Fruits In Autumn Research Articles

The natural flowering inhibition of aminoethoxyvinylglycine application with different schedules for pineapple autumn fruit production in Taiwan

The natural flowering inhibition of aminoethoxyvinylglycine application with different schedules for pineapple autumn fruit production in Taiwan

Based on CiteSpace Insights into Illicium verum Hook. f. Current Hotspots and Emerging Trends and China Resources Distribution.

Illicium verum Hook. f. is a globally significant spice, which is recognized in China as a food-medicine homolog and extensively utilized across the pharmaceutical, food, and spice industries. China boasts the world's leading resources of I. verum, yet its comprehensive utilization remains relatively underexplored. Through a resource survey of I. verum and the application of bibliometric visualization using CiteSpace, this study analyzed 324 papers published in the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) from 1962 to 2023 and 353 core documents from China's three major databases (CNKI, Wanfang Database, and VIP Database). I. verum from Guangxi province towards various southern provinces in China, with autumn fruits exhibited superior quality and market value over their spring fruits. Literature in WOSCC emerged earlier, with a research emphasis on food science technology and pharmacology pharmacy domains. WOSCC research on I. verum could be divided into two phases: an embryonic period (1962-2001) and a growth period (2002-2023), showing an overall upward trend in publication. The three major Chinese databases contain a larger number of publications, with a focus on the food sector, which could be categorized into three stages: an embryonic period (1990-1999), a growth period (2000-2010), and a stable period (2011-2023), with an overall downward trend in publication. Both Chinese and international research hotspots converge on the medical applications of I. verum, with antioxidant bioactivity research emerging as a prevailing trend. This study delineated the resource distribution of I. verum across China and identified the research hotspots and trends both in China and internationally. The findings are beneficial for guiding researchers in swiftly establishing their research focus and furnishing decision-makers with a comprehensive reference for industry information.

Effects of irrigation and nitrogen application on soil water and nitrogen distribution and water-nitrogen utilization of wolfberry in the Yellow River Irrigation Region of Gansu Province, China.

To address the problems of extensive field management, low productivity, and inefficient water and fertilizer utilization in wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.) production, an appropriate water and nitrogen regulation model was explored to promote the healthy and sustainable development of the wolfberry industry. Based on a field experiment conducted from 2021 to 2022, this study compared and analyzed the effects of four irrigation levels [75%-85% θf (W0, full irrigation), 65%-75% θf (W1, slight water deficit), 55%-65% θf (W2, moderate water deficit), and 45%-55% θf (W3, severe water deficit)] and four nitrogen application levels [0 kg·ha-1 (N0, no nitrogen application), 150 kg·ha-1 (N1, low nitrogen application), 300 kg·ha-1 (N2, medium nitrogen application), and 450 kg·ha-1 (N3, high nitrogen application)] on soil water distribution, soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3 --N) migration, yield, and water-nitrogen use efficiency of wolfberry. The soil moisture content of the 40-80 cm soil layer was higher than those of 0-40cm and 80-120cm soil layer. The average soil moisture content followed the order of W0 > W1 > W2 > W3 and N3 > N2 > N1 > N0. The NO3 --N content in the 0-80 cm soil layer was more sensitive to water and nitrogen regulation, and the cumulative amount of NO3 --N in the soil followed the order of W0 > W1> W2 > W3 and N3 > N2 > N1 > N0 during the vegetative growth period. There was no evidently change in soil NO3 --N accumulation between different treatments during the autumn fruit. The yield of wolfberry under the W1N2 treatment was the highest (2623.09 kg·ha-1), which was 18.04% higher than that under the W0N3 treatment. The average water consumption during each growth period of wolfberry was the highest during the full flowering period, followed by the vegetative growth and full fruit periods, and the lowest during the autumn fruit period. The water use efficiency reached a peak value of 6.83 kg·ha-1·mm-1 under the W1N2 treatment. The nitrogen uptake of fruit and nitrogen fertilizer recovery efficiency of fruit first increased and then decreased with increasing irrigation and nitrogen application. The treatment of W1N2 obtained the highest nitrogen uptake of fruit and nitrogen recovery efficiency of fruit, which were 63.56 kg·ha-1 and 8.17%, respectively. Regression analysis showed that the yield and water-nitrogen use efficiency of wolfberry improved when the irrigation amount ranged from 315.4 to 374.3mm, combined with nitrogen application amounts of 300.0 to 308.3 kg·ha-1. Additionally, the soil NO3 --N residue was reduced, making it an optimal water and nitrogen management model for wolfberry planting. The present findings contribute novel insights into the production of wolfberry with saving water and reducing nitrogen, which helps to improve the level of wolfberry productivity in the Yellow River irrigation region of Gansu Province and other areas with similar climate.

Screening of Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities in Pomegranate, Quince, and Persimmon Leaf, Peel, and Seed: Valorization of Autumn Fruits By-Products for a One Health Perspective.

Antimicrobial resistance is increasing globally and is now one of the major public health problems. Therefore, there is a need to search for new antimicrobial agents. The food industry generates large amounts of by-products that are rich in bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, which are known to have several health benefits, including antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Thus, we aimed to characterize the phenolic compounds present in pomegranate, quince, and persimmon by-products, as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Phenolic compounds were extracted from pomegranate, quince, and persimmon leaves, seeds, and peels using a mixture of ethanol/water (80/20). The polyphenol profile of the extracts was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. In general, leaves showed higher concentrations of phenolics than the peel and seeds of fruits. In total, 23 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified, with sanguiin and apigenin-3-O-galactoside being present in the highest concentrations. Leaf extracts of pomegranate showed higher antioxidant activities than the other components in all methods used. In general, all extracts had a greater antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Persimmon leaf and seed extracts inhibited a greater number of bacteria, both Gram-positive and -negative. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) detected among Gram-positive and -negative bacteria was 10 mg/mL for pomegranate peel and leaf extracts against Staphylococcus aureus and S. pseudintermedius and for pomegranate leaf extract against Escherichia coli. Our results reinforce the need to value food industry by-products that could be used as food preservatives and antibiotic adjuvants against multiresistant bacteria.

Fingerprint and Chemometric Analysis of Arabinogalactan Derived From Lycium barbarum Fruit

Purpose: Arabinogalactan is the main active ingredient of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, possessing various bioactivities. However, the physicochemical properties of arabinogalactans differ between fruit varieties, provenance, and harvest seasons. The study aimed at distinguishing these differences between the main active ingredient (arabinogalactans) of fruit varieties, provenance, and harvest seasons. Methods: We obtained 27 batches L. barbarum fruit arabinogalactans using hot water extraction, fractional precipitation, and their monosaccharide composition and molecular weight fingerprints were established. The similarity between multiple fingerprinting profiles was evaluated using chemometrics. Results: These results showed that the summer fruits (NQ1 and MQ1) from Xianfeng (Inner Mongolia), varieties NQ1 and NQ9 from Jingyuan (Gansu), varieties NQ7 and NQ9 from Zhongning (Ningxia), variety NQ1 from Nanliang farm, Yinchuan (Ningxia) and Guazhou (Gansu), as well as autumn fruits (NQ1, NQ7, and Xiao JianJiao) from Jinghe (Xinjiang) were similar to the summer fruits of variety NQ1 (Zhongning, Ningxia). The quality of L. barbarum fruit was related to locations and varieties. Conclusion: The preparation of the main active ingredient was the key for quality control analysis of L. barbarum fruit. This study provides a theoretical basis for the quality control of L. barbarum polysaccharides, and for the development and utilization of L. barbarum fruit.

Characteristics of the Complete Chloroplast Genome of Pourthiaea (Rosaceae) and Its Comparative Analysis

Pourthiaea is of great ornamental value because it produces white flowers in spring and summer, red fruit in autumn, and their fruit does not fall in winter. In order to explore the genetic structure and evolutionary characteristics of the chloroplast genome of Pourthiaea, comparative genomics analysis and phylogenetic analysis were conducted using ten published chloroplast genomes of Pourthiaea from the NCBI database. The results showed that the chloroplast genomes of the ten species of Pourthiaea showed typical circular tetrad structures, and the genome sizes were all within the range of 160,159–160,401 bp, in which the large single copy was 88,047–88,359 bp, the small single copy was 19,234–19,338 bp, and the lengths of a pair of inverted repeats were 26,341–26,401 bp. The GC contents ranged from 36.5% to 36.6%. A total of 1017 SSR loci were identified from the chloroplast genomes of the ten species of Pourthiaea, including six types of nucleotide repeats. The gene types and gene distribution of the IR boundary regions of the chloroplast genomes of different species of Pourthiaea were highly conservative, with little variation. Through the sequence alignment of chloroplast genomes, it was found that the chloroplast genomes of the ten species of Pourthiaea were generally highly conservative. The variation mainly occurred in the spacer regions of adjacent genes. Through nucleic acid diversity analysis, three hypervariable regions were screened at Pi > 0.006, namely trnQ(UUC)-psbk-psbl, accD-psal, and ndhF-rpl32-trnL (UAG). Phylogenetic analysis showed that the ten species of the genus Pourthiaea were clustered in the same branch and formed sister groups with the genus Stranvaesia, and that the support rate for the monophyly of the genus Pourthiaea was high. This study can serve as a reference for the breeding, genetic evolution, and phylogeny of Pourthiaea.

Yield estimation of Lycium barbarum L. based on the WOFOST model

Previous research about crop growth simulation and yield prediction mainly focused on annual crops with very few such studies relating to perennial fruit tree crops. In this study, field experiments were conducted in different growth periods of Lycium barbarum L. in Gansu province, China to determine and improve the initial WOFOST model parameters with combination of the time-series leaf area index (LAI) obtained from Sentinel-2 satellite and predict yields for L. barbarum shrubs at a field scale for summer fruit (SF) and autumn fruit (AF). The results showed that the performance of initial parameters established by previous research and partial measured data was relatively poor, with a relative error (RE) of 20.95% for annual yield. The simulation after model parameter calibration significantly improved model prediction accuracy. The predicted SF was 2588 kg/ha and AF was 601 kg/ha with a RE of -5.51%. This study provided a strategy to improve modelled yield for fruit tree crops through utilization of remote sensed and field measured data in model parameter calibration, which on the other hand provides useful information for regional development planning and crops marketing.

Food Habits of the Japanese Dormouse in the Yatsugatake Mountains, Japan

We conducted a quantitative dietary analysis of the Japanese dormouse (Glirulus japonicus) using fecal samples collected in the subalpine zone of the Yatsugatake Mountains, central Japan. Dormouse diets were dominated by insects (69.2%) in summer and both fruit (43.0%) and insects (33.4%) in autumn. Leaves accounted for a small proportion of the diet in all seasons. Dormice may be reliant on insects because fruits are scant in summer, and on fruits to accumulate body fat in autumn before hibernation.

Correlation between the storability and fruit quality of fresh goji berries

Poor storability is the largest problem thwarting the marketization of fresh goji berries (Lycium barbarum L.). In this study, the storability of fresh fruits from 31 varieties of goji berry was evaluated by their decay index and rate of decay to choose 13 varieties of fresh fruit with excellent, medium and poor storability. Correlation and partial least squares regression analyses were adopted to explore the correlations between storability and 16 physical and chemical indicators from summer and autumn fruits. The storability calculated by the decay rate is significantly positively correlated with the content of flavonoids in the summer fruits, while the storability calculated by the decay index is significantly negatively correlated with the color difference b* and total acids in the summer fruits (P < 0.05). Similarly, the storability calculated by the decay rate is significantly positively correlated with the content of flavonoids, chewiness and elasticity of the autumn fruits (P < 0.05). The storability calculated by the decay index is significantly positively correlated with the content of flavonoids and the chewiness of autumn fruits (P < 0.05).The content of flavonoids in the fresh goji berry revealed a significantly positive correlation with the storability.

Brief Results of pear breeding at the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding

Pear breeding has been carried out at the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (previously, Orel Fruit-Berry Experimental Station) since 1949. As a result of large-scale breeding work during this period, 3 pear cultivars with summer fruit ripening – Orlovskaya Krasavitsa, Orlovskaya Letnya and Pamyatnaya, 4 cultivars with autumn fruit ripening-Yeseninskaya, Muratovskaya, Pamyat Parshina, Tyutchevskaya and Lira with winter fruit ripening were created and included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements. The article gives brief economic and biological characteristics of 8 new pear cultivars.

Development of an Optimized Drying Process for the Recovery of Bioactive Compounds from the Autumn Fruits of Berberis vulgaris L. and Crataegus monogyna Jacq.

Hot air drying has proven to be an efficient method to preserve specific edible plant materials with medicinal properties. This is a process involving chemical, physical, and biological changes in plant matrices. Understanding these processes will lead to an improvement in the yields of bioactive compounds. This study aims to optimize the drying process of two species’ fruits used in folk medicine, Berberis vulgaris and Crataegus monogyna. The optimized extracts’ antioxidant capacity was assessed using various assays, with the barberry extract showing very good activity (50.85, 30.98, and 302.45 mg TE/g dw for DPPH, TEAC, and FRAP assays, respectively). Both species exerted good fungal α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.34 and 0.56 mg/mL, respectively) but no activity on mammalian α-glucosidase. Additionally, this study identified and quantified the main bioactive compounds. The results presented herein are a breakthrough in industrializing this drying process. Additional studies are necessary to mechanistically understand the drying process involved in these plant materials.

The study of the informativeness and reliability of the healthy eating index for assessing of dietary peculiarity and eating behavior of Russian population

For the integral assessment of diet, tools have been proposed, called nutritional quality indices, and, as separate options, healthy eating indices (HEI), which assess diets in relation to compliance with existing national recommendations for healthy eating for the population. The aim of this work was to investigate the suitability and reliability of the developed baseline HEI for assessing the nature of the diet, modifications of the diet and eating behavior of the population. Methods. To analyze the suitability and reliability of the HEI for assessing the features of dietary intake and eating behavior of the population, the data on the actual nutrition and eating behavior of adults 19+ years of both sexes obtained by Rosstat in 2013 and 2018 have been used. Along with using the 24-hour food replay method to study actual food intake, the questionnaires included a form for assessing the frequency of consumption of major food groups in a standard format: daily or several times a week, once a week, several times a month, once a month or less often, practically do not consume. Results. The average HEI values for women in all food consumption groups are significantly higher than for men (p<0.01). Changes in average HEI values depending on the level of consumption of various products are multidirectional. When foods such as grains, vegetables and fruits are consumed in quantities greater than the median, the HEI is significantly higher than when consumed at less than the median level. On the contrary, when consuming more than the median of meat products, fatty products and confectionery products, as well as for those who consumed sausages, the HEI for both women and men is significantly lower than for those who consumed less than the median or did not consume these products. The average HEI values in men and women who consumed cottage cheese, kefir or yogurt are significantly higher than among those who did not consume these foods. Significantly higher HEI values were found in vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians. The average HEI values of adults of both sexes in autumn are significantly higher than in spring, which is confirmed by the significantly higher consumption of vegetables and fruits in autumn, w hich are components- indicators of the integral HEI. The dependence of the HEI values on the frequency of consumption of the main food groups, which are its components or affect the consumption of components, has been shown. The higher the frequency of consumpt ion of meat products, butter, salad dressings, chocolate and sweets or sweet carbonated drinks the lower is the HEI. On the other hand, the higher the frequency of consumption of vegetables, fruits, milk, fermented milk, cottage cheese or curd the higher is the HEI. Conclusion. The changes in the values of the HEI at various values, as well as the frequency, of food consumption indicate the possibility of HEI using as a marker for assessing the relationship between diet, health status and the incidence of chronic noncommunicable diseases.

Optimization of the drying process of autumn fruits rich in antioxidants: a study focusing on rosehip (Rosa canina L.) and sea buckthorn (Elaeagnus rhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson) and their bioactive properties.

Nowadays, it is very important to identify the traditional uses of different plants and to create the context in which new cultural or economic value is given to local resources. In this study, two wild fruits traditionally harvested in autumn in Romania were selected to investigate the effects of drying conditions on the chemical compositions and bioactivities exerted by the extracts and to select the best conditions in terms of air temperature and time of drying. The extracts obtained were assessed in terms of antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibitory activity, and their main bioactive compounds were identified and quantified. The data presented in this article represent a step forward in applying this process on an industrial-scale.

Ecology, distribution mapping and conservation implications of four critically endangered endemic plants of Kashmir Himalaya.

During the last few decades, human-driven activities have led to indiscriminate habitat destruction and exploitation of many plant species in Kashmir Himalaya. As a result, many species have become threatened and are struggling for survival. Of particular concern are the endemic and critically endangered species which have the highest risk of the extinction, hence warranting immediate conservation actions. Therefore the current study was carried out to understand the distribution, ecology and conservation implications of the four critically endangered endemic plants of Kashmir Himalaya. Habitat distribution modelling showed that the suitable potential areas for the species occurred from subalpine to alpine meadowlands with an elevational range of 1500–4600 m asl. The output of the MaxEnt model and field surveys have revealed that their highest potential distribution is in Panchari, Khrew, Ramnagar, Pahalgam, Gurez, Sonamarg, Gulmarg and Kishtwar forest ranges. Based on the field explorations and herbarium records, Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch have 27 distribution areas, Gentiana kurroo Royle 18, Lilium polyphyllum D. Don 12 and Aconitum chasmanthum Stapf have 15. Precipitation of the driest month and annual mean temperature played an important role in the distribution of the studied species. The species started their lifecycle with the onset of the spring season, flowered in summer, fruit in autumn and senesce in the winter season. Under natural conditions, the number of days required for germination ranged from 180 to 210 where cold stratification played a pivotal role. Since last few decades, the populations of these species have been shrinking in their natural habitats due to over-exploitation for medicinal purposes and habitat destruction through amplified humanoid interferences like the expansion of agricultural land, road building, grazing and urbanization. Thus there is an urgent need to come up with positive strategies to save whatever is left and plan long term rescue measures not only to protect these species from extinction but also to reintroduce them along with framing the plans to supply sustained raw materials for medicine.

Endozoochorous dispersal of forest seeds by carnivorous mammals in Sierra Fría, Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Some carnivorous mammals ingest fruit and disperse seeds of forest plant species capable of colonizing disturbed areas in ecosystems. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the dissemination of Arctostaphylos pungens and Juniperus deppeana seeds by the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), coyote (Canis latrans), and other carnivores in the Protected Natural Area Sierra Fría, in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Scat collection was undertaken via transects using the direct search method, while the seasonal phenology of A. pungens and J. deppeana was evaluated by recording flower and fruit abundance on both the plant and the surrounding forest floor ground. Seed viability was assessed by optical densitometry via X‐ray and a germination test. It was found that the gray fox, coyote, ringtail (Bassariscus astutus), and bobcat (Lynx rufus) disseminated seeds of A. pungens (212 ± 48.9 seeds/scat) and J. deppeana (23.6 ± 4.9 seeds/scat), since a large proportion of the collected scat of these species contained seeds (28/30 = 93.33%, 12/43 = 27.9%, 6/12 = 50% and 7/25 = 28% respectively). The gray fox, coyote, ringtail, and bobcat presented an average of seed dispersion of both plant species of 185.4 ± 228.7, 4.0 ± 20.0, 12.1 ± 30.4, and 0.8 ± 1.5 per scat; the seed proportions in the gray fox, coyote, ringtail, and bobcat were 89.6/10.4%, 82.3/17.7%, 90.4/9.6%, and 38.1/61.9% for A. pungens and J. deppeana, respectively. The phenology indicated a finding related to the greater abundance of ripe fruit in autumn and winter (p < .01). This coincided with the greater abundance of seeds found in scats during these seasons. Endozoochory and diploendozoochory enhanced the viability and germination of the seeds (p > .05), except in those of A. pungens dispersed by coyote. These results suggest that carnivores, particularly the gray fox, the coyote, and the bobcat, play an important role in forest seed dissemination, and thus forest regeneration, by making both a quantitative and qualitative contribution to the dispersal of the two pioneer species under study.

The potential of the tropical “miracle tree” Moringa oleifera and its desert relative Moringa peregrina as edible seed-oil and protein crops under Mediterranean conditions

The potential of the tropical Moringa oleifera Lam. and its desert relative Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori as edible seed-oil and seed-protein crops under Mediterranean conditions was evaluated. Initially, we developed a NIRS (Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy) method for the analysis of seed weight, and seed-oil and protein contents. We found NIRS to be a relatively accurate method for estimating seed traits of both Moringa species.Comparative analysis of bloom phenology and reproductive success between M. oleifera and M. peregrina, grown under Mediterranean conditions, revealed for M. oleifera a shorter juvenility period and a lower variation in bloom and reproductive traits. Both species bloomed in summer and set fruits in autumn. M. peregrina also bloomed in late autumn and set fruits in spring the following year. Annually, M. oleifera trees produced significantly more flowers and set more fruits. Fruit-set for both species was extremely low (∼0.5–1.5%). M. oleifera pods were 45% longer, contained 23% more seeds that were 47% lighter with 11% lower oil concentration compared with M. peregrina, resulting in approximately six-fold higher oil and protein yields per plant.In conclusion, M. oleifera was better suited for oil and protein production under Mediterranean conditions as it produced more seeds and in a more predictable and uniform manner. However, since M. peregrina produced larger seeds with higher oil concentrations and was less susceptible to local diseases, future breeding efforts should be concentrated on producing interspecies hybrids resulting in elevated oil production and reduced susceptibility to diseases.

De novo transcriptomic analysis and development of EST-SSRs for Sorbus pohuashanensis (Hance) Hedl.

Sorbus pohuashanensis is a native tree species of northern China that is used for a variety of ecological purposes. The species is often grown as an ornamental landscape tree because of its beautiful form, silver flowers in early summer, attractive pinnate leaves in summer, and red leaves and fruits in autumn. However, development and further utilization of the species are hindered by the lack of comprehensive genetic information, which impedes research into its genetics and molecular biology. Recent advances in de novo transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) technology have provided an effective means to obtain genomic information from non-model species. Here, we applied RNA-seq for sequencing S. pohuashanensis leaves and obtained a total of 137,506 clean reads. After assembly, 96,213 unigenes with an average length of 770 bp were obtained. We found that 64.5% of the unigenes could be annotated using bioinformatics tools to analyze gene function and alignment with the NCBI database. Overall, 59,089 unigenes were annotated using the Nr database(non-redundant protein database), 35,225 unigenes were annotated using the GO (Gene Ontology categories) database, and 33,168 unigenes were annotated using COG (Cluster of Orthologous Groups). Analysis of the unigenes using the KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) database indicated that 13,953 unigenes were involved in 322 metabolic pathways. Finally, simple sequence repeat (SSR) site detection identified 6,604 unigenes that included EST-SSRs and a total of 7,473 EST-SSRs in the unigene sequences. Fifteen polymorphic SSRs were screened and found to be of use for future genetic research. These unigene sequences will provide important genetic resources for genetic improvement and investigation of biochemical processes in S. pohuashanensis.

Impact of season on the Quality Guava concentrate

&lt;p&gt;Among fruits, guava (&lt;em&gt;Psidium guajava &lt;/em&gt;L.), belonging to the Myrtaceae family, grows well in tropical and subtropical regions. It is an important export fruit but it is perishable, so it must be processed into some kind of products like jam, jellies and concentrates. Nutritional and shelf life of fruit based product depend upon number of storage factors as well as pre-harvest factors like soil type, nutrient availability, rainfall, neighbor plants, climate and season. Season is an important pre-harvest factor, affecting the quality attributes of guava products. In present study guava juice concentrate was prepared from fruit harvested in spring as well as in autumn seasons. The results showed that guava concentrate made from autumn fruit had 1.13 times brix content, have higher pH and 3.9 % more vitamin C as compared to concentrate made from spring season guava. The results indicated that the concentrate prepared from guava harvested in autumn season was nutritionally better than the concentrate prepared from guava harvested in spring season.&lt;/p&gt;

Are Entomopathogenic Nematodes Effective Biological Control Agents Against the Carob Moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae?

The carob moth (Ectomyelois ceratoniae) is the key pest of pomegranate, which causes a significant percentage of losses in pomegranate orchards and warehouses of Iran annually. The pest larvae are characterized by displaying a cryptic behavior within the fruit, which avoids most routine control techniques, especially chemical method. The low efficiency of traditional measurements and also the rich species diversity of natural enemies within the infested fruits highlight the necessity of exploring effective control methods, especially environmental friendly approaches. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are a group of biological control agents that actively search for the host, including those in a cryptic habitat like the carob moth larvae within infested fruits. Here, we assumed that treatment of the infested and dropped fruits with EPNs may provide new insight into the management of the carob moth. Three species of EPNs, Steinernema feltiae, S. carpocapsae, and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora were selected and used in a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments. In preliminary assays, the EPNs species were used with different concentrations of infective juveniles (IJs) (0, 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 IJ/larvae) in 2-cm diam. plates. The mortality rates of the laboratory tests were 79.75% and 76.5% for S. feltiae and S. carpocapsae, corresponded to LC50 value of 2.02 IJ/larva for S. feltiae and 2.05 IJ/larva for S. carpocapsae. On the contrary, H. bacteriophora demonstrated low virulence on the pest larvae in petri tests with a LC50 = 426.92 IJ/larva. Hence, both Steinernema species were selected for subsequent experiments. The penetration rate for S. feltiae and S. carpocapsae into the hemocoel of the pest was 43% and 31%, respectively, and the corresponding reproduction rate was 15,452 IJ/larva for S. feltiae and 18,456 IJ/larva for S. carpocapsae. The gathered data from those in vitro tests were used for a field assay. Different concentrations (5, 10, 50, 100, and 160 IJ/cm2 of the arena) of S. feltiae and S. carpocapsae were applied in the field test. The mean mortality results from the last test were 10.89% and 26.65% for S. feltiae and S. carpocapsae, respectively. Finally, we found that these low virulence rates of the nematodes were attributed to inhibitory/repellency effects of saprophytic fungi within the infested pomegranates, a usual status of the infested fruits in autumn or winter seasons. Future work on additional EPN populations more adapted to the extreme conditions of the pomegranate production area in Iran may provide sufficient evidence to continue the further investigation on the best EPN species populations and advanced formulations with high durability.

The Japanese Marten Favors Actinidia arguta, a Forest Edge Liane as a Directed Seed Disperser.

This study demonstrates the potential of the Japanese marten (Martes melampus) to serve as a directed seed disperser of Actinidia arguta, a representative forest edge liane. Fecal compositions of the Japanese marten in a western part of Tokyo, Japan were analyzed by the point-frame method. It fed on fruits in autumn (73.1%) and winter (63.0%), and the seeds of A. arguta were most frequently eaten (47.4%). Although the vegetation in the study area was dominated by forest (95.5%), seeds found in the marten feces were dominated by those of forest edge plants (92.1%), suggesting a strong selective bias, both habitat and food, toward these species. The density of marten feces was also higher at forest edges than forest interiors. A. arguta plants were more abundant at forest edges than within the forest at Afan Wood, Nagano Prefecture. These results suggest that the Japanese marten selectively uses forest edges as a location for feeding and defecation and thus functions as a directed seed disperser of A. arguta.