Fruit Ascorbic Acid Content Research Articles

Agronomic, Biochemical, and Physiological Responses to Magnesium (Mg) Application in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under Greenhouse Conditions

Magnesium fertilization positively impacts various physiological processes in plants, leading to increased yield and fruit quality. In the present study, we determined the effects of the foliar application of magnesium on the yield, fruit quality, fruit biochemical content, and enzyme activity of tomato plants. The study was performed in a plastic greenhouse. The study evaluated magnesium sulfate application through drip irrigation at a single dose of 0.005 kg m2 and foliar application at rates of 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 0.75%. As a consequence, the highest average fruit weight was obtained with the foliar application of 0.50% Mg. In terms of the fruit color’s a* value, the best results were again obtained with the application of 0.50% Mg. Mg applications proportionally increased the leaf chlorophyll content. Similarly, the highest leaf Mg content, the leaf relative water content, the fruits’ malic acid content, and the best fruit juice pH value were determined with the application of 0.75%. On the other hand, the application of 0.25% Mg produced the best results on the leaves’ K, Ca, and Na content, as well as in the fruits’ ascorbic acid content. Significant differences were not found in terms of the effects of the treatments on antioxidant activity, total protein amount, and enzyme activity. The application of 0.50% Mg contributed to the fruit color; 0.75% Mg application contributed to the chlorophyll, pH, and malic acid content; and the application of 0.25% Mg contributed to an increase in ascorbic acid. In conclusion, for greenhouse tomato production, a foliar application of 0.50% Mg is recommended to achieve larger, red-colored fruits. A 0.75% Mg application is suggested for increasing the chlorophyll content, lowering fruit juice pH, and enhancing malic acid content in fruits. A 0.25% Mg application is recommended to increase ascorbic acid content in fruits.

Evaluation of different genotypes of sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica L.) under foothill condition of Nagaland

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif season of 2022 at the Experimental Farm of Department of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Medziphema Campus, Nagaland University to evaluate different genotypes of sponge gourd for their growth, yield and quality under foothill condition of Nagaland. Twenty three (23) genotypes of sponge gourd were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications. The experimental material comprised 23 genotypes i.e., NUSG-21-1, NUSG-21-2, NUSG-21-3, NUSG-21-4, NUSG-21-8, NUSG-21-10, NUSG-21-11, NUSG-21-13, NUSG-21-15, NUSG-21-16, NUSG-21-18, NUSG-21-19, NUSG-21-20, NUSG-21-21, NUSG-21-22, NUSG-21-23, NUSG-21-24, NUSG-21-25, NUSG-21- 26, NUSG-21-27, NUSG-21-29, NUSG-21-31 and Kashi Divya. Studies showed that among all the genotypes, genotype NUSG-21-18 exhibited maximum vine length (4.67 m), average fruit weight (334.67 g) and yield (185.67 q ha-1). Genotype NUSG-21-4 taken shortest time to produce 1st male flower (39.33 days) and genotype NUSG-21-21 taken shortest time to produce 1st female flower (43 days). Ascorbic acid content in fruit was found to be highest (5.16 mg 100g-1) in genotype NUSG-21-19. Whereas, maximum TSS (4.13⁰B) was found in genotype NUSG-21-20. Based on the experimental findings, it can be concluded that genotype NUSG-21-18 was proved to be potential yielder over other genotypes under foothill condition of Nagaland.

Ascorbic acid content in summer apple tree varieties fruit depending of rootstock and metrological conditions of vegetable

One of the quality indicators of fruits is their chemical composition, which depends on the cultivar, growing conditions, degree of maturity and a number of other factors. It varies in less stable cultivars with sudden changes in the weather conditions of the growing season. Apples contain one of the important antioxidant vitamins - ascorbic acid. In the temperate zone of horticulture, the average content of ascorbic acid in apple fruits is 10-15 mg/100 g. The correct selection of graft-rootstock combinations is important, since the rootstock affects the metabolic processes occurring in the fruit plant, including the chemical composition of the fruit. The objects of the studies were summer apple cultivars Orlinka and Yablochny Spas on various types of rootstocks - vegetatively propagated 62-396 and intercalary 62-396 and 3-17-38, grown at the site of variety studies at the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (VNIISPK). As a result of the conducted five-year studies, it was found that the meteorological conditions of the growing season had the greatest influence. The maximum content of ascorbic acid was observed in a year with excessive moisture during the active formation and development of the ovary and with drought during fruit ripening. Having conducted a comparative characterization of Yablochny Spas and Orlinka on clone rootstock 62-396 and dwarf intercalaries 62-396 and 3-17-38 in terms of ascorbic acid content in fruits, it was revealed that there were no significant differences between graft-rootstock combinations and cultivars.

Application of Lavender and Rosemary Essential Oils (EOs), Their Mixture and Eucalyptol (EOs Main Compound) on Cucumber Fruit Quality Attributes and Microbial Load

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), one of the most widely consumed vegetables, presents high perishability during storage and marketing if it is not handled and stored properly. Currently, there is an increased interest of the food industry to reduce waste (due to quality losses) and to utilize natural products for the preservation of fresh commodities. This study’s goal was to evaluate the effects of lavender (Lav) and rosemary (Ros) essential oils (EOs), their mixture (Lav + Ros, 1:1 v/v) and their main compound (eucalyptol) via vapor phase on cucumber’s postharvest quality. The outcomes of this study demonstrated that 200 μL/L of Lav and Ros EOs increased the respiration rate of cucumbers after 10 days of storage at 11 °C, while 100 μL/L of the EOs mixture and Eucalyptol (100 and 200 μL/L) had no effect on respiration, on the same day. The application of Eucalyptol (100 and 200 μL/L) resulted in less acceptable fruits (less pleasant aroma and unpleasant taste). A decrease in fruit firmness was found in cucumbers exposed to Lav 200 μL/L and Ros 100 μL/L. Interestingly, Eucalyptol was found to accelerate the fruit ripening index after five days of storage, and to decrease organoleptic properties of the fruit (i.e., aroma, taste) on the fifth day of storage. The fruit revealed increased oxidative stress (i.e., increased lipid peroxidation), especially at a high concentration (200 μL/L) of Eucalyptol after 10 days. This has resulted in the activation of other non-enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms such as the increase in fruit ascorbic acid content. Notably, no effects on fruit weight loss, total soluble solids and color were observed with the examined treatments. Overall, this study suggests that the investigated products (EOs and their main compound) have a putative role in postharvest storage for the preservation of cucumbers. However, further investigation is needed for the determination of the optimum application conditions (i.e., concentration, time and method of application) on cucumbers and other fresh produce.

Effect of vermicompost, Mycorrhiza and humic acid on some bi-chemical and yield characteristics of pepper Capsicum annuum L. under greenhouse conditions

A field experiment was carried out under the conditions of protected agriculture in the agricultural season 2020-2021 to study the effects of three factors: The first is the addition of vermicompost, with three levels: 0, 10 and 20 tons ha-1, the second factor is the addition of Mycorrhiza to the soil with two levels: without and with vaccination of 10 g per plant; and the third factor is spraying humic acid in three concentrations: 0, 2.5 and 5 ml l-1 on some biochemical properties and yield characteristics of pepper, according to randomized complete block design (RCBD). Results showed a significant effect on chlorophyll a, b, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in leaves, ascorbic acid content in fruit, and yield per plant. The best interaction was when adding the third level of vermicompost (20 tons ha-1) with vaccination of Mycorrhiza and spraying the third level of humic acid (5 ml l-1) on most of the studied characteristics of the plant. Keywords: vermicompost, humic acid, Mycorrhiza, Capsicum annuum L.

Overexpression of RrGGP2 and RrDHAR Increases Ascorbic Acid Content in Tomato

Ascorbic acid (AsA) is the most abundant antioxidant in plants and is an important nutritional index for agricultural products. Some plants, such as Rosa roxburghii Tratt., contain exceptionally high levels of AsA, but are relatively unpalatable. In view of its role in human health, as well as plant growth and development, we examined the effects of two important AsA regulatory genes from R. roxburghii in tomato, with the aim of producing a crop of higher nutritional quality. RrGGP2 and RrDHAR were cloned from R. roxburghii fruit. The overexpression vectors were made using 35S promoters and mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens to obtain the overexpression lines. A PCR and qRT-PCR verified that the two genes had been inserted and overexpressed in the tomato leaves and fruits. The results showed that the overexpression of RrGGP2 increased tomato leaf and fruit AsA content by 108.5% and 294.3%, respectively, while the overexpression of RrDHAR increased tomato leaf and fruit AsA content by 183.9% and 179.9%. The overexpression of RrGGP2 and RrDHAR further changed the expression of genes related to AsA metabolism, and the upregulation of one such gene, SlGGP, may have contributed greatly to the increase in AsA. Results here indicate that RrGGP2 contributes more towards fruit AsA accumulation in tomato than RrDHAR.

Identification of the GDP-L-Galactose Phosphorylase Gene as a Candidate for the Regulation of Ascorbic Acid Content in Fruits of Capsicum annuum L.

Ascorbic acid (AsA) is an antioxidant with significant functions in both plants and animals. Despite its importance, there has been limited research on the molecular basis of AsA production in the fruits of Capsicum annuum L. In this study, we used Illumina transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) technology to explore the candidate genes involved in AsA biosynthesis in Capsicum annuum L. A total of 8272 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by the comparative transcriptome analysis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified two co-expressed modules related to the AsA content (purple and light-cyan modules), and eight interested DEGs related to AsA biosynthesis were selected according to gene annotations in the purple and light-cyan modules. Moreover, we found that the gene GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase (GGP) was related to AsA content, and silencing GGP led to a reduction in the AsA content in fruit. These results demonstrated that GGP is an important gene controlling AsA biosynthesis in the fruit of Capsicum annuum L. In addition, we developed capsanthin/capsorubin synthase as the reporter gene for visual analysis of gene function in mature fruit, enabling us to accurately select silenced tissues and analyze the results of silencing. The findings of this study provide the theoretical basis for future research to elucidate AsA biosynthesis in Capsicum annuum L.

Jasmonic acid biosynthetic inhibitor ibuprofen inhibits the accumulation of ascorbic acid in strawberry fruit induced by lanthanum nitrate

By using jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthetic inhibitor ibuprofen (IBU), we investigated the roles of JA in the process of lanthanum nitrate (La(NO3)3)-regulated ascorbic acid (AsA) content and metabolic enzymes responsible for AsA metabolism in strawberry fruit. Findings demonstrated that La(NO3)3 markedly improved AsA content by enhancing the activities and transcript levels of glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) and L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GalLDH), and inhibiting the activities and transcript levels of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and ascorbic acid oxidase (AAO). In comparison with La(NO3)3 alone, all the concentrations of IBU plus La(NO3)3 markedly inhibited the activities and transcript levels of DHAR, MDHAR, GalLDH and AAO, and improved the activities and transcript levels of GR and APX, which further reduced AsA content. Besides, La(NO3)3 increased JA content and IBU decreased JA content induced by La(NO3)3. Meanwhile, the results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that JA content had significant correlations with the activities and transcript levels of DHAR, MDHAR and GalLDH. Above findings implied that La(NO3)3 induced JA production, which further increased AsA content in fruits by mainly up-regulating the activities and transcript levels of DHAR, MDHAR and GalLDH.

Evaluation of F1 Crosses of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) Landraces for Fruit Yield, Quality and Tolerance to Bacterial Wilt

Field experiment was carried out at All India Coordinated Research Project on Vegetable Crops, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India in order to identify the superior F1 crosses for marketable fruit yield quality and resistance to bacterial wilt. All total 21 F1 crosses evolved from seven distinctly diverse local landraces of brinjal along with a hybrid check, Mahy Green were evaluated by adopting Randomized Block Design and replicated twice in rabi 2021-2022. Results revealed significant variations among various fruit quality attributes (TSS: 4.32 oBrix to 6.00 oBrix and ascorbic acid content of fruit: 5.10 mg100g-1 to 7.10 mg100g-1), incidence of bacterial wilt (30 DAT: 0.00% to 4.17%, 60 DAT: 0.00% to 12.50% and 90 DAT: 0.00% to 20.83%). Out of 21 crosses, nine cross showed immune reaction to bacterial wilt at 90 DAT. The marketable fruit yield plant-1 varied significantly from 1.00 kg to 1.99 kg. The F1 cross viz. BBSR-08-2 × Selection from BBSR-145-1(1.99 kg) recorded significantly highest fruit yield plant-1 followed by BBSR-08-2 × BBSR-10-25(1.87 kg) and BBSR-08-2 × BBSR-10-26 (1.81 kg). Thus, it may be concluded that, F1 crosses obtained from local landraces of brinjal viz., BBSR-08-2 × Selection from BBSR-145-1, BBSR-08-2 × BBSR-10-25 and BBSR-08-2 × BBSR-10-26 may be recommended for higher marketable fruit yield, fruit quality and over all resistance to bacterial wilt for higher profit. These local landraces may also be used for future brinjal improvement programme towards development varieties with higher fruit yield quality and resistance to bacterial wilt.

Genome-Wide Analysis of Ascorbic Acid Metabolism Related Genes in Fragaria × ananassa and Its Expression Pattern Analysis in Strawberry Fruits.

Ascorbic acid (AsA) is an important antioxidant for scavenging reactive oxygen species and it is essential for human health. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruits are rich in AsA. In recent years, strawberry has been regarded as a model for non-climacteric fruit ripening. However, in contrast to climacteric fruits, such as tomato, the regulatory mechanism of AsA accumulation in strawberry fruits remains largely unknown. In this study, we first identified 125 AsA metabolism-related genes from the cultivated strawberry “Camarosa” genome. The expression pattern analysis using an available RNA-seq data showed that the AsA biosynthetic-related genes in the D-mannose/L-galactose pathway were downregulated remarkably during fruit ripening which was opposite to the increasing AsA content in fruits. The D-galacturonate reductase gene (GalUR) in the D-Galacturonic acid pathway was extremely upregulated in strawberry receptacles during fruit ripening. The FaGalUR gene above belongs to the aldo-keto reductases (AKR) superfamily and has been proposed to participate in AsA biosynthesis in strawberry fruits. To explore whether there are other genes in the AKR superfamily involved in regulating AsA accumulation during strawberry fruit ripening, we further implemented a genome-wide analysis of the AKR superfamily using the octoploid strawberry genome. A total of 80 FaAKR genes were identified from the genome and divided into 20 subgroups based on phylogenetic analysis. These FaAKR genes were unevenly distributed on 23 chromosomes. Among them, nine genes showed increased expression in receptacles as the fruit ripened, and notably, FaAKR23 was the most dramatically upregulated FaAKR gene in receptacles. Compared with fruits at green stage, its expression level increased by 142-fold at red stage. The qRT-PCR results supported that the expression of FaAKR23 was increased significantly during fruit ripening. In particular, the FaAKR23 was the only FaAKR gene that was significantly upregulated by abscisic acid (ABA) and suppressed by nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA, an ABA biosynthesis blocker), indicating FaAKR23 might play important roles in ABA-mediated strawberry fruit ripening. In a word, our study provides useful information on the AsA metabolism during strawberry fruit ripening and will help understand the mechanism of AsA accumulation in strawberry fruits.

Potassium Fertigation Improved Growth, Yield and Quality of Kinnow Mandarin in Potassium Rich Soils

ABSTRACT Effects of potassium fertigation on the productivity of Kinnow were investigated in potassium rich soils of South-Western Punjab, India during 2018–2020. Three application rates of potassium i.e. 1000, 750 and 500 g Muriate of Potash (MoP; 60% K as K2O) per tree were applied at fortnightly intervals in two, three and four splits during February, May, July and September. The results were compared with standard recommendation for the region (three foliar sprays of 1% potassium nitrate) and no K application (control). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design, replicated thrice. The data showed that K fertigation significantly (p < .05) improved the growth, yield and quality of fruits over both standard recommendation and control. A comparison among different K split applications (fertigation) revealed higher growth, yield and quality of fruits in trees which received MoP in four splits. However, the differences among 1000 g, 750 g and 500 g K application rates were statistically comparable especially in terms of tree vigor, yield, percent juice, TSS–acid ratio and ascorbic acid content of fruits. These results suggest the fertigation of 500 g MoP per tree in four split applications to achieve higher growth and productivity of Kinnow in K rich soils of South-Western Punjab.

Calcium lactate and salicylic acid foliar application influence eggplant growth and postharvest quality parameters

Eggplant is one of the most popular and vital vegetable crops in the world. Various plant bio-regulators have been used in different crops to increase uptake of nutrients thereby leading to improvement in growth, flowering, fruit quality, storability and yield. The scope of this study was to evaluate the effects of calcium lactate and salicylic acid foliar application on growth parameters, physiological characteristics and shelf-life of eggplant fruit. Obtained results showed that the highest applied concentrations of calcium lactate (4 mM or 0.8 g l-1) and salicylic acid (1.5 mM or 0.2 g l-1) foliar application led to the highest values of measured growth parameters and yield. Applying of calcium lactate and salicylic acid foliar treatments could increase tissue firmness and ascorbic acid content of fruits. Foliar application of calcium lactate 4 mM (0.8 g l-1) and salicylic acid 1 mM (0.13 g l-1) was the best treatment to decrease percentage of fruit decay. In conclusion, our results showed that foliar application of calcium lactate and salicylic acid can be useful and inexpensive treatment to improve growth parameters, physiological characteristics and post-harvest properties of eggplant fruit

Ecophysiological aspects of guava (Psidium guajava L.). A review

Guava, because of its ability to grow in tropical and subtropical climates, has been introduced to some 60 low-latitude countries. It is adapted to a temperature range between 15 and 30°C. Outside this range, the effect of lower or higher temperatures reduces fruit set, while night temperatures of 5 to 7°C stop growth. Additionally, low temperatures hinder production, causing flowers to fall or increasing the fruit development cycle, up to 220 days. When estimating the cardinal temperatures of development, the minimum threshold temperature was 10.9°C, the optimum temperature was 17.3°C, and the maximum threshold temperature was 51.2°C. The guava tree adapts well to altitudes between 0 and 2,000 m a.s.l. in Colombia; however, there is a high genotype×environment interaction for production and quality characteristics in fruits with respect to the orchard elevation. Radiation &gt;2,000 µmol photons m-2 s-1 decreased the fruit ascorbic acid content. An important ecophysiological factor in guava is water, and crops require between 1,000 to 2,000 mm year-1. It withstands waterlogging for several days, but excess precipitation and atmospheric humidity decrease fruit quality considerably. However, this tree is classified as moderately drought-tolerant to stress from water deficits, affecting flowering and fruit set. It is also moderately tolerant to salinity, depending on the variety, supporting electrical conductivities up to 1.5-1.8 dS m-1. Generally, guava can be cultivated in a wide range of tropical and subtropical areas, where it is preferred because of its high nutritional and medicinal contents and its aptitude for transport and handling.

Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Ungrafted and Grafted Bell Pepper Plants (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum (L.) Sendtn.) Grown under Moderate Salt Stress.

The response of grafted bell pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum (L.) Sendtn.) to salt stress was investigated by analyzing the photosynthetic traits and mineral content of the plants and the metabolic composition of the fruit. The bell pepper variety “Vedrana” was grafted onto the salt-tolerant rootstock “Rocal F1” and grown at two salinities (20 mM and 40 mM NaCl) and control (0 mM NaCl) during the spring–summer period. On a physiological level, similar stomatal restriction of photosynthesis in grafted and ungrafted plants indicated that grafting did not alleviate water balance disturbances under increased salt exposure. Measurements of midday water potential did not show improved water status of grafted plants. The similar metabolic changes in grafted and ungrafted plants were also reflected in similarly reduced fruit yields. Thus, this grafting did not reduce the risk of ionic and osmotic imbalance in pepper plants grown under moderate salt treatment. Changes in the biochemical profiles of the pepper fruit were seen for both added-salt treatments. The fruit phenolic compounds were affected by rootstock mediation, although only for the July harvest, where total phenolics content increased with 40 mM NaCl treatment. Fruit ascorbic acid content increased with the duration of salt stress, without the mediation of the rootstock. The high salt dependence of this quality trait in pepper fruit appears to lead to more limited rootstock mediation effects.

Three metabolic pathways are responsible for the accumulation and maintenance of high AsA content in kiwifruit (Actinidia eriantha)

BackgroundActinidia eriantha is a precious material to study the metabolism and regulation of ascorbic acid (AsA) because of its high AsA content. Although the pathway of AsA biosynthesis in kiwifruit has been identified, the mechanism of AsA metabolism and regulation is still unclear. The purpose of this experiment is to reveal the AsA metabolic characteristics of A. eriantha ‘Ganmi 6’ from the molecular level, and lay a theoretical foundation for the research on the genetic improvement of kiwifruit quality.ResultsWe found that AsA reached the accumulation peak at S7 (110 DAF) during the process of fruit growth and development. The activity of GalDH, GalLDH, MDHAR and DHAR in fruit was similar to AsA accumulation trend, and both of them were significantly positively correlated with AsA content. It was speculated that GalDH and GalLDH were key enzymes in AsA biosynthesis, while MDHAR and DHAR were key enzymes in AsA regeneration cycle, which together regulated AsA accumulation in fruit. Also, we identified 98,656 unigenes with an average length of 932 bp from the transcriptome libraries using RNA-seq technology after data assembly. There were 50,184 (50.87%) unigenes annotations in four databases. Two thousand nine hundred forty-nine unigenes were enriched into the biosynthesis pathway of secondary metabolites, among which 133 unigenes involved in the AsA and aldehyde metabolism pathways, and 23 candidate genes related to AsA biosynthesis, cycling and degradation were screened out.ConclusionsConsidering gene expression levels and changes of physiological traits and related enzyme activity, we concluded that the accumulation of AsA depends mainly on the L-galactose pathway, and the D-galacturonic acid pathway and AsA recycling pathway as the secondary pathways, which co-maintain the high AsA content in fruit of A. eriantha.

Dependence of the content of ascorbic acid in apples at the beginning and at the end of storage on the hydrothermal conditions of the growing season

The degree of fruit maturity varies from year to year, depending on hydrothermal conditions, and therefore it is impossible to focus only on the calendar dates of harvesting due to their seasonal changes. The keeping capacity and quality of apples have variety specificity and depend, among other factors, on the meteorological conditions of the growing season. The analysis of the quantitative content of ascorbic acid (AA) in the fruits of five new columnar scab immune apple varieties – Vostorg, Zvezda Efira, Poezia, Priokskoye and Sozvezdiye at the beginning and at the end of storage in different years (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018) showed the closest dependence of this parameter on the conditions of humidification of the active growing season (hydro-thermal coefficient (HTC)). The dependence of the AA content in fruits on the hydrothermal coefficient was approximated by the second-order parabola equation. Certain regularity was revealed in the content of AA in fruits depending on HTC. The parabolic curve, reflecting the maximum calculated AA content, increases to maximum values at HTC – 0.85-0.90 at the beginning of fruit storage and 0.79-0.89 at the end of storage. Under droughty conditions, the dependence curve decreases. The comparison of the experimental data with calculated data showed that the correlation relations between them had values from 0.61 to 0.88 at the beginning of storage and 0.40-0.99 at the end. The calculated data can be interpolated, and it makes sense to use HTC as one of the predictor parameters of fruit quality during harvesting and potential keeping capacity of fruits.

Effect of Different Colour Shading on Seedling Growth, Fruit Morphology and Phytochemical Properties of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var KWR)

Context: Producing high quality and chemical free tomato would favorably enhance consumer preference. There are most promising findings available on growth and quality attributes of tomato and other plants under different light spectrum in closed house conditions using different light sources. Installment of light emitting devices and running cost with high power consumption might not favorable for commercial cultivators and small scale growers.&#x0D; Aim: In present study we used colour transparent sheets such as colourless (control), red, blue, green and yellow as shading material to transmit respective spectrum of light on tomato plants to study the effect.&#x0D; Methodology: Tomato seed germination study was done under different colour shading in petri plates. Seedling and plant growth parameters and phytochemical properties of tomato plants grown under different transparent colour shadings were studied such as number of leaves, leaf area, weight of shoot and root, chlorophyll content, ascorbic acid content of fruits, lycopene contents of fruits, fruit physical parameters and flowering.&#x0D; Results: Seed germination was significantly high under yellow, colourless and red shading over blue and green. Seedling growth was significantly high under yellow shading. Fruit Ascorbic acid content was positively enhanced by yellow, green and colourless shading, whereas chlorophyll and lycopene content significantly high under green and red. Number of flower setting per plant was high under green shading (40±5.77), whereas lowest under yellow shading (22.33±6.38). Fruit setting significantly high under yellow shading (14±2) and lowest was red (9±1). Blue shading showed significantly high effect on fruit morphological traits such as pericarp thickness and fruit size.&#x0D; Conclusion: Yellow colour shading enhances seedling growth and fruit setting of tomato, while green having positive impact on fruit morphology. However, different characters of tomato were differently affected by different colour shading in greenhouse condition and for the better effect appropriate colour shading should be selected at particular stage of growth.

Comparison of Ascorbic Acid Content in Some Selected Fruits Samples from Makarfi Local Markets, Kaduna State, Nigeria

This study was carried out to determine the ascorbic acid content of some fruits samples sold in Makarfi local market. Six fruits samples were randomly selected and used for the study. The samples were thoroughly washed and rinsed with distilled water. 500 g of each fruit sample (Cucumber, Carrot and Garden egg) were analyzed for both fresh and cooked portions. The samples were crushed and suspensions were made using doubled-distilled water. The extract was filtered to obtained 100 ml from each fruit filtrate which was then placed in a 500 ml volumetric flask and diluted to the mark with distilled water. 25 ml of each solution were treated with 150 ml distilled water and 5 ml of 0.6 molar freshly prepared KI(aq). 5 ml of 1M HCl and 1 ml of starch solution was added to the mixture which was then titrated against a freshly prepared 0.002M potassium iodate solution. The results obtained were used to determine the concentration of ascorbic acid in each sample. The major findings revealed that, fresh cucumber fruit has the highest concentration of ascorbic acid (9.6 x 10-1 mg/L) followed by garden egg ( 7.1 x 10-1 mg/L) and cooked garden egg fruits ( 5.6 x 10-1 mg/L). On the other hand, passion fruit (0.06 x 10-1 mg/L) has the least quantity of ascorbic acid content followed by cooked carrot (1.3 x 10-1 mg/L) and tamarind (2.9 x 10-1 mg/L)respectively. Some recommendations were made amongst which is that farmers should be enlightened to avoid the use of excessive inorganic fertilizers as it may be the factors that degrade the ascorbic acid content of some edible fruits. Vitamin C content of food get reduced by prolonged storage and over cooking because ascorbic acid is water soluble and it is destroyed by heat. Therefore steaming or microwaving should be encouraged. The study was concluded by emphasizing the importance of the consumption of fruits and the advantages of this to human health and general well-being.

Physical and chemical characterization and bioactive compounds from blackberry under calcium chloride application

Calcium chloride application on fruits maintains the firmness of fruits, decreases storage breakdown and rot, extends shelf-life, and increases vitamin C and calcium content. Blackberries have low post-harvest durability due to the intrinsic characteristics of their fruits, mainly the high respiratory rate and low firmness, which causes problems in the production chain of fresh fruits. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of pre-harvest application of calcium chloride on the fruits of ‘Tupy’ blackberry (Rubus spp.). A randomized block design for a factorial scheme was used, i.e. calcium chloride concentrations (0, 1.5, 3, and 4.5%) and number of applications (1, 2, and 3). Multiple applications occurred between 5-day intervals. The results showed that the calcium content in the fruits increased with a single application of 2.2%, but a decrease in mass loss was observed with a 4.5% application. The results also indicated great firmness and ascorbic acid content of fruits of ‘Tupy’ blackberry, in addition to the significant increase in fruit size and mass. However, in general, the content of soluble solids, sugars, antioxidant activity and total polyphenols decreased.

Soil Solarization and Calcium Cyanamide Affect Plant Vigor, Yield, Nutritional Traits, and Nutraceutical Compounds of Strawberry Grown in a Protected Cultivation System

Soil solarization is a hydrothermal procedure of disinfesting soil of soilborne diseases and pests. Solarization can be combined with many other chemical or non-chemical alternatives to afford integrated pest and diseases management or improve plant yield. Calcium cyanamide (CaCN2) is a fertilizer used in agriculture sector and is also effective in suppressing soilborne pathogens. The present study assessed the influences of different pre-plant CaCN2 dosages on strawberry grown on solarized or non-solarized soil. Soil solarization and 500 kg ha−1 CaCN2 significantly increased early marketable yield by 105.3%, total marketable yield by 53.0% and firmness by 3.0%, respectively compared with the control (no solarization × 0 kg ha−1 of CaCN2). Exposing solarized plots to CaCN2 at 1000 kg ha−1 significantly increased fruit ascorbic acid content by 77.5% and phenolic content by 13.3% compared with fruits from control plants. Overall, plants grown on solarized soil performed better than those cultivated on no-solarized plots. Plants grown on soil treated with a dosage of 500 or 1000 kg ha−1 CaCN2 increased plant height, number of shoots plant−1, number of leaves plant−1, root collar diameter, plant visual quality, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity compared to control plants. Fruits from plants grown on soil exposed to CaCN2 with a dosage of 500 and 1000 kg ha−1 showed a lower N fruit content (5.4 and 19.5%, respectively) than control plants (non-treated control).