for L. monocytogenes. However, the pathogen could not be detected by direct plating on selective agar without prior enrichment; this indicated its numbers were low. The results from this work demonstrated that alternative gentle harvest methods can reduce microbial numbers on wild blueberries. Although the frequency of fecal contamination in berry samples appeared to be low and targeted human pathogens were not detected; this represents a single study conducted over one harvest season. Therefore, it would be prudent for processors to seek effective antimicrobial technologies prior to packaging, while consumers should use caution and thoroughly wash produce before consumption. Where sporadic detection of L. monocytogenes was observed on environmental samples from the processing line, processors must ensure that effective sanitation programs are implemented to avoid potential food safety risks. Full article

‘Xinomavro’ (V. vinifera L.) is an important native red wine grape variety in Northern Greece, particularly in PDO (protected designation of origin) regions. Despite its significance, there is limited research on the effects of pruning type and severity on ‘Xinomavro’ vine physiology, yield, and berry quality across diverse environmental conditions. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap and provide growers with crucial information for optimizing vineyard management practices. The study was conducted over two consecutive years (2016 and 2017) in a vineyard in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece. Four treatments (B12: 12 buds on 6 spurs, B24: 24 buds on 12 spurs, M12: 12 buds on 2 canes, and M24: 24 buds on 4 canes) combining two bud load levels (12 or 24 count nodes) and two pruning types (short spurs or long canes) were applied to ‘Xinomavro’ vines in a complete block randomized design. The vine water status, gas exchange, canopy characteristics, yield components, and berry composition were measured. Bud load and pruning type significantly influenced vine canopy development, microclimate, and yield components. Short pruning with high bud load (B24) resulted in denser canopies and higher yields, whereas cane pruning (M12 and M24) led to more open canopies and improved berry quality indicators. Treatment effects on berry composition were inconsistent across years but showed a tendency for higher anthocyanin and total phenol content in cane-pruned vines. This study demonstrates that pruning type (short or long fruiting units) may have a greater impact on vine growth, yield, and berry composition than bud load alone in ‘Xinomavro’ vines. Cane pruning appears to be a more effective strategy for achieving vine balance and potentially improving grape quality under given experimental conditions. Full article

Consumer interest in healthier meat products has grown in recent years. Therefore, the use of plant powders as natural preservatives in the composition of pork and beef products could be an alternative to traditional meat products. This study aimed to assess the effect of different powders, such as blackcurrant, chokeberry, rowan berries, apple, tomato, garlic, and rhubarb, on the microbial growth dynamics in minced pork and beef during refrigerated storage. The total counts of aerobic microorganisms, Pseudomonas spp., yeasts, and molds were examined according to ISO methods. The polyphenolic profiles of plant powders and supplemented minced pork and beef samples were determined by HPLC-MS. The antioxidative capacity of the plant powders was analyzed using a spectrophotometric method. The findings of the study revealed that supplemented minced pork and beef samples had similar polyphenolic profiles and microbial growth dynamics. The highest antioxidative capacity was observed for anthocyanin-rich berry powders. In both minced pork and beef, rhubarb powder was the most effective plant material for inhibiting microbial growth, followed by blackcurrant pomace powder. In conclusion, all of the plant powders used in the present study can be used for the valorization of minced meat products, providing both antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. Full article

The capulin fruit (Conostegia xalapensis) is a seasonal wild berry. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensory acceptance and physicochemical characteristics of yogurt with the incorporation of capulin at different concentrations (2, 4, and 6%). The fruits were dehydrated at three different temperatures (40 °C, 50 °C, and 60 °C), and flour was prepared as raw material for microbiological and physicochemical characterization. The moisture (9.05%), ash (4.24%), fat (3.7%), carbohydrates (7.2%), protein (6.9%), and fiber (13.1%) were determined. The pH, viscosity, syneresis, water holding capacity, and microbial counts were determined. The acceptability of yogurt was determined through a sensory evaluation with 100 semi-trained judges using a 9-point hedonic test. The results showed a significant difference between the yogurt containing 4 and 6% capulin fruit and the yogurt with the greatest acceptability containing 2% capulin fruit. The pH was within the range of values recommended for commercial yogurt. Likewise, the proximate of capulin fruit was higher than those reported by other authors who have conducted studies with blueberries or wild peas, making capulin jelly an efficient supplement to naturally color fruit yogurt. The incorporation of capulin-based jelly, as we discovered, holds promise as a potential food alternative and a viable substitute for artificial coloring. This finding could have significant implications for the food industry, offering a natural and healthier option. Full article

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) stands out among fruit in terms of three open physiological questions about its climacteric character, CO₂ uptake, and the absence or presence of stomata on its floral organs. The objective of the present study was to examine the structures of blueberry flowers and fruit to explain their contribution to CO₂ exchange and transpiration in order to clarify these discrepancies. Blueberries were dewaxed and the sepals/corolla removed for stomata counts, and their micromorphology was studied via LT-SEM. The fruit has stomata, contrary to beliefs in the literature, possibly because the stomata are occluded by the dense wax cover or ‘bloom’ and hidden on the distal part of the ovary in between and underneath the corolla. However, stomata were located on the distal part of the fruit surrounded by the sepals (calyx) and found predominantly on the abaxial sepals, while the adaxial side of the sepals and the proximal part of the ovary lacked stomata. The petals were devoid of stomata, trichomes, and chlorophyll and abscised after anthesis. In contrast, the sepals remained until maturity, contributing 5–7% to the berry surface but contributing to the majority of fruit stomata and chlorophyll. With 59–71% of the fruit’s chlorophyll, sepals were a significant source of the CO₂ uptake. Similarly, with 95% of the berry stomata, sepals were a significant source of water loss, measured via porometry of fruit with and without sepals. Overall, this study identified the ovary as a minor source and sepals as the dominant source of CO₂ and H₂O exchange in blueberries. Full article

This study focuses on mitigating the decrease in the quality of mulberry after harvest and increasing the value of mulberry products through microwave vacuum drying. The effects of mulberry moisture content on texture properties were investigated, and the test method was optimized through the membership function model and the central composite technique. The influences of the material surface temperature, vacuum degree, and microwave power on the quality of instant mulberry were analyzed comprehensively. A regression model was established to analyze the relationship between each test factor and quality index. The results show that, with increases in the moisture content, both the hardness and chewiness of mulberry present a decreasing trend; when elasticity increases gradually, adhesivity is presented in an inverted V-shaped variation trend, and the cohesiveness remains basically constant. Moreover, the moisture content of mulberry had significant correlations with elasticity, glueyness, chewiness, and hardness (R² > 0.9). When the moisture content of the samples reached ≤44.07%, the total plate count reached a minimum and changed gradually; thus, the moisture content (44.07%) of mulberry was determined for the technological optimization test. The combination of optimal technological parameters was as follows: material surface temperature = 51.0 °C, vacuum degree = 0.07 MPa, and microwave power = 370 W. Under these optimal technological parameters, the soluble solid content was 42.37%, chewiness was 9.08, and the Vc content was 0.725 mg·(100 g)⁻¹. The average error between the test results and software optimization parameters was 5.88%. The optimized microwave vacuum drying technological parameters improved the drying quality of mulberry significantly. The results can provide theoretical support for the microwave vacuum drying of berries. Full article

The study aims to improve the quality of wooden breast meat (WBM) via the use of newly developed marinades based on selected strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in combination with the by-products of the dairy and fruit/berry industries. Six distinct marinades were produced based on milk permeate (MP) fermented with Lacticaseibacillus casei (Lc) and Liquorilactobacillus uvarum (Lu) with the addition of apple (ApBp) and blackcurrant (BcBp) processing by-products. The microbiological and acidity parameters of the fermented marinades were evaluated. The effects of marinades on the microbiological, technical, and physicochemical properties of meat were assessed following 24 and 48 h of WBM treatment. It was established that LAB viable counts in marinades were higher than 7.00 log₁₀ colony-forming units (CFU)/mL and, after 48 h of marination, enterobacteria and molds/yeasts in WBM were absent. Marinated (24 and 48 h) WBM showed lower dry-matter and protein content, as well as water holding capacity, and exhibited higher drip loss (by 8.76%) and cooking loss (by 12.3%) in comparison with controls. After WBM treatment, biogenic amines decreased; besides, the absence of spermidine and phenylethylamine was observed in meat marinated for 48 h with a marinade prepared with Lu. Overall, this study highlights the potential advantages of the developed sustainable marinades in enhancing the safety and quality attributes of WBM. Full article

The European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana (Denis and Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is the most critical pest of vineyards. In the present study, pheromone-baited traps were applied in 2021 and 2022 to monitor the moth population dynamics and to determine the number of L. botrana generations. The number of eggs and larvae was also counted in four vineyards with Askari, Yaghooti, Keshmeshi, and Fakhri cultivars. Moreover, the morphological properties of clusters were evaluated in different grape cultivars to find out the susceptible cultivar to L. botrana. In 2022, different insecticides were used in the Askari cultivar vineyard, and larval damage level was assessed. Three generations were recorded in all vineyards each year. The population of males was not affected by the cultivar. In contrast, the population density of eggs and larvae was significantly higher in Yaghooti than in other tested cultivars. It could be attributed to the cluster compactness and thin skin of berries in Yaghooti, which makes it more susceptible to L. botrana infestations. In contrast, the lowest eggs and larval population density was reported in the Fakhri cultivar indicating the tolerance of this cultivar compared to the other tested cultivars. The field trial showed that the application of insecticides in the second and third generations reduced the damage level of L. botrana. The rotation of insecticides with different modes of action in consecutive generations of L. botrana can be used to reduce damage levels. Full article

Plant pomaces in suitable forms (powders, extracts) can be used in foods of animal origin to increase the nutritional value and safety of these foods. In the present study, water extracts of apple, black currant, rhubarb and tomato pomaces were used in fish marinade solutions to evaluate their effect on the growth dynamics of microorganisms and the growth potential of Listeria monocytogenes by challenge testing. The results showed that mesophilic aerobic microorganisms, Pseudomonas spp., yeasts and moulds remained at acceptable levels throughout the predetermined storage period. The challenge test results showed that the overall growth potential of L. monocytogenes in all marinated rainbow trout samples remained at ≤0.5 log₁₀ cfu/g during the study period, and none of the marinated fish samples supported the growth of L. monocytogenes. In addition, the effect of fruit and berry pomaces on the sensory properties of marinated rainbow trout samples was evaluated. The results revealed that it is possible to effectively use fruit and berry pomaces in marinated fish products, ensuring food safety, high microbiological quality, acceptable sensory characteristics and a sufficiently long shelf life of the products. Full article

The author was approached by the Passionists in the United Kingdom, a Roman Catholic order in which the ecological theologian Thomas Berry had been a priest, to seek an opinion on the continuing significance of his book, Befriending the Earth. Published in 1991, it was written in dialogue with a Jesuit colleague, Thomas Clarke. This article shares that opinion with a wider readership. Parts of it are written in a first-person manner, illustratively journeying on from where Berry left off. Thirty-three years (counted inclusively) is a generous generational span; symbolically, it is equivalent to the life of Christ, a kairos time of transition. Most notably, what has changed over that period is that climate change has landed firmly onto the environmental agenda. Significantly, Berry hardly mentioned it in this work, but in an era of Laudato Si his message of “befriending the Earth” speaks louder than ever, with prophetic poignancy. Full article