Immature Green Fruit Research Articles

Tomato CONSTANS-LIKE SlCOL1 regulates the content of chlorophyll in fruit by stabilizing the GOLDEN2-LIKE protein

CONSTANS (CO) and CONSTANS-LIKE (COL) transcription factors have been known to regulate a series of cellular processes, including the transition from vegetative growth to flower development in plants. However, their role in regulating the content of chlorophyll in fruit is poorly understood. In this study, SlCOL1, the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) ortholog of Arabidopsis CONSTANS, was shown to play key roles in the control of fruit chlorophyll. The suppression of SlCOL1 expression was found to lead to a reduction in the content of chlorophyll in the immature green fruit. In contrast, the overexpression of SlCOL1 increased the content of chlorophyll in the immature green fruit. An analysis of protein-protein interactions indicated that SlCOL1 forms a complex with GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK2), which promotes the stability of its protein. The overexpression of SlCOL1 in the glk2 null mutation background of tomato failed to promote the accumulation of chlorophyll in the immature green fruit, which suggests that GLK2 is required for the function of SlCOL1 in the regulation of the content of chlorophyll. These results shed new light into the mechanisms used by COL1 and GLK2 to regulate fruit development and the accumulation of chlorophyll in tomato.

Comparing YOLOv8 and Mask R-CNN for instance segmentation in complex orchard environments

Instance segmentation, an important image processing operation for automation in agriculture, is used to precisely delineate individual objects of interest within images, which provides foundational information for various automated or robotic tasks such as selective harvesting and precision pruning. This study compares the one-stage YOLOv8 and the two-stage Mask R-CNN machine learning models for instance segmentation under varying orchard conditions across two datasets. Dataset 1, collected in dormant season, includes images of dormant apple trees, which were used to train multi-object segmentation models delineating tree branches and trunks. Dataset 2, collected in the early growing season, includes images of apple tree canopies with green foliage and immature (green) apples (also called fruitlet), which were used to train single-object segmentation models delineating only immature green apples. The results showed that YOLOv8 performed better than Mask R-CNN, achieving good precision and near-perfect recall across both datasets at a confidence threshold of 0.5. Specifically, for Dataset 1, YOLOv8 achieved a precision of 0.90 and a recall of 0.95 for all classes. In comparison, Mask R-CNN demonstrated a precision of 0.81 and a recall of 0.81 for the same dataset. With Dataset 2, YOLOv8 achieved a precision of 0.93 and a recall of 0.97. Mask R-CNN, in this single-class scenario, achieved a precision of 0.85 and a recall of 0.88. Additionally, the inference times for YOLOv8 were 10.9 ms for multi-class segmentation (Dataset 1) and 7.8 ms for single-class segmentation (Dataset 2), compared to 15.6 ms and 12.8 ms achieved by Mask R-CNN's, respectively. These findings show YOLOv8's superior accuracy and efficiency in machine learning applications compared to two-stage models, specifically Mask-R-CNN, which suggests its suitability in developing smart and automated orchard operations, particularly when real-time applications are necessary in such cases as robotic harvesting and robotic immature green fruit thinning.

Pepper catalase: a broad analysis of its modulation during fruit ripening and by nitric oxide.

Catalase is a major antioxidant enzyme located in plant peroxisomes that catalyzes the decomposition of H2O2. Based on our previous transcriptomic (RNA-Seq) and proteomic (iTRAQ) data at different stages of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruit ripening and after exposure to nitric oxide (NO) enriched atmosphere, a broad analysis has allowed us to characterize the functioning of this enzyme. Three genes were identified, and their expression was differentially modulated during ripening and by NO gas treatment. A dissimilar behavior was observed in the protein expression of the encoded protein catalases (CaCat1-CaCat3). Total catalase activity was down-regulated by 50% in ripe (red) fruits concerning immature green fruits. This was corroborated by non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, where only a single catalase isozyme was identified. In vitro analyses of the recombinant CaCat3 protein exposed to peroxynitrite (ONOO-) confirmed, by immunoblot assay, that catalase underwent a nitration process. Mass spectrometric analysis identified that Tyr348 and Tyr360 were nitrated by ONOO-, occurring near the active center of catalase. The data indicate the complex regulation at gene and protein levels of catalase during the ripening of pepper fruits, with activity significantly down-regulated in ripe fruits. Nitration seems to play a key role in this down-regulation, favoring an increase in H2O2 content during ripening. This pattern can be reversed by the exogenous NO application. While plant catalases are generally reported to be tetrameric, the analysis of the protein structure supports that pepper catalase has a favored quaternary homodimer nature. Taken together, data show that pepper catalase is down-regulated during fruit ripening, becoming a target of tyrosine nitration, which provokes its inhibition.

Class II knotted-like homeodomain protein SlKN5 with BEL1-like homeodomain proteins suppresses fruit greening intomato fruit.

Knotted1-like homeodomain (KNOX) proteins are essential in regulating plant organ differentiation. Land plants, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), have two classes of the KNOX protein family, namely, class I (KNOX I) and class II KNOX (KNOX II). While tomato KNOX I proteins are known to stimulate chloroplast development in fruit, affecting fruit coloration, the role of KNOX II proteins in this context remains unclear. In this study, we employ CRISPR/Cas9 to generate knockout mutants of the KNOX II member, SlKN5. These mutants display increased leaf complexity, a phenotype commonly associated with reduced KNOX II activity, as well as enhanced accumulation of chloroplasts and chlorophylls in smaller cells within young, unripe fruit. RNA-seq data analyses indicate that SlKN5 suppresses the transcriptions of genes involved in chloroplast biogenesis, chlorophyll biosynthesis, and gibberellin catabolism. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction assays reveal that SlKN5 physically interacts with three transcriptional repressors from the BLH1-clade of BEL1-like homeodomain (BLH) protein family, SlBLH4, SlBLH5, and SlBLH7, with SlBLH7 showing the strongest interaction. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of these SlBLH genes confirmed their overlapping roles in suppressing chloroplast biogenesis, chlorophyll biosynthesis, and lycopene cyclization. Transient assays further demonstrate that the SlKN5-SlBLH7 interaction enhances binding capacity to regulatory regions of key chloroplast- and chlorophyll-related genes, including SlAPRR2-like1, SlCAB-1C, and SlGUN4. Collectively, our findings elucidate that the KNOX II SlKN5-SlBLH regulatory modules serve to inhibit fruit greening and subsequently promote lycopene accumulation, thereby fine-tuning the color transition from immature green fruit to mature red fruit.

Salicylic acid and putrescine treatments reduce yellowing, decay and retain postharvest quality of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) during cold storage

Bitter gourd is a valuable cucurbitaceous vegetable rich in various beneficial phytochemicals such phenols, antioxidants, saponins, charantin etc. In spite of high medicinal value bitter gourd faces significant postharvest losses due to factors such as mass reduction, tissue softening, yellowing, and fungal contamination, especially when stored under ambient conditions. To combat these issues, immature green bitter gourd fruits (16 DAP) were subjected to different concentrations of salicylic acid (SA) at 5, 7.5, and 10 mM) and putrescine (PUT) at 1, 2, and 3 mM, through a 15-minute dipping process. In contrast, untreated fruits were dipped in distilled water and served as the control group. These treated and control fruits were subsequently stored at 10 ºC with a relative humidity range of 85–95 % for 20 days. Results showed that among all treatments, bitter gourd fruits treated with 10 mM SA exhibited the most noteworthy outcomes. They retained higher levels of total phenols (26.28 μg GAE 100 g-1), radical scavenging activity (27.95 %), ascorbic acid content (50.0 mg 100 g-1 FW), and total chlorophyll (0.32 mg g-1 FW) on the 20th day of storage. Additionally, the 10 mM SA treatment demonstrated the highest inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity, as well as the lowest decay percentage when compared to the control. On the other hand, 3 mM PUT treatment resulted in greater fruit firmness (27.45 N), lower per cent postharvest loss weight (6.60 %), and reduced pectin methyl esterase (PME) activity (0.0075 µmol min-1 g-1 FW). These findings were further validated through principal component analysis (PCA), which highlighted that bitter gourd fruits could be effectively stored for up to 20 days at 10 ºC with pre-storage treatment involving 10.0 mM SA and 3.0 mM PUT. Overall higher quality and shelf-life of bitter gourd were obtained in bitter gourd treated with 10.0 mM SA. Consequently, it is recommended that the application of SA and PUT represents an environmentally friendly approach to preserve the quality of bitter gourd during storage, benefiting both retailers and consumers alike.

Current Advances in the Biosynthesis, Metabolism, and Transcriptional Regulation of α-Tomatine in Tomato.

Steroid glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are a class of cholesterol-derived metabolites commonly found in the Solanaceae plants. α-Tomatine, a well-known bitter-tasting compound, is the major SGA in tomato, accumulating extensively in all plant tissues, particularly in the leaves and immature green fruits. α-Tomatine exhibits diverse biological activities that contribute to plant defense against pathogens and herbivores, as well as conferring certain medicinal benefits for human health. This review summarizes the current knowledge on α-tomatine, including its molecular chemical structure, physical and chemical properties, biosynthetic and metabolic pathways, and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. Moreover, potential future research directions and applications of α-tomatine are also discussed.

Accumulation of Antioxidative Phenolics and Carotenoids Using Thermal Processing in Different Stages of Momordica charantia Fruit.

The bitter taste of M. charantia fruit limits its consumption, although the health benefits are well known. The thermal drying process is considered as an alternative method to reduce the bitterness. However, processing studies have rarely investigated physiochemical changes in fruit stages. The antioxidant activities and physiochemical properties of various fruit stages were investigated using different thermal treatments. The color of the thermally treated fruit varied depending on the temperature. When heat-treated for 3 days, the samples from the 30 °C and 90 °C treatments turned brown, while the color of the 60 °C sample did not change significantly. The antioxidant activities were increased in the thermally processed samples in a temperature-dependent manner, with an increase in phenolic compounds. In the 90 °C samples, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity presented a 6.8-fold higher level than that of nonthermal treatment in mature yellow fruit (S3), whereas the activity showed about a 3.1-fold higher level in immature green (S1) and mature green (S2) fruits. Regardless of the stages, the carotenoid content tended to decrease with increasing temperature. In terms of antioxidant activities, these results suggested that mature yellow fruit is better for consumption using thermal processing.

Investigation of genetic factors regulating chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis in red pepper fruit.

Chlorophylls and carotenoids are synthesized in the chloroplast and chromoplast, respectively. Even though the two pigments are generated from the same precursor, the genetic correlation between chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis has not yet been fully understood. We investigated the genetic correlation of chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis during fruit ripening. Two recombinant inbred lines populations, “Long Sweet” × “AC2212” (“LA”) RILs derived from a cross between Capsicum annuum “Long Sweet” with light-green and light-red fruit and C. annuum “AC2212” with dark-green and brown-fruit and “3501 (F)” × “3509 (C)” (“FC”) RILs from C. annuum “3501” with dark-green and dark-red fruit and C. annuum “3509” with intermediate green and light-red fruit, were used. As the fruit ripened, three accessions produced high levels of xanthophyll. The dark-green immature fruit accumulated more total carotenoids than the light-green fruit. This trend corresponded to the expression pattern of 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS) and CaGLK2 genes during fruit development. The expression levels of DXS and CaGLK2 in the dark-green accession “3501” were significantly higher than those of “3509” and “Long Sweet” during the early stages of fruit development. Furthermore, the genotype analysis of the transcription factor controlling chloroplast development (CaGLK2) in LA RILs revealed that CaGLK2 expression affected both carotenoid and chlorophyll contents. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) linkage maps were constructed using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) for the two populations, and QTL analysis was performed for green fruit color intensity and carotenoid content. The QTL (LA_BG-CST10) for capsanthin content in LA RILs located at 24.4 to 100.4 Mbp on chromosome 10 was overlapped with the QTL (FC15-Cap10) for capsanthin content in FC RILs. Three QTLs for capsanthin content, American spice trade association (ASTA) value, and immature green fruit color intensity were also overlapped from 178.2 to 204 Mbp on chromosome 10. At the location, 151.6 to 165 Mbp on chromosome 8, QTLs (FC15-tcar8, FC17-ASTA8.1, and FC17-ASTA8.2) for total carotenoid content and ASTA value were discovered, and this region contained 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (MCT), which is involved in the MEP pathway. This result is the first report to show the correlation between carotenoid and chlorophyll biosynthesis in pepper. This research will expand our understanding of the mechanism of the chloroplast-to-chromoplast transition and the development of high pigment pepper varieties.

DIRECT ASSIMILATION OF ATMOSPHERIC CARBON BY IMMATURE APPLE FRUITS.

Although fruit development primarily depends on photoassimilation by leaves, immature green fruits can also directly assimilate atmospheric CO2. To elucidate the process of C accumulation due to direct assimilation by fruit, we conducted a 13CO2 exposure experiment in an orchard in late June with immature 'Fuji' apples (Malus domestica). Four fruits from three trees were enclosed in transparent plastic bags and exposed to 13CO2 using an in-situ exposure system. Fruits were collected prior to and immediately following exposure in early July, late September and mid-November, and 13C concentrations in the peduncle, skin, flesh and core (including seeds) were measured. The higher assimilated 13C concentrations measured following exposure indicated that the fruits directly assimilated atmospheric 13C. The 13C concentration in fruit skin was higher immediately after exposure and in early July compared with that prior to exposure. In late September and mid-November, 13C concentrations were close to natural levels.

Genetic variability in the susceptibility of immature peach fruit to Monilinia laxa is associated with surface conductance but not stomatal density

Monilinia laxa is a fungus that causes brown rot in stone fruit. Immature green fruits in the first stage of fruit development (stage I) are generally susceptible. To investigate the relationship between the physical characteristics of immature fruit and susceptibility to M. laxa, we characterized the progeny, derived from a clone of wild peach (Prunus davidiana) crossed with two commercial nectarines (Prunus persica) varieties, through laboratory infection, transpiration monitoring and stomata counting. Two types of fruit infections were observed - ‘classic’ brown rot and ‘clear spot’ symptoms - which have not previously been described in the literature. The number and density of stomata did not explain the observed variability of infection in the progeny. However, surface conductance was positively correlated with infection level. This study provides experimental evidence partially linking physical fruit characteristics to brown rot infection at the immature fruit stage. The role of delayed cuticle deposition in susceptibility to brown rot of immature fruit is discussed.

Vanillin reduction in the biosynthetic pathway of capsiate, a non-pungent component of Capsicum fruits, is catalyzed by cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase

Capsicum fruits synthesize capsaicin from vanillylamine, which is produced from vanillin in a reaction catalyzed by a putative aminotransferase (pAMT). Capsiate, a non-pungent compound that is structurally similar to capsaicin, is synthesized from vanillyl alcohol rather than vanillylamine. Vanillyl alcohol is possibly generated by the enzymatic reduction of vanillin, but the enzyme responsible for this reaction is unknown. In the present study, we revealed that the vanillin reductase in the capsiate biosynthetic pathway is cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), which is an enzyme involved in lignin synthesis. The reduction of vanillin to vanillyl alcohol was greater in the mature red fruit placental extract than in the immature green fruit placental extract. This reduction was suppressed by both N-(O-hydroxyphenyl) sulfinamoyltertiobutyl acetate, a specific inhibitor of CAD, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, a metalloenzyme inhibitor. The CaCAD1 transcript levels in the placenta were higher in the red fruits than in the green fruits. A recombinant CaCAD1 protein obtained using an Escherichia coli expression system reduced vanillin to vanillyl alcohol. This reaction was suppressed by the CAD inhibitors. These results strongly suggest that CAD is the enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of vanillin to vanillyl alcohol during capsiate biosynthesis. Syntenic analyses indicated that genes encoding CAD and capsaicin synthase (Pun1) involved in capsiate biosynthesis were acquired before the pAMT gene during the evolution of the family Solanaceae. This raises the possibility that in the genus Capsicum, the capsiate biosynthetic pathway emerged before the pAMT-encoding gene was acquired as the final trigger for capsaicin biosynthesis.

γ-Aminobutyrate Improves the Postharvest Marketability of Horticultural Commodities: Advances and Prospects.

Postharvest deterioration can result in qualitative and quantitative changes in the marketability of horticultural commodities, as well as considerable economic loss to the industry. Low temperature and controlled atmosphere conditions (low O2 and elevated CO2) are extensively employed to prolong the postharvest life of these commodities. Nevertheless, they may suffer from chilling injury and other physiological disorders, as well as excessive water loss and bacterial/fungal decay. Research on the postharvest physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of horticultural commodities indicates that low temperature/controlled atmosphere storage is associated with the promotion of γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) pathway activity, with or without the accumulation of GABA, delaying senescence, preserving quality and ameliorating chilling injury. Regardless of whether apple fruits are stored under low temperature/controlled atmosphere conditions or room temperature, elevated endogenous GABA or exogenous GABA maintains their quality by stimulating the activity of the GABA shunt (glutamate GABA succinic semialdehyde succinate) and the synthesis of malate, and delaying fruit ripening. This outcome is associated with changes in the genetic and biochemical regulation of key GABA pathway reactions. Flux estimates suggest that the GABA pool is derived primarily from glutamate, rather than polyamines, and that succinic semialdehyde is converted mainly to succinate, rather than γ-hydroxybutyrate. Exogenous GABA is a promising strategy for promoting the level of endogenous GABA and the activity of the GABA shunt in both intact and fresh-cut commodities, which increases carbon flux through respiratory pathways, restores or partially restores redox and energy levels, and improves postharvest marketability. The precise mechanisms whereby GABA interacts with other signaling molecules such as Ca2+, H2O2, polyamines, salicylic acid, nitric oxide and melatonin, or with phytohormones such as ethylene, abscisic acid and auxin remain unknown. The occurrence of the aluminum-activated malate transporter and the glutamate/aspartate/GABA exchanger in the tonoplast, respectively, offers prospects for reducing transpirational water in cut flowers and immature green fruit, and for altering the development, flavor and biotic resistance of apple fruits.

​Moringa- The Miracle Wellness Tree: A Review

Moringa [Moringa oleifera (Lam.) Moringaceae] is a fast growing, deciduous, drought tolerant and tropical perennial tree. Moringa oleifera is called as a “Miracle Tree” due to not only its nutritional and pharmacological properties but also utilized as biofuel, water purifier and cosmetic industry. Every part of Moringa oleifera is a storehouse of essential nutrients. Edible parts of the plant includes the whole leaves, immature green fruits or seed pods, flowers and roots. Mature seeds yield 38-40 per cent edible oil called ben oil. Cosmetics such as anti-ageing creams, hair care products, face creams, aromatherapy oils and massage oils use moringa oil. Fresh Moringa leaves was collected from Department of vegetable science, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur. The KAU Moringa variety Anupama was selected for the study during the period of 2018-2020. Moringa is indeed a miracle tree with enormous potential which is yet to be explored for therapeutic and commercial applications.

Persistence and metabolism of the diamide insecticide cyantraniliprole in tomato plants

Plant uptake and metabolism of pesticides are complex and dynamic processes, which contribute to the overall toxicity of the pesticides. We investigated the metabolic fate of cyantraniliprole, a new diamide class of insecticide, during various growth stages of tomato. Cyantraniliprole was the major residue in leaves, flowers, and fruits, with the relative metabolite-to-parent ratios maintained at < 10% up to 28 days after treatment (DAT). Mature leaves contained consistently higher residues of cyantraniliprole than young leaves throughout the study. Flowers contained the highest cyantraniliprole residues up to 21 DAT, then gradually decreased. Immature green fruits had the highest cyantraniliprole residues (5.3 ± 0.7 ng/g; 42 DAT), and decreased toward red ripening stages (1.4 ± 0.2 ng/g; 84 DAT). Metabolism of cyantraniliprole primarily occurred in the foliage, where 21 metabolites were tentatively identified. Flowers and fruits contained 14 and four of these metabolites, respectively. Major transformation pathways were characterized by ring closure, followed by N-demethylation, and glycosylation. Additionally, plant metabolism of cyantraniliprole was also associated with several minor phase-I, phase-II, and breakdown metabolites. The occurrence of these metabolites in plants varied as a function of tissue types and their developmental stages. Our study highlights a tissue-specific biotransformation and accumulation of metabolites of cyantraniliprole in tomato.

Mineral Content in Dehydrated Mango Powder

The study was carried out to explore mineral content in dehydrated mango powder made from immature green stage fruits. For the purpose, two type of slices from peeled and unpeeled fruits of four commercial grown varieties viz. Desi, Sindhri, Langra and Chaunsa were prepared. These slices were categorized into three groups A, B and C. In group A, slices were kept in controlled conditions in electric cabinet chamber (dehydrator) at 65oC temperature, while in group B, slices were dried by open sun drying method using muslin cloth over the cots at (43 ± 5 oC) and in group C, slices were kept in wooden glass dehydrator at (48 ± 4 oC).&#x0D; The statistical analysis reveals highly significant differences for all main factors including varieties, dehydration methods, type of mango powder and their interactions. Chaunsa had the highest mean calcium (389.54 mg kg-1), potassium (912.07 mg kg-1) and magnesium (90.92 mg kg-1). However, only sodium was observed more in variety Langra (467.59 mg kg-1). On the basis of dehydration methods, mean calcium (407.06 mg kg-1) and magnesium (90.11 mg kg-1) content were observed more in wooden glass drying method as compared to rest of the drying methods. The sodium (511.83 mg kg-1) and potassium (811.35 mg kg-1)content were recorded the highest in open sun drying method. The powder made from fruits without peel was observed more in all mineral content including sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Tomato E8 Encodes a C-27 Hydroxylase in Metabolic Detoxification of α-Tomatine during Fruit Ripening.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) contains α-tomatine, a steroidal glycoalkaloid that contributes to the plant defense against pathogens and herbivores through its bitter taste and toxicity. It accumulates at high levels in all the plant tissues, especially in leaves and immature green fruits, whereas it decreases during fruit ripening through metabolic conversion to the nontoxic esculeoside A, which accumulates in the mature red fruit. This study aimed to identify the gene encoding a C-27 hydroxylase that is a key enzyme in the metabolic conversion of α-tomatine to esculeoside A. The E8 gene, encoding a 2-oxoglutalate-dependent dioxygenase, is well known as an inducible gene in response to ethylene during fruit ripening. The recombinant E8 was found to catalyze the C-27 hydroxylation of lycoperoside C to produce prosapogenin A and is designated as Sl27DOX. The ripe fruit of E8/Sl27DOX-silenced transgenic tomato plants accumulated lycoperoside C and exhibited decreased esculeoside A levels compared with the wild-type (WT) plants. Furthermore, E8/Sl27DOX deletion in tomato accessions resulted in higher lycoperoside C levels in ripe fruits than in WT plants. Thus, E8/Sl27DOX functions as a C-27 hydroxylase of lycoperoside C in the metabolic detoxification of α-tomatine during tomato fruit ripening, and the efficient detoxification by E8/27DOX may provide an advantage in the domestication of cultivated tomatoes.

In vitro tolerance to antifungal glycoalkaloids and biofilm forming ability of the antagonistic yeast Meyerozyma guilliermondii strain SQUCC-33Y

Meyerozyma guilliermondii strain SQUCC-33Y is an antagonistic yeast against Alternaria alternata, the tomato fruit rot pathogen. In a previous study, we demonstrated the potential of M. guilliermondii SQUCC-33Y in the control of A. alternata-induced postharvest fruit rot of tomato. In this study, M. guilliermondii SQUCC-33Y was evaluated for its ability to tolerate antifungal glycoalkaloids of tomato and to form biofilm under in vitro conditions. Glycoalkaloids were extracted from immature green tomato fruits. Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis showed the presence of α-tomatine, β-tomatine, tomatidine, lycoperoside A, lycoperoside H, coumaric acid and sinapic acid in the glycoalkaloids extract. In vitro antifungal assays showed that M. guilliermondii SQUCC-33Y and A. alternata were tolerant to glycoalkaloids of tomato, while Rhizoctonia solani was sensitive. M. guilliermondii SQUCC-33Y was able to form biofilm as determined by in vitro microtiter plate assay.

Effect of maturation stage on the physical-chemical composition and bioactive compounds of Solanum granosos-leprosum Dunal fruits

The aim of this study was to characterize the capoeira-branca (Solanum granuloso-leprosum Dunal) fruits cultivated in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The fruit growth was evaluated, from inflorescence to ripening. For this, measurements were made weekly. The fruits were harvested and separated at three developmental maturation stages (1-immature; 2-green mature; 3-mature), according to the color and size. Then, the fruits were evaluated by size, weight, color, respiration, firmness, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, soluble pectin, centesimal composition, vitamin C and antioxidant activity at three stages. During maturation, the fruits showed increase in mass (0.4076 to 0.9956 g), size (7.9 to 12.2 mm), glycidic fraction (15.95 to 27.23%) and ash (0.94 to 1.60%) and reduction in firmness (4.23 to 1.50 kgf), moisture (79.24 to 69.45%) and protein (3.49 to 1.41%) contents. Furthermore, there was increase in soluble solids content (8.80 to 13.80%), antioxidant activity (62.57 to 69.63 μM de trolox.g-1 and 1880.34 to 4602.40 mg.100g-1) and vitamin C (46.81 to 236.02 mg.100g-1) and a decrease in the total phenolics (257.58 to 171.00 mg.100g-1) and soluble pectin (0.92 to 0.69 mg.g-1). The fruits, even after ripening, maintained their greenish color, although less intense than that observed in immature and mature green fruits.

Early discrimination of mature-and immature-green tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) using fluorescence imaging method

Detecting mature-green and immature-green tomatoes using non-destructive approaches is a challenge for the fresh produce industry. Hyperspectral fluorescence imaging technique with excitation wavelength at 365 nm and UV–vis CCD camera was used for early non-destructive detection of mature-green and immature-green fruit from 200 randomly harvested green tomatoes. Conventional destructive analysis regarding locule gel development and seed texture were assessed to assign the maturity stage of the fruit. In addition soluble solid content (SSC), pH, total acidity (TA), and color were measured, on the training set and on the prediction set, in this case also after 10 d of storage. Fluorescence intensity at the surface of immature-green fruit was higher in the red region (690 nm) than that of mature-green fruit, suggesting that hyperspectral fluorescence imaging can be an effective classification tool. A univariate classification method was used to distinguish mature-green and immature-green tomatoes based on the grey scale values extracted from fluorescence imaging, with a non-error rate of 96 % in calibration and 100 % in external prediction. Hence, a non-destructive method for the early distinction of mature-green from immature-green tomatoes is available.

Elastase/Collagenase Inhibition Compositions of Citrus unshiu and Its Association with Phenolic Content and Anti-Oxidant Activity

Citrus fruits are rich sources of different phytochemicals for human health due to their high anti-oxidant capacity. However, the anti-aging effect of citrus fruits has not been well understood. In this study, methanol extracts taken at various developmental stages from tissues of Citrus unshiu was used to investigate its anti-aging effect by an elastase/collagenase inhibition assay, and a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was carried out to identify the potential anti-aging compositions. The elastase/collagenase inhibitory activity was greatest in the flesh of immature green fruit (i.e., early July flesh (EJF)), and four candidate compounds were selected by GC-MS and evaluated by a collagenase inhibition assay. Three of the four candidate compounds (heptadecanoic acid, D-allose, and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF)) showed anti-aging activity, and the activity was highest in heptadecanoic acid, followed by D-allose and HMF. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and anti-oxidant activity (DPPH and ferric reducing anti-oxidant power (FRAP) assay) were also investigated. Interestingly, the patterns of the total phenolic/flavonoid content and the anti-oxidant activity were different from that of the elastase/collagenase inhibitory activity. Flowers had the most anti-oxidant activity followed by immature fruit, and the fruit peels had more anti-oxidant activity than its flesh at all stages of development. This study demonstrated that the flesh of immature fruit and flowers of C. unshiu could be sources of anti-aging and anti-oxidant agents for human health, respectively.