High Fruit Research Articles

A successful cultivation of Flammulina elastica, distantly related to the widely cultivated species F. filiformis

ABSTRACT Flammulina elastica is a white-rot basidiomycete fungus sheltered in the Northern Hemisphere. Although F. filiformis, popularly known as the enoki mushroom, is widely cultivated, few attempts have been made to produce F. elastica in South Asia. In this study, we examined the relationships between the taxa of Flammulina based on the ribosomal Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence and taxonomic characteristics. The morphological studies and ITS-based molecular results confirm the species as F. elastica. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that F. elastica belongs to a distinct clade. The species showed a large cap size and thick pileus with high fruit body weight. The lamellae of F. elastica are adnate, whitish to yellowish brown. The present study successfully standardised the cultivation technology of F. elastica under controlled growth conditions, with 18.6% biological efficiency on wheat straw-based substrate. The fruit bodies comprise 51.4% total carbohydrates and 24.5% protein on a dry weight basis. Higher β-glucan (47.3% w/w) was also reported in the fruit body, with considerable antioxidant activity. Moreover, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) studies revealed the presence of higher functional groups compared to F. filiformis. The experimental findings will popularise the cultivation of this mushroom in South Asian countries and temperate regions of India.

Selected Psychosocial Factors, Nutritional Behavior, and the Analysis of Concentrations of Selected Vitamins in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide, influenced by the interaction of factors, including age, sex, genetic conditions, overweight/obesity, hypertension, an abnormal lipid profile, vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, and psychological factors. This study aimed to assess the relationships between psychosocial and nutritional factors in a group of 61 patients with CVD (i.e., atherosclerosis, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and myocardial infarction) and their possible impact on the course of the disease. The plasma concentrations of vitamins A, E, D, and β-carotene were determined using validated HPLC-MS/MS, while the lipid profile was analyzed enzymatically. Psychosocial factors and nutritional behaviors were assessed using author-designed questionnaires. Over 50% of patients had 25-OH-D3 and retinol deficiencies, while >85% of patients exhibited significant deficiencies in α-tocopherol and β-carotene. The lipid profile showed no specific relationship with any particular CVD. Dietary behavior minimally impacted biochemical parameters except for higher β-carotene concentrations in the group with higher fruit and vegetable intake. The negative impact of the CVD on selected parameters of quality of life was noticed. To increase the effectiveness of the prevention and treatment of CVD, the need for interdisciplinary cooperation observed between doctors, psychologists, and specialists in human nutrition seems to be justified.

Adapting the process based STICS model to simulate phenology and yield of table grapes- a high value fruit crop in a new emerging viticulture zone of South Asia

Plants strongly interact with their environment making phenology a sensitive indicator of climatic variability. Exploring the possibility of early prediction of phenological timings of table grape cultivars has huge socioeconomic benefits for the growers. Various statistical, mechanistic, and theoretical approaches have been used for parameterization of phenology models mainly for wine grapes. The studies on application of process-based models such as STICS (Simulateur mulTIdisciplinaire pour les Cultures Standard) particularly for table grapes and non-traditional viticulture zones are rather limited. The objective of this study was to calibrate the STICS model and evaluate its performance to simulate phenology and yield of four table grape cultivars in Pothwar- a new emerging viticulture zone of south Asia. For this, phenological timings, growth and yield responses were evaluated at two locations (Islamabad and Chakwal) for two consecutive vintages (2019 and 2020). Daily weather data, soil characteristics, genotype and crop specific data were recorded for model calibration. The results indicated a high robustness of the model for simulating table grapes phenology and yield in all cases. The model simulations indicated a satisfactory to high model efficiency (ME) of 0.69 to 0.94 with a prediction variability up to 4 days for growth stages, whereas ME for yield and pruning weight was 0.84 and 0.90, respectively. The model provided an efficient decision support tool (DST) though crucial predictions for viticulture industry. For instance, early maturity (up to 10 days), lesser yield (19–34 %) and pruning weight (19–42 %) for the warmer location (Chakwal) than for the colder Islamabad were simulated by the model with a high skill. The proximity of predicted values to observed values indicates that STICS is powerful tool for predicting vine phenology and yield, thus it provides a valuable insight in timely planning vineyards operations at key growth stages and selecting cultivars with higher yield for sustainable viticulture.

Association of childhood food consumption and dietary pattern with cardiometabolic risk factors and metabolomics in late adolescence: prospective evidence from ‘Children of 1997’ birth cohort

BackgroundHealthy diet might protect against cardiometabolic diseases, but uncertainty exists about its definition and role in adolescence.MethodIn a subset of Hong Kong’s ‘Children of 1997’ birth cohort (n=2844 out of...

Naturalization of Prunus laurocerasus in a forest in Germany

The cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is a very popular garden plant and has been widely reported as a garden escape in Central Europe. However, it is still considered an unestablished neophyte in Germany. Few critical data are available on local population sizes, life history or reproductive biology outside its natural range. We carried out a study with 24 transects of 500 m × 6 m in the Kottenforst near Bonn, western Germany to fill these knowledge gaps. Along these transects we recorded the plant number and plant sizes and analysed their age structure. We found Prunus laurocerasus along 19 of 24 transects with up to 63 individual per transect. The largest plants covered areas of up to 50 m2 and were up to 30 years old. However, most of the plants were less than 20 years old and established since 2000. Since we observed high fruit set and old plants surrounded by many seedlings we conclude that Prunus laurocerasus has to be considered as an established neophyte in our study area and has invasive potential.

Characterization And Genetic Relationship of Several Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Genotypes from Various Regions

The research aims to obtain information about the morphological characters and genetic relationships of several tomato genotypes from various regions. The study was conducted from May to October 2023 at the Experimental Garden and Plant Breeding Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Riau. The research used a randomized block design (RBD) consisting of eight genotypes and four repeats, and 32 experimental units were obtained. The observations were made to observe some qualitative characters. Qualitative data were analyzed using principal component analysis and cluster analysis to see genetic relationships. The results showed that the Magelang genotype (T27) had a high average plant fruit weight of 619.74 g, the Pane tongah (T24) had an average thick fruit flesh of 6.05 mm, the Silimakuta (T22) had an average large fruit size of 63.28 g. In contrast, the Purba (T25) had an average number of large planting fruits of 15.41 pieces. Grouping eight tomato genotypes based on clustering of MC1 and MC2 and cutting the dendrogram at a 90% similarity rate resulted in six groups. Group One consists of three genotypes, specifically Silimakuta (T22), Alahan Panjang (T26), and Magelang (T27). Group Two has Raya (T23), Group Three has Purba (T25), Group Four has Pane tongah (T24), group five has Servo F1 and group six has Ratna. The closest kinship based on the smallest euclidiean distance value is the Silimakuta (T22) and Alahan panjang (T26), with a value of 19.44. The genotypes with the farthest similarity are Raya (T23) and Purba (T25) because they have a 46.24 genetic distance

Localised and tree total crop loads influence trunk growth, return fruit set, yield, and fruit quality in apples

Localised fruit thinning strategies must be investigated to improve precision crop load management in narrow-canopy, multileader apple trees. This study aimed to determine the effects of within-leader and tree total crop load on leaders’ and trunk’s growth, fruit set, yield, and fruit quality in ‘Ruby Matilda’ apples (marketed as Pink Lady®) over three years. Different crop loads were imposed on two leaders (primary and secondary) of bi-axis trees. Leader and trunk relative growth rate, return fruit set, yield, and fruit quality parameters at harvest were measured. High within-leader crop loads led to a significant increase in yield and reductions in trunk growth, return fruit set, and deterioration of fruit quality parameters except for flesh firmness and starch index. Similar trends were observed in whole-tree relationships. High crop load in secondary leaders had moderate negative effects on trunk growth, yield, and fruit mass of primary leaders; it only marginally affected their return fruit set and had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on their fruit quality. A crop load of 6.8 fruit no. cm−2 of leader cross-sectional area was estimated to achieve a relatively consistent return fruit set within the same leader. At a whole-tree level, a similar crop load (6.9 fruit no. cm−2 of trunk cross-sectional area) produced a consistent return fruit set despite its higher variability. These crop loads produced high yields (120 and 111 t ha−1, respectively) and good quality fruit. Using individual leaders as management units is recommended to simplify operations and reduce variability.

Environmental transport of excess nitrogen fertilizer in peach orchard: Evidence arising from 15N tracing trial

In pursuit of high fruit yield, overwhelming amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizer was unreasonably applied in orchard, resulting in lower fertilizer N uptake and higher environmental loss. It is crucial to propose appropriate fertilization timing and optimal N management by clarifying fruit tree N uptake pattern in orchard systems. Here, a 15N isotope enrichment trial was conducted in peach orchard to assess the transport of applied synthesized fertilizer-N to the plant and environment in the Taihu Lake region. Ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4, 10.12 atom % 15N), as the N source, was applied with four split applications at 382.5 kg N ha−1 during one plant growth cycle. Results showed N deriving from fertilizer (NDFF) accounted for 24.5% in leaves and 38.4% in fruits, respectively. During the annual growth cycle, the applied fertilizer-N uptake and utilization was higher in reproductive growth stage than vegetative growth stage. After harvest, 28.8% of applied fertilizer-N was absorbed by peach tree, 9.5% was lost to the environment through surface runoff, ammonia (NH3) volatilization and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission, 29.6% was retained in the 0–160 cm soil profile, the remaining 32.1% was unaccounted N including N leaching and N loss from the N removal progress. Generally, more applied fertilizer-N moved to the environment in high N input peach orchard. In order to promote optimal N management, the applied fertilizer-N rate should be reduced by 30% and emphasized on fertilization at the reproductive growth period according to tree N uptake pattern.

Productive Specialty Eggplant Cultivars Suitable for Small Farms in the Southeastern Coastal Plain

Specialty eggplants (Solanum melongena L.), cultivars with fruit shapes, sizes, and colors different from the typical teardrop-shaped, dark purple eggplant fruit, are an underproduced vegetable commodity in the southeastern United States. Seven cultivars representing seven different fruit types were grown in Charleston, SC, USA, in Spring and Fall 2018 and 2019 to assess cultivar productivity and net return. Despite year-to-year variability, Hansel (Chinese type), Millionaire (Japanese type), and Gretel (white fruit) generally had greater weights of both marketable (US Fancy and No. 1 fruit) and edible (US Fancy, No. 1 and No. 2) fruit than Fairy Tale (Sicilian type) and Patio Baby (Indian type), whereas the globe-fruited cultivars Black Beauty (heirloom) and Rosa Bianca (Italian type), had intermediate yields. Yields of plants after ratooning in the fall were lower than in the spring before ratooning. Prices per carton paid by local food hubs for US Fancy, No. 1, and No. 2 fruit were two to three times greater than wholesale terminal market prices. Nevertheless, fruit weights were a greater determinant of net returns than prices were. Growers in the southeastern coastal plain can maximize net returns from specialty eggplant crops by choosing cultivars that produce high fruit weights.

Aligning health, environment, and cost aspects of diets: Identifying sustainable dietary patterns in China

Considering the adverse effects of agricultural-food systems on both human health and the environment, this research aimed to identify sustainable diets, which are nutritious, culturally acceptable, affordable, and have low environmental impacts, based on self-reported diets in China. Dietary data was collected with a 3-day 24-h dietary recall and weight food record combined method among 10,324 subjects aged 18–64 year, who participated in the China Health Nutrition Survey 2011. Diet quality was assessed by the Chinese Healthy Eating Index 2016 (CHEI2016). Environmental impact was measured by greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), total water use (TWU), and land use (LU), and diet costs were calculated using market prices of community surveys. Reduced rank regression derived dietary patterns with 34 food groups as predictor variables, and used CHEI2016 score, dietary greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), total water use (TWU), land use (LU), and cost of the diet as response variables. Four dietary patterns were identified. Participants with the highest adherence (decile 10) to the “High animal-based food” pattern showed higher dietary GHGE (+57%), TWU (+51%), and LU (+54%) and dietary costs (+64%), compared to the average population's diets. The diet in decile 10 for the “High fruit, low ruminant meat” pattern displayed a 21% higher CHEI2016 score, and higher dietary environmental impact (GHGE +17%; TWU +22%; LU +19%) and dietary costs (+46%) than the average diets. Diets of participants who followed the “High fish, low beverages” pattern showed higher environmental impact (GHGE +39%; TWU +32%; LU +28%) and dietary costs (+19%), but the CHEI2016 score was similar (+0.1%). Finally, the “High wheat, low pork” pattern demonstrated lower environmental impacts (GHGE -17%, TWU -12%, LU -2%) and lower cost of the diet (−2%) but also lower CHEI2016 score (−1%) compared to average population. This study reveals the complex trade-offs between diet quality, environmental sustainability, and dietary costs of current dietary patterns. None of the four patterns achieved the desirable combination of high CHEI2016 scores, reduced environmental impact, and reduced dietary costs. The findings offer insights into sustainable diet choices within the current food system, suggesting dietary guidelines should consider environmental sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

Determinants of early-onset colorectal cancer: a multicenter case-control study in Iran.

We aimed to study the risk factors of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence in the Iranian population. Early onset CRC in Iran is a relevant health issue that deserves further epidemiological efforts to be defined and controlled as far as possible. Early age screening of low-tract of the intestine would be particularly useful in families of colorectal cancer patients. We analyzed data from a multicenter hospital-based case-control study in Iran (The Iranian Study of Opium and Cancer). Sociodemographic and lifestyle information was collected using validated questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regressions estimated the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of early-onset CRC in individuals under the age of 50 and potential risk factors, including physical activity, socioeconomic status, body shape at age 15, dietary factors, vitamin D, cigarettes and waterpipe smoking, opium use and family history of CRC. Additionally, a subgroup analysis was conducted for individuals with a very young age of CRC onset (i.e. <35 years). We analyzed data of 189 developed CRC below age 50 (99 colon and 90 rectum), and 66 patients under the age 35 (13 colon and 21 rectum). Early CRC was inversely associated with vegetables (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.38-0.92 for 422-576 g/day) and vitamin D (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.26-0.94), and positively associated with red meat intake (OR, 1.80; 1.15-2.83 per 25.65 g/day). Vegetables (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.27-0.98 for 576 g/day), red meat (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.11-3.79 for 25.65 g/day), vitamin D (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.10-0.86) and opium use (OR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.01-6.74) were associated with early rectum cancer. Results were heterogeneous by cancer site for high fruit and vegetables intakes and cigarette smoking. Family history was associated with CRC (OR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.29-10.9) and rectum cancer (OR, 3.22; 95% CI, 1.24-14.4) in subjects younger than 35, and, to a lesser extent, with CRC and rectum cancer before age 50. Early-onset CRC was related to the intake of vegetables, vitamin D and red meat in Iran. Early-onset rectum cancer was associated with regular opium use. Family history was associated with early CRC and early rectum cancer, particularly below the age of 35.

Cholesterol plus dietary tannins play a key role in formation of urinary stone

The incidence of urolithiasis has been rising worldwide for several decades, but the main aetiological factors remain unknown. It was found that the prevalence of urolithiasis was correlated with intakes of high fat plus fruits rich in tannins through questionnaire-based dietary consumption surveys and epidemiological analysis. Cholesterol and polyphenols were also found in various renal stones of human. Cholesterol could co-precipitate with polyphenols extracted from various food materials in vitro, particularly condensed tannins. Therefore, prepared tannins from fruit were isolated by gel filtration column and characterized by high performance liquid chromatography. Mice gavaged with apple tannins and cholesterol caused remarkable cholesterol/tannins deposits, glomerular atrophy as well as increasing urine proteins, creatinine and electrolytes. Mice gavaged with ethylene glycol, tannins and cholesterol showed stronger nephrotoxicity, caused urine solute supersaturation in renal tubules, less urine and more deposits in urinary system, forming bladder stones (41.6% morbidity). Molecular dynamics simulation suggested that tannins and cholesterol formed complexes through van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds. These findings indicated that interaction of cholesterol and tannins is a key factor in the formation of urinary stones, providing a clear explanation of urolithiasis formation. This study should help to design the strategies for prevention and control of various urinary stones as well as reveal the crucial reason for the increasing prevalence of urinary stones.

AcMYB266, a key regulator of the red coloration in pineapple peel: a case of subfunctionalization in tandem duplicated genes.

Red fruit peel is an attractive target for pineapple breeding. Various pineapple accessions with distinct red coloration patterns exist; however, the precise molecular mechanism accounting for these differences remains unknown, which hinders the pineapple breeding process from combining high fruit quality with red peel. In this study, we characterized a transcription factor, AcMYB266, which is preferentially expressed in pineapple peel and positively regulates anthocyanin accumulation. Transgenic pineapple, Arabidopsis, and tobacco plants overexpressing AcMYB266 exhibited significant anthocyanin accumulation. Conversely, transient silencing of this gene led to decreased anthocyanin accumulation in pineapple red bracts. In-depth analysis indicated that variations of AcMYB266 sequences in the promoter instead of the protein-coding region seem to contribute to different red coloration patterns in peels of three representative pineapple varieties. In addition, we found that AcMYB266 was located in a cluster of four MYB genes exclusive to and conserved in Ananas species. Of this cluster, each was proved to regulate anthocyanin synthesis in different pineapple tissues, illustrating an interesting case of gene subfunctionalization after tandem duplication. In summary, we have characterized AcMYB266 as a key regulator of pineapple red fruit peel and identified an MYB cluster whose members were subfunctionalized to specifically regulate the red coloration of different pineapple tissues. The present study will assist in establishing a theoretical mechanism for pineapple breeding for red fruit peel and provide an interesting case for the investigation of gene subfunctionalization in plants.

Advances in the Understanding of Postharvest Physiological Changes and the Storage and Preservation of Pitaya.

Highly prized for its unique taste and appearance, pitaya is a tasty, low-calorie fruit. It has a high-water content, a high metabolism, and a high susceptibility to pathogens, resulting in an irreversible process of tissue degeneration or quality degradation and eventual loss of commercial value, leading to economic loss. High quality fruits are a key guarantee for the healthy development of economic advantages. However, the understanding of postharvest conservation technology and the regulation of maturation, and senescence of pitaya are lacking. To better understand the means of postharvest storage of pitaya, extend the shelf life of pitaya fruit and prospect the postharvest storage technology, this paper analyzes and compares the postharvest quality changes of pitaya fruit, preservation technology, and senescence regulation mechanisms. This study provides research directions for the development of postharvest storage and preservation technology.

Local ecological knowledge of forage plants for goat farming and perceptions about pollination of tree species in the arid Chaco

Local ecological knowledge (LEK) of forage resources available in the forest is crucial in the sustainability of extensive grazing systems in the arid Chaco region. Here, we document goat farming management strategies of local peasants, assess their LEK about forage plants and evaluate the local perception related to pollination of native tree species. We used semi-structured interviews to obtain ethnoecological information and a cognitive approach to inquire about the plant species considered as fodder and their relative importance. Peasants listed a total of 48 ethnospecies (60 species from 23 botanical families) used as fodder. The most important forage plants in our study were Neltuma spp., Sarcomphalus mistol and Castela coccinea, which provide high quality fruits and also leaves as forage at different moments of the year. Local producers did not identify pollination as a key factor for the production of forage fruits, but they did emphasize the importance of climatic factors for fruit production. This ethnoecological information related to forage plants and factors that determine fruit production is important to understand peasant management systems that sustain local communities and play an important role in forest persistence.

Increased fruit load influences vegetative growth, dry mass partitioning, and bean quality attributes in full-sun coffee cultivation

Coffee fruits are highly competitive compared to other functional sink organs. This can affect the vegetative growth of the shoot, dry mass partitioning, and the size and amount of healthy beans. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate changes in vegetative growth, physical and sensory attributes of the coffee bean, and total crop yield in response to varying fruit load at the tree level established under full-sun cultivation. The experiment was carried out for two consecutive years under field conditions with coffee trees of the cultivar “Cenicafé 1.” Nine different fruit load intensities at the whole-plant level of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100% were evaluated. The vegetative growth of leaves and branches, leaf area-to-fruit ratio, and dry mass accumulation were evaluated, and growth indices were calculated. Total coffee fruit production, size and distribution of healthy beans, and sensory analysis were determined. As expected, for coffee trees with a 100% fruit load, we found significant decreases in the total number of leaves, leaf area-to-fruit ratio, and branch growth; less dry mass allocated to leaves and branches with a negative correlation between this and the fruit dry mass accumulation; and lower distribution of large and healthy beans. Unexpectedly, annual and accumulated patterns of total production and sensory quality of coffee beverage were not affected by the high fruit load. The findings suggest that increased fruit load in coffee trees of the “Cenicafé 1” variety led to changes in vegetative growth, dry mass partitioning, and physical quality of the beans. However, there was no impact on production patterns and sensory attributes.

The Expression of Key Ethylene and Anthocyanin Biosynthetic Genes of 'Honeycrisp' Apples Subjected to the Combined Use of Reflective Groundcovers and Aminoethoxyvinylglycine in the Mid-Atlantic US.

The decreased profitability of important apple cultivars, such as 'Honeycrisp', results from the poor red skin coloration and high fruit drop in the mid-Atlantic US. Apple red skin coloration is determined by the anthocyanin concentration. Reflective groundcovers promote red skin coloration, whereas aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) decreases the ethylene production and fruit drop, thus reducing the coloration. Although our previous study showed that combinations of these practices impact the fruit quality and color, research is lacking regarding their effects at the gene and metabolite levels. In this work, for two years, we compared the differences in the internal ethylene concentration (IEC), red skin coloration, fruit drop, transcript accumulation of key ethylene and anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway-related genes, and total anthocyanin concentration of 'Honeycrisp' apples. The fruit was treated with combinations of reflective groundcover (Extenday) and AVG (130 mg L-1) and was assessed throughout ripening. Extenday-only-treated fruit displayed the highest upregulation of ethylene and anthocyanin biosynthetic-related genes and of total anthocyanins, exceeding 50% blush, while boosting the IEC. In contrast, AVG significantly decreased the expression of key ethylene and anthocyanin biosynthetic-related genes and total anthocyanins, thus preventing apples from reaching 50% blush, while also decreasing the IEC and fruit drop. The combination of Extenday x AVG fine-tuned the transcript accumulation of ethylene and anthocyanin biosynthetic-related genes as well as the total anthocyanins, allowing the 'Honeycrisp' fruit to exceed 50% blush, while increasing the IEC moderately and reducing the fruit drop (as compared to Extenday-only and control), thus enhancing the fruit economic value.

Effects of cultivar, planting density and rootstock on long-term economic performance of apple orchards in the Northeastern U.S.

An economic analysis of profitability using Net Present Value (NPV) was conducted using data from two long-term training system × rootstock field trials conducted in New York State from 2006 to 2016 (Dressel Farm in southeastern New York State and VandeWalle Farm in Western, New York State). We used trial data for the first 11 years and estimated values for years 12–20 using average data from the last 4 years of field data. The field trials compared four training systems with different planting densities (Slender Pyramid, 840 trees ha−1; Vertical Axis, 1282 trees ha−1; Slender Axis, 2244 trees ha−1; and Tall Spindle, 3262 trees ha−1) each evaluated with several rootstocks in an incomplete factorial treatment list and with two cultivars at each location. By the end of the trial (11 years) all combinations of planting density, rootstock and cultivar were profitable (NPV positive) at the VandeWalle site but at the Dressel site seven combinations of rootstock and planting density with ‘Fuji’ and two combinations with ‘Gala’ were not profitable. Projected profitability over 20 years using estimated yields and fruit quality for years 12–20 showed that all combinations would be profitable by year 20. Estimated 20-year NPV was greatest with the Tall Spindle system with the highest planting density compared to the other lower density systems. Economic performance was mostly driven by planting density, regardless of the rootstock selection. Among cultivars, ‘Honeycrisp’ had significantly higher profitability largely due to high fruit price). ‘Gala’ had intermediate profitability due to high yields and medium fruit price while ‘Fuji’ which had low fruit price had significantly lower profitability than ‘Gala’. Among rootstocks, there was a significant interaction with training system and cultivar, so the same rootstock was not the most profitable with every cultivar and system. With ‘Fuji’ the most profitable combination was on G.16 rootstock planted at the highest density, however, it was not significantly better than with G.11 or M.9. With ‘Gala’ at Dressel farm the most profitable combination was on G.11 in the Tall Spindle system (planted at the highest density) but it was not significantly better than with G.16, G.41, M.9 or B.9. With ‘Gala’ at VandeWalle farm the most profitable combination was on G.41 planted at the highest density but it was not significantly better than on G.11, G.16, M.9 or B.9. With ‘Honeycrisp’ the most profitable combination was on M.9 planted at the highest density but it was not significantly better than G.11, G.16, G.41 or B.9. A sensitivity analysis showed that among economic parameters affecting the long-term profitability of an orchard, fruit price and yield were vastly more important than other factors. Of intermediate importance were the discount rate and labor costs while of much lesser importance were tree costs and land costs.

Morphological, chemical, and molecular characterization of a new late-leafing and high fruit quality hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) genotype

Hazelnuts are widely employed in various dietary practices, making them one of the most frequently utilized nuts. This study morphologically, chemically, and molecularly characterized a new hazelnut genotype throughout the 2018 to 2020 growing seasons. The variety burst leaf buds between 10th and 15th April and reached harvest maturity between 5th and 15th September. The genotype bore a mean of 2.33 nuts per cluster, with the majority of clusters consisting of double and triple nuts. The means of the nut weight was 2.38 g, the kernel weight was 1.35 g, the kernel ratio was 56.81%, the shell thickness was 0.96 mm, the nut size was 18.32 mm, the kernel size was 14.77 mm, the good kernel ratio was 91.7%, the protein content was 13.5%, the oil content was 55.8%, the oleic acid ratio was 81.43%, and the linoleic acid ratio was 10.68%. The genetic similarity rate between the new hazelnut genotype and the standard Çakıldak, Palaz, Tombul cultivars, as well as randomly selected Çakıldak hazelnut clones from the region, ranged from 0.58 to 0.98. Additionally, the polymorphism rate varied from 45.5 to 100%. On average, the investigated hazelnut genotype exhibited a genetic distinctiveness of 38% compared to randomly selected Çakıldak clones from the same region, and 47% compared to standard hazelnut cultivars. Consequently, this genotype could serve as valuable genetic material for hazelnut breeding programs through genetic distinctiveness and promising nut quality, and could potentially be registered as a new cultivar.

Improvement in Physiochemical Characteristics of ‘Prime Seedless’ Grapes by Basal Defoliation with Foliar-Sprayed Low-Biuret Urea and Cyanocobalamin under Mediterranean Climate

In viticulture, the main target is to achieve high yield and good fruit quality without compromising vine growth. Methods to achieve this balance will vary with regard to climate and cultivar. A two-year study was conducted on five-year-old ‘Prime Seedless’ grapevines to evaluate the effect of leaf defoliation and the foliar application of low-biuret urea (LBU) and cyanocobalamin (CCA) on berry set percentage, the compactness coefficient of the clusters and the overall quality of clusters and berries. The removal of the first four basal leaves was conducted at the full-bloom (FB) stage, while LBU (5 g·L−1) and CCA (40 mg·L−1) were sprayed at three phenological stages: (1) when the cluster length reached ~10 cm long, (2) at FB and (3) one week after the fruit set. The results demonstrated that the sole application of basal leaf removal (BLR) or in combination with LBU and/or CCA improved the vegetative growth, total yield and physiochemical characteristics of clusters and berries, whereas the same treatments decreased berry set and shot berry percentages and the compactness coefficient of the clusters, which in turn led to looser clusters compared to the control. The most pronounced effect was recorded for the combined application of BLR, LBU and CCA, which revealed the highest values of shoot length, leaf area and the contents of chlorophyll, proline, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn. The same treatment recorded the lowest berry set and shot berry percentages, compactness coefficient of clusters and decay percentage. Overall, this treatment was the best in terms of total yield, cluster weight, berry firmness, soluble solid content (SSC), the SSC/acid ratio, total sugars, total carotenoids, total phenols, phenylalanine ammonialyase and polyphenol oxidase.