Search Results (6,625)

Prunus humilis is rich in various minerals, organic acids, proteins, and carbohydrates, but its sour taste limits fresh consumption and industry growth. Methyl jasmonate, a plant growth regulator known to enhance fruit quality, has been studied in other fruits, but research on its effects on P. humilis has not yet been reported. This experiment used the P. humilis cultivar ‘Nongda No. 4’ as the material. During the fruit development stages (the pre-young fruit stage and pre-coloring and enlargement stage), the fruiting branches were sprayed with a 20 mg/L methyl jasmonate solution four times. The results indicate that exogenous methyl jasmonate increases the content of various sugar components in P. humilis fruits throughout their development, with a particularly strong effect in the later stages of fruit development. It effectively reduces the content of malic acid and citric acid in these later stages while significantly enhancing flavor-related attributes such as the sweetness, sugar–acid ratio, and sweetness–acid ratio. Moreover, methyl jasmonate markedly promoted the accumulation of different forms of calcium in the fruit. Specifically, at the fully ripe stage, the total sugar content increased significantly by 18.64% (p < 0.05), the total acid content decreased by 15.95% (p < 0.05), and the total calcium content increased by 55.98% (p < 0.05). Correlation and principal component analyses revealed that sugars, acids, and calcium are closely linked in P. humilis, and exogenous treatment with methyl jasmonate effectively improved the overall quality score of sugars, acids, and calcium in the fruit throughout its development. In conclusion, exogenous methyl jasmonate can effectively improve the sugar–acid quality, flavor, and calcium content of P. humilis fruits. This provides a theoretical foundation for cultivation management, quality enhancement, and the breeding of fresh-eating cultivars. Full article

The performance of lettuce, pepper, and chili pepper, and the biological soil quality, in a ground-mounted PV system under cultivation conditions typical of the Mediterranean environment of the Puglia region were evaluated. Microclimatic parameters, plant growth and yield response, soil quality assessed using the QBS-ar index, and land equivalent ratio (LER) were determined in three different cultivation areas: a cultivation area outside the photovoltaic plant but immediately adjacent to it (‘Control’); the inter-row area closest to the row of panels exposed to sunlight (‘Area close PV structure’); the inter-row area distant from the row of panels (‘Area distant PV structure’). Cumulated solar radiation, in particular during the summer growing cycles, was only slightly affected in the Area distant PV structure (1616 and 2130 MJ m⁻² for pepper and chili pepper, respectively, in the control area, in comparison to 1630 and 2044 MJ m⁻², in the Area distant PV structure), while it was strongly reduced in the Area close PV structure (883 and 1091 MJ m⁻² for pepper and chili pepper, respectively). In general, a reduction in air temperature and wind speed, as well as an increase in relative air humidity, was observed under PV conditions. On average, the evapotranspirative demand was reduced in the PV growing conditions compared to open field, with a more relevant effect in the sub-zone close to the photovoltaic structures, where cumulative ET0 was 28% and 34% lower than the Control in the pepper and chili pepper growing cycle, respectively. Lettuce growth was impaired by PV cultivation conditions, with an average reduction of 15% in plant height and 37% in marketable yield per plant, with no significant differences between the two sub-zones in the PV system. For pepper, the best growing conditions were observed in open field control compared to PV, but with differences related to the PV sub-zone. The plants grown in the Area distant PV structure were more negatively affected by the modified growing conditions, showing the lowest shoot and fruit fresh weight, the latter reduced by 51% compared to the Control; intermediate values were observed for these parameters in the Area close PV structure, with a less severe tendency to yield reduction. For chili pepper, both shoot and fruit fresh weight were lower in PV conditions, regardless of the sub-zone, with a reduction of 82% in yield per plant compared to the Control. However, despite the yield reductions, the LER was improved (1.60 and 1.40 in case of a lettuce + pepper or lettuce + chili pepper annual cropping program, respectively), highlighting a more efficient use of land, without negative or even ameliorative impacts on biological soil quality and biodiversity in terms of QBS-ar and microarthropods taxa abundance. Knowledge of the response of different crops under cultivation conditions typical of specific environments is necessary to define optimal cropping programs aimed at maximizing resource-use efficiency and land use. Full article

Accurate and non-destructive assessment of fruit firmness is critical for evaluating quality and ripeness, particularly in postharvest handling and supply chain management. This study presents the development of an image-based vibration analysis system for evaluating the firmness of kiwifruit using computer vision and machine learning. In the proposed setup, 120 kiwifruits were subjected to controlled excitation in the frequency range of 200–300 Hz using a vibration motor. A digital camera captured surface displacement over time (for 20 s), enabling the extraction of key dynamic features, namely, the damping coefficient (damping is a measure of a material’s ability to dissipate energy) and natural frequency (the first peak in the frequency spectrum), through image processing techniques. Results showed that firmer fruits exhibited higher natural frequencies and lower damping, while softer, more ripened fruits showed the opposite trend. These vibration-based features were then used as inputs to a feed-forward backpropagation neural network to predict fruit firmness. The neural network consisted of an input layer with two neurons (damping coefficient and natural frequency), a hidden layer with ten neurons, and an output layer representing firmness. The model demonstrated strong predictive performance, with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.9951 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.0185, confirming its high accuracy. This study confirms the feasibility of using vibration-induced image data combined with machine learning for non-destructive firmness evaluation. The proposed method provides a reliable and efficient alternative to traditional firmness testing techniques and offers potential for real-time implementation in automated grading and quality control systems for kiwi and other fruit types. Full article

Peaches are highly susceptible to rapid deterioration and bacterial infection during postharvest transportation and storage, leading to significant losses. In order to maintain peach fruit postharvest quality and extend its shelf life, it is critical to understand the physiological changes in postharvest fruit and implement effective postharvest technologies. This paper reviews the major postharvest physiological changes in peach fruit, including respiration, ethylene, hormones, texture, sugars, amino acids, phenolics, and volatiles, analyzes the major postharvest peach fruit diseases and their control techniques (covering brown rot, soft rot, and gray mold), and summarizes approaches to extend the storage life of peach fruit and maintain quality through physical, chemical, and biological preservation techniques. This review evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of postharvest peach fruit preservation techniques by analyzing postharvest physiological and nutritional quality, and suggests future research directions aimed at ensuring peach fruit safety and quality assurance. Full article

Banana (Musa paradisiaca) is among Ecuador’s most important export commodities, globally recognized for its high nutritional value. To extend shelf life and reduce physiological and microbiological deterioration, bananas are typically harvested at the green stage and stored under controlled conditions using plastic packaging. This study evaluated the combined effect of an antifungal coating based on cinnamon essential oil and polyethylene bags of different densities (LDPE and HDPE) over a 28-day storage period. Eight treatments were tested, including various coating–packaging combinations from three producers, as well as plastic-only and unpackaged controls. Physicochemical results showed that the antifungal coating combined with LDPE significantly reduced weight loss, peel and length shrinkage, and firmness decline. Color retention (ΔL*, Δa*, Δb*) and soluble solids were better preserved in samples coated with antifungal agent. Sensory evaluation revealed the highest acceptance scores for coated and packaged fruit. Microbiological analyses confirmed that coated bananas had the lowest counts of mesophilic aerobes and yeasts and molds, while total coliforms remained below detection limits in all treatments. These results highlight the effectiveness of integrating antifungal coatings with polyethylene packaging to enhance banana quality during postharvest storage. Full article

Selecting appropriate rootstocks can enhance the adaptability and fruit quality of grafted grapevines. However, grafting studies on ‘Red Globe’, one of the major cultivated cultivars, remain limited, particularly those involving long-term and comprehensive evaluations. The present research grafted ‘Red Globe’ onto four rootstocks—‘101-14’, ‘188-08’, ‘110R’, and ‘3309C’—and systematically compared graft union healing following hardwood grafting, field performance of grafted vines, vegetative growth of mature vines, and fruit phenotypic and quality traits across multiple years. The results showed that ‘101-14’ promoted the accumulation of organic acids, which reached 1.1% in 2023, and caused an increased tendency for berry detachment from the peduncle. The RG/110R combination exhibited a higher CFI, 0.8 on average, at the basal section, and promoted shoot thickening. RG/3309C was found to have a larger shoot length exceeding 600 cm, and a significant increase in fruit weight to nearly 13 g. The grafts on ‘188-08’ showed the highest survival rate of 74% among the graft combinations, and enhanced fruit quality, as evidenced by elevated TSS (16 °Brix) and firmer pulp texture, indicating that ‘188-08’ may serve as a valuable rootstock for enhancing the local adaptability and fruit quality of ‘Red Globe’ grapevines. Full article

Crown pears exhibit high susceptibility to rot and rapid deterioration, resulting in quality degradation and fruit softening. Edible coatings serve as an effective preservation technology to extend their shelf life. In this study, a composite coating solution was formulated using vitamin C (Vc), glycerol, ethanol, and gliadin derived from highland barley distillers’ grains. The coating formulation was optimized via single-factor experiments and Box–Behnken response surface methodology, with crown pears’ weight loss as the evaluation metric. The optimal composition comprised 19.86 mg/mL gliadin, 1.47% (v/v) glycerol, 2.49% (w/v) Vc, and 80.20% (v/v) ethanol, achieving a minimized weight loss of (3.30 ± 0.01)%. Treated pears coated with this optimized formulation were stored for 28 days. Preservation efficacy was evaluated through measurements of weight loss, decay rate, total number of colonies, firmness, titratable acid content, and polyphenol oxidase activity. Compared to the uncoated control group, the composite coating treatment significantly mitigated the decline in firmness, weight loss, and titratable acid content of crown pears. Furthermore, it effectively suppressed the increase in polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, decay rate, and total number of colonies, thereby extending the shelf life of the fruit. Full article

Capsicum is one of the most economically significant vegetable crops worldwide, owing to its high content of bioactive compounds with nutritional, pharmacological, and industrial relevance. However, research has focused on C. annuum, often disregarding local diversity and secondary gene pools, which may contain hidden variation for quality traits. Therefore, this study evaluated the genetic and phenotypic diversity of 283 accessions from the Colombian germplasm collection in the agrobiodiversity hotspot of northwest South America, representing all five domesticated species of the genus. A total of 18 morphological, physicochemical, and biochemical fruit traits were assessed, including texture, color, capsaicinoid, and carotenoid content. The phenotypic data were integrated with genomic information obtained through genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) using the C. annuum reference genome and a multispecies pangenome. Fixed-and-Random-Model-Circulating-Probability-Unification (FarmCPU) and Bayesian-information-and-Linkage-disequilibrium-Iteratively-Nested-Keyway (BLINK) genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed on both alignments, respectively, leading to the identification of complex polygenic architectures with 144 and 150 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with key fruit quality traits. Candidate genes involved in capsaicinoid biosynthesis were identified within associated genomic regions, terpenoid and sterol pathways, and cell wall modifiers. These findings highlight the potential of integrating pangenomic resources with multi-omics approaches to accelerate Capsicum improvement programs and facilitate the development of cultivars with enhanced quality traits and increased agro-industrial value. Full article

Soluble sugars, primarily fructose, glucose, sucrose, and sorbitol, are crucial determinants of fruit flavor and quality. As a core component of biological metabolism, sugar metabolism provides energy and carbon for fruit development, ultimately governing carbohydrate accumulation in mature fruits. This process requires the coordinated activities of multiple enzymes and transporters, modulated by the spatiotemporal expression patterns of their encoding genes. Therefore, it is essential to elucidate both the activities of these enzymes across different fruits and their underlying gene expression patterns. While significant progress has been made in functional genes involved in soluble sugar metabolism and deciphering their regulatory networks, an overall introduction of this knowledge remains lacking. This review presents an integrative analysis of soluble sugar accumulation during fruit development, encompassing spatiotemporal dynamics of key metabolic enzymes, functional characterization of encoding genes, signaling response mechanisms governing gene regulation, and the overarching genetic network. Full article

Strawberry is a popular fruit with great commercial value. It is meaningful to study how to improve strawberry yield and quality in a sustainable way. In this research, the potential impacts of replacing chemical fertilizer (CF) with sheep manure organic fertilizer (SMOF) on strawberry rhizospheric bacteria, soil physicochemical properties, strawberry fruit yield, and nutritional quality were studied through a strawberry field experiment with 16 years of different fertilizer applications. This study showed that, compared with chemical fertilizer, SMOF effectively improved soil physicochemical properties and increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria, the absolute abundance of phosphorus-related functional genes pqqC and phoD and bacteria diversity, and enhanced synergistic action among strawberry rhizospheric bacteria. The yield, and the contents of total soluble solids, soluble sugar, soluble protein, and vitamin C, and sugar/acid ratio of strawberry fruit in SMOF treatment were significantly higher than in CF treatment by 40%, 21%, 15%, 46%, 23%, and 41%, respectively (p < 0.05). Pearson correlation coefficient analysis showed that strawberry fruit yield and nutritional quality were positive with soil pH, bacterial diversity, soil enzyme activity, and nutrient content, and negative with soil density. The results showed that long-term SMOF could efficiently improve strawberry performance and rhizospheric health. Full article

Macadamia integrifolia, a tropical and subtropical fruit tree with significant economic and nutritional value, faces serious fungal disease problems during cultivation that severely affect yield and quality. In November 2024, leaf blight symptoms of M. integrifolia were observed in Menglian, Pu’er, Yunnan, China, with a disease incidence of 23% in the field. Initial symptoms included small spots that enlarged into circular to irregular lesions with red-brown centers and brown to black margins. Finally, the leaves turned yellow and became scorched, eventually leading to massive leaf shedding. Infected leaf samples were collected, and fungal strains were isolated, purified, and inoculated via spore suspension, followed by re-isolation. The strains were conclusively identified as Pestalotiopsis colombiensis (SWFUCB2, SWFUCB1) through an integrated approach combining DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequencing, phylogenetic reconstruction, and morphological characterization. This is the first report of P. colombiensis causing M. integrifolia leaf blight disease in China, filling a gap in research on this disease. This study provided important information for epidemiological research on this disease and the development of comprehensive leaf blight disease control strategies. Full article

Strawberries are highly perishable despite their popularity, as their limited shelf life compromises both freshness and market value. The study investigated the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and their combined treatments on the quality and flavor of strawberries during cold storage and simulated shelf life. 1-MCP was applied by enclosing strawberry fruits in a hermetically sealed container and exposing them to 250 nL/L 1-MCP at 20 °C for 18 h. Three initial MAP gas compositions were tested: MAP1 (5% O₂, 15% CO₂, 80% N₂), MAP2 (10% O₂, 10% CO₂, 80% N₂), and MAP3 (15% O₂, 5% CO₂, 80% N₂), with MAP1 identified as optimal based on strawberry postharvest quality metrics. The results showed that all treatments could inhibit the deterioration of strawberry quality, and the 1-MCP + MAP treatment had the best fresh-keeping effect. Untargeted Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified 85 volatile compounds, and sensory correlation analysis revealed that 1-MCP + MAP-treated strawberries maintained the highest consumer acceptability, with odor characteristics closely resembling those of pre-storage controls. Further studies demonstrated that the combined treatment uniquely suppressed the generation of fatty acid oxidation-derived volatiles while stabilizing critical aroma-active esters, thereby decelerating flavor degradation. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential of 1-MCP + MAP as a postharvest strategy to delay the postharvest senescence of strawberries and maintain their storage quality. GC-MS provided a scientific method for the flavor quality evaluation of this preservation technology. Full article

Mulching is a sustainable agronomic practice that can improve soil quality and fruit characteristics in crops. This study investigated the influence of sheep wool mulch and a soil conditioner on growth, the accumulation of bioactive compounds, and soil enzymatic activity in apple orchards. A two-year field experiment (2023–2024) was conducted using three experimental methods: mulching with sheep wool (V2), application of a soil conditioner, corn starch-based polymer (V3), and a combination of sheep wool and corn starch-based polymer (V4) along with a control (V1). Tree growth parameters, fruit physicochemical properties, total phenolic and flavonoid content, and soil enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, catalase, phosphatase) were assessed. Data were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Pearson’s correlation. PCA showed that the combined variant (V4) improved fruit size, weight, and bioactive compound content, while wool mulch alone (V2) was associated with higher fruit yield and better vegetative growth. Catalase activity correlated positively and consistently with bioactive compounds in both years, while phosphatase activity showed an intensified positive relationship in 2024. Dehydrogenase activity was negatively correlated with phenolic content in both seasons. Organic and integrated mulching practices can beneficially modulate both aboveground and belowground plant–soil interactions. The combined variant proved to be the most effective strategy, enhancing fruit nutritional quality and supporting sustainable apple orchard management. Full article

Green mold formed by Penicillium digitatum is a major disease that limits the yield and overall value of postharvest citrus fruits. The antifungal activity of sodium cuminate (SC) against P. digitatum and the corresponding mechanism were explored in this research. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) of SC against P. digitatum were 0.4 and 0.8 g L⁻¹, respectively. SC (8× MFC) reduced the incidence of disease in Ponkan fruits without compromising their quality. The results of CFW staining and extracellular alkaline phosphatase assays revealed that 1/2MIC SC for 30 min had no impact on the cell wall integrity of P. digitatum. In contrast, 1/2MIC SC apparently destroyed cell membrane integrity, as shown by the increase in the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde, and H₂O₂. The addition of exogenous cysteine (Cys) or diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI) significantly mitigated the cytotoxic effects of SC. At the same time, mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly decreased by 1/2MIC SC, and the addition of exogenous Cys or DPI restored it to normal levels. In summary, the antifungal capacity of SC might be attributable to membrane damage in P. digitatum caused by oxidative stress. Full article

Due to the degradative effect of the traditional pasteurization process related to the long exposure of high temperatures to the food matrix, alternative methods of food preservation are being investigated. In the case of liquid fruit products, unconventional thermal and non-thermal methods can be used for this purpose. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of various preservation methods: conventional pasteurization (PT), microwave pasteurization (MP), hot bottling (HB), pulsed electric field (PEF) and pulsed light (PL) on selected quality parameters of mixed juices. In the studied samples, extract (TTS), active acidity (pH), titratable acidity (TTA), nephelometric turbidity (NT), total polyphenol content (TPC), color parameters and antioxidant activity (AA) were determined. Qualitative and quantitative chromatographic analysis of anthocyanins was also performed. The different influence of the preservation methods and the raw materials used on the individual characteristics was demonstrated. The TTS and TTA changes did not exceed 4%, while no changes in pH were observed. Thermal methods increased turbidity significantly, with HB increasing it to the greatest extent. Non-thermal methods caused greater degradation of TPC, anthocyanins, and AA, while they caused significantly less color change. The microwave pasteurization resulted in an increase in TPC in two out of three studied juice blends. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that thermal methods allowed for the preservation of a greater amount of bioactive compounds, which translates into a potentially greater health-promoting value of the produced juice blends. Full article