Citrus Reticulata Research Articles

Ferroelectric, Magnetic and Dielectric Properties of SrCo0.2Zn0.2Fe11.6O18.8 Hexaferrite Obtained by “One-Pot” Green Sol-Gel Synthesis Utilizing Citrus reticulata Peel Extract

SrCo0.2Zn0.2Fe11.6O18.8 hexaferrite was obtained by a “one-pot” green sol-gel synthesis method utilizing aqueous mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) peel extract as an eco-friendly reactant. The research objective was to analyze the influence of cobalt and zinc co-doping and the synthesis process on the structure, morphology, magnetic, dielectric and ferroelectric properties of strontium hexaferrite in view of future applications. Structural and morphological characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDX) confirmed the formation of a Co and Zn ion incorporated M-type magnetoplumbite with c/a lattice parameter ratio of 3.919 as crystallite nanoplatelets of 32 and 53 nm in thickness and width, respectively. The magnetic hysteresis loop of the synthesized powder recorded by a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature confirmed its ferromagnetic nature with a coercive field (Hc) of 2539 Oe and a saturation magnetization (Ms) and remanent magnetization (Mr) of 44.6 emu/g and 21.4 emu/g, respectively. Room temperature ferroelectric loops measured at 100 Hz showed a maximal (Pmax) and a remanent (Pr) polarization of 195.4 and 31.0 nC/cm2, respectively. Both increased when the magnitude of the applied electrical field increased in the 1–24 kV/cm range. The dielectric constant decreased with the frequency increase, in accordance with the Maxwell–Wagner model, while the conductivity changed according to the Jonscher power law. The complex impedance was modeled with an equivalent circuit, enabling identification of the dominant contribution of grain boundary resistance (272.3 MΩ) and capacitance (7.16 pF).

Oviposition by the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), on five citrus types in a laboratory

AbstractFrugivorous insects use visual, chemical and tactile cues to find a suitable host for oviposition. However, these cues can vary greatly among fruit cultivars and condition, changing their susceptibility to fruit fly oviposition. The aims of this study were to (1) determine the effects of ripeness stage and damage on oviposition propensity by sexually mature, mated female oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), on five citrus types (species and cultivars) under choice and no‐choice conditions and (2) describe the oviposition behaviour of B. dorsalis on ripe fruit of the same five citrus types that were either damaged or undamaged under no‐choice conditions. All tests were conducted in the laboratory. The citrus types tested were Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck cv Delta Valencia orange, Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck cv Glen Ora Late navel orange, Citrus limon (L) (Burm.f.) cv Eureka lemon, Citrus paradisi (Macfad.) cv Star Ruby grapefruit and Citrus reticulata (Blanco) cv Nadorcott mandarin. Peel physical properties and essential oil composition were determined for each citrus type and stage. Oviposition propensity of B. dorsalis was significantly greater on damaged citrus but was not correlated with fruit diameter, peel thickness, oil gland density or oil gland size. A total of 45 aromatic compounds were found to be significant between the five cultivars investigated, and 6 of 11 compounds were significantly associated with over‐ripe fruits. Bactrocera dorsalis spent a significantly greater proportion of time ovipositing in damaged citrus and showed higher aggression when oviposition occurred in undamaged citrus. These results suggest that the removal of damaged and fallen fruit is important for controlling this pest in citrus orchards.

Computational Identification of Citrus reticulata L. microRNAs and the Cis-Acting Regulatory Elements to Predict the Expression Probability of Their Respective MIR Genes

Computational Identification of Citrus reticulata L. microRNAs and the Cis-Acting Regulatory Elements to Predict the Expression Probability of Their Respective MIR Genes

Ca2+- and Zn2+-dependent nucleases co-participate in nuclear DNA degradation during programmed cell death in secretory cavity development in Citrus fruits.

Calcium (Ca2+)- and zinc Zn2+-dependent nucleases play pivotal roles in plant nuclear DNA degradation in programmed cell death (PCD). However, the mechanisms by which these two nucleases co-participate in PCD-associated nuclear DNA degradation remain unclear. Here, the spatiotemporal expression patterns of two nucleases (CrCAN and CrENDO1) were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively during PCD in secretory cavity formation in Citrus reticulata 'Chachi' fruits. Results show that the middle and late initial cell stages and lumen-forming stages are key stages for nuclear degradation during the secretory cavity development. CAN and ENDO1 exhibited potent in vitro DNA degradation activity at pH8.0 and pH5.5, respectively. Quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, in situ hybridization assays, the subcellular localization of Ca2+ and Zn2+, and immunocytochemical localization showed that CrCAN was activated at the middle and late initial cell stages, while CrENDO1 was activated at the late initial cell and lumen-forming stages. Furthermore, we used immunocytochemical double-labelling to simultaneously locate CrCAN and CrENDO1. The DNA degradation activity of the two nucleases was verified by simulating the change of intracellular pH in vitro. Our results also showed that CrCAN and CrENDO1 worked respectively and co-participated in nuclear DNA degradation during PCD of secretory cavity cells. In conclusion, we propose the model for the synergistic effect of Ca2+- and Zn2+-dependent nucleases (CrCAN and CrENDO1) in co-participating in nuclear DNA degradation during secretory cavity cell PCD in Citrus fruits. Our findings provide direct experimental evidence for exploring different ion-dependent nucleases involved in nuclear degradation during plant PCD.

Flavonoids contribute most to discriminating aged Guang Chenpi (Citrus reticulata 'Chachi') by spectrum-effect relationship analysis between LC-Q-Orbitrap/MS fingerprint and ameliorating spleen deficiency activity.

To further explore the mechanism of "the longer storage time, the better bioactivity" of aged Guang Chenpi, the dry pericarp of Citrus reticulata 'Chachi' (CRC), a series of activity assessments were performed on spleen deficiency mice. The constituents in CRC with different storage years were analyzed by LC-Q-Orbitrap/MS. A total of 53 compounds were identified, and CRC stored for more than 5 years showed higher flavonoid content, especially that of polymethoxyflavones. Anti-spleen deficiency bioactivity analysis among various CRC with different storage years showed aged CRC (stored for more than 3 years) could significantly alleviate fatigue and depression behaviors much better, increase D-xylose and gastrin secretion, and upregulate the expression of the linking protein occludin in the colon walls. Results from 16S rDNA sequencing showed that aged CRC could downregulate the abundance of Enterococcus, Gemmata, Citrobacter, Escherichia_Shigella, and Klebsiella, which were significantly overrepresented in the model group. Bacteroides, Muribaculum, Alloprevotella, Paraprevotella, Alistipes, Eisenbergiella, and Colidextribacter were downregulated in the model group but enriched in the CRC groups. At last, the spectrum-effect relationship analysis indicated that flavonoids such as citrusin III, homoeriodictyol, hesperidin, nobiletin, and isosinensetin in aged CRC showed the highest correlation with better activity in ameliorating spleen deficiency by regulating gut microbiota. Flavonoids contribute most to discriminating aged CRC and could disclose the basis of "the longer storage time, the better bioactivity" of aged Guang Chenpi.

A deep neural network with electronic nose for water stress prediction in Khasi Mandarin Orange plants

Water stress is a significant environmental factor that hampers plant productivity and leads to various physiological and biological changes in plants. These include modifications in stomatal conductance and distribution, alteration of leaf water potential & turgor loss, altered chlorophyll content, and reduced cell expansion and growth. Additionally, water stress induces changes in the emission of volatile organic compounds across different parts of the plants. This study presents the development of an electronic nose (E-nose) system integrated with a deep neural network (DNN) to detect the presence and levels of water stress induced in Khasi Mandarin Orange plants. The proposed approach offers an alternative to conventional analytical methods that demand expensive and complex laboratory facilities. The investigation employs the leaf relative water content (RWC) estimation, a conventional technique, to evaluate water stress induction in the leaves of 20 plants collected over a span of 9 days after stopping irrigation. Supervised pattern recognition algorithms are trained using the results of RWC measurement, categorising leaves into non-stressed or one of four stress levels based on their water content. The dataset used for training and optimising the DNN model consists of 27 940 samples. The performance of the DNN model is compared to traditional machine learning methods, including linear and radial basis function support vector machines, k-nearest neighbours, decision tree, and random forest. From the results, it is seen that the optimised DNN model achieves the highest accuracy of 97.59% in comparison to other methods. Furthermore, the model is validated on an unseen dataset, exhibiting an accuracy of 97.32%. The proposed model holds the potential to enhance agricultural practices by enabling the detection and classification of water stress in crops, thereby aiding in water management improvements and increased productivity.

Sorption Capacity of Carbon-Based Mandarin Orange Peels for Removing Methylene Blue and Ibuprofen from Water

Pharmaceutical pollutants in water pose a serious environmental challenge. This research compared the adsorption capacity of mandarin orange peels (MOP) and activated carbon mandarin orange peels (AC-MOP) to adsorb methylene blue (MB) and Ibuprofen (IBF) from an aqueous solution. This is the first study to report on the uptake of Ibuprofen using carbonized mandarin orange peels activated with hydrochloric acid. The biomaterials were characterized using FTIR and SEM. Batch experiments with operational parameters such as pH, contact time, concentration and temperature were investigated for the adsorption of MB and IBF. Isotherms, kinetic calculations and thermodynamic parameters were calculated for the adsorption of MB and IBF. A positive ΔH° suggested the reaction was endothermic, and ΔG° values showed that the sorption process was spontaneous. The isotherm models best fit the Langmuir model with maximum sorption capacities of 74.15 and 78.15 mg/g for MB and IBF, respectively. The adsorption rate for MB was fast and took place within the first 10 min, whilst the removal of IBF was observed at 40 min. The kinetic model evaluation showed that pseudo-second-order was a suitable fit for the mechanism. The re-usability data indicated that the recovery of MB was 70.13%, and IBF was 87.17%. The adsorption capacity of IBF with the carbon-based MOP was higher than that of MB. The results indicated that AC-MOP could be used as an adsorbent for MB and IBF from water. The major advantage of this method is its effectiveness in reducing the concentration of dyes and pharmaceutical pollutants using inexpensive adsorbents.

Anti-melanogenic effects of the essential oil from Citrus reticulata blossom on B16-F10 melanoma cells and in vivo zebrafish embryos

While melanin plays a crucial role in shielding the skin from UV radiation, excessive production of melanin can lead to various skin-related disorders like melasma and solar lentigo. In this study, our focus was on exploring the potential of essential oil from Citrus reticulata blossom (EOB) as a potent anti-melanogenic agent. We subjected α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16-F10 cells and zebrafish embryos to EOB treatment to assess its effects. EOB demonstrated no cytotoxicity even at concentrations up to 500 μg/mL. Notably, EOB exhibited a significant dose-dependent inhibition of skin pigmentation in zebrafish. Additionally, in α-MSH-treated B16-F10 cells, EOB at concentrations of 62.5–500 μg/mL reduced intracellular tyrosinase activity and cellular melanin content. Furthermore, the expression levels of key transcription factors associated with melanogenic pathways—such as microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2)—decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner upon EOB treatment in B16-F10 cells. The remarkable anti-melanogenic effects exhibited by EOB suggest its potential utility in the cosmetics industry.

Ameliorative Role of Boron on Morpho-physiological Characters of Mandarin Orange Seedlings under Aluminium Stress Condition

Darjeeling mandarin orange is well known for its unique and delicious taste. It is also considered as one of the major cash crop of Darjeeling hills. But in recent past, the production has been declined drastically due to some of the biotic and abiotic factors. Acidic soils are mainly confined in this region which has a complex interaction of growth limiting factors that can restricts growth by inducing stress on plants through triggering aluminium stress and micronutrient Deficiency. This has resulted in declination in production and quality of mandarin orange grown in foothills of Darjeeling. Since boron is known to act as ameliorative role under aluminium toxicity, the present study was investigated to understand the effect of boron in mandarin orange seedlings grown under aluminium stress condition. Seedlings of Darjeeling mandarin orange were fertilized with Hoagland solution containing four levels of boron (i.e, 0µM, 5µM, 10µM and 25µM H3BO3) and two level of Aluminium (i.e., 0µM and 1200µM AlCl3.6 H2O) up to 22 weeks. Seedlings without boron and aluminium was treated as the control. Aluminium at higher concentration severely hinder physiological changes in terms of shoot length, leave numbers, leaf area, fresh shoot, root weight, chlorophyll content and carotenoid of mandarin seedlings. However, the application of boron improved the physiological attributes under higher concentration of aluminium. Furthermore, application of boron concentration at 10µM proved to be better treatment for mandarin seedlings grown under aluminium stress condition.

Degreening and Low Temperature Storage to Improve the Quality of Mandarin Orange

Several citrus species when physiologically ripe are still yellow-green in color, one of which is the Tangerine RGL (Rimau Gerga Lebong) grown in the city of Pagar Alam, South Sumatra. To improve the physical quality of tangerines, RGL can be applied with degreening technology and low-temperature storage. This study aims to examine the effect of degreening and low-temperature storage on physicochemical changes and to determine the optimum method of degreening and low-temperature storage on citrus quality. This study used a completely randomized 2-factor design. The first factor is degreening with 4 levels (0 ppm, 250 ppm, 500 ppm, 750 ppm), and the second factor is storage temperature with 3 temperature levels (10ºC, 20ºC, and room temperature). The results showed degreening increased the CCI value by 3.48-3.82, changing the skin color to uniformly yellow and did not affect the internal quality of the fruit. Treatment with a temperature of 10oC extended the shelf life of the fruit up to 29 days. The combination of 250 ppm ethepon and 10oC effectively suppressed weight loss to maintain the quality of RGL tangerines. Keywords: Degreening, Low-temperature storage, RGL tangerines, Shelf life, Uniform color

Potential of resistance inducers for citrus huanglongbing management via soil application and assessment of induction of pathogenesis-related protein genes

Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening currently is the most devastating citrus disease worldwide. Unfortunately, no practical cure has been available up to now. This makes the control of HLB as early as possible very important to be conducted. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the application of salicylic acid (SA) and Phenylacetic acid (PAA) on one-year-old seedlings of different citrus species (Citrus reticulata, C. sinensis, C. aurantifolii) growing on C. volkameriana and C. aurantium by soil drench methods. Factorial analysis of variance showed the percent change in “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” titer and disease severity on a different combination of citrus species growing on the two rootstocks treated with inducers and Oxytetracycline (OTC) were significantly different compared to the untreated plants. SA alone or in combination with OTC provided excellent (P-value < 0.05) control of HLB based on all parameters. The interaction between both factors (Rootstocks x Citrus species) significantly influenced the Ct value (P-value = 0.0001). “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” titer in plants treated with OTC was reduced significantly with a range of −18.75 up to −78.42. Overall, the highest reduction was observed in the application of OTC on sweet orange growing on C. volkameriana (−78.42), while the lowest reduction was observed in the same cultivar which was treated with a combination of SA and OTC (−3.36). Induction of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes, i.e., PR1, PR2, and PR15, biosynthesis of Jasmonic acid and ethylene which are also important pathways to defense activity were also significantly increased in treated plants compared to untreated plants. This study suggests that the application of inducer alone is acceptable for HLB management. We proposed the application of SA and PAA as a soil drench on the citrus seedlings as promising, easy, and environmentally safe for HLB disease control on citrus seedlings.

Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity and Drug Delivery Potential of Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles from Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. 'Dahongpao'.

Plant extracellular vesicles (PEVs) have attracted increasing attention due to their rich composition, good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, and ability to transport drugs. As a common fruit, citrus is an ideal material for extracting PEVs because of the diversity and abundance of bioactive substances in it. In our study, citrus-derived extracellular vesicles (CEVs) were extracted from red mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. 'Dahongpao') and it was found that they contain high levels of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. The high levels of total phenols and total flavonoids suggest that CEVs have good chemical antioxidant properties. We also demonstrated through cell experiments that CEVs have significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, we found that CEVs have an encapsulation rate of 71.5 ± 0.19% and a high drug-carrying capacity of 4.96 ± 0.22% and can enhance antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity when loaded with tangeretin. Our results show that CEVs contain abundant bioactive components, have low toxicity, exhibit good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and can serve as drug delivery agents. This study has important implications for utilizing citrus materials and developing natural anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory biomaterials.

Quality evaluation of ozone-processed Kinnow (Citrus reticulata Blanco) juice at ambient temperature

ABSTRACT Non-thermal processing has been developed to increase the quality and storage life of fruit juices in response to consumer desire. Ozonation is a recently developed method that generates volatile oxygen atoms that can eliminate a broad spectrum of microbes and extend the shelf stability of food products. The present research was intended to investigate the ozone processing on the physicochemical characteristics, microbiological quality, sensory attributes, and antioxidant potential of Kinnow juice. In this study, Kinnow juice was processed to 150 mg/h of ozone gas at a constant concentration for 5, 10, and 15 min. The sample was then taken in a plastic container and stored at 35°C ± 2 for three months. The results revealed that ozone processing had a significant (p˂0.05) effect on the total phenolics (TP) contents, total flavonoids (TF) contents, total soluble solids (TSS), acidity, total antioxidant activity (TAA) and DDPH radical scavenging activity of Kinnow juice. In addition, the ozonation application also significantly (p˂0.05) decreased the population of the microbes when the ozone time was increased from 5–15 min. Among the treatments, it was observed that T3 had the highest TSS, acidity, TF contents, TAA, and DDPH radical scavenging activity values and the lowest mold and plate counts. Regarding sensory qualities, T0+ showed the highest sensory score during storage. Thus, it may be concluded from the findings of our study that ozone application improved the quality of Kinnow juice by increasing TSS, phytochemicals and decreasing the microbial population, thereby prolonging their shelf life.

Egyptian mandarin peel oil's anti-scabies potential via downregulation-of-inflammatory/immune-cross-talk: GC–MS and PPI network studies

The current study investigated the scabicidal potential of Egyptian mandarin peel oil (Citrus reticulata Blanco, F. Rutaceae) against sarcoptic mange-in-rabbits. Analysis of the oil's GC–MS identified a total of 20 compounds, accounting for 98.91% of all compounds found. Mandarin peel oil topical application improved all signs of infection, causing a scabicidal effect three days later, whereas in vitro application caused complete mite mortality one day later. In comparison to ivermectin, histopathological analysis showed that the epidermis' inflammatory-infiltration/hyperkeratosis-had disappeared. In addition to TIMP-1, the results of the mRNA gene expression analysis showed upregulation of I-CAM-1-and-KGF and downregulation of ILs-1, 6, 10, VEGF, MMP-9, and MCP-1. The scabies network was constructed and subjected to a comprehensive bioinformatic evaluation. TNF-, IL-1B, and IL-6, the top three hub protein-coding genes, have been identified as key therapeutic targets for scabies. From molecular docking data, compounds 15 and 16 acquired sufficient affinity towards the three screened proteins, particularly both possessing higher affinity towards the IL-6 receptor. Interestingly, it achieved a higher binding energy score than the ligand of the docked protein rather than displaying proper binding interactions like those of the ligand. Meanwhile, geraniol (15) showed the highest affinity towards the GST protein, suggesting its contribution to the acaricidal effect of the extract. The subsequent, MD simulations revealed that geraniol can achieve stable binding inside the binding site of both GST and IL-6. Our findings collectively revealed the scabicidal ability of mandarin peel extract for the first time, paving the way for an efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly herbal alternative for treating rabbits with Sarcoptes mange.

Physiological responses and antioxidant properties of Citrus reticulata under different abiotic stresses mitigated by endogenous melatonin

A major commercial fruit in Pakistan, citrus plays an important role in the economy of the country. The current study examined antioxidant responses in citrus plants exposed to various abiotic stresses like industrial pollution, dust pollution, water logging, drought, and salinity, varying in soil properties and agro-climatic conditions, citrus species and cultivars are most susceptible to abiotic stresses in most citrus-producing countries. The effects of abiotic stresses on citrus plants and fruit physiology were studied in six different sites like Thal desert and pollution stressed areas of Faisalabad. A study of the physiological characteristics of various plants has revealed that citrus plants contain more chlorophyll as the concentration of melatonin increases. Integrative elemental and metabolic techniques have been used to study the potential role of melatonin in citrus defense against abiotic stress and to understand the interactions between melatonin and stress-related phytohormones at the elemental and metabolic levels. Citrus plants sensed abiotic stresses based on morphological observations and physiological analysis. Morphological analysis shows that the abiotic stresses adversely affected the leaves, stems and roots. Physiological analysis shows that antioxidant and micronutrients concentrations (boron (B), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), chlorine (Cl)) were also adversely effected in citrus plants. Iron concentration was also found higher in healthy plants with a slight difference. Results show that the activity of antioxidants was increased in stressed plants but the activity of melatonin was slightly changed in healthy plants.

Promoter characterization of a citrus linalool synthase gene mediating interspecific variation in resistance to a bacterial pathogen

BackgroundTerpenoids play essential roles in plant defense against biotic stresses. In Citrus species, the monoterpene linalool mediates resistance against citrus canker disease caused by the gram-negative bacteria Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc). Previous work had associated linalool contents with resistance; here we characterize transcriptional responses of linalool synthase genes.ResultsLeaf linalool contents are highly variable among different Citrus species. “Dongfang” tangerine (Citrus reticulata), a species with high linalool levels was more resistant to Xcc than “Shatian” pummelo (C. grandis) which accumulates only small amounts of linalool. The coding sequences of the major leaf-expressed linalool synthase gene (STS4) are highly conserved, while transcript levels differ between the two Citrus species. To understand this apparent differential transcription, we isolated the promoters of STS4 from the two species, fused them to a GUS reporter and expressed them in Arabidopsis. This reporter system revealed that the two promoters have different constitutive activities, mainly in trichomes. Interestingly, both linalool contents and STS4 transcript levels are insensitive to Xcc infestation in citrus plants, but in these transgenic Arabidopsis plants, the promoters are activated by challenge of a bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae, as well as wounding and external jasmonic acid treatment.ConclusionsOur study reveals variation in linalool and resistance to Xcc in citrus plants, which may be mediated by different promoter activities of a terpene synthase gene in different Citrus species.

Assessing the Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Farmer on the Biology and Management of Chinese Citrus Fly in Bagmati Province of Nepal

Chinese citrus fly is the major pest of sweet orange in citrus growing districts of Bagmati Province Nepal. Farmer’s production constrains and production problems such as Chinese citrus fly problem in sweet orange are not well documented and studied. This study was conducted in Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Dolakha and Kavre districts of Bagmati Province in 2021 with aim to understand the farmer’s perception, knowledge about CCF and their management practices using semi-structured questionnaire. Collected survey data was analyzed using the SPSS-20 and MS Excel. The survey results depicted that the intensity of Chinese citrus fly damage has been decreased in Sindhuli district with the infestation level of &lt; 20% in sweet orange orchard. However, CCF population as well as their damage level was in increasing trend of &gt; 50% in sweet orange orchard in Ramechhap, and &gt; 80% in Dolakha and Kavre district. Chinese citrus fly loss has been recorded up to 25% in Mandarin orange in Dolakha and Kavre district. Maximum Chinese citrus fly loss was recorded in sweet orange orchard in October month. Farmers usefully managed the dropping fruits by collecting in plastic bags and burying in pits. Great fruit fly bait, has been used for the CCF management in three districts except in Kavre. Majority of farmers reported that chemical pesticides are less effective or sometime not-effective for this pest management. This study provides a preliminary information about sweet orange orchard management practices, general pest problems, Chinese citrus fly and future management strategy in survey districts.

Determination of the chemical and mineral composition of citrus by-products in relation to its utilization as a feed raw material

The global food industry and especially fruit juice production generates millions of tons of organic waste annually. Citrus waste, also known as citrus pulp оr citrus pomace, is a residue obtained during various citrus juices production. This by-product has the potential to become an excellent source of essential nutrients in animal feeding. In the current study, the chemical and mineral composition were determined in the citrus waste by Orange (Citrus sinensis), Lemon (Citrus limon), Red grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Lime (Citrus aurantifolia), Pomelo (Citrus maxima). Waste products are derived from the production factory of freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices located in the village of Musachevo, Western Bulgaria. For all citrus waste, the following indicators were determined: dry matter (DM), moisture (RH), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), crude ash (CA), ether extract (EE), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), potassium (K). The mineral content was determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Their chemical and mineral composition analyses showed differences in the distribution of nutrients and minerals. The data obtained from the conducted analyses showed that citrus pulp could successfully replace some of the main raw materials in the animal’s ration, as it is a source of essential nutrients for it.

Comparison of The Salty Taste Test Results, The Olfactory Test Results, and Questionnaire Survey Results before the COVID-19 Epidemic (2019) and after the COVID-19 Epidemic (2022) in The Medical Examination for Residents of Yakumo Town, Hokkaido, Japan in the Same 100 Participants

Since 2005, we have conducted a questionnaire survey on taste and olfaction, the salty taste test, and the olfactory test in Yakumo Town, Hokkaido, Japan. However, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, resident screening was canceled in 2020 and 2021. We investigated the potential impact of COVID-19 by comparing results from the salty taste test, olfactory tests, and questionnaire surveys. Data were analyzed for a total of 100 individuals, 42 males, and 58 females, who underwent screening in both 2019 and 2022. The questionnaire survey included items regarding the subjective presence or absence of dizziness, tinnitus, headache, taste, smell, and saliva secretion. Furthermore, we obtained results from a salty taste test using the Solsave kit (manufactured by Advantech) and olfactory test results using the smell stick kit (manufactured by Daiichi Kogyo Co., Ltd.). Consequently, when comparing the results of the olfactory test between 2019 and 2022 for 42 males, a statistically significant difference (p = 0.004) emerged. The ability to understand odors was more challenging in 2022 compared to 2019. Specifically, distinguishing between the odors of perfume (p = 0.044), menthol (p = 0.032), mandarin orange (p = 0.032), and fried garlic (p = 0.019) proved to be difficult. Similarly, in the comparison of 2019 and 2022 for 58 females, there was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.033) in olfactory test results, indicating that comprehending odors was more difficult in 2022 than in 2019. Particularly, distinguishing between the odors of perfume (p = 0.026), mandarin orange (p = 0.026), and condensed milk (p = 0.018) presented challenges. There was no statistically significant difference in the results of the salty taste test and questionnaire survey for both males and females. To determine whether the observed changes in olfactory sense are due to aging changes over the three years or the effects of COVID-19, ongoing investigation is crucial. It is necessary to continue assessing whether this diminished sense of smell will recover in the future.

Post-Harvest application of some calcium forms to improve quality and shelf life of mandarin fruits during storage

Post-Harvest application of some calcium forms to improve quality and shelf life of mandarin fruits during storage