Search Results (177)

Grape caliber distributions are critical for packing, grading, yield estimation, and post-harvest logistics. However, estimating reliable caliber histograms from single images remains challenging due to occlusion and dense bunch structure. This work presents a two-stage monocular pipeline that integrates instance segmentation, geometry-aware representations, residual quantity correction, and structured histogram prediction. In the first stage, a YOLO-based model detects grape instances and a calibration object, enabling the construction of geometry-aware auxiliary channels and a segmentation-derived counting prior. In the second stage, these representations are used to estimate total grape count and caliber distributions. Results show that RGBDT consistently outperforms RGB, indicating that geometry-aware cues improve both histogram fidelity and counting accuracy. The framework achieves stable performance under realistic conditions while maintaining low runtime, supporting practical deployment in agricultural environments. Full article

DNA methylation is a key epigenetic regulator in plant development. However, the changes in methylation patterns between the early and late stages of grape berry development, the two phases with the most pronounced morphological differences, and the respective roles of methylation at these stages remain largely unexplored. To investigate the dynamic DNA methylation changes during this stage and their regulatory role in fruit development, we constructed genome-wide methylation maps of grape at two key time points: the early development stage (7 days after flowering, 7DAF; hereafter referred to as S1) and the late development stages (78 days after flowering, 78DAF; hereafter referred to as S2). Global cytosine methylation increased from 12.57% (S1) to 14.16% (S2), driven primarily by a substantial increase in CHH methylation (from 5.88% to 7.92%; p < 0.001), whereas CG and CHG methylation showed no statistically significant change. Most differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were hypermethylated in S2, predominantly in the CHH context. Integrative methylome and transcriptome analysis revealed that CHH hypermethylation was associated with the downregulation of YABBY5 (a berry size repressor) and upregulation of UGPase (a cell wall biosynthesis gene), suggesting a potential regulatory role in fruit expansion. Because our study compares only two time points, it cannot distinguish between gradual and stage-specific methylation changes, and functional validation of the identified genes is required. Nevertheless, these findings provides a valuable resource for understanding stage-specific DNA methylation dynamics and their association with gene expression during grape berry development. Full article

Regression to the Mean (RTM) and Regression Dilution are traditionally treated as unrelated issues in the clinical and ecological studies. In this work, we demonstrate that within a linear errors-in-variables framework where baseline variables are subject to transient temporal or measurement noise, these two phenomena share an identical underlying mathematical signature. We unify these disparate traditions by comparing specialized clinical tools, such as the Berry shrinkage correction, with standard sign-agnostic structural estimators like Major Axis (MA) and Reduced Major Axis (RMA) regression. Using an analytical framework, we evaluate the closed-form population limits and finite-sample performance of these methods across various noise-to-signal ratios and sample sizes. Our results show that the Berry method is a specialized tool designed for clinical scenarios where a 1:1 relationship is expected. However, applying it to ecological trade-offs with negative slopes can lead to severe errors. We provide maps of optimality to identify which estimator most accurately recovers the true biological signal under different conditions. By reconciling these disparate methods, we offer a principled guide for researchers to choose the correct tool based on their data’s noise profile rather than their disciplinary tradition. Full article

Berry thinning is a fundamental operation in modern vineyard management, and future robotic thinning systems have the potential to reduce labor intensity and improve operational consistency. However, automated berry thinning under field conditions is still constrained by insufficient berry-level segmentation accuracy, difficulty in recognizing occluded berries, and high missed-detection rates for small berries. These limitations mainly arise from dense berry arrangements, severe mutual occlusion, and the subtle visual features of small targets. To address these challenges, this study developed a lightweight grape berry instance segmentation and thinning decision-support method based on YOLOv8n-seg. A two-stage knowledge distillation strategy, using Mask R-CNN and YOLOv8l-seg as teacher models, was combined with 30% backbone pruning to improve the recognition of occluded and small berries while maintaining model efficiency. Subsequently, the DBSCAN clustering algorithm was used to analyze berry centroid coordinates and equivalent diameters extracted from instance segmentation masks, thereby generating preliminary thinning-target recommendations based on local berry density and berry size. The model was trained and evaluated on a self-constructed dataset containing 330 valid grape bunch images collected in 2025 from Yongming Vineyard, Lin’an District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. The results showed that the optimized YOLOv8n-seg model achieved a box $mAP50\text{-}95$ of 0.8945 and a mask $mAP50\text{-}95$ of 0.7910, with an inference speed of 119.19 $FPS$ and 3.26 M parameters on an NVIDIA RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Compared with the original YOLOv8n-seg model, the optimized model improved mask $mAP50\text{-}95$ by 1.20 percentage points, increased inference speed by 71.79 $FPS$, and reduced the number of parameters by 2.38 M. These results indicate that the proposed method improves grape berry instance segmentation performance while achieving a favorable balance among segmentation accuracy, lightweight characteristics, and inference efficiency. The proposed framework provides an offline RGB-based visual perception and preliminary thinning decision-support method for future grape berry thinning robots. However, because the current dataset was collected from Shine Muscat grape bunches at the berry enlargement stage in a single vineyard using the same imaging setup, the results should be interpreted as preliminary evidence under the specific cultivar, growth stage, vineyard, and imaging conditions of this study. Further validation across different grape cultivars, growth stages, vineyards, production seasons, camera systems, embedded platforms, and real robotic thinning operations is still required. Full article

The increased demand for higher-quality, longer-lasting blueberries has led to the development of preharvest strategies to improve their structural integrity sustainably. This study analysed the effects of the foliar application of two biostimulant–calcium (Ca) combinations, using Ecklonia maxima extract (EM + Ca) and glycine betaine (GB + Ca), on yield, biometric, mechanical, and histological properties, as well as cuticular wax composition of blueberries. Both biostimulants increased yield per plant and fruit weight and size in ‘Duke’, with superior results for GB + Ca. Fruit yield increased by 80% with GB + Ca and 40% with EM + Ca. Histological analysis showed increases in cuticle thickness, epidermal cell area and thickness, and hypodermal cell area and area/perimeter ratio. This thicker, denser tissue ultimately improved blueberries’ mechanical properties. Specifically, ‘Draper’ berries treated with GB + Ca had 36%, 15%, and 20% higher values for flesh firmness, stiffness, and deformation work, respectively, relative to the control. However, cuticular wax accumulation was more pronounced with EM + Ca for the ‘Duke’ cultivar, increasing by 12%. Overall, GB + Ca had the greatest impact on blueberry structural quality and may represent a promising strategy to improve postharvest quality and commercial production. Full article

Aristotelia chilensis (maqui berry) is a Chilean native fruit rich in anthocyanins with potential antioxidant, glycemic, cardiometabolic, and ocular benefits, but its clinical efficacy remains unclear. This systematic review synthesized and critically appraised human trials evaluating oral maqui supplementation in adults. Following PRISMA 2020 and a PROSPERO-registered protocol, five databases were searched, and risk of bias and certainty of evidence were assessed using RoB 2/ROBINS-I and GRADE. Twelve clinical trials published between 2014 and 2023 were included. Acute studies consistently showed reduced postprandial glucose and modulation of insulin response, whereas chronic interventions showed modest and inconsistent effects on HbA1c, lipid profile, and other cardiometabolic markers. Favorable changes were also reported for oxidative stress biomarkers and autonomic parameters, although these findings were mainly based on surrogate endpoints. The most consistent evidence was observed in the ocular domain, where maqui supplementation improved tear production, dry eye symptoms, and tear inflammatory markers. The overall certainty of evidence ranged from moderate to very low because of methodological heterogeneity, small sample sizes, and short intervention duration. Maqui berry supplementation shows promise, particularly for acute glycemic control and ocular surface health, but larger long-term randomized trials using standardized formulations are needed before definitive clinical recommendations can be made. Full article

Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) is subject to environmental stressors, leading to variability in both severe fruit drop during development and fruit quality. Zinc, an essential micronutrient, is critical to sustainable fruit tree production by enhancing yield and nutritional quality. Different forms of zinc fertilizers, particularly nano-zinc versus conventional ionic zinc, exhibit marked differences in absorption efficiency and agronomic performance, thereby determining their practical efficacy. In this two-year study, we evaluated the effects of foliar-applied zinc forms, ZnO nanoparticles (30, 50, and 90 nm) and ionic zinc (ZnCl₂ and ZnSO₄), applied at the young fruit, veraison, and maturity stages on yield and fruit quality. Results showed that ZnO nanoparticles were more effective than ionic zinc at 80 mg/L. In particular, among the ZnO NP treatments, 90 nm ZnO NPs exhibited the best overall effect, significantly improving fruit quality. The 30 nm ZnO NPs treatment performed best in terms of single fruit weight, yield per plant, and fruit firmness. This study highlights the potential of nano-zinc to enhance productivity and quality in blue honeysuckle, providing a theoretical basis for selecting optimal zinc fertilizer types and particle sizes in specialty berry production, with implications for sustainable, high-quality fruit cultivation. Full article

Pycnospatha is a small and poorly known genus of Araceae distributed in Indochina and currently comprising only two accepted species. During botanical surveys in Si Sa Ket Province, eastern Thailand, an unusual population of Pycnospatha was discovered in a dry dipterocarp forest and found to differ from both P. arietina and P. palmata. Here, we describe this plant as a new species, Pycnospatha phanomdongrakensis. The new species is distinguished by a combination of characters, including a slender habit, shorter petiole and peduncle, a medium-sized spathe, a short and dense spadix, a distinctly curved style directed toward the apex of the spadix, a geophilous and ovoid infructescence, obovate berries, and asymmetrically ovoid seeds. The new taxon is currently known only from a single population in the Phanom Dong Rak mountain range. A preliminary conservation assessment is provided, and the species is treated as Critically Endangered (CR) following IUCN guidelines. An identification key to all species of Pycnospatha is also presented. The discovery of this new species highlights the continuing importance of field-based taxonomy in revealing overlooked aroid diversity in the seasonally dry forests of eastern Thailand. Full article

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are central to the industrial fabric of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Yet, they confront increasing demands to implement sustainability practices originating from institutional contexts markedly different from their own. Existing research has tended to neglect the cultural and institutional negotiations inherent in this process, often framing sustainability adoption as a technical or compliance-oriented exercise rather than as a multifaceted cultural adaptation. This study proposes and empirically examines the concept of sustainability acculturation—the process by which firms align global sustainability norms with local business cultures. Drawing on Institutional Theory, the Resource-Based View, and Berry’s Acculturation Model, we present a context-specific framework, tested using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach: survey data from 284 manufacturing SMEs across six SSA countries, followed by 24 semi-structured interviews. Structural equation modeling reveals that international market pressure and owner–manager values are direct drivers, whereas local regulatory pressure exhibits only a weak association with deep cultural integration. Managerial commitment and organizational learning mediate these relationships, while Ubuntu values enhance social sustainability integration, and institutional voids diminish regulatory effectiveness. The model accounts for 57% of the variance in sustainability acculturation. Findings show that SSA SMEs employ distinct acculturation strategies—Integration, Assimilation, Resilient Adaptation, and Decoupling—shaped by the interplay of external pressures, internal capabilities, and contextual conditions. The study underscores the importance of culturally attuned, context-specific interventions for sustainable industrial development in SSA. Full article

In this experiment, we used a late 17th century embalming protocol for the long-term preservation (7.2 years) of an infant-sized piglet in order to evaluate the success of this technique over a period of several years. According to the description of the French anatomist Penicher (published in 1699), an 8.8 kg female piglet corpse was treated with a broad spectrum of herbs, seeds, leaves, flowers and dried berries, along with an alcohol-based fluid following subtotal exenteration and a reduction in peripheral muscle mass. The further process of this dry embalming technique was monitored by visual, tactile and olfactory evaluation of the embalmed body, along with a record of the body weight. Repeatedly taking samples from the skin and soft tissues provided insight into eventual changes on a histomorphological level and two whole-body CT scans complemented the evaluation of the internal changes within the corpse, which was eventually examined at autopsy. On the macroscopic level, we recorded slight signs of autolysis and very mild putrefaction within the first few weeks and a very well preserved and stable body over the subsequent years of evaluation. In parallel, we noted a gradual loss of fluid, as shown by a reduction in the body weight. This occurred faster in the first year (reduction in body weight by ca. 25%) than in the following ca. 4 years (with another ca. 25% loss of body weight). The CT scans showed stable osseous and soft tissue structures, while the few remaining internal organs that had been left inside the body after initial evisceration (such as kidneys and internal genitalia) had already completely disappeared after approx. 1 year. On the histological level, the histoanatomy of skin, subcutis and muscle remained intact over the entire observation period. A loss of epidermal cell nuclei was not noted before day 1772 and there were only slight signs of adipocire formation of fat tissue at the end point of observation (day 2634). In summary, we can confirm that excellent body preservation of external skin and soft tissue was maintained over a considerably long period (in this case, 7.2 years) using the applied protocol of dry embalming, but a complete loss of residual internal organs/structures beyond skin, subcutaneous fat tissue and muscle. Previous observations of the excellent preservation of an infant mummy that underwent the dry embalming procedure are very plausible. Full article

The Coffee Berry Borer is the most destructive pest affecting global production of Coffea arabica. Early detection of pest-induced fruit damage remains challenging due to the small size of infestation symptoms and the dense clustering of coffee berries under complex field conditions. This study evaluates optimized object detection architectures designed to improve the balance between detection accuracy and computational efficiency. Three baselines were established: YOLOv8n (M0), YOLOv11n (M1), and YOLOv26n (M2). Seven architectural variants (M3–M9) were then developed by integrating FasterNet, SimSPPF, and EMA. Experimental results showed that M0 achieved the highest detection accuracy (mAP@0.5 = 0.9534 and 6.09 GFLOPs), whereas model M6, combining FasterNet and SimSPPF, provided the best accuracy–efficiency trade off with mAP@0.5 = 0.9446 and 5.12 GFLOPs. Pareto analysis confirmed M6 as the optimal configuration. Finally, in situ validation across 25 points achieved a mean F1-score of 0.7255 (SD = 0.0504) for infected berries despite cast shadows, proving its readiness for real-time agricultural deployment. Full article

The vigorous growth of new shoots can significantly reduce grape yield and compromise fruit quality. In order to explore the effects of prohexadione calcium (Pro-Ca) and mepiquat chloride (MC) on the control effect of new shoot growth and fruit quality of grape, ‘Shine Muscat’ grapevine (Vitis labruscana × V. vinifera) was used as the test material, and different concentrations of Pro-Ca and a combination of Pro-Ca and MC were sprayed four times before flowering of ‘Shine Muscat’ grapevines, and the effects of the different treatments on the new shoot growth and fruit quality of ‘Shine Muscat’ grape were analyzed and evaluated. The results demonstrated that low concentrations of Pro-Ca had limited efficacy in controlling shoot growth. However, the combined treatment of Pro-Ca 300 mg/L + MC 300 mg/L not only effectively inhibited shoot elongation but also significantly enhanced the chlorophyll content of the leaves opposite to the clusters and increased branch density. Additionally, this treatment improved berry size (single berry weight, vertical and horizontal diameter) and elevated the soluble solids content (SSC). These findings suggest that the combined application of Pro-Ca (300 mg/L) and MC (300 mg/L) is the most effective strategy for balancing vegetative growth and enhancing fruit quality in ‘Shine Muscat’ grapevines. Full article

Background/Objectives: Presbyopia is an age-related decline in near vision associated with lens stiffening and neuroretinal changes, while evidence for the effects of berry-derived phytochemicals remains limited. We investigated whether AKB, a double-standardised berry extract (anthocyanins ≥ 25%, iridoids ≥ 4.5%) from Aronia melanocarpa, Lonicera caerulea, and Vaccinium myrtillus, influences visual performance and circulating biomarkers potentially relevant to ocular homeostasis. Methods: In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period crossover trial, 23 adults aged >50 years received AKB (400 mg twice daily) or placebo for 6 weeks, separated by a 5-week washout. Results: Compared with placebo, AKB was associated with improvements in selected visual-function outcomes, including near contrast sensitivity and visual-field parameters, together with directionally favourable changes in VEP and OCT readouts. AKB supplementation was also associated with lower circulating αA-/αB-crystallin and ALDH1A1 levels and higher circulating TRPV4 levels, whereas systemic antioxidant enzymes and advanced glycation end-products remained unchanged. Given the small sample size and the indirect nature of the biomarker assessment, these findings should be considered preliminary. Conclusions: Overall, short-term AKB supplementation was associated with modest, exploratory changes in selected functional and systemic biomarker outcomes, but larger and longer-term studies are needed to confirm clinical relevance and clarify underlying mechanisms. Full article

Background: Polyphenols—bioactive compounds abundant in plant-based foods—are increasingly recognised for their capacity to modulate the gut microbiota. As the gut microbiome plays a central role in metabolic regulation, immune function, and disease prevention, understanding how specific polyphenol subclasses influence microbial diversity and functionality remains essential. Despite growing evidence of their benefits, the precise effects of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and anthocyanins on gut microbial composition are not yet fully clarified. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of dietary polyphenols on gut microbiota composition and function, with a particular focus on the abundance of Bifidobacterium, a key beneficial genus associated with metabolic and immune health. It was hypothesised that polyphenol-rich interventions were associated with increases in Bifidobacterium abundance and enhance overall microbial diversity. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Human intervention studies published between January 2015 and February 2025 were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. A predefined PICO framework guided study selection. Twenty-two studies were synthesised using thematic analysis, and four of these were eligible for quantitative meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was performed in R (version 4.4.1) using the metafor and meta packages, calculating standardised mean differences (SMD) under a random-effects model to account for heterogeneity. Extracted data included study design, population characteristics, polyphenol subclass, intervention type, microbiome assessment method, and key outcomes. Results: Across the 22 reviewed studies, polyphenols—particularly flavonoids and phenolic acids from foods such as berries, grape pomace, and green tea—consistently increased beneficial microbial taxa including Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, and Lactobacillus. These microbial shifts were associated with improved metabolic markers, reduced inflammation, and enhancements in gut barrier integrity. Polyphenol-rich dietary patterns also showed benefits in conditions such as NAFLD, prediabetes, and depression. However, findings were influenced by interindividual variability, short intervention durations, and inconsistent methodologies. The meta-analysis revealed a significant positive effect of polyphenol intake on Bifidobacterium abundance (SMD = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.18–1.44; p = 0.0114), corresponding to a moderate-to-large effect size. Substantial heterogeneity (I² = 77.4%) suggested considerable variation in intervention types, dosage, study design, and microbiome analysis methods. Conclusions: Polyphenol-rich diets were associated with increased Bifidobacterium abundance and favourable modulation of gut microbiota composition, supporting their potential as a nutritional strategy to enhance gut and metabolic health. However, interstudy variability highlights the need for more standardised, long-term, and mechanistically focused human trials. Future research should incorporate multi-omics approaches, personalised nutrition frameworks, and consistent microbiome analysis methods to better understand the pathways linking polyphenol intake and host health outcomes. Full article

Table grapes are among the main fruit crops cultivated in Brazil, supported by cultivar diversity, technological advances, and adaptation to diverse edaphoclimatic conditions. Rootstock selection is critical in viticulture, influencing phenology, yield, and fruit quality. This study evaluated yield- and fruit-related production parameters, cluster characteristics, and biochemical composition of ‘BRS Núbia’ table grape grafted onto different rootstocks. The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (UNESP), São Manuel, São Paulo, Brazil, using a randomized block design in a split-plot scheme (three rootstocks × three seasons) with seven replicates. Rootstocks included ‘IAC 572 Jales’, ‘IAC 766 Campinas’, and ‘Paulsen 1103’, while subplots corresponded to the first three production seasons after grafting. Evaluated variables comprised bud fruitfulness, yield, productivity, physical attributes of clusters, berries, and rachises, and in 2022, berry biochemical traits, including total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity. Rootstocks did not significantly affect bud fruitfulness or yield-related parameters. In contrast, production season markedly influenced vine performance, with the third (2023) season showing higher cluster and berry mass and size. Regarding fruit composition, vines grafted onto ‘Paulsen 1103’ and ‘IAC 766 Campinas’ showed greater accumulation of total phenolics and anthocyanins than those grafted onto ‘IAC 572 Jales’, overall. Full article