Fruit Quality Research Articles

Blue LED light improves the antioxidant composition of Valencia oranges during postharvest: Impact on orange juice, pulp portion and peel residue

Valencia orange is the major citrus fruit produced worldwide and its outstanding health benefits are well-established. However, there is a pressing need to further enhance the nutritional quality of fruits and to revalorize the resulting residues, providing benefits for both public health and the environment. Here, Valencia oranges were exposed to blue LED light for 30 days at room temperature in controlled environment chambers, using darkness as a control. Examination of the blue LED light effects was performed focusing on visual aspects, weight loss, organoleptic properties, antioxidant content and oxidation status, together with the analysis of the phytohormonal profile. Blue LED light was found to boost fruit weight loss, particularly through dehydration of the peel, without altering pulp firmness or external appearance. Organoleptic quality, including texture and flavor, as well as total soluble sugar and acidity remained unchanged. Notably, blue LED light increased antioxidant levels, more specifically vitamin C and total phenols in the juice, and enhanced total antioxidant capacity in the peel. This suggests that blue LED light can enhance nutritional quality while preserving organoleptic properties. The increase in antioxidants is likely a protective response against photooxidative stress induced by the blue LED light. These findings highlight the potential of blue LED light to improve postharvest fruit quality with direct health benefits and support a circular economy by enhancing the value of orange peel waste.

Exogenous p-coumaric acid treatment improves phenolic compounds biosynthesis of postharvest cherry tomatoes by regulating physiological metabolism.

To investigate the effect of p-coumaric acid (p-CA) on postharvest cherry tomatoes, breaker stage fruits were treated with p-CA to analyze the physiological metabolism during storage. The results showed that exogenous p-CA treatment improved the sensory quality of tomato fruits. Transcriptomics results indicated that 782 genes (339 up-regulated and 443 down-regulated) were differentially expressed between p-CA treated and control fruits. Results suggested that p-CA treatment regulated the synthesis of phenolic compounds and inhibited the fruit ripening through the pathways of mangiferic acid biosynthesis and phenylalanine metabolism. Key enzymes activities of the phenylpropane metabolic pathway of tomato fruits were increased, including phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase (C4H), and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL). In addition, the total phenols content, flavonoids content and antioxidant capacities of tomato fruits were improved with p-CA treatment. Overall, these findings showed that p-CA treatment could be a potential strategy for fruit and vegetable preservation.

Comparative evaluation of the biological characteristics of flower organs and fruits of the new Chinese blueberry cultivar Zhaixuan 4

Comparative evaluation of the biological characteristics of flower organs and fruits of the new Chinese blueberry cultivar Zhaixuan 4

A novel stone fruit quality non-destructive evaluation method based on PVR by LF-NMRI

For stone fruits, the pulp ratio, indicating the proportion of pulp to the total fruit, serves as a vital metric in assessing stone fruit quality. Traditionally, this ratio is computed by measuring the mass of each component through destructive sampling, and acquired results remain controversial. In order to obtain this ratio non-destructively and more accurately, a novel evaluation method for stone fruit quality based on pulp volume ratio (PVR) by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (LF-NMRI) is proposed. This approach integrates the SwinUnet segmentation network to differentiating the fruit pulp and core structure, thereby precisely computing the volume proportion of pulp. Experimental results reveal that SwinUnet exhibits better accuracy and robustness in the LF-NMRI data compared to the other networks. Based on the segmentation results, the disparities between the PVR values computed using the ellipse fitting method and the integral method, compared to the ground truth (GT), are less than 1% and 0.5% respectively. This paper provides a new reference for selecting premium stone fruits and enriches the fruit quality evaluation system.

Impact of a health literacy sensitive model of care in outpatient nephrology dietetic clinics.

Inadequate health literacy in people with chronic kidney disease is associated with poorer disease management and greater complications. Adherence to the renal diet is known to be suboptimal and patient feedback about the renal diet suggests that patients leave nephrology clinics feeling confused. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of a health literacy sensitive model of care (MOC) in outpatient nephrology dietetic clinics. This quasi-experimental non-randomised pre-post study recruited adults attending three renal dietitian clinics. The revised MOC consisted of a renal diet question prompt sheet, teachback, and plain language materials and instructions. Outcomes assessed included clinical, dietary, patient-reported satisfaction and quality of life. Differences between and within groups were analysed using paired t-tests, independent sample t-tests (or non-parametric equivalent), chi-squared and McNemar's tests. Linear mixed models evaluated change in total diet quality score, fruit, vegetable, protein and dairy intake with time as a fixed effect and a random subject specific effect. Fail to attend rates at the initial appointments were lower in the revised MOC (21.5% vs. 9.1%). The revised MOC was associated with significantly improved fruit (p = 0.03) and vegetable (p = 0.003) intake and an improved proportion with adequate diet quality (p = 0.03). These impacts were of moderate effect size (d = 0.5, 95% confidence interval = 0.0-1.0). The revised MOC was also associated with greater satisfaction at baseline (p = 0.04) and higher acceptability scores for all questions at the review appointments. Quality of life improved clinically but not significantly in the revised MOC (p = 0.92). This low-cost health literacy sensitive intervention is a promising strategy to improve fruit and vegetable intake in adults attending renal dietitian clinics. Further research to determine fidelity of teachback use and cost utility analysis would be beneficial. Larger scale trials powered to detect changes in quality of life would also be informative.

Development of a unified framework of low-rank approximation and deep neural networks for predicting the spatial variability of SSC in `Spania' watermelons using vis/NIR hyperspectral imaging

Soluble Solids Content (SSC) is an important quality attribute that represents the internal quality of fruits. Visible and near-infrared (Vis/NIR) combined with chemometric algorithms are now popular methods for non-invasive measurement and visualization of SSC. However, in fruits with a thick rind and a large flesh volume, such as watermelon, SSC is not evenly distributed across the fruit. The variability in SSC across the fruit flesh may have an adverse effect on the accuracy of quality analysis algorithms. Thus, this paper presents an accurate and efficient approach for predicting the spatial variation of SSC in watermelons using a combined framework of low-rank approximation and deep neural networks. Watermelon ‘Spania’ was selected for this study, and hyperspectral images of each watermelon were taken from various views, including the top, bottom, and two lateral views. The low-rank property is employed as a constraint in this approach to eliminate the unwanted variations in the spectral data. The low-rank component of the spectral data, free of unwanted variations, is then fed into a fully connected neural network (FNN) for the prediction of watermelon SSC values. The proposed approach obtained optimal performance in calibration and prediction with RC2=0.982, RMSEP = 0.132, and RP2=0.945, RMSEP = 0.195 respectively. Further, the prediction outcomes of the proposed method were compared with state-of-the-art such as Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR), Support Vector Regression (SVR), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Decision Tree (DT), and Random Forest (RF). The overall results showed that combining HSI data with a low-rank and deep neural network framework is an efficient method for accurately predicting SSC in watermelons as well as correctly predicting spatial variability of SSC in individual fruits.

Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus infection affects the physiology and biochemistry of leaves and the quality of fruits of Tuscany (Italy) autochthonous apple varieties

AbstractThe present study focused on three autochthonous varieties of apple trees belonging to the old Tuscany germplasm (central Italy), Chitignano, Mora and Ruggine, and aimed to (a) evaluate the presence of the four main latent viruses of apple trees (apple chlorotic leaf spot virus [ACLSV], apple mosaic virus [ApMV], apple stem grooving virus [ASGV] and apple stem pitting virus [ASPV]) and (b) elucidate the biochemical and physiological responses of apple leaves and fruits challenged by ACLSV (the only virus detected). Indeed, despite no visible symptoms being reported, more than half of the assayed trees tested positive for ACLSV, although it occurred only in Mora and Ruggine. ACLSV impaired the photosynthetic performance of apple trees, especially in Ruggine leaves, but variety‐specific responses in terms of reorganization of photosynthetic pigment and primary metabolites were reported. Mora showed a higher ability to trigger the de‐epoxidation state of xanthophylls and to accumulate α‐tocopherol, while d‐glucose and sucrose increased only in infected Ruggine leaves, probably as a signalling response and/or an osmotic adjustment of this variety under ACLSV infection. Unexpectedly, ACLSV infection slightly increased pome size, but it dramatically reduced their quality (i.e., soluble solids content), again especially in Ruggine, the only variety where reductions of d‐fructose, d‐glucose and malic acid contents were reported. Overall, the evidence here reported could offer valuable insights to effectively cope with the detrimental viral diseases affecting this species and to protect the production of one of the most consumed and appreciated fruits in the world.

Physicochemical and Color Changes During Fruit Ripening in Pepper Species (C. annuum L., C. baccatum L., and C. chinense Jacq.) Exposed to Salt Stress

This study examines the impact of salt stress on the physicochemical and color characteristics of three pepper species (Capsicum annuum L., Capsicum baccatum L., and Capsicum chinense Jacq.) at different ripening periods. Peppers were exposed to 0 mM, 50 mM, and 100 mM NaCl during the green, breaking, and red ripening periods. The results showed that salt stress significantly influenced moisture content, total ash, pH, titratable acidity, water activity, and color parameters. C. chinense had the highest moisture content and water activity, while C. annuum demonstrated a higher total ash content and pigment density (ASTA value). As fruits ripened, moisture content decreased, and total ash content increased. Salt stress caused reductions in water activity, pH, and titratable acidity, with high salt concentrations leading to increased water loss and a decline in fruit quality. Furthermore, salt stress reduced color parameters and ASTA values, indicating suppressed carotenoid pigment synthesis. The study highlights the importance of developing salt-tolerant pepper varieties, as salt stress negatively impacts the physiological and biochemical quality of peppers. These findings suggest that appropriate agronomic strategies and careful environmental monitoring are essential for sustainable pepper production, particularly in areas with saline soils. The results provide valuable insights into the mechanisms through which salt stress affects pepper fruit quality and suggest avenues for improving crop resilience.

Identification of Key Traits for Yield Improvement in Brinjal Through Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis

Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.), also known as poor man’s vegetable, is widely distributed and grown in almost all parts of India. The assessment of genetic variation, correlation and path analysis for various yield and yield attributing traits in the available germplasm is crucial for selecting superior genotypes with desired traits such as yield, fruit quality, disease resistance, and adaptability to environmental conditions, thereby enhancing the potential for further crop improvement through breeding. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the phenotypic correlation and path coefficient among various yield and yield related traits for 42 genotypes of brinjal at the Horticulture Research Centre, SVPUA&T, Meerut (U.P.), India, over two consecutive Kharif seasons in 2022 and 2023 in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The analysis of variance indicated significant variability across all the traits examined. In general, magnitudes of genotypic correlation coefficient were higher than their corresponding phenotypic correlation coefficient, implying a significant inherent relationship in different pair of traits. Based on the correlation coefficient analysis, fruit yield per plant had significant and positive association with fruit yield per plot, fruit yield per hectare, fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, fruit length and fruit girth both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis showed that the traits viz., number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, fruit girth and fruit length exhibited highest direct effects on fruit yield and also indirectly influenced by the other yield contributing traits of brinjal. It is concluded from the study that these traits may be used as key indices towards the direct selection of elite genotypes for the successful breeding programme for yield improvement of brinjal germplasm.

Alterations in quality characteristics and bioactive compounds of blackberry fruits subjected to postharvest salicylic acid treatment during cold storage

AbstractBlackberry deteriorates rapidly after harvest due to its sensitive structure, limiting their storage time to about a week and resulting in significant economic losses. The study was conducted to determine the effects of salicylic acid applications on postharvest fruit quality in blackberries, the harvested fruit was immersed in salicylic acid solutions prepared at concentrations of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 mM for 15 min. Measurements and analyses such as weight loss, decay rate, soluble solids contents (SSC), pH, acidity, respiration rate, vitamin C, organic acids, and phenolic compounds were performed on fruits stored for 12 days with intervals of 4 days. Applying salicylic acid to fruits resulted in significantly less weight loss and decay rate. Salicylic acid application was effective in increasing SSC rate and decreasing titratable acidity with increasing storage time, and lower SSC and higher titratable acidity were measured with this application. Salicylic acid maintained organic acids and vitamin C postharvest. The decreases in individual phenolic compound levels occurred with extended storage time. Salicylic acid application generally was effective in maintaining concentrations of phenolic compounds during storage, and it was found to be effective on fruit quality, with effectiveness varying depending on application dosage. The study identified 1.5 mM as the most effective dosage of salicylic acid, which could be utilized to maintain postharvest quality and extend cold storage in blackberries.

Transcriptome and metabolome reveal the molecular mechanism of quality formation in different planting areas of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. ‘Jingudazao’ fruit

Both environmental and genetic factors have important influences on the quality formation of jujube fruit. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of fruit quality formation with the effects of soil and meteorological factors, transcriptome and metabolome analysis was conducted on Ziziphus jujuba Mill. ‘Jingudazao’ (JG) fruits were harvested from the three areas, Hebei (HB), Shanxi (SX), and Xinjiang (XJ) at the half-red stage. Firstly, meteorological factors and soil conditions have significant effects on jujube fruit quality characteristics. In compared groups, 331, 295, and 297 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified, while the principal DAMs pertaining to carbohydrates, organic acids, amino acids, derivatives, etc. showed that JG_HB had fewer DAMs than JG_XJ and JG_SX. Among them, 20 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 13 DAMs, and their derivatives participated in carbohydrates and acid metabolism. In addition, two DEGs and seven DAMs were involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. The results provide a valuable and theoretical foundation for the ecological planting and cultivation of jujube.

Characterization of Litchi Genotypes Based on Flowering and Fruit Characters

Twenty genotypes of litchi were selected from three district of Uttar Pradesh viz., Khushinagar, Gorakhpur and Deoria, and assessed based on traits related to fruit and flowering during 2023 and 2024 with following three replications. The flower disc colour was light yellow for all genotypes. Shahi took the longest (26 days) to flower, while GG-2 took the lowest (20.75 days). Panicle length ranged from a minimum of 38.95 cm in genotype DP-2 to a maximum of 48.20 cm in genotype KD-2. Panicles with maximum width of 30.34 cm and a minimum width of 19.98 cm were produced by the genotype KS-1 and GC-2, respectively. Eleven genotypes showed red colour, whereas nine genotypes showed the colour of crimson fruit. The genotype DP-2 (11.84) had the fewest fruits per cluster, whereas genotype DB-2 (14.03) had the most fruits per cluster. Fruit lengths varied, with GC-1 having the longest at 38.44 mm and DP-2 having the shortest at 34.26 mm. With a fruit diameter of 33.13 mm, the genotype GC-1 displayed the highest size, while DP-2 displayed the smallest (30.11 mm). Fruit weight varied with DB-2 having the highest weight (23.38 g) and DP-2 having the lowest (20.52 g). Genotype DP-2 had the lowest aril weight (13.43 g) and GP-2 had the greatest aril weight (15.28 g). Total soluble solids (TSS) varied by genotype; genotype KT-1 displayed the highest TSS (19.99 °Brix) and genotype DT-2 the lowest (18.40 °Brix). Based on a quick review of the data, China (0.51 %) had the highest titratable acidity, and KS-1 (0.34 %) had the lowest. The longest seeds (23.66 mm) were found in fruit of genotype GP-2, whilst the shortest seeds (21.17 mm) were found in genotype DP-2. Analogously, genotype DT-1 exhibited the smallest seed breadth, measuring 11.94 mm, whereas genotype DB-2 demonstrated the biggest seed breadth, measuring 13.88 mm. Genotypes GC-1 had the lowest seed weights (3.24 and 3240 g), while DB-2 and DP-1 had the highest seed and test weights (4.15 and 4150 g). The genotype DB-2 produced big fruit with more number of fruit per cluster. This genotype can be promoted for further evaluation.

Fruit and vegetable peel characteristics and their conversion to biosorbents using hydrothermal carbonization and pyrolysis: A review

Peels make up a considerable proportion of solid waste generated from fruit and vegetable production and processing. If not properly managed, they could contribute to environmental degradation through the dispersion of nutrient-rich leachate and the release of various greenhouse gases. Alternatively, these peels could be transformed to biosorbents, which could assist in the removal of pollutants of environmental and human health concerns from wastewaters. Using peels as raw material for biosorbent production is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective option for waste disposal. Peels also contain bio-activators, which can be used to activate the biosorbent produced, minimizing the use of synthetic chemicals for biosorbent activation. This review considers the different physicochemical characteristics of vegetable and fruit peels that make them suitable raw materials for biosorbent production. Additionally, their transformation to biosorbents using hydrothermal carbonization and pyrolysis is discussed. The review concludes with a discussion on the efficiency of peel-based biosorbents in the removal of diverse types of pollutants from wastewater.

Effects of Water, Fertilizer and Heat Coupling on Soil Hydrothermal Conditions and Yield and Quality of Annona squamosa

Seasonal drought and summer soil high-temperature stress in Southern China often lead to decreased yield and quality of Annona squamosa. It is important to explore reasonable and effective water and fertilizer management measures as well as cover measures to improve the soil hydrothermal conditions in orchards to realize the increase in yield and quality of Annona squamosa. This study involved a two-year (2022–2023) field experiment in Yun County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province, using three factors and a three-level orthogonal test, resulting in nine different experimental treatments for water, fertilizer and heat. The three irrigation levels were W1 (soil moisture content of 55% of field moisture capacity), W2 (soil moisture content of 75% of field moisture capacity) and W3 (soil moisture content of 85% of field moisture capacity). The three fertilizer levels were F1 (1666 kg·hm−2), F2 (2083 kg·hm−2) and F3 (2500 kg·hm−2), and the three cover methods were A1 (no cover), A2 (fresh grass cover) and A3 (straw cover). The effects of these treatments on soil hydrothermal conditions, growth indices and fruit yield and quality of Annona s1uamosa were systematically monitored and analyzed, and the relationships between these treatments and yield and quality was analyzed based on a Mantel test. The results showed that T5 (W2F2A3) had the highest average soil moisture content over two years, followed by T7 (W3F1A3). The T7 (W3F1A3) treatment effectively reduced soil temperature by 5 °C compared to T1 (W1F1A1). T5 (W2F2A3) had the highest average yield over two years, with an increase of 33.99% compared to T1 (W1F1A1). Additionally, T5 (W2F2A3) has the highest average soluble solids, soluble sugars and vitamin C content over two years, with increases of 28.13%, 13.36% and 4.86%, respectively, compared to T1 (W1F1A1). A Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between Annona squamosa growth and soil moisture content and soil temperature, and the Mantel test showed that soil hydrothermal conditions had significant influence on the growth and yield. T5 (W2F2A3) has the highest comprehensive benefit in promoting growth, increasing yield and improving quality for the plant. The effects of different irrigation quantities, fertilizer amounts and different cover measures on the coupling interaction for soil hydrothermal status in the root zone, growth, yield and quality of Annona squamosa were investigated, providing reliable theoretical support for the scientific planting model of Annona squamosa in the low-heat river valley of Yunnan Province.

The underlying molecular mechanisms of hormonal regulation of fruit color in fruit-bearing plants.

Fruit color is a key feature of fruit quality, primarily influenced by anthocyanin or carotenoid accumulation or chlorophyll degradation. Adapting the pigment content is crucial to improve the fruit's nutritional and commercial value. Genetic factors along with other environmental components (i.e., light, temperature, nutrition, etc.) regulate fruit coloration. The fruit coloration process is influenced by plant hormones, which alsoplay a vital role in various physiological and biochemical metabolic processes. Additionally, phytohormones play a role in the regulation of a highly conserved transcription factor complex, called MBW (MYB-bHLH-WD40). The MBW complex, which consists of myeloblastosis (MYB), basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH), and WD40 repeat (WDR) proteins, coordinates the expression of downstream structural genes associated with anthocyanin formation. In fruit production, the application of plant hormones may be important for promoting coloration. However, concerns such as improper concentration or application time must be addressed. This article explores the molecular processes underlying pigment formation and how they are influenced by various plant hormones. The ABA, jasmonate, and brassinosteroid increase anthocyanin and carotenoid formation, but ethylene, auxin, cytokinin, and gibberellin have positive as well as negative effects on anthocyanin formation. This article establishes the necessary groundwork for future studies into the molecular mechanisms of plant hormones regulating fruit color, ultimately aiding in their effective and scientific application towards fruit coloration.

Enhancing the fruit yield and quality of pomegranate in a new niche area: Insights into site specific agronomic practices

The sustained higher profitability of a pomegranate orchard relies heavily on the production of a greater proportion of high-quality fruits, a goal achievable through the implementation of effective management practices. The objective of this study is to provide site-specific supplementary knowledge regarding the response of pomegranate plants to various management practices under arid conditions. With the aim of enhancing both marketable fruit yield and quality of pomegranate in arid regions, four separate and simultaneous experiments were conducted in the same orchard to evaluate (i) the response of planting materials derived from tissue culture, air layering, and cutting; (ii) the impact of crop (fruit) load; (iii) the response of crop regulation; and (iv) the application response of organo-mineral fertilizers containing potassium (OMF-K) and phosphorus (OMF-P). The results obtained for plant growth, fruit yield, and fruit quality did not exhibit significant differences among pomegranate plants raised through the three different methods of vegetative propagation. Striking results in terms of producing superior-grade fruits, higher marketable yield, and overall fruit quality were achieved with crop loads of 80 fruits per plant. Staggering the crop regulation from June to September effectively extended the harvesting season to four months, from the last week of November to March, with eventual benefit of reduced fruit cracking compared to the standard two-month harvesting period obtained from normal regulation. Soil application of the indigenously developed OMF-K in two equal splits, along with the recommended N and P through inorganic sources, significantly reduced fruit cracking (only 6.23%) compared to the recommended NPK through inorganic sources (26.9%), while maintaining similar physicochemical quality attributes.

Jasmonate and salicylic sprays improve cherry tomato fruit productivity and quality in unheated greenhouses

Introduction. Arable regions often have insufficient soil nutrients, which means that fertilizers must be used. However, using fertilizers excessively can harm the environment, human health, and food safety. Natural growth regulators derived from plants are environmentally friendly and reasonably priced. Salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) phytohormones are crucial for enhancing plant biomass, quality, productivity, and resistance to environmental stresses. Objective. To evaluate the foliar effect of MeJA and SA on fruit quality and production of cvs. colorful tomato under greenhouse conditions. Materials and methods. The trial was carried out in the University of Diyala, Iraq, from 1 December, 2022 to 5 June 2023. Foliar of 0, 200 mg/L SA and or 200 mg/L MeJA was evaluated to determine effects on fruit quality and production of colorful cherry tomato cultivars indeterminate: LA4013, LA353, LA2921, LA3899 and IQ2, with a randomized complete block design with each treatment having three replicates. Results. The cv. IQ2 had the heaviest fruit (82.13 g), highest yield (4.56 kg/plant), total yield (4.56 t/house) and highest treatable acidity (0.62 %). The cv. LA4013 had a higher fruit number (612.88 fruit/plant) and the highest total soluble solids (2.933 %). Foliar of SA at 200 mg/L had the highest chlorophyll index (36.68 SPAD) highest fruits per plant (373.73), highest yield (3.15 kg/plant) and total yield (3.93 t/house). Conclusion. When considering all variables together, the best genotypes were IQ2 and LA4013, which were found to be superior to the other genotypes in quality and yield trials. The 200 mg/L foliar SA improved the yield and quality of cherry tomatoes under greenhouse conditions.

Impact of fertilizer doses on soil properties, vegetative growth, fruit quality and biochemical compounds of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch)

Fertilizers are important for plant growth, yield enhancement, and achieving food security, but overdose can have negative effects. This study sought to determine the impact of different fertilizer doses on soil properties, vegetative growth, fruit quality, and biochemical compounds of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) cv. ‘Camarosa’. During the years 2022-2023, strawberry seedlings were grown in pots in a greenhouse. Four increasing dosages of fertilizers were applied. The results showed that following treatment, electrical conductivity and soil organic matter rose to maximum values of 176.26 µS. cm-1 and 2.63%, respectively, with d2 treatment. However, the pH was initially high before dropping considerably to 7.34 with d4 dosage. Treatment d1 was highly suggested for enhanced fruit number (5.8) and total yield (729 g. plant-1). The treatment d2 produced the highest fruit weight (24.3 g), volume (27.71 cm3), length (5.55 cm), and width (5.15 cm). The medium dose d3 drastically increased leaf area (2652.76 cm2), total soluble solids (7.4 °Brix), total phenols (1,332.54 mg GAE· L-1) and antioxidant activity (89.53%), but not significantly. The maximum petiole length (12.66 cm), petiole number (29.4), chlorophyll content, runners number (6), roots length (22.33 cm), fresh root and shoot weight (73.11 and 96.41 g), root and shoot dry weight (10.84 and 30.64 g), were recorded at d4 treatment. In control plants, all of these measures were lower, despite having higher fruit pH (3.72), titratable acidity (0.87%), and flowers number (4.40). In conclusion, increasing fertilizer doses may affect soil and strawberry plant qualities, and farmers must use them appropriately.

Effect of Pruning on the Growth and Yield of Indeterminate and Determinate Tomato Variety in the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria

Pruning is a management practice that helps to increase fruit yield and quality of fruit, better aeration, better exposure of foliage to sunlight and photosynthetic. Pruning is not a common practice among tomato growers in Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria and most of the farmers have no idea about it. Field trials were conducted concurrently during the dry season of 2020 on the Research Farms of the Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru (11o 11ꞌN, 07o 38ꞌE 686 m above sea level) and Farmers field in Kujama, (9o 34ꞌN, 8 o 18ꞌE 740m above sea level) in the Northern Guinea Savanna Ecological Zones of Nigeria; to determine the effect of pruning on the growth and yield of indeterminate and determinate hybrid tomato varieties. The experiment consisted of 12 treatments comprising of three pruning techniques (no-pruning, pruning on one stem and two stems) and four varieties of tomato (1 indeterminate hybrid tomato; Larisa F1, 2 determinate hybrid Delta F1, and Platinum F1), and one determinate open pollinated variety (UC82B). The four varieties of tomato with three pruning techniques were factorially combined and laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The result at both locations showed varietal significant differences on growth parameters such as higher plant height, shoot dry weight, leaf area index, crop growth rate, relative crop growth rate, and yield attribute such as fruit diameter, fruits weight per plant, where Larisa F1 performed better than other varieties. Pruning tomato plant to two- stem and one-stem significantly increased growth parameters where two-stem pruned plants performed best. Variety × pruning interaction on total fresh fruit yield indicated that the combination of Larisa F1 with two-stem was found suitable for maximum fruit yield though at par with Larisa F1 one-stem and unpruned.

Transcriptomic and coexpression network analyses revealed the regulatory mechanism of Cydia pomonella infestation on the synthesis of phytohormones in walnut husks

The codling moth (Cydia pomonella) has a major effect on the quality and yield of walnut fruit. Plant defences respond to insect infestation by activating hormonal signalling and the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. However, little is known about the role of walnut husk hormones and flavonoid biosynthesis in response to C. pomonella infestation. The phytohormone content assay revealed that the contents of salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), jasmonic acid-isoleucine conjugate (JA-ILE), jasmonic acid-valine (JA-Val) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) increased after feeding at different time points (0, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h) of walnut husk. RNA-seq analysis of walnut husks following C. pomonella feeding revealed a temporal pattern in differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with the number increasing from 3,988 at 12 h to 5,929 at 72 h postfeeding compared with the control at 0 h postfeeding. Walnut husks exhibited significant upregulation of genes involved in various defence pathways, including flavonoid biosynthesis (PAL, CYP73A, 4CL, CHS, CHI, F3H, ANS, and LAR), SA (PAL), ABA (ZEP and ABA2), and JA (AOS, AOC, OPR, JAZ, and MYC2) pathways. Three gene coexpression networks that had a significant positive association with these hormonal changes were constructed based on the basis of weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). We identified several hub transcription factors, including the turquoise module (AIL6, MYB4, PRE6, WRKY71, WRKY31, ERF003, and WRKY75), the green module (bHLH79, PCL1, APRR5, ABI5, and ILR3), and the magenta module (ERF27, bHLH35, bHLH18, TIFY5A, WRKY31, and MYB44). Taken together, these findings provide useful genetic resources for exploring the defence response mediated by phytohormones in walnut husks.