Fruit Quality Characteristics Research Articles

Tree performances of eight rootstocks grafted with ‘Šumadinka’ sour cherry

Aim of study: This study was conducted to determine the suitability of seven clonal and one seedling rootstocks for grafting of sour cherry cv. ‘Šumadinka’ trough early tree growth, precocity, productivity and fruit quality.
 Aim of study: To evaluate the suitability of seven clonal rootstocks and one seedling rootstocks for grafting the sour cherry cv. ‘Šumadinka’ based on early tree development, precocity, productivity and fruit quality.
 Area of study: A sour cherry orchard in village Prislonica, Serbia, near Čačak city.
 Material and methods: The sour cherry cultivar ‘Šumadinka’ was grafted onto Colt, MaxMa 14, Krymsk 6, Adara, Cigančica, Gisela 5, Gisela 6 and Myrobalan rootstocks. Standard and validated procedures were used to measure tree growth, productivity (from 2017 to 2020), leaf area, fruit physical properties and fruit chemical composition (from 2019 to 2020).
 Main results: Significant differences were observed among rootstocks in leaf and petiole dimensions, leaf area, tree vigour, yield, fruit size, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, sugars and vitamin C contents, ripening and sweetness indexes. Trees grafted on Adara exhibited the highest tree vigour, while those on Gisela 6 produced the largest fruit size. On the other hand, Colt trees generally displayed the highest sugar content and sweetness index. Adara also showed improvements in fruit quality characteristics, whereas the properties associated with Myrobalan received the lowest evaluation scores.
 Research highlights: Adara rootstock demonstrated good adaptability to heavy and acidic soil conditions in Serbia, even though it was originally selected for cherry cultivation in heavy, waterlogged, and calcareous soils in Spain. This adaptability likely contributed to its higher vigour, yield, yield efficiency and good fruit quality.

Application of Cold Plasma Technology on the Postharvest Preservation of In-Packaged Fresh Fruit and Vegetables: Recent Challenges and Development

AbstractCold plasma, an emerging and versatile non-thermal technology, has gained substantial attention, particularly in the domain of surface modification, specifically within the context of packaging films. Recent developments in cold plasma technology have unveiled its potential to improve various aspects of packaged films, including chemical composition, physical attributes, structural characteristics, and overall functionality. These enhancements encompass surface roughness, contact angles, flexibility, thermal stability, barrier properties, and antimicrobial efficacy. The imperative for the advancement and expansion of decay-control technologies is crucial, not only for preserving the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables but also for mitigating biological risks throughout postharvest, processing, and storage. This, in turn, extends the shelf life of these products. This review aims to comprehensively outline the various systems utilized in in-package cold plasma (CP) treatments and their interactions with key parameters that significantly influence the efficacy of the process on fruits and vegetables. In this order, the review furnishes a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms through which cold plasma impacts the quality characteristics of diverse fruits and vegetables. The review paper examines the potential of cold plasma technology in inhibiting spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, deactivating enzymes, and altering the physical, mechanical, and chemical characteristics of fresh fruits and vegetables during packaging. Furthermore, It deals with the effect of cold plasma technology on increasing the quality and characteristics of edible films, alongside its utilization as an antimicrobial agent in food packaging.

Variability analysis and PCA studies for fruiting behaviour in high density guava

The investigations on PCA and variability analysis were conducted to understand the relationship among productivity traits of guava trees under high-density planting. This study established the link between agronomic and yield-related traits for the direct and indirect effects of independent variables on the crop’s managerial capacity. Three districts of Himachal Pradesh, viz., Sirmaur, Kangra and Bilaspur, were specifically chosen. The multistage probability proportional to the size sampling design was used. Primary data were gathered on the vegetative development indices, blooming, generative, and fruiting factors. Trees in the high-density system were placed 2 × 1.5 m apart. Based on yield performance, a sample size of 160 trees was determined to be the ideal number, with 110 plants being 3-year-old and 50 being 8-year-old. Vegetative growth, flowering, generative and fruit quality characteristics are significantly and positively linked with yield. Path analysis confirmed that growth and generative features were the main contributors that could be the good indicators of increased yield.

Ethylene Scavenging Films Based on Ecofriendly Plastic Materials and Nano-TiO2: Preparation, Characterization, and In Vivo Evaluation.

It is known that ethylene plays an important role in the quality characteristics of fruits, especially in storage. To avoid the deterioration of fruits caused by ethylene, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been used due to its photocatalytic capacity. The aim of this study was to develop films based on two types of biopolymers, Mater-Bi (MB) and poly-lactic acid (PLA), with nanoparticles of TiO2 and to determine their ethylene removal capacity and its application in bananas. First, the films were fabricated through an extrusion process with two different concentrations of TiO2 (5 and 10% w/w). Then, the films were characterized by their structural (FTIR), morphological (SEM), thermal (DSC and TGA), dynamic (DMA), barrier, and mechanical properties. The ethylene removal capacities of the samples were determined via gas chromatography and an in vivo study was also conducted with bananas for 10 days of storage. Regarding the characterization of the films, it was possible to determine that there was a higher interaction between PLA with nano-TiO2 than MB; moreover, TiO2 does not agglomerate and has a larger contact surface in PLA films. Because of this, a higher ethylene removal was also shown by PLA, especially with 5% TiO2. The in vivo study also showed that the 5% TiO2 films maintained their quality characteristics during the days in storage. For these reasons, it is possible to conclude that the films have the capacity to remove ethylene. Therefore, the development of TiO2 films is an excellent alternative for the preservation of fresh fruits.

Appearance quality, nutritional value, and aroma components of wild diguo (Ficus tikoua Bur.) fruit collected from southwest China

AbstractDiguo (Ficus tikoua Bur.), an ancient wild fruit, is widely spread in southwest China. However, there is little information on the phenotypic traits, quality characteristics, and aroma compounds available to diguo fruit. The present study is an investigation into the effects of geographical origin on the phenotypic traits and quality characteristics of wild diguo fruit collected from southwest China. The volatile compounds in the mixed fruit samples were also investigated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Our results indicated that significant variation existed among the sampling materials in all the phenotypic parameters. Fruit fresh weight ranged between 2.06 and 4.59 g. Moreover, significant variation existed among the selected materials in all macronutrients (dry matter, total soluble solids, crude protein, crude fat, and ash) and some nutritional parameters (glutamate, arginine, total soluble solids, maltose, and mannose, etc.). Regardless of their geographical origin, diguo fruit is relatively low in fat and fructose and high in fiber and glutamate. A total of 95 volatile constituents were identified in the frozen diguo fruit. In conclusion, diguo fruit with rich nutritional attributes has a promising future for commercial‐scale production. The variability of the observed morphological and nutritional features of diguo fruit provides important characteristics for improving the breeding of diguo as a modern fruit crop.

Agronomic performance and fruit sensory and quality analyses of pineapple cultivars

The objective of this study was to assess the agronomic performance and fruit sensory and quality characteristics in traditional and modern pineapple cultivars grown in Tangara da Serra, MT, Brazil. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, with five replications and 20 plants per plot. Planting was carried out in double rows with spacing of 1.2×0.4×0.4 m, in May 2018. The evaluated cultivars were BRS-Ajuba, BRS-Imperial, BRS-Vitoria, Gigante-de-Tarauaca, IAC-Fantastico, Jupi, Perola, and Smooth-Cayenne. Gigante-de-Tarauaca exhibited the highest fruit weight but presented low soluble solids content and soluble solids to titratable acidity ratio (SS/TA); thus, it is not recommended for fresh fruit market. Jupi exhibited fruit weights (>1500 g) suitable for the market and soluble solids above 12 °Brix, but SS/TA below 20. Considering the modern cultivars, BRS-Ajuba presented the highest fruit weight, but BRS-Imperial and IAC-Fantastico were the most attractive to consumers, as well as the traditional cultivar Perola. However, BRS-Imperial and IAC-Fantastico yield small fruits, which reduces their per-unit value in the market, as pineapples are typically valued based on their sizes.

Gum tragacanth, a novel edible coating, maintains biochemical quality, antioxidant capacity, and storage life in bell pepper fruits

AbstractBell pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L.) are prone to both physiological and pathological deterioration following harvest, primarily due to their high metabolic activity and water content. The storage of bell peppers presents several challenges, including weight loss, softening, alterations in fruit metabolites and color, increased decay, and a decline in marketability. The application of edible coatings (ECs) is one of the environmentally friendly technologies that improves many post‐harvest quantitative and qualitative characteristics of products. This research investigated the impact of different levels of gum tragacanth (GT) coating (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2%) on the physiological and biochemical traits of stored bell pepper fruits (BPFs) (8 ± 1°C, 90–95% RH) for 28 days. The results showed the positive effect of coating treatments with higher concentrations of GT, up to 1%. Increasing the concentration of GT to 2% decreased the marketability and quality characteristics of fruits compared to 1% GT. After storage, the physiological weight loss of the fruits treated with 1% GT (10.46%) was lower than that of the uncoated fruits (18.92%). Furthermore, the coated fruits (1% GT) had more firmness, total phenol content, ascorbic acid, and titratable acidity content than uncoated fruits during storage. At the end of storage, the coated BPFs with 1% GT showed higher SOD (97.02 U g−1), CAT (24.38 U g−1) and POD (0.11 U g−1) activities and antioxidant capacity (81.74%) as compared to other treatments. Total soluble solids, total carbohydrates, total carotenoids, pH, malondialdehyde, and electrolyte leakage content increased in coated fruit during storage but were significantly lower than in uncoated fruits. Moreover, the samples coated with GT (1%) maintained good marketability (about 75%), while the marketability of the control (about 40%) was unacceptable. The study shows that GT (1%) coating can be a promising novel treatment option for increasing the storage quality of BPFs.

Rootstock vigor dictates the canopy light environment that regulates metabolite profile and internal fruit quality development in peach

Five rootstock cultivars of differing vigor: vigorous (‘Atlas™’ and ‘Bright's Hybrid® 5’), standard (‘Krymsk® 86’ and ‘Lovell’) and dwarfing (‘Krymsk® 1’) grafted with ‘Redhaven’ as the scion were studied for their impact on productivity, mid-canopy photosynthetic active radiation transmission (i.e., light availability) and internal fruit quality. Αverage yield (kg per tree) and fruit count increased significantly with increasing vigor (trunk cross sectional area, TCSA). Α detailed peach fruit quality analysis on fruit of equal maturity (based on the index of absorbance difference, IAD) coming from trees with equal crop load (no. of fruit cm−2 of TCSA) characterized the direct impact of rootstock vigor on peach internal quality [dry matter content (DMC) and soluble solids concentration (SSC)]. DMC and SSC increased significantly with decreasing vigor and increasing light availability, potentially due to reduced intra-tree shading and better light distribution within the canopy. Physiologically characterized peach fruit mesocarp was further analyzed by non-targeted metabolite profiling using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Metabolite distribution was associated with rootstock vigor class, mid-canopy light availability and fruit quality characteristics. Fructose, glucose, sorbose, neochlorogenic and quinic acids, catechin and sorbitol were associated with high light environments and enhanced quality traits, while sucrose, butanoic and malic acids related to low light conditions and inferior fruit quality. These outcomes show that while rootstock genotype and vigor are influencing peach tree productivity and yield, their effect on manipulating the light environment within the canopy also plays a significant role in fruit quality development.

Coriander response to nitrogen fertilizer sources in different competing levels of weeds

The competition of weeds with crops and nutrient management has a significant effect on the yield and economic efficiency of a country. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of sulfur-coated urea and common urea on the yield and fatty acid composition of three coriander genotypes (Nahavandi, Pishgam, Ethiopia) under weeded and unweeded conditions. Traits including 1000 seeds weight, fruit yield, content of oil, and composition of fatty acids were examined. Nitrogen fertilizer and weeding treatments significantly improved the weight of 1000 seeds and weeds decreased the yield of fruit. The highest fruit yield was obtained by the Ethiopia genotype in weed-free conditions. Results showed that N fertilizer increased the oil percentage of coriander fruit. Urea fertilizer resulted in the highest oil content in the Nahavandi and Pishgam genotypes under weeded plots in the first and second years, respectively. Also, petroselinic, linoleic, and palmitic acids were the major coriander fatty acid composition. Nahavandi genotype showed the highest palmitic acid. Also, urea in the weed condition led to increase the linoleic acid content in the Nahavandi genotype. Overall, results showed that N fertilizer, especially urea, improved the quality characteristics of coriander fruits.

Effect of washing method on the reduction of insecticide residues and quality characteristics of sweet cherry fruits

Sweet cherry trees were sprayed with 5 insecticides (acetamiprid, dimethoate, lambda-cyhalothrin, malathion, tau-fluvalinate) at the recommended field doses in this study. Fruits were harvested after the pre-harvested interval for each pesticide completed and then they were immersed into tap water and three different washing solutions (with three different concentrations) for 3 minutes (at 20ºC). Insecticide concentrations were detected with a multi-residual analysis method using LC-MS/MS in Bursa Uludağ University in 2022. Following the treatments, changes in the quality characteristics of fruits were also investigated by quality (colour, texture and fruit cracking rate, water-soluble dry matter) and sensory analysis (fruit and stem colour, firmness, appearance, general acceptability). The results revealed that washing method with tap water during 3 min decreased insecticide residue level by 7-45% depending on insecticide active compound. Higher reduction rates were observed by washing with citric acid (10%), sodium bicarbonate (2.5%) and sodium hydroxide (0.5%). But significant reductions were detected only in lambda-cyhalothrin and malathion residues when compared with the newly harvested fruit samples. Processing factors (PF) of all washing methods were generally lower than 1 except for three treatments. PF values showed variations depending on the type of washing solution and the active compound of insecticides. Although washing with citric acid (10%), sodium bicarbonate (2.5%) and sodium hydroxide (0.5%) solutions caused reduction in residue levels, their negative effects on the quality and sensory characteristics of the fruits cannot be ruled out.

Effect of EVA film and chitosan coating on quality and physicochemical characteristics of mango fruit during postharvest storage

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a major tropical fruit, but a short postharvest life hampers marketing. The objective of this work is to assess the influence of a novel nanocomposite poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) film and Chitosan (CTS) affect on mango postharvest quality while stored at 20 °C. The results showed that the film coating treatment reduced the decay rate and weight loss of mangoes, maintaining good postharvest quality of mango fruit. The film coating treatment increased the antioxidant capacity of mangoes by inhibiting PPO activity and increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. ACS, ACO, and ethylene release were all suppressed, as well as the expression of the ethylene receptors genes ETR1, ETR2, and ERS2, thus delaying mango aging. After harvest, the EVA treatment was superior to the CTS treatment in mango preservation.

Integrative Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses of the Mechanism of Anthocyanin Accumulation and Fruit Coloring in Three Blueberry Varieties of Different Colors

Blueberries are recognized worldwide as one of the most important healthy foods due to their anthocyanins, which have special antioxidant properties. They have become a highly produced and valuable fruit crop. Most blueberry varieties are rich in anthocyanins, which impart a beautiful blue color; however, there are currently several blueberry varieties with different colors worldwide, and these special-colored varieties are the key to analyzing the coloring mechanism of blueberry fruit. Fruit color could be seen as an important nutritional quality trait in terms of marketing. In this study, a combination of transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses was performed on three representative blueberry varieties (‘Pink Popcorn’, ‘Chandler’, and ‘Black Pearl’) with pink, blue, and black fruits, respectively. The metabolomic results showed that the delphinium pigment is the dominant anthocyanin, which is the prerequisite for the formation of fruit color in blueberries. We identified 18 candidate structural genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway that were significantly up-regulated during three stages of fruit ripening in ‘Black Pearl’ and ‘Chandler’, but these were not found to be significantly expressed in ‘Pink Popcorn’ after combining the transcriptomic analysis results. The non-expression of the VcANS gene may lead to the pink color of the mature fruit of ‘Pink Popcorn’. The phylogenetic tree, heatmap analysis, and WGCNA analysis identified a candidate transcription factor, VcMYBA, which may regulate the differences between black and blue fruits in blueberries by regulating the expression level of multiple structural genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. These results provide new insights into the mechanisms of anthocyanin accumulation and coloration in blueberries during fruit ripening and can help support production practices to improve fruit quality characteristics. The key candidate genes that regulate the fruit color differences among different blueberry varieties have the potential to enhance the antioxidant properties and quality characteristics of blueberries through future genomic editing.

Chemical Constituents and Antioxidant Potential of Red Guava (Psidium cattleianum Sabine) from Southern Brazil in Different Edible Ripening Stages.

Ripening and growing location are important factors that can impact fruit quality characteristics. In this study, the influence of these factors on physicochemical characteristics, carbohydrates, aliphatic organic acids, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity of red guava (Psidium cattleianum Sabine) was evaluated. Fruit ripening increased fructose and glucose (up to 22.83 and 16.42g 100g- 1 dry matter (DM), respectively), and decreased citric acid, the major organic acid (up to 135.35 mg g- 1 DM). Ripening and growing location also influenced the concentration of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of red guava, in which a dependency between both factors was observed in most cases. Apigenin, galangin, isoquercitrin, among other phenolic compounds were quantified for the first time in red guava, in which isoquercitrin was the major (up to 13409.81mg kg- 1 DM). The antioxidant potential of red guava was also confirmed by ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (up to 82.63 µmol Fe+ 2 g- 1 DM), Folin-Ciocalteu reducing capacity assay (up to 17.79mg gallic acid equivalent g- 1 DM), and DPPH free radical scavenging assay (up to 25.36mg ascorbic acid equivalent g- 1 DM). These results especially demonstrated the bioactive potential of red guava and provided knowledge regarding the influence of ripening and growing location on chemical and bioactive components encouraging its industrial exploitation.

Pomegranate's (Punica granatum L.) fruit quality and nutrient content are influenced by soil fraction × root architecture interaction

AbstractAmong the most important factors influencing plant nutrient uptake and water access are soil fraction and root architecture. However, little is known about how soil fraction × root architecture interaction affects woody plants. This study considered the differentiation of soil fertility parameters on layers through the root zone of two different soils and the quality and nutrient responses of three newly bred pomegranate varieties to soil fractions based on root architecture in clay and clay loam orchards. According to the findings, increasing clay content in the deeper layers has a negative impact on soil fertility, organic matter, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). In clayey conditions, pomegranate varieties yielded lower in a range of 2.74% to 6.10% and significantly lower macro and micronutrient insertion. Conversely, the shallow‐rooted variety accumulated significantly more boron (B) and P and set 50% more fruits in the clayey orchards. Soil fractions × root architecture significantly altered fruit quality characteristics, nutrient ingredients, and their relationships supported by a relatively low linear relationship in the Mantel test (r = 0.42). This study suggests that pomegranate tree responses to soil fractions are determined by root architecture. A proper approach to obtaining high‐quality and nutritionally fortified pomegranates will incorporate appropriate cultivation techniques, such as suitable fertigation regime regulation, harvest date optimization, and soil organic matter enrichment, to provide uniform nutrient uptake based on the soil type and variety's root architecture.

Metabolism and transcriptional regulation in chilling injury development of nectarine fruit during postharvest cold storage

Peach fruit is susceptible to chilling injury during postharvest long-term cold storage, but the understanding of metabolic and transcriptional reaction of nectarine cultivar fruit to cold storage remains incomplete. In this study, nectarine fruit was used for a low temperature treatment, which gradually leading to the deterioration of fruit quality. Comparative metabolome and transcriptome analyses were performed to comprehensively understand the metabolic and transcriptional changes occurring during cold storage in nectarine fruit. The result showed that numerous primary and secondary metabolites exhibited increased levels following the low-temperature treatment. And there were 3400 differentially expressed genes continuously regulated by cold storage, which were mostly enriched in metabolic and secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways. The combined pathways enrichment of differential metabolites and genes were primarily centered on secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Correspondingly, a strong correlation was observed between changes in secondary metabolites and the expression of key enzymes including 4-coumarate CoA ligase (4CL), hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT), flavonol synthase (FLS), dihydroflavonol reductase (DFR), and UDP-glycose flavonoid glycosyltransferase (UFGT), which were involved in flavonoids biosynthesis. Additionally, several fruit quality characteristics (carotenoids, cell wall components, antioxidant enzymes) and stress related signaling genes were markedly affected by cold storage. These findings offer new insights into the networks governing metabolic and transcriptional regulation during nectarine fruit cold storage.

Pollination and fruit set of the Protected Designation of Origin apple cv. ‘Delicious Pilafa Tripoleos’ depends on insect pollinators

Summary Insect dependency of apple crop for pollination vary in different cultivars. The cv. ‘Delicious Pilafa Tripoleos’, is a Protected Designation of Origin apple of Greece, which lacks information on self-compatibility and needs for insect pollination for commercial fruit production. Here, the effect of wind, free (wind and insects), honeybee, free with at least one visit from a bumblebee and hand pollination was examined on fruit set and fruit characteristics. Also, the effect of flowering patches as a practice to attract pollinators in the apple orchards, on fruit quality characteristics was studied. A pollinizer apple variety and insect pollinators are necessary for successful pollination of ‘Delicious Pilafa Tripoleos’ since hand pollination with pollen of the same cv., and wind pollination resulted in very low fruit set. Single flower visits by honeybees could give fruit set, however, free pollination with at least one visit of B. terrestris resulted in higher fruit set compared to the other pollination treatments. Free pollination resulted in more fruits with higher number of seeds than wind pollination (only one fruit obtained). Apples produced from flowers adjacent to the flowering mixture patches had significantly higher skin firmness and lower total soluble solids at harvest (both desirable traits for ‘Delicious Pilafa Tripoleos’), compared to fruits from trees in naturally occurring groundcover.

A Study on Quality Properties of Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) Fruit Powder Obtained by Different Drying Treatments

In this study, the quality characteristics of blackthorn fruit (Prunus spinosa L.) powders obtained by convective hot air-drying (HAD) and freeze-drying (FD) treatments were investigated. The drying time was carried out equally (24 h) for both treatments. According to the results, the moisture (%) and water activity of powder samples obtained by HAD and FD treatments were found as 7.51% and 0.2471, 9.13% and 0.2718, respectively. Considering the pH and total ash parameters, there was no statistically significant difference between the powder samples (p>0.05). However, both drying processes were effective on the color and changed the L*, a*, and b* values of the powders compared to fresh fruit values. The biological and antioxidant results of the powder obtained by FD treatment were higher than the HAD treatment (p<0.05). From this point of view, it was determined that the FD process had a minimal effect on the chemical content of fresh fruit, while the HAD technique applied at 40 °C combined with a fan system did not have an excessive negative effect on these values.

The best examples of citrus crops from the breeding fund FRC SSC RAS

The Federal Research Centre, the Subtropical Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FRC SSC of RAS), maintains and sustains a unique collection of citrus crops, comprising 144 varieties collected from different geographical zones. The collection serves as a foundation for breeding work aimed at developing new varieties adapted to the extreme conditions of the humid subtropics in Russia. The breeding focus is on early-ripening, high-yielding, large-fruited citrus varieties with high fruit quality parameters. An extensive hybrid pool has been created, with the study of 165 forms of citrus from various origins, of which 60 are identified as promising and 28 as elite. Through comprehensive evaluation of elite forms, early-ripening and large-fruited forms have been identified, characterized by good yields and high fruit quality characteristics. Early-ripening hybrids of C. reticulāta 02-1, 2-5, and 2-2; 01-04; 01-4 ripen in the second decade of October. Promising forms of C. paradīsi G-A-2 and G-A-1, characterized by large fruit size ranging from 240.1 to 345.1 g, have been selected. The largest fruits are observed in C. Bergamia 16; P-22, with an average weight ranging from 350.8 to 430.40 g. High vitamin C content is noted in forms of C. paradīsi G-A-1; G-A-2 (54.1-43.7 mg/100g) and C. maxima P-20 (42.3 mg/100g). The sweetest fruits are found in the form of C. Bergamia 16, with a sugar content of 255.94 g/liter. The selected forms hold significant value for further breeding research.

Identification of Novel Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Table Grape Fruit Quality Characteristics in a Segregating Population and Transferability of Existing Quality Markers

Grape (Vitis) production and fruit quality traits such as cluster size, berry shape, and timing of fruit development are key aspects when selecting cultivars for commercial production. Molecular markers for some, but not all, of these traits have been identified using biparental or association mapping populations. Previously identified markers were tested for transferability using a small (24 individual) test panel of commercially available grape cultivars. Markers had little to no ability to differentiate grape phenotypes based on the expected characteristics, except the marker for seedlessness. Using a biparental interspecific cross, 43 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) (previously identified and new genomic regions) associated with berry shape, number, size, cluster weight, cluster length, time to flower, veraison, and full color were detected. Kompetitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction markers designed on newly identified QTLs were tested for transferability using the same panel. Transferability was low when use types were combined, but they were varied when use types were evaluated separately. A comparison of a 4-Mb region at the end of chromosome 18 revealed structural differences among grape species and use types. Table grape cultivars had the highest similarity in structure for this region (>75%) compared with other grape species and commodity types.

Evaluation of Fruit Quality Characteristics in ‘Irwin’ Mango Grown via Forcing Cultivation in a Plastic Facility

Evaluation of Fruit Quality Characteristics in ‘Irwin’ Mango Grown via Forcing Cultivation in a Plastic Facility