Search Results (81)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a popular fruit tree with high edible and ornamental values. However, the traditional breeding strategies are lacking in efficiency for the improvement of agronomic traits of pomegranate. Gene editing technologies offer a solution for promoting desired growth or metabolic processes in pomegranate trees. In this study, we established a CRISPR-mediated gene editing system for pomegranate, using Agrobacterium tumefaciens as the delivery vehicle and unlignified stems of the ‘Baihuayushizi’ cultivar as explants. The editing efficiency of our system was inferred to be 38.00%, which is substantially higher than those in some other plant species. The impacts of different culture conditions on the system were further assessed. Pre-culture duration was found to have the largest influence on the success of genetic transformation, followed by A. tumefaciens infection time and concentration. The optimal pre-culture time for this system is 3 days, and the A. tumefaciens concentration, infection time, and co-culture duration are OD₆₀₀ = 0.8, 10 min, and 2 days, respectively. With the help of our system, we successfully knocked the PgBZR1 gene out from ‘Baihuayushizi’ pomegranate, which encodes a key transcription factor that regulates the growth and development of pomegranate. Given these advantages, we anticipate that our gene editing system is a useful tool for future studies on pomegranate gene functions and genetic improvement. Full article

Plant seed number depends on ovule number initiated within the carpels, and it serves as a primary factor shaping fruit yield. Pomegranate trees exhibit bisexual flowers and functional male flowers. Pomegranate have anatropous ovules which are bitegmic and crassinucellate. Bisexual flowers possess the fertile pistil, while functional male flowers have abnormally developed ovules, a small ovary with few chambers, and a short style. The formation of functional male flowers is due to abnormal and stagnant development of ovule integument. Ovule number directly determines the yield of pomegranate seeds. Recent studies have highlighted the molecular mechanisms through which ovule-related genes regulate pomegranate ovule development. Pomegranate PgCRC and PgINO genes positively regulate the increase in the number of ovules, and PgBEL1 to synergistically regulate seed development. PgAGL11 (the SEEDSTICK orthologous gene) promotes ovule development in transgenic Arabidopsis. PgSEP protein can bridge interactions among PgBEL1, PgSTK and PgAG, which regulate ovule development. At the level of post-transcriptional regulation, PgmiRNA167, PgmiRNA164 and PgmiRNA160 are differentially expressed during pomegranate flower development, and PgmiR166a interacts with its target genes to affect ovule development. This review summarizes the key regulators of ovule development and their molecular pathways, integrating these interactions into a model that describes pomegranate ovule development. Full article

Soil nematodes are sensitive indicators of soil ecosystem functioning, yet their seasonal dynamics across tree hosts and edaphic gradients are poorly documented in southern Africa. We sampled rhizosphere soils of pomegranate (Punica granatum), lemon (Citrus sp.), and fig (Ficus carica) across four seasons in Sovenga Hills, Limpopo Province. We explicitly state that the rhizospheres of pomegranate, lemon, and fig were selected because they represent widely cultivated fruit trees in smallholder systems across Limpopo Province, where soil management practices and climate variability may influence nematode community dynamics. The hypothesis is that nematode assemblages exhibit seasonal shifts in diversity, trophic composition, and ecological indices across these hosts. The nematode genera were identified morphologically using standard diagnostic keys. A total of 29 genera were recorded. Bacterivores and herbivores dominated the assemblage, while fungivores, predators and omnivores were less abundant. Notably, Ditylenchus (fungivores) exhibited the highest Prominence Value (PV = 7926.1) and occurred in 83% of samples (Frequency of Occurrence (FO%) = 83), followed by a plant-parasitic nematode, namely Rotylenchulus (PV = 3279.8; FO% = 83%). Shannon diversity ranged from 2.09–2.34, and Maturity Index (MI) varied from 2.41–2.78 across seasons. Food-web indicators showed an enrichment index (EI) of 17–38 and structure index (SI) of 49–71, suggesting a moderately structured but dynamic soil food web. Spring communities exhibited the highest abundance (mean 471.7 individuals), biomass (0.49 µg), and composite/metabolic footprints, while autumn showed higher maturity and structural indices; summer recorded the lowest abundance and biomass. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed a total of 40.78% variation among the samples collected from different seasons and separated winter communities from autumn/spring ones (which partially overlapped). Soil pH, nitrate, phosphate, texture (sand/clay/silt), and electrical conductivity strongly associated with the observed seasonal patterns. The observed seasonal trends suggest that PV and FO% may serve as informative indicators for tracking shifts in nematode assemblages, but these patterns were not statistically significant (p > 0.05) and should therefore be considered preliminary rather than conclusive. These results highlight pronounced seasonal shifts in nematode assemblages and confirm PV and FO% as useful metrics for monitoring soil ecosystem dynamics. Full article

This study assesses and inventories agrodiversity within eleven representative oases of the pre-Saharan regions of Morocco, ecosystems that are particularly vulnerable to climate change and socio-economic pressures. The findings highlight the central role of fruit tree diversity in structuring and sustaining the resilience of oasis agroecosystems, complementing cereal and fodder crops. Special attention was given to the pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), a secondary but underutilized fruit species in Moroccan agriculture, which was found to hold a significant position in the surveyed oases. Farmer and community surveys identified five local denominations or varieties, including an original form known as “Guersmoum” or “Hamed,” distinguished by its spontaneous, non-cultivated character. This unique case exemplifies the remarkable coexistence between wild and domesticated forms, reflecting the complex dynamics between cultivated and wild biodiversity. The presence and use of this variety are closely linked to the production of a traditional local agri-food product, pomegranate molasses (“Amaghousse”), an artisanal know-how transmitted across generations and primarily preserved by women. The study documents several aspects of this practice, including processing techniques, yield ratios, and marketing channels, emphasizing both the economic and cultural significance of this local product. The discussion underscores the close interconnections between traditional knowledge, gendered practices, and the conservation of genetic diversity, showing how the promotion of local resources contributes not only to the preservation of agrodiversity but also to the maintenance of oasis cultural identities. Finally, the study highlights the broader implications of these findings for development initiatives, particularly through the recognition and promotion of distinctive local agri-food products, the integration of women in local conservation strategies, and the implementation of sustainable management approaches for fruit genetic resources. Full article

This study aims to identify the most effective irrigation rates for Manfalouty pomegranate trees to enhance their growth, yield, bioactive compound content, and fruit quality. Additionally, the research evaluates the effects of foliar spray applications of glycine, ascorbic acid, and riboflavin on the physiological responses of the trees. Morphological, physiological impacts, and fruit quality treatments were analyzed using Pearson correlation and cluster analysis. As irrigation levels were reduced up to 60%, all vegetative characters demonstrated a significant drop. Glycine treatment enhanced yielding shoot lengths, leaf area, and leaf number. Among the key findings was that there were no appreciable variations between 100% ETc and 80% ETc with riboflavin or glycine spraying for leaves total chlorophyll. Leaves treated with glycine, ascorbic acid, and riboflavin spraying had higher levels of total antioxidants, total phenols, and total flavonoids, while glycine gives the highest results and enhanced the antioxidant system of pomegranate leaves. Reducing irrigation from 100% to 60% ETc in both seasons, respectively, resulted in a progressive decrease in yield (ton/fed.), and fruit creaking (%); this effect was overcome using the glycine foliar spraying. The results also demonstrated that all spray treatments reduced the cracking rate, with the glycine spray treatment being the most effective in this respect that enhanced also fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight, and arils weight %, total soluble solids, total sugar, anthocyanin, vitamin C, and the antioxidant contents. The findings provide valuable insights for sustainable pomegranate cultivation practices that maximize productivity and quality while maintaining plant health using low irrigation and glycine as foliar sprayer. Full article

This study presents a robust and extensible hybrid classification framework for accurately detecting diseases in citrus leaves by integrating transfer learning-based deep learning models with classical machine learning techniques. Features were extracted using advanced pretrained architectures—DenseNet201, ResNet50, MobileNetV2, and EfficientNet-B0—and refined via the minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR) method to reduce redundancy while maximizing discriminative power. These features were classified using support vector machines (SVMs), ensemble bagged trees, k-nearest neighbors (kNNs), and neural networks under stratified 10-fold cross-validation. On the lemon dataset, the best configuration (DenseNet201 + SVM) achieved 94.1 ± 4.9% accuracy, 93.2 ± 5.7% F1 score, and a balanced accuracy of 93.4 ± 6.0%, demonstrating strong and stable performance. To assess external generalization, the same pipeline was applied to mango and pomegranate leaves, achieving 100.0 ± 0.0% and 98.7 ± 1.5% accuracy, respectively—confirming the model’s robustness across citrus and non-citrus domains. Beyond accuracy, lightweight models such as EfficientNet-B0 and MobileNetV2 provided significantly higher throughput and lower latency, underscoring their suitability for real-time agricultural applications. These findings highlight the importance of combining deep representations with efficient classical classifiers for precision agriculture, offering both high diagnostic accuracy and practical deployability in field conditions. Full article

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) fruit size estimation plays a crucial role in orchard management decision-making, especially for fruit quality assessment and yield prediction. Currently, fruit sizing for pomegranates is performed manually using calipers to measure equatorial and polar diameters. These methods rely on human judgment for sample selection, they are labor-intensive, and prone to errors. In this work, a novel framework for automated on-tree detection and sizing of pomegranate fruits by a farmer robot equipped with a consumer-grade RGB-D sensing device is presented. The proposed system features a multi-stage transfer learning approach to segment fruits in RGB images. Segmentation results from each image are projected on the co-located depth image; then, a fruit clustering and modeling algorithm using visual and depth information is implemented for fruit size estimation. Field tests carried out in a commercial orchard are presented for 96 pomegranate fruit samples, showing that the proposed approach allows for accurate fruit size estimation with an average discrepancy with respect to caliper measures of about 1.0 cm on both the polar and equatorial diameter. Full article

To address the insufficient accuracy of traditional single-sensor navigation methods in dense planting environments of pomegranate orchards, this paper proposes a vision and LiDAR fusion-based navigation line extraction method for orchard environments. The proposed method integrates a YOLOv8-ResCBAM trunk detection model, a reverse ray projection fusion algorithm, and geometric constraint-based navigation line fitting techniques. The object detection model enables high-precision real-time detection of pomegranate tree trunks. A reverse ray projection algorithm is proposed to convert pixel coordinates from visual detection into three-dimensional rays and compute their intersections with LiDAR scanning planes, achieving effective association between visual and LiDAR data. Finally, geometric constraints are introduced to improve the RANSAC algorithm for navigation line fitting, combined with Kalman filtering techniques to reduce navigation line fluctuations. Field experiments demonstrate that the proposed fusion-based navigation method improves navigation accuracy over single-sensor methods and semantic-segmentation methods, reducing the average lateral error to 5.2 cm, yielding an average lateral error RMS of 6.6 cm, and achieving a navigation success rate of 95.4%. These results validate the effectiveness of the vision and 2D LiDAR fusion-based approach in complex orchard environments and provide a viable route toward autonomous navigation for orchard robots. Full article

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing has become an important tool for high-resolution tree species identification in orchards and forests. However, irregular spatial distribution, overlapping canopies, and small crown sizes still limit detection accuracy. To overcome these challenges, we propose YOLOv11-OAM, an enhanced one-stage object detection model based on YOLOv11. The model incorporates three key modules: omni-dimensional dynamic convolution (ODConv), adaptive spatial feature fusion (ASFF), and a multi-point distance IoU (MPDIoU) loss. A class-balanced augmentation strategy is also applied to mitigate category imbalance. We evaluated YOLOv11-OAM on UAV imagery of six fruit tree species—walnut, prune, apricot, pomegranate, saxaul, and cherry. The model achieved a mean Average Precision (mAP@0.5) of 93.1%, an 11.4% improvement over the YOLOv11 baseline. These results demonstrate that YOLOv11-OAM can accurately detect small and overlapping tree crowns in complex orchard environments, offering a reliable solution for precision agriculture and smart forestry applications. Full article

The GRAS gene family is broadly distributed in plants and plays key regulatory roles in development, signal transduction, and the adaptation to adverse environments. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)—a high-value fruit tree with ecological, economic, health, and ornamental importance—exhibits notable salt tolerance. While GRAS genes have been characterized in various species, their functional roles in pomegranate remain underexplored. In this study, 54 GRAS genes (PgGRAS) were identified in the pomegranate genome and were found to be unevenly distributed across eight chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these genes into eight subfamilies, revealing highly similar conserved motifs, functional domains, and gene structures within each group. Notably, the DELLA subfamily is distinguished by a unique DELLA domain. Our findings indicate that the expansion of GRAS genes in pomegranate may be linked to fragment duplication events, and many PgGRAS genes contain both phytohormone- and stress-responsive cis-elements. Under 200 mM NaCl treatment, the expression of two DELLA genes was markedly upregulated. Therefore, PgGRAS24 was selected as a candidate gene for stable expression in Arabidopsis to further verify the role of DELLA family members in plant salt tolerance. Overall, this study provides new insights into the molecular functions of the GRAS gene family in pomegranate, gives insights into their role in salt stress tolerance, and lays a theoretical foundation for developing salt-tolerant pomegranate varieties. Full article

Pomegranate cultivation has gained interest in Italy, driven by the tree’s drought tolerance and temperature requirements, which make it a suitable alternative crop for farmers transitioning from traditional options like olives, cereals, or vineyards. Despite its increasing popularity, particularly in Southern Italy, fragmented knowledge of this crop hinders its diffusion. This review addresses these gaps by synthesizing knowledge across agronomy, crop protection, economics, and managerial aspects. Also, the current review identifies challenges and opportunities for pomegranate farmers. It offers insights into different irrigation, fertilization, and training systems and different soil management strategies by identifying suitable cultivars according to the market outcome. Furthermore, this review examines the main biotic threats, such as the fungal diseases affecting this crop all over the world and in Italy. Moreover, the work explores the extent to which abiotic factors like drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures are responsible for fruit injuries and reduced marketability. Lastly, this review collects market figures on pomegranate production by identifying challenges that undermine market development and discusses managerial strategies to increase the profitability of this crop while avoiding price competition from non-European countries. Therefore, this detailed review, combining knowledge from multiple disciplines, will support the Italian pomegranate sector’s growth, ensuring farmers’ long-term profitability and environmental sustainability according to the EU’s Farm to Fork strategy. Full article

Insect-based (silkworm cocoons) and plant-based (cotton wool pads and gauzes) fiber substrates were used to support and ameliorate seed germination originating from trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) and pomegranate (Punica granatum) trees. Three different commercial formulations of beneficial microorganisms (Bacillus spp.-Azotobacter spp., Saccharomyces boulardii, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were administered to seeds in order to evaluate their contribution to germination and growth. The silkworm cocoons provided better germination rates for P. trifoliata seeds (83.33%) among the tested media without any microbial supplementation. These rates increased towards the absolute maximum (100%) when Bacillus spp.-Azotobacter spp., S. boulardii and S. cerevisiae were applied. Furthermore, inoculums of Bacillus spp.-Azotobacter spp. 2 mL and S. cerevisiae 3 g raised the pomegranate seed germination ability by 30–33.33% and 50–67.7%, respectively, on silkworm cocoon substrates when compared to plant-derived, cellulosic fiber substrates under the same biotic exposure. On increasing the size of applied microbial inoculums, seed germination moved from optimum to suboptimum for all germination media. Examination of multipartite pH compatibility (between seeds, microorganisms, and germination media) was beneficial and of functional value. In conclusion, the germination rates of both tree species can be raised using bacterial and yeast supplementation, including medical-grade S. boulardii, on environmentally friendly materials such as insect- and plant-based fiber substrates. Full article

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is an important economic tree, possessing both edible and ornamental value. Flower color is an important ornamental trait of pomegranate, but the color formation pattern and related molecular mechanisms of pomegranate petals are still unclear. In this study, we conducted physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic studies on the petals of Tunisia and White pomegranate varieties during the blooming stage. The results showed that compared to White petals, the contents of anthocyanin, carotenoid, and sucrose in Tunisia petals were significantly increased, while the flavonoid content was significantly decreased. Through RNA-seq, 23 DEGs were identified in the anthocyanin synthesis, and 3 DEGs were identified in the carotenoid synthesis. Transcription factor genes such as MYB, bHLH, WRKY, and MADS were identified as key candidates for regulating anthocyanin metabolism. Metabolomic analysis revealed that eight DEMs are associated with anthocyanin synthesis and three DEMs are associated with carotenoid synthesis. In addition, caffeic acid and its derivatives were significantly upregulated in Tunisia petals. In summary, we propose the following hypothesis: the accumulation of anthocyanins and carotenoids is the reason for the red color of Tunisian petals, and the upregulation of structural genes, including PAL, C4H, 4CL, CHS, CHI, F3H, F3′H, DFR, ANS, PSY, and LCYB, leads to an increase in their content. Transcription factor genes such as MYB, bHLH, bZIP, MADS, and WRKY may also play a positive role in anthocyanin accumulation. The research results provide a basis for the theory of pomegranate petal color formation. Full article

Background: Climate change has consequences for farming, food diversity and availability, and diet habits. There is now evidence that the Mediterranean climate is rapidly spreading to the Northern European latitudes. Objective: This narrative review aims to identify relevant studies related to climate change that could favor the progression of the Mediterranean climate in the northern latitudes of Europe, mainly in France, and to predict what the consequences of these changes on the human diet could be, especially using the concept of the Mediterranean diet, with subsequent impacts on health, farming, and eating habits. Methods: This narrative review was realized by consulting the PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases. Results: The key points developed in this review are as follows: investigating the Mediterranean diet as a healthy diet, with evidence supporting health benefits and perspectives; similarities with other places in the world at the same Mediterranean latitudes; climate change and the resulting consequences on plant growth, farming, and food habits; and perspectives on the need for societal adaptations of populations towards agriculture, food, and cooking changes. As climate change facilitates the development of new farming practices with more or fewer environmental impacts, the growth of Mediterranean plants in the highest latitudes of Europe, such as olive trees, pomegranates, and almonds, has already begun for economic reasons. Future perspectives: In the near future, besides economic interests, climate change will favor the consumption of several products associated with the Mediterranean diet in the Northern European latitudes. In this context, producers and consumers play major roles. Full article

Water scarcity, especially in countries like Egypt, is one of the biggest challenges facing agricultural development. Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is drought-resistant but only if the irrigation can be optimized. This can be a crucial approach toward the country’s agricultural development. The impact of deficit irrigation on pomegranate growth, yield, and overall fruit quality was observed during this study, which focused on two consecutive years from 2023 to 2024 at a private farm located in El Khatatba, Egypt. It was determined that deficit irrigation of pomegranate was able to achieve a high level of water productivity whilst also achieving a reasonable yield. Trees receiving moderate deficit irrigation had a yield decrease of 10% in comparison to full irrigation; however, this yield decrease did not have a huge overall impact because the level of water saved during the process made up for the reduced yield. Moreover, fruit soluble solids content (SSC) was high when trees received moderate deficit irrigation. Trees that were given severe deficit irrigation had the lowest fruit yields with less juice content, which limits targeted uses like the juice market. Still, these trees produced the highest SSC indicating that sugar becomes concentrated in the fruit when plants are water-stressed. In general, the most efficient treatment was moderate deficit irrigation as it balanced the yield and quality parameters with less water. The resulting data provide assurance that moderate deficit irrigation can be effectively and suitably implemented for pomegranate production in arid regions where water conservation and market quality standards must be satisfied in order to be economically viable. There is also a need to examine the longer-term effects of DI on economic sustainability, plant physiology, and soil biomes. Full article