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Keywords = berry harvesting stages

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15 pages, 1720 KiB  
Article
Timing Matters, Not Just the Treatment: Phenological-Stage-Specific Effects of Seaweed and Ethanol Applications on Postharvest Quality of ‘Tarsus Beyazı’ Grapes
by Güzin Tarım, Sinem Karakus, Nurhan Keskin, Harlene Hatterman-Valenti and Ozkan Kaya
Horticulturae 2025, 11(6), 656; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11060656 - 10 Jun 2025
Viewed by 400
Abstract
In the context of increasing consumer demand for high-quality, residue-free fruits and the growing emphasis on sustainable postharvest technologies, identifying effective, eco-friendly treatments to maintain grape quality during storage has become a critical focus in modern viticulture. Over the course of this study, [...] Read more.
In the context of increasing consumer demand for high-quality, residue-free fruits and the growing emphasis on sustainable postharvest technologies, identifying effective, eco-friendly treatments to maintain grape quality during storage has become a critical focus in modern viticulture. Over the course of this study, we examined the influence of seaweed extract (derived from Ascophyllum nodosum) and ethanol-based postharvest treatments on the postharvest quality of the ‘Tarsus Beyazı’ grape. The seaweed extract was applied at six specific phenological stages according to the BBCH scale: BBCH 13 (3rd–4th leaf stage, 0.40%), BBCH 60 (first flower sheath opening, 0.50%), BBCH 71 (fruit set, 0.50%), BBCH 75 (chickpea-sized berries, 0.50%), BBCH 81 (start of ripening, 0.60%), and BBCH 89 (harvest maturity, 0.60%). After harvest, grape clusters were subjected to four different postharvest treatments: untreated control, control + ethanol (20% ethanol immersion for 10 s), seaweed extract alone (preharvest applications only), and seaweed extract + ethanol (combining both preharvest and postharvest treatments). Grapes were stored at 0–1 °C and 90–95% RH for three weeks, followed by a shelf-life evaluation period of three days at 20 °C and 60–65% RH. The findings revealed that seaweed treatments, especially when applied during cluster formation and berry development, effectively mitigated physiological deterioration, preserving stem turgidity and enhancing berry firmness. In contrast, ethanol showed variable responses, occasionally exerting negative effects, with only marginal benefits observed when applied at optimal developmental stages. Both the type and timing of application emerged as critical determinants of key quality attributes such as weight loss, decay incidence, and must properties (TSS, pH, TA). Correlation and heat map analyses indicated the interrelationships among these parameters and the differential impacts of treatments. These results suggest that phenological-stage-specific seaweed applications hold significant potential as a sustainable strategy to extend the storage life and maintain the market quality of ‘Tarsus Beyazı’ grapes. Full article
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10 pages, 1017 KiB  
Article
Cytochrome P450 CYP76F14 Mediates the Conversion of Its Substrate Linalool in Table Grape Berries
by Zhizhong Song, Jinjin Zhang, Matthew Shi, Dong Li and Xiaohua Liu
Horticulturae 2025, 11(6), 651; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11060651 - 9 Jun 2025
Viewed by 347
Abstract
Aroma composition serves as a pivotal quality determinant in table grapes (Vitis vinifera). While the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP76F14 is implicated in aroma biosynthesis, its functional role in grape berries remains uncharacterized. A comparative analysis of three aroma-distinct cultivars—Muscat type ‘Irsai [...] Read more.
Aroma composition serves as a pivotal quality determinant in table grapes (Vitis vinifera). While the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP76F14 is implicated in aroma biosynthesis, its functional role in grape berries remains uncharacterized. A comparative analysis of three aroma-distinct cultivars—Muscat type ‘Irsai Oliver’, Neutral type ‘Yanhong’, and Berry-like type ‘Venus Seedless’—revealed cultivar-specific linalool accumulation patterns. ‘Irsai Oliver’ exhibited sustained linalool biosynthesis from the fruit set through to maturity (from Stage 1 to Stage 5), with concentrations peaking at Stage 3 (veraison phase) and remaining elevated until harvest, surpassing the other two cultivars. Transcriptional profiling demonstrated that the CYP76F14 expression exhibited a similar trend with the accumulation of linalool levels, showing a higher expression in ‘Irsai Oliver’ across the developmental stages. A structural analysis identified 12 divergent residues in the ‘Irsai Oliver’ CYP76F14 variant, including E378 and T380 within the conserved substrate recognition site. The site-directed mutagenesis of these residues (CYP76F14-E378G/T380A) reduced the catalytic efficiency by 68–72% compared to the wild-type (in vitro LC-MS/MS assays), confirming their functional significance. This work reveals that cytochrome P450 CYP76F14 mediates the conversion of its substrate linalool in table grape berries, especially of Muscat type grapes, and proposes the CYP76F14 polymorphic variants as molecular markers for aroma-type breeding. The identified catalytic residues (E378/T380) provide targets for enzymatic engineering to modulate the terpenoid profiles in Vitis species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruit Tree Physiology and Molecular Biology)
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14 pages, 2554 KiB  
Article
Impact on Grape Juice Quality and Phenolic Composition of Greek Autochthonous Grapevine Variety Mouhtaro Under Abscisic Acid Biostimulation
by Dimitrios-Evangelos Miliordos, Anastasios Alatzas, Nikolaos Kontoudakis, Marianne Unlubayir, Konstantinos Nikolakis, Polydefkis Hatzopoulos, Arnaud Lanoue and Yorgos Kotseridis
Sustainability 2025, 17(10), 4385; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17104385 - 12 May 2025
Viewed by 411
Abstract
Sustainable viticulture practices could be useful tools for ensuring grape and wine quality, especially in the context of climate change. A promising and innovating approach is the use of bioelicitors in order to stimulate productivity and metabolite biosynthesis in an environmentally friendly way. [...] Read more.
Sustainable viticulture practices could be useful tools for ensuring grape and wine quality, especially in the context of climate change. A promising and innovating approach is the use of bioelicitors in order to stimulate productivity and metabolite biosynthesis in an environmentally friendly way. However, the result depends on the variety, the phenological stage, concentration of the biomolecule applied, and climate conditions. The present study examined the impact of the plant hormone abscisic acid on the phenolic compound accumulation in the autochthonous, red-colored Greek grapevine variety Mouhtaro. During 2018 and 2019 vintages berry quality characteristics, and metabolome were evaluated at three stages: véraison, beginning and mid, and harvest. Abscisic acid (ABA) was given at doses of 0.04% w/v and 0.08% w/v during the véraison stage. According to the results, the ABA-treated grape berries were smaller and exhibited lower total soluble solid levels and increased titratable acidity compared to the control. Although no significant differences were observed in amino acids or anthocyanin and stilbene accumulation upon ABA treatment, application of ABA at the higher dose resulted in increased concentrations of phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, and flavonols. Therefore, the application of ABA could be considered as a promising method for improving the grape quality characteristics of Mouhtaro. Full article
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23 pages, 2982 KiB  
Article
Plant Growth Regulators and Short-Term Irrigation for Berry Maturation Homogeneity and Increased Coffea arabica Bean Quality
by Miroslava Rakočević, Eunice Reis Batista, Fabio Takeshi Matsunaga and Maria Brígida dos Santos Scholz
Sustainability 2025, 17(9), 3803; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17093803 - 23 Apr 2025
Viewed by 775
Abstract
Gibberellic acid (GA3) may help to synchronize coffee flowering, whilst ethylene (in the form of Ethephon) may assist in advancing coffee berry maturation even when applied in the pre-flowering stage of phenophase. Functional–structural plant modeling (FSPM) can be used to help understand whole-plant [...] Read more.
Gibberellic acid (GA3) may help to synchronize coffee flowering, whilst ethylene (in the form of Ethephon) may assist in advancing coffee berry maturation even when applied in the pre-flowering stage of phenophase. Functional–structural plant modeling (FSPM) can be used to help understand whole-plant responses, such as plant-scale photosynthesis. FSPM has never been used to investigate the response of coffee plants to external plant growth regulator (PGR) applications. We hypothesized that treatment with PGRs at the beginning of berry maturation (BM) during phenophase could (1) influence plant leaf area and plant photosynthesis at the end of BM and (2) assist in the uniformity of the berry maturation of seven-year-old coffee plants. Additionally, we assumed that (3) the distribution of berries over the vertical plant profile could be related to the coffee beans’ chemical quality, and that irrigated plants would have delayed maturation, but a higher yield than non-irrigated (NI) plants. To test these hypotheses, a short sustainable period of irrigation was applied six weeks before harvest. Irrigated plants were treated with GA3 or Ethephon. A combination of field measurements (leaf gas exchanges, berry collection and bean chemical analyses in relation to vertical plant strata) and computer modeling were used. At the beginning or the end of BM, coffee trees were coded using the VPlants modeling platform and reconstructed using CoffePlant3D software to compute the plant leaf area and plant photosynthesis. The greatest number of second-order red berries were found in the upper stratum, S3 (>160 cm), while slightly fewer were found in S2 (80–160 cm) belonging to the third-order axes, and the lowest number was found in S1 (<80 cm). Green berries were more representative in S2, with the greatest number belonging to the third-order axes. The participation of third-order axes in berry yield was up to approximately 37% for red berries and 25% for green berries. The greatest separation between PGRs could be seen in S2, where more berries in the Ethephon-treated plants were found than in the GA3 treated ones, while the dry mass (DM) percentage was higher in GA3 than in the Ethephon treatment. The percentage of DM in fresh mass was 17–28% in the green berries and 28–36% in the red berries. PGRs were important for homogenous berry maturity, especially GA3, which also showed the lowest total chlorogenic acid content. The NI plants showed reduced red and total berry production when compared to irrigated ones, indicating this horticultural measure is important, even during a sustainably reduced six-week period, due to preserved leaf area and plant photosynthesis, and it also increased the lipid and kahweol contents of irrigated plants when compared to NI plants, despite the maturation delay. Full article
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14 pages, 7623 KiB  
Article
Effect of Rain-Shelter Cultivation on Yield and Fruit Quality of Container-Grown Rabbiteye Blueberry in Central-Eastern China
by Jiguang Wei, Jiafeng Jiang, Liangliang Tian, Yanqin Jiang, Chunfeng Ge, Hong Yu and Qilong Zeng
Plants 2025, 14(8), 1167; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14081167 - 9 Apr 2025
Viewed by 437
Abstract
The fruit ripening season for the rabbiteye blueberry often coincides with periods of heavy rainfall in central–eastern China. The use of rain shelters to protect fruit from rainfall damage has increased worldwide due to global climate anomalies. However, the effects of rain-shelter cultivation [...] Read more.
The fruit ripening season for the rabbiteye blueberry often coincides with periods of heavy rainfall in central–eastern China. The use of rain shelters to protect fruit from rainfall damage has increased worldwide due to global climate anomalies. However, the effects of rain-shelter cultivation on the photosynthesis and fruit characteristics of the rabbiteye blueberry have not yet been fully explored. In the present study, 4-year-old container-grown rabbiteye blueberry plants were covered with polyethylene (PE) film from the berry coloration stage until fruit were harvested for three consecutive years in Nanjing, China. The results showed that rain-shelter cultivation did not affect the air temperature and relative humidity, but significantly reduced the photosynthetically active radiation and UV radiation reaching the canopy zone. However, the rain shelter conditions did not significantly decrease the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration rate (E) of the rabbiteye blueberry leaves. Additionally, the fruit yield and berry weight of blueberries cultivated under the rain shelter were not significantly affected. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in total soluble solids, acidity, and total flavonoids content between fruits grown under the rain shelter and in the open field in all experimental years, but a significant decrease in total polyphenols and anthocyanins content was observed in fruits grown under the rain shelter in years with less rainfall. Our results suggest that simple rain shelter cultivation did not noticeably affect the photosynthesis and fruit yield of container-grown rabbiteye blueberry in rainy areas of central–eastern China, but its effects on the fruit quality vary depending on rainfall during the fruit ripening period. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in the Research of Blueberry)
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22 pages, 4444 KiB  
Article
Discrimination of Romanian Wines Based on Phenolic Composition and Identification of Potential Phenolic Biomarkers for Wine Authenticity and Traceability
by Corina-Teodora Ciucure, Marius Gheorghe Miricioiu and Elisabeta-Irina Geana
Beverages 2025, 11(2), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages11020044 - 25 Mar 2025
Viewed by 963
Abstract
Demonstrating the authenticity and traceability of quality wines based on parameters that reflect their composition and provenance contributes to protecting wine authenticity and to increasing consumer confidence in moderate wine consumption, which is associated with numerous health-promoting properties. A wine’s phenolic fingerprint is [...] Read more.
Demonstrating the authenticity and traceability of quality wines based on parameters that reflect their composition and provenance contributes to protecting wine authenticity and to increasing consumer confidence in moderate wine consumption, which is associated with numerous health-promoting properties. A wine’s phenolic fingerprint is increasingly used to assess its authenticity, even though wine phenolic composition is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, as well as vineyard management and enological practices, and storage conditions. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the bioactive characteristics (total polyphenols—TPs, total flavonoids—TFs, antioxidant activity—AA, and total anthocyanins—TAs) by spectrophotometric analysis and phenolic compound profile (by UHPLC-HRMS analysis) of 19 white and 21 red wines with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) from four vineyards located in the wine-growing region of Oltenia, Romania. Multivariate statistical analysis, specifically principal component analysis and heat map analysis, applied to analytical data, enables the discrimination of wines based on grape variety and terroir, and across four consecutive vintages (2019–2022). The phenolic profiles of the wines obtained under standardized winemaking conditions depend on the climatic data specific to each harvest year (temperature, precipitation, duration of sun exposure during grape berry phenological stages, and ripening). The phenolic biomarkers of red wines, such as epicatechin, catechin, gallic, caffeic, t-ferulic acids, t-resveratrol and hesperidin, represent specific biomarkers of warmer and sunnier harvest years with lower precipitation, as observed in the 2021 harvest year. Additionally, our results contribute to the identification of specific phenolic biomarkers for geographical and varietal discrimination, as well as to the promotion of high-quality wines produced in a renowned wine-growing region of Romania. Full article
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21 pages, 2386 KiB  
Article
Adapting Viticulture to Climate Change: Impact of Shading in Sicily
by Daniele Miccichè, Stefano Puccio, Rosario Di Lorenzo, Lucia Turano, Francesco Di Carlo and Antonino Pisciotta
Horticulturae 2025, 11(2), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11020163 - 4 Feb 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 943
Abstract
Climate change significantly affects viticulture, with noticeable impacts on yield and quality. The increase in average temperatures, often coupled with decreased precipitation, accelerates the phenological development of grapevines, leading to rapid sugar accumulation and concentration and decreased acidity. This study aimed to evaluate [...] Read more.
Climate change significantly affects viticulture, with noticeable impacts on yield and quality. The increase in average temperatures, often coupled with decreased precipitation, accelerates the phenological development of grapevines, leading to rapid sugar accumulation and concentration and decreased acidity. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of black shading nets with two levels (26% and 40%) on vine phenology, vegetative growth, yield, and grape ripening, as a potential strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of rising temperatures and reduced precipitation. The research was conducted in southwestern Sicily, in the Menfi (AG) area, using Grillo and Syrah grapevines. Black shading nets were applied during the pea-sized berry stage (BBCH 75). The results demonstrated that shading effectively delayed vine phenology and altered grape ripening, with significant reductions in sugar content (up to 10%) and increases in total acidity (up to 10%) at harvest compared to non-shaded vines. However, shading also reduced berry size, resulting in lower cluster weight and yield per plant (up to 15%). These findings highlight the potential of shading nets as a tool for adapting viticulture to climate change, while emphasizing the need to carefully assess their large-scale applicability, considering economic and operational factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vine Cultivation in an Increasingly Warming World)
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21 pages, 7437 KiB  
Article
Transcriptomic Insights into Higher Anthocyanin Accumulation in ‘Summer Black’ Table Grapes in Winter Crop Under Double-Cropping Viticulture System
by Congqiao Wang, Chengyue Li, Youhuan Li, Yue Zeng, Jie Jiang, Linhui Wu, Siyu Yang, Dan Yuan, Lifang Chen, Zekang Pei, Viola Kayima, Haidi Liu, Zhipeng Qiu and Dongliang Qiu
Plants 2025, 14(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14010026 - 25 Dec 2024
Viewed by 887
Abstract
Anthocyanins are responsible for grape (Vitis vinifera L.) skin color. To obtain a more detailed understanding of the anthocyanin regulatory networks across’ the summer and winter seasons in grapes under a double-cropping viticulture system, the transcriptomes of ‘Summer Black’ grapes were analyzed [...] Read more.
Anthocyanins are responsible for grape (Vitis vinifera L.) skin color. To obtain a more detailed understanding of the anthocyanin regulatory networks across’ the summer and winter seasons in grapes under a double-cropping viticulture system, the transcriptomes of ‘Summer Black’ grapes were analyzed using RNA sequencing. The average daily temperature during the harvest stage in the summer crop, ranging from 26.18 °C to 32.98 °C, was higher than that in the winter crop, ranging from 11.03 °C to 23.90 °C. Grapes from the winter crop accumulated a greater content of anthocyanins than those from the summer crop, peaking in the harvest stage (E-L38) with 207.51 mg·100 g−1. Among them, malvidin-3-O-glucoside (Mv-3-G) had the highest monomer content, accounting for 32%. The content of Cy-3-G during winter increased by 55% compared to summer. KEGG analysis indicated that the flavonoid biosynthesis and circadian rhythm—plant pathways are involved in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis during fruit development. Pearson’s coefficient showed significant positive correlations between anthocyanin content and the VvDFR, VvUFGT, VvOMT, VvMYB, and VvbHLH genes in the winter crop; at full veraison stage, their expressions were 1.34, 1.98, 1.28, 1.17, and 1.34 times greater than in summer, respectively. The higher expression of VvUFGT and VvOMT led to higher contents of Cy-3-G and Mv-3-G in the winter berries, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Plant Cultivation and Fruit Quality Enhancement)
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23 pages, 8533 KiB  
Article
Integrating Hyperspectral, Thermal, and Ground Data with Machine Learning Algorithms Enhances the Prediction of Grapevine Yield and Berry Composition
by Shaikh Yassir Yousouf Jewan, Deepak Gautam, Debbie Sparkes, Ajit Singh, Lawal Billa, Alessia Cogato, Erik Murchie and Vinay Pagay
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(23), 4539; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16234539 - 4 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1671
Abstract
Accurately predicting grapevine yield and quality is critical for optimising vineyard management and ensuring economic viability. Numerous studies have reported the complexity in modelling grapevine yield and quality due to variability in the canopy structure, challenges in incorporating soil and microclimatic factors, and [...] Read more.
Accurately predicting grapevine yield and quality is critical for optimising vineyard management and ensuring economic viability. Numerous studies have reported the complexity in modelling grapevine yield and quality due to variability in the canopy structure, challenges in incorporating soil and microclimatic factors, and management practices throughout the growing season. The use of multimodal data and machine learning (ML) algorithms could overcome these challenges. Our study aimed to assess the potential of multimodal data (hyperspectral vegetation indices (VIs), thermal indices, and canopy state variables) and ML algorithms to predict grapevine yield components and berry composition parameters. The study was conducted during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 grapevine growing seasons in two South Australian vineyards. Hyperspectral and thermal data of the canopy were collected at several growth stages. Simultaneously, grapevine canopy state variables, including the fractional intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (fiPAR), stem water potential (Ψstem), leaf chlorophyll content (LCC), and leaf gas exchange, were collected. Yield components were recorded at harvest. Berry composition parameters, such as total soluble solids (TSSs), titratable acidity (TA), pH, and the maturation index (IMAD), were measured at harvest. A total of 24 hyperspectral VIs and 3 thermal indices were derived from the proximal hyperspectral and thermal data. These data, together with the canopy state variable data, were then used as inputs for the modelling. Both linear and non-linear regression models, such as ridge (RR), Bayesian ridge (BRR), random forest (RF), gradient boosting (GB), K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN), and decision trees (DTs), were employed to model grape yield components and berry composition parameters. The results indicated that the GB model consistently outperformed the other models. The GB model had the best performance for the total number of clusters per vine (R2 = 0.77; RMSE = 0.56), average cluster weight (R2 = 0.93; RMSE = 0.00), average berry weight (R2 = 0.95; RMSE = 0.00), cluster weight (R2 = 0.95; RMSE = 0.13), and average berries per bunch (R2 = 0.93; RMSE = 0.83). For the yield, the RF model performed the best (R2 = 0.97; RMSE = 0.55). The GB model performed the best for the TSSs (R2 = 0.83; RMSE = 0.34), pH (R2 = 0.93; RMSE = 0.02), and IMAD (R2 = 0.88; RMSE = 0.19). However, the RF model performed best for the TA (R2 = 0.83; RMSE = 0.33). Our results also revealed the top 10 predictor variables for grapevine yield components and quality parameters, namely, the canopy temperature depression, LCC, fiPAR, normalised difference infrared index, Ψstem, stomatal conductance (gs), net photosynthesis (Pn), modified triangular vegetation index, modified red-edge simple ratio, and ANTgitelson index. These predictors significantly influence the grapevine growth, berry quality, and yield. The identification of these predictors of the grapevine yield and fruit composition can assist growers in improving vineyard management decisions and ultimately increase profitability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Remote Sensing in Agriculture and Vegetation)
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15 pages, 2673 KiB  
Article
Role of Chitosan in the Coloring of Berries and Phytochemical Changes in Physalis angulata L. During Harvest Maturity
by Rasoul Heydarnajad Giglou, Zahra Ghahremani, Taher Barzegar, Vali Rabiei, Mousa Torabi Giglou, Ali Sobhanizadeh, Silvana Nicola, Maciej Adamski and Katarzyna Wińska
Agriculture 2024, 14(11), 1924; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14111924 - 29 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1055
Abstract
Physalis angulata L. berries are green in the initial stage of maturity and turn yellow when fully mature due to an increase in carotenoids. However, the coloration of the epidermis of the berry should not be the reference for harvesting maturity, since the [...] Read more.
Physalis angulata L. berries are green in the initial stage of maturity and turn yellow when fully mature due to an increase in carotenoids. However, the coloration of the epidermis of the berry should not be the reference for harvesting maturity, since the calyx is fully closed. The use of an edible chitosan coating delays the color changes in the berry by reducing the respiration rate. This work studies the effect of harvest maturity and chitosan on the shelf life and berry coloring in Physalis angulata L. Three factors were considered, being harvest maturity stage (green mature (GM), yellowish-green (YG) and yellow (Y)), chitosan coating (0, 0.5, and 1%), and storage time (10, 20, 30 days). The fruits were stored at 20 °C and 85% Rh. The results showed that on the harvesting stage, chitosan coating had a significant effect on the quality and shelf life of berries during storage time. The value of carotenoid and phenol contents, flavor index, chroma, and hue significantly increased with berry maturity. Chitosan delayed the decrease in chlorophyll, phenol contents, antioxidant capacity, berry maturity, and color change. The results show that in the berries coated with 1% chitosan during storage, changes in color were less in comparison with the control condition (no chitosan). The highest decrease of hue angle and color index (17.92°) was observed in the control. The highest total antioxidant (78.42%) was observed after 30 days of storage in MG berries treated with a 0.5% chitosan coating. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Agricultural Product Quality and Safety)
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16 pages, 1297 KiB  
Article
Blue and Red Light Downconversion Film Application Enhances Plant Photosynthetic Performance and Fruit Productivity of Rubus fruticosus L. var. Loch Ness
by Hafsa El Horri, Maria Vitiello, Alessandra Braca, Marinella De Leo, Lucia Guidi, Marco Landi, Giulia Lauria, Ermes Lo Piccolo, Rossano Massai, Damiano Remorini and Costanza Ceccanti
Horticulturae 2024, 10(10), 1046; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10101046 - 1 Oct 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1634
Abstract
Light downconversion films can modulate incident light wavebands on crops, converting less utilised wavebands in an efficient way. In this experiment, red (conversion of green into red light wavebands), pink (conversion of UV and green into blue and red light but to a [...] Read more.
Light downconversion films can modulate incident light wavebands on crops, converting less utilised wavebands in an efficient way. In this experiment, red (conversion of green into red light wavebands), pink (conversion of UV and green into blue and red light but to a smaller degree than red film), and blue (conversion of UV into blue light) light downconversion films were used to cover blackberry plants throughout all phenological stages (from leaf emergence to fruit harvesting). The plants’ physiological and biometric performance, and fruit yield and quality were evaluated. Plants under blue and red films showed a higher net photosynthetic rate with +23.1% and +14.9%, respectively, and a higher stomatal conductance with +56.0% and +23.6%, respectively, with respect to controls, maintaining stability across stages, except for a decrease under the red film during fruiting. Both films significantly boosted the fruit yield, with the red film increasing the fruit number (+49.8%) and the blue film enhancing the berry shape (+10.7) and fresh weight (+36.6). Notably, no significant differences in nutraceutical quality, including total flavonoid and anthocyanin content, were observed. These findings suggest that light downconversion films, particularly red and blue films, can effectively enhance the photosynthetic performance and fruit production in blackberry plants without compromising the fruit quality. Future research on this topic should focus on balancing plant growth, fruit productivity, and enhancing fruit nutraceutical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Fruit Production Systems)
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23 pages, 3333 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Biochemical and Phytochemical Attributes in Peaches through Foliar Applications of Silicon and Zinc
by Syed Tanveer Shah, Naseer Ahmad, Abdul Basit, Muhammad Sajid, Aftab Jamal, Muhammad Farhan Saeed, Waleed Iqbal, Mahmoud F. Seleiman, Emanuele Radicetti and Roberto Mancinelli
Horticulturae 2024, 10(10), 1031; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10101031 - 28 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1342
Abstract
Peach production faces significant pre-harvest challenges, including low moisture, nutrient deficiencies, flower drop, physical damage, and surface discoloration, which can limit yield and fruit quality. To mitigate these issues, the present study hypothesized that foliar applications of silicon and zinc could enhance peach [...] Read more.
Peach production faces significant pre-harvest challenges, including low moisture, nutrient deficiencies, flower drop, physical damage, and surface discoloration, which can limit yield and fruit quality. To mitigate these issues, the present study hypothesized that foliar applications of silicon and zinc could enhance peach growth, yield, and quality due to their known roles in improving stress tolerance, nutrient uptake, and antioxidant activity. Therefore, this research aimed to identify optimal concentrations of silicon and zinc for quality peach production. Ten-year-old peach trees of uniform size were sprayed with four levels of silicon (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3%) and zinc (0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%) for two consecutive growing seasons, at the berry and pit hardening stages, using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The averaged data from the two years showed that the pre-harvest foliar application of silicon significantly improved all yield and quality attributes of peaches. The foliar application of silicon at 0.3% notably enhanced fruit growth, yield, and biochemical attributes. Additionally, the highest fruit growth, yield, and quality of peach fruits were observed at the 0.75% zinc concentration. Maximum antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, proline content, and catalase activity were observed in fruits from plants treated with 0.3% silicon, which were statistically on par with 0.2% silicon. However, peroxidase activity was highest at 0.2% silicon. Regarding zinc levels, antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, proline content, and peroxidase activity were highest in fruits treated with 0.75% zinc, while catalase activity was superior when fruits were sprayed with 0.50% zinc. The interaction between silicon and zinc concentrations was found to be non-significant for most parameters, except for titratable acidity, TSS–acid ratio, ascorbic acid content, antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, and peroxidase activity. In conclusion, the foliar application of 0.3% silicon and 0.75% zinc independently enhanced all yield and quality characteristics of peaches. For the agro-climatic conditions of Peshawar, 0.2% silicon and 0.50% zinc are recommended for optimal peach production. Full article
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15 pages, 4222 KiB  
Communication
Could 101-14 Mgt Rootstock Affect Post-Spring Frost Vine Developing? Preliminary Findings
by Gastón Gutiérrez-Gamboa, Cristóbal Palacios-Peralta, Nicolás Verdugo-Vásquez, Marjorie Reyes-Díaz, Ariel Muñoz and Alejandra Ribera-Fonseca
Horticulturae 2024, 10(8), 880; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10080880 - 20 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1537
Abstract
(1) Background: Spring frost damage is a common phenomenon that occurs in Southern Chile that considerably affects vine productivity and grape quality. (2) Methods: A field trial was conducted in order to study vine phenology and berry physicochemical parameters in Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Spring frost damage is a common phenomenon that occurs in Southern Chile that considerably affects vine productivity and grape quality. (2) Methods: A field trial was conducted in order to study vine phenology and berry physicochemical parameters in Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir ungrafted and grafted (onto 101-14 Mgt rootstock) grapevines after a spring frost. This event killed the totality of primary bud shoots when the vines reached the phenological stage of unfolded leaves. (3) Results: From budburst, to flowering of secondary bud shoots, ungrafted Sauvignon Blanc grapevines presented an advanced phenology, whereas 101-14 Mgt rootstock tended to advance the maturity of Pinot Noir grapevines from flowering to ripening of berries. At harvest, berries from secondary buds of vines grafted onto 101-14 Mgt rootstock showed higher soluble solids than the ones from ungrafted Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc vines. High total phenolic content was found in berries from secondary buds of the grafted vines, compared to the ones from the ungrafted vines. Berry soluble solids variability tended to statistically decrease toward harvest in the studied plant materials, and the maximum coefficient of variation for soluble solids, berry weight, berry firmness and berry size reached 9.5%, 25.9%, 18.6% and 8.9%, respectively. (4) Conclusions: These preliminary results may be interesting for the Southern Chilean viticulturists since it seems that 101-14 Mgt rootstock could affect phenology and grape berry maturity of grapevines established in the Cautín Valley after spring frost damage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Effects of Climate Change on Viticulture (Grape))
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18 pages, 1618 KiB  
Article
Role of Pre-Harvest Sorbitol–Calcium Treatments in Controlling Berry Drop in Bagged Table Grapes of the “Doña María” Variety
by Alberto Guirao, Juan Miguel Valverde, Huertas María Díaz-Mula, Daniel Valero, María Serrano and Domingo Martínez-Romero
Horticulturae 2024, 10(7), 698; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10070698 - 2 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5205
Abstract
Cv ‘Doña María’ table grape is a high-quality table grape variety included in the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of the European Union “The bagged grape of the Vinalopó”. The PDO stipulates that grape clusters must be protected with paper bags from inclement [...] Read more.
Cv ‘Doña María’ table grape is a high-quality table grape variety included in the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of the European Union “The bagged grape of the Vinalopó”. The PDO stipulates that grape clusters must be protected with paper bags from inclement weather and insects, which helps enhance the final grape quality. However, ‘Doña María’ is a variety prone to high shattering in the late stages of ripening on the vine and during postharvest. Inorganic calcium treatments are one of the most commonly used tools to reduce this disorder, but the translocation of this mineral from veraison onward has been questioned. In this study, five applications were performed, from veraison to harvest, using sorbitol-chelated calcium (0.7% + 1.0%), Ca(NO3)2 (Ca) at 0.7% and sorbitol at 1%. It was observed that bagged grapes (not wetted with the solutions) only increased the concentration of total and bound calcium when treated with sorbitol–Ca. This resulted in reduced berry drop during cultivation and postharvest and improved fruit firmness. Additionally, it reduced grape metabolism indicators such as respiration rate, weight loss, malic acid degradation, prevented abscisic acid (ABA) and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, and favored the accumulation of secondary metabolites such as total polyphenols, increased antioxidant activity, and sugar content. The application of sorbitol-chelated calcium is an effective and safe tool that enhances fruit quality and prevents losses due to shattering during postharvest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Viticulture)
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14 pages, 1048 KiB  
Article
A Study on the Fruiting and Correlation between the Chemical Indicators and Antimicrobial Properties of Hippophae rhamnoides L.
by Natalia Netreba, Elisaveta Sandulachi, Artur Macari, Sergiu Popa, Ion Ribintev, Iuliana Sandu, Olga Boestean and Irina Dianu
Horticulturae 2024, 10(2), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10020137 - 31 Jan 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2909
Abstract
Sea buckthorn is a promising species that, under the conditions of Eastern Europe, has shown high productivity and is also a good and possible source of a wide range of bioactive compounds that have a positive effect on the human body, especially polyphenols [...] Read more.
Sea buckthorn is a promising species that, under the conditions of Eastern Europe, has shown high productivity and is also a good and possible source of a wide range of bioactive compounds that have a positive effect on the human body, especially polyphenols and carotenoids. Due to the content of biologically active substances in sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), the species is of growing interest to scientists, the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the cosmetics industry and consumers. The aim of this study is to investigate the productivity and the correlation between the chemical composition and the antibacterial effect of four cultivars of sea buckthorn (Clara, Dora, Cora, Mara), cultivated in the Republic of Moldova. Sea buckthorn fruits were harvested at the stage of full ripening. Berry samples were frozen at minus 25 °C, stored for 6 months and whole fruits of sea buckthorn were studied. All quantitative characteristics were calculated in terms of absolutely dry raw material (dry weight). The sea buckthorn cultivars tested were found to have a different carotenoid contents (1.79–48.92 mg/100 g), ascorbic acid contents (74.36–373.38 mg/100 g), organic acids (malic acid 5.8–13.4 mg/100 g, citric acid 0.08–0.321 mg/100 g, succinic acid 0.03–1.1 mg/100 g), total dry matter contents (16.71–24.54%), titratable acidities (2.15–8.76%) and pH values (2.73–3.00). The antimicrobial activity of sea buckthorn, evaluated by the diameter of the inhibition zone, constituted for Bacillus pumilus 3.70–15.91 mm/g−1 for whole sea buckthorn fruits and 13.33–26.67 mm/g−1 for sea buckthorn purees. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Fruit Quality Development and Regulation)
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