Peach Quality Research Articles

Assessment of quality and antioxidant capacity of peach in response to different UV-C dose irradiation.

The effects of different doses of UV-C irradiation (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0kJ m-2) on the quality and antioxidant capacity of peach fruit were examined. Results showed that irradiation at 2.0kJ m-2 led to higher firmness and total soluble solids, as well as lower weight loss and decay index. Additionally, peach fruits irradiated with 2.0kJ m-2 UV-C exhibited increased production of reactive oxygen species, which in turn stimulated the synthesis of total phenolics and total flavonoids and enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase. Overall, the best abiotic stress effect was observed with 2.0kJ m-2 UV-C irradiation, resulting in improved shelf quality and increased antioxidant capacity of peach fruits during storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of UV-C irradiation in peach fruit preservation.

Application of nondestructive techniques for peach (Prunus persica) quality inspection: A review.

Peaches are highly valued for their rich nutritional content. Traditional fruit quality accessing methods (i.e., manual squeezing the fruit for firmness) are both subjective and destructive, which tend to diminish the integrity of fruit samples, consequently undermining their market value. Compared to traditional detection methods, nondestructive technology offers efficient and noninvasive solutions for rapidly and accurately assessing internal external quality of peaches. This can significantly enhance product classification and quality assurance while reducing the need for extensive human resources and minimizing potential physical damage to peaches. This review provided a comprehensive overview of nondestructive techniques for peach quality evaluation, including visible/near-infrared spectroscopy, machine vision technology, hyperspectral imaging, dielectric and optical properties, fluorescence spectroscopy, electronic nose/tongue, and acoustic vibration methods. It also evaluates the effectiveness of each technique in assessing internal quality, maturity, and disease detection of peaches. The advantages and limitations of each method were also summarized. This study focuses specifically on peaches and encompasses all existing nondestructive testing methods, providing valuable insights and references for future studies in the field of peach quality analysis using nondestructive testing methods.

Low temperature conditioning and nitric oxide treatment reduced chilling injury and altered fatty acid metabolism of flat peaches

Low-temperature conditioning is a recognized method for alleviating chilling injuries in flat peaches. However, long-term low-temperature storage can mitigate volatile organic compounds, thereby limiting fruit availability. To improve the supply of flat peaches, we investigated the combined effects of low-temperature conditioning and nitric oxide treatment on various parameters including physiological quality, volatile organic compounds, fatty acids, associated enzymes, and genes involved in the fatty acid pathway with the transcriptome sequencing analysis. The results indicated that low-temperature conditioning coordinated with 10 µL L−1 nitric oxide treatment possessed higher firmness and vitamin C content and restricted the content of malonaldehyde and relative electrical conductivity, thus maintaining the overall quality of flat peaches. In the study, 10 µL L−1 nitric oxide was employed for subsequent experiments. Moreover, higher contents of volatile organic compounds were supported by increased contents of palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, alcohol dehydrogenase, hydroperoxide lyase, and up-regulated genes of LOX2, LOX3, LOX6, ADH2, and ADH3. In summary, nitric oxide treatment effectively facilitated the recovery of volatile organic compounds in flat peaches during cold storage. Therefore, low-temperature conditioning and nitric oxide treatment can be a promising strategy to prevent the loss of volatile organic compounds by modulating the fatty acid pathway and associated genes.

Effect of postharvest cold storage and subsequent shelf-life on fruit quality and endogenous phytohormones in nectarine fruit

Cold storage is the main approach to extend the postharvest storage period of nectarines. The objective of this study was to investigate fruit quality (flavor and nutrition) and endogenous phytohormone changes and their related transcriptional changes in nectarine fruit after cold storage and subsequent shelf-life, which was performed metabolome, transcriptome and physiological analysis. Cold storage led to irreversible flavor loss due to the inhibition of aroma biosynthesis genes at low temperature. Sugar and organic acid content was affected, with an increase in glucose, fructose and malic acid, and a decrease in sorbitol and citric acid after cold storage or shelf-life. For fruit nutritional quality, total flavonoids or total carotenoids was not significantly affected by cold storage, whereas shelf-life process enhanced their accumulation. The activities of key enzymes for flavonoid biosynthesis, PAL and C4H, were enhanced during the shelf-life process, resulting in a significant increase in flavonoids and enhanced free radicals scavenging capacity. Meanwhile, shelf-life process increased carotenoids content by improving the expression of carotenoid biosynthesis genes PSY, ZDS and ZISO. Additionally, cold storage significantly increased the IAA content and ethylene production, thereby inducing the up-regulation of related signaling transduction genes. The shelf-life process further increased ethylene production, as well as salicylic acid and jasmonic acid content. This study unravels these crucial physiological and associated transcriptional changes of nectarines after cold storage, and may provide a theoretical foundation for improving fruit quality of peaches after cold storage.

Multi-year comparison of normal and split-pit peach quality

Multi-year comparison of normal and split-pit peach quality

Unraveling Calcium Absorption and Distribution in Peach and Nectarine during Fruit Development through 44Ca Isotope Labeling.

Calcium foliar applications are known to effectively enhance peach quality; however, the optimal implementation strategy regarding fruit developmental stages and cultivars remains unclear. In this study, three different moments of fruit Ca applications in peach and nectarine are tested: Early season, Mid-season, and Late season. For this aim, the 44Ca isotope was used as a tracer, enabling the quantification and location of the Ca derived from the foliar fertilizer. Stone, flesh, and skin 44Ca enrichment was separately analyzed at harvest. The results indicate that Ca absorption in the fruits from external CaCl2 applications was influenced by the timing of the application during fruit development, with Late-season applications proving to be the most effective in increasing the Ca content in the fruit, corresponding with a higher fruit size at the application moment. Nevertheless, no differences in the absorption efficiency were found between the three timings of the application. Furthermore, the Ca from the foliar fertilizer in the fruit predominately remained in the flesh, followed by the skin. The Ca derived from the foliar fertilizer reached the stone in all of the experimental situations, but the Early- and Mid-season applications resulted in the highest amount of Ca derived from the fertilizer in this part of the fruit. Interestingly, the peach exhibited a higher Ca absorption efficiency compared to the nectarine, likely due to the presence of trichomes that retain the foliar fertilizer on the fruit surface. In conclusion, the Ca absorption and distribution in peaches depends on the cultivar and timing of the Ca application.

Differential responses of summer pruning timing on growth, quality and yield of low chill peach

Abstract Summer pruning is an important horticultural operation that is performed to manipulate tree response so as to make it better manageable without a reduction in yield and fruit quality. But the timing is also an important factor in performing this event. Keeping in view the above facts, the present investigation was carried out to elucidate the ‘differential response of summer pruning timing on cropping behavior in low-chill peach cvs. Florida Prince and Shan-i-Punjab’. The experiment was carried out at the experimental orchard of the Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri, Hamirpur (HP) during the years 2018–2019 and 2019–2020. There are six treatments in the experiment, each with four replications. T1: no pruning; T2: 25% summer pruning on July 10th + winter pruning (WP); T3: 25% summer pruning on July 20th +WP; T4: 25% summer pruning on July 30th +WP; T5: 25% summer pruning on August 10th +WP); and T6: standard winter pruning (SWP). According to the study’s findings, combining 25% summer pruning on July 10th with winter pruning resulted in the greatest improvement in terms of vegetative, flowering or blooming, and qualitative parameters, namely fruit weight, fruit shape index, total soluble solid, and sugar content. However, Florida Prince showed positive enhancement of various characteristics and performed better than Shan-i-Punjab.

Simultaneous detection for storage condition and storage time of yellow peach under different storage conditions using hyperspectral imaging with multi-target characteristic selection and multi-task model

The detection for storage condition and storage time can ensure quality and safety of yellow peaches, and optimize storage management. This study explored the feasibility of simultaneously detecting the storage condition and storage time of yellow peach under different storage conditions using hyperspectral imaging technology combined with multi-target characteristic selection and multi-task model. Firstly, a total of 1080 hyperspectral images of 120 yellow peach samples under different storage conditions and different storage time were acquired using visible near-infrared hyperspectral imaging system. Subsequently, Savitzky-Golay first derivative was used to preprocess the raw spectra to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the spectra. Distinguished index modified competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (DI-CARS) was proposed to select characteristic wavelengths that simultaneously characterize information of storage condition and storage time. Wild horse optimizer optimized support vector machine (WHO-SVM) was proposed for the multi-task modeling analysis. The results showed that multi-target characteristic selection and multi-task model not only reduced 66.67 % in computational cost, but also improved the accuracy, and multi-task WHO-SVM model based on multi-target DI-CARS achieved the optimal result with the overall accuracy reached 98.06 % and the number of characteristic wavelengths being 99. In conclusion, hyperspectral imaging combined with multi-target DI-CARS and multi-task WHO-SVM is feasible to simultaneously detect storage condition and storage time of yellow peach under different storage conditions.

Visual detection of fungicide resistance by combining RPA and CRISPR/Cas12a in peach Brown rot fungus Monilinia fructicola.

Peach brown rot caused by Monilinia fructicola severely affects the quality and yield of peach, resulting in large economic losses worldwide. Methyl benzimidazole carbamate (MBC) fungicides and sterol demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides are among the most applied chemical classes used to control the disease but resistance in the target pathogen has made them risky choices. Timely monitoring of resistance to these fungicides in orchards could prevent control failure in practice. In the current study, we developed methods based on recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and CRISPR/Cas12a systems to detect MBC and DMI resistance based on the E198A mutation in the β-tubulin (MfTub2) gene and the presence of the Mona element in the upstream region of the MfCYP51, respectively. For MBC resistance, RPA primers were designed that artificially incorporated PAM sites to facilitate the CRISPR/Cas12a reaction. Subsequently, specific tcrRNAs were designed based on the E198A mutation site. For the detection of the Mona element, we designed RPA primers M-DMI-F2/M-DMI-R1 that in combination with crRNA1 detected 'Mona' and distinguished resistant from sensitive strains. Both methods exhibited high sensitivity and specificity, requiring only a simple isothermal device to obtain results within 1 h at 37 °C. The FQ-reporter enabled visualization with a handheld UV or white light flashlight. This method was successfully used with purified DNA from lab cultures and crude DNA from symptomatic fruit tissue, highlighting its potential for on-site detection of resistant strains in orchards. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preparation of preservation paper containing essential oil microemulsion and its application in maintain the quality of post-harvest peaches

Post-harvest peaches are highly susceptible to fungal infections leading to spoilage. This study investigates the utilization of three edible plant essential oils (EOs) with antifungal properties for the preservation of peaches, along with an evaluation of their preservative efficacy. Initially, GC-MS was employed to identify the primary constituents of the EOs, revealing a predominance of phenols, alcohols, hydrocarbons and aldehydes. Principal component analysis was conducted to compare the chemical compositions of the EOs from the plants used in this study with those obtained from other regions. This analysis facilitates the quality assessment of the plant materials in the later stages of the research. In vitro antimicrobial assays indicated that the three EOs independently exhibited their respective antifungal activities against 7 fungi responsible for peach spoilage. The Response Surface Methodology was then applied to optimize the blend ratio of the composite EOs (CEOs) for maximum antifungal efficacy. Concurrently, this study validated the rationality of a second-order polynomial model that correlates the peach decay index with the concentration of the CEOs. To enhance the bioavailability of the CEOs, a pseudo-ternary phase diagram was employed to formulate the CEOs into a microemulsion. Based on the RSM optimization results for the CEOs, the optimal mass ratio of the components within the microemulsion was determined. Using this microemulsion as a base, preservative films were developed that demonstrated a significant preservation effect on peaches, highlighting the immense potential of this research in the food industry.

Amino acids as safe biostimulants to improve the vegetative Growth, yield, and fruit quality of peach

Amino acids as safe biostimulants to improve the vegetative Growth, yield, and fruit quality of peach

Effect of Potassium Silicate, Glycine Betaine and Proline on Fruit Quality of Peaches in Newly Reclaimed Land Exposed to Heat Stress

The current study was performed on a 6-year-old "Florida" peach cultivar (Prunus persica) during 2022 and 2023 respectively. Twenty-four peach trees uniformly were selected and sprayed two times at the beginning of pit starts hardening and at the end of phase two of fruit growth with the following treatments: the control, glycine betaine at 400 mg l-1, potassium silicate at 200 mg l-1, potassium silicate at 400 mg l-1, potassium silicate at 200 mg l-1 + glycine betaine at 400 mg l-1, potassium silicate at 400 mg l-1 + glycine betaine at 400 mg l-1, proline at 400 mg l-1 and potassium silicate at 200 mg l-1 + proline at 400 mg l-1. The results indicated that both treatments of potassium silicate at 200 mg l-1 + proline at 400 mg l-1 and potassium silicate at 400 mg l-1 + glycine betaine at 400 mg l-1 resulted in a significant increase in concentrations of anthocyanin and total carotenoid contents in the skin. Moreover, total soluble solid, vitamin C and total soluble solid / acidity were shown with high concentrations as compared with the control. Overall, the use of potassium silicate at 200 mg l-1 + proline at 400 mg l-1 or potassium silicate at 400 mg l-1 + glycine betaine at 400 mg l-1 two times is recommended.

Effect of formula fertilizers on peach yield, quality, and environmental footprint

Peach production in China uses large inputs of mineral fertilizers but lower inputs of organic fertilizers, resulting in decreased peach quality and increased environmental risks. This study investigated the effects of formula fertilizers (combined organic and inorganic fertilizers) on peach yield, quality, and carbon and nitrogen footprints using three peach cultivars in two consecutive years. Two types of formula fertilizers had positive effects on improving the peach yield (5.6–13.6%), single fruit weight (9.0–32.5%), transverse diameter (3.6–13%) and longitudinal diameter (5.4–21.6%). Also, these fertilizers increased soluble solids (7.2–36.6%) and vitamin C (7.1–78%). In addition, the carbon footprint of peach decreased by 37–49%. This study demonstrates the potential of formula fertilizers to achieve balance between peach quality and environmental health.

Design of Yellow Peach Quality Identification System Based on PlC and Machine Vision

China is the main producer and exporter of canned fruit, leading the world inhe processing and consumption of canned fruits. Most of the fruit can processing lines are semi-automated, while the fruit quality is mostly identified by naked eye and thus needs to be automatically identified again before the sealing of the cans on the production line for prevention of inferior pulp from entering the canned bottles. Based on this, this paper designs a fruit quality identification system for PLC canned yellow peach production line based on machine vision taking canned yellow peaches as an example, and analyzes the difficulties in identifying the control of sub-packaging. Software programming and hardware design were carried out for the visual inspection of canned yellow peaches, and the simulation and implementation of the system were completed. This system reduces labor costs, improves the production environment, and provides favorable solutions to the construction of semi-automated production workshops that meet the needs of enterprise development. Its promotion is of significant value.

1-MCP treatment improves the postharvest quality of Jinxiu yellow peach by regulating cuticular wax composition and gene expression during cold storage.

This study aimed to analyze the effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment on the postharvest quality, epidermal wax morphology, composition, and gene expression of Jinxiu yellow peach during cold storage. The results showed that 1-MCP treatment could maintain the postharvest quality of peach fruit as compared to control (CK) during cold storage. The wax crystals of peach fruit were better retained by 1-MCP, and they still existed in 0.6 and 0.9 µL/L 1-MCP treated fruit at 36 days. The total wax content in all the fruit increased first and then decreased during cold storage. Meanwhile, n-alkanes and primary alcohols were the main wax components. Compared to CK, 1-MCP treatment could delay the reduction of wax content during cold storage. The correlation analysis indicated that the postharvest quality of yellow peach was mainly affected by the contents of fatty acids and triterpenoids in cuticular wax. The transcriptomics results revealed PpaCER1, PpaKCS, PpaKCR1, PpaCYP86B1, PpaFAR, PpaSS2, and PpaSQE1 played the important roles in the formation of peach fruit wax. 1-MCP treatment upregulated PpaCER1 (18785414, 18786441, and 18787644), PpaKCS (18774919, 18789438, and 18793503), PpaKCR1 (18790432), and PpaCYP86B1 (18789815) to deposit more n-alkanes and fatty acids during cold storage. This study could provide a new perspective for regulating the postharvest quality of yellow peach in view of the application of cuticular wax. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: 'Jinxiu' yellow peach fruit is favorable among consumers because of its high commercial value. However, it ripens and deteriorates rapidly during storage, leading to serious economic loss and consumer disappointment. The effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment on the postharvest quality, epidermal wax morphology, composition, and genes regulation of 'Jinxiu' yellow peach during cold storage was assessed. Compared to control, 1-MCP treatment could retain the storage quality of yellow peach by affecting cuticular wax composition and gene expression. This study could provide new perspective for regulating the postharvest quality of yellow peach in view of the application of cuticular wax.

Detection of peach soluble solids based on near-infrared spectroscopy with High Order Spatial Interaction network.

Due to the scalability of deep learning technology, researchers have applied it to the non-destructive testing of peach internal quality. In addition, the soluble solids content (SSC) is an important internal quality indicator that determines the quality of peaches. Peaches with high SSC have a sweeter taste and better texture, making them popular in the market. Therefore, SSC is an important indicator for measuring peach internal quality and making harvesting decisions. This article presents the High Order Spatial Interaction Network (HOSINet), which combines the Position Attention Module (PAM) and Channel Attention Module (CAM). Additionally, a feature wavelength selection algorithm similar to the Group-based Clustering Subspace Representation (GCSR-C) is used to establish the Position and Channel Attention Module-High Order Spatial Interaction (PC-HOSI) model for peach SSC prediction. The accuracy of this model is compared with traditional machine learning and traditional deep learning models. Finally, the permutation algorithm is combined with deep learning models to visually evaluate the importance of feature wavelengths. Increasing the order of the PC-HOSI model enhances its ability to learn spatial correlations in the dataset, thus improving its predictive performance. The optimal model, PC-HOSI model, performed well with an order of 3 (PC-HOSI-3), with a root mean square error of 0.421 °Brix and a coefficient of determination of 0.864. Compared with traditional machine learning and deep learning algorithms, the coefficient of determination for the prediction set was improved by 0.07 and 0.39, respectively. The permutation algorithm also provided interpretability analysis for the predictions of the deep learning model, offering insights into the importance of spectral bands. These results contribute to the accurate prediction of SSC in peaches and support research on interpretability of neural network models for prediction. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Enhancing peach quality and extending storability by regulating ethylene metabolism and enzymes using 1-(3-phenyl-propyl) cyclopropene and salicylic acid

ABSTRACT To assess the influence of 1-(3-phenyl-propyl) cyclopropene (1-PPCP) and salicylic acid (SA) on the storability of peach (cv. ‘Early Swelling’), we applied the following treatments; 5 μL L−1 1-PPCP for 24 h, 2 mmol L−1 SA for 5 min, and a combination of both treatments, concurrently, a control group. The fruit samples were stored at 6 ± 1°C with 90–95% RH for 28 d, followed by 3 d at 20°C to simulate market shelf life. The objective was to maintain fruit quality and enhance fruit storability. 1-PPCP+SA significantly reduced decay, weight loss, and respiration rate, while also contributing to the maintenance of fruit colouration and SSC. The treatments also led to a decrease in browning incidence, malondialdehyde levels, and electrolyte leakage. Additionally, they effectively slowed down the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO). Furthermore, all treatments led to a reduction in ethylene production and the activity of key enzymes involved in ethylene biosynthesis, such as ACC-synthase and ACC-oxidase, when compared to the control group. Additionally, these treatments regulated related pectin-degrading enzymes such as pectin methylesterase (PME), β-galactosidase (β-Gal), and polygalacturonase (PG). Therefore, the utilisation of 1-PPCP and SA is suggested as post-harvest treatments to enhance the storability of peach while preserving overall quality.

Quantitative study on impact damage of honey peaches based on reflection, absorbance, and Kubelka‐Munk spectrum combined with color characteristics

AbstractImpact damage is one of the key factors affecting the quality of honey peaches. Quantitative study of impact damage is of great significance for the sorting of postharvest quality of honey peaches. In order to realize the quantitative prediction of impact damage of honey peaches, the impact damage of honey peaches was quantitatively studied based on the fusion of color characteristics with reflection spectra (R), absorbance spectra (A), and Kubelka‐Munk spectra (K‐M). The mechanical parameters of honey peaches during collision were obtained using a single pendulum collision device. Reflectance spectra and color characteristics of damaged honey peaches were obtained by a hyperspectral imaging system. The R spectra were converted into A and K‐M spectra, and the partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was built based on the three spectra and the three spectra combined with color characteristics for quantitative prediction of mechanical parameters. The results show that the prediction performance of the PLSR model is improved by combining color features with spectral information. In order to eliminate the redundant information in the spectral data, the competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) algorithm was used to select the characteristic wavelengths of the three spectra, and the selected characteristic wavelengths were fused with the color features to establish the PLSR model. The results show that the PLSR model built by the characteristic wavelengths of the A spectrum combined with the color features has the best prediction performance for the mechanical parameters. The RP value for maximum force is 0.862, and the RP value for damage depth is 0.894. The results of this study not only provide the theoretical support for the quality sorting, packaging, and transportation of honey peaches but also provide the reference for the biomechanical properties of various agricultural products.

Effect of chitosan/plant oils edible coatings on minimally processed peach quality during storage

The edible coatings are capable to extend the shelf-life of minimally processed fruits and reduce the synthetic packaging’s waste. The used coating materials are obtained from renewable plant sources and byproducts of the food production. In addition, they are functional active ingredients. In this study, low-molecular weight fungal chitosan-based coatings with plant oil emulsions were used for coating of sliced peach. For characterization of the differently coated fruit pieces physical, physicochemical, microbiological and sensorial properties were examined during refrigeration. The used coatings extended the shelf-life time up to 10 days and the coated fruits had acceptable sensory parameters even at the end of the storage.

Combined metabolome and transcriptome analyses of quality components and related molecular regulatory mechanisms during the ripening of Huangjin Peach

Huangjin Peach is highly nutritious with cinsiderable market potential. Flavonoids, sugars, and acids are among the key compounds affecting the quality of yellow peaches. In this study, we analyzed the metabolites and gene expression of Huangjin Peach to explain the quality formation mechanism during the ripening period (including the young fruit, color change, and mature stages). We explored the biosynthetic pathways of flavonoids, sugars, and organic acids through metabolomics (LC-MS/MS) and transcriptomics (RNA-seq) approaches. A total of 864 metabolites were identified during the ripening of Huangjin Peach. Flavonoids increased significantly mainly at the color change stage and accumulated at the mature stage. During the combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, CHS, F3′H, DFR, and A3GT were identified as the main enzyme genes regulating flavonoid synthesis, as well as the key factors affecting fruit color. Sugar alcohols accumulated significantly in Huangjin Peach during the ripening period, and organic and phenolic acids decreased significantly during the color change stage, which affect the quality and taste of fruits. Most metabolites and genes changed dramatically during the color change stage, indicating that the color change stage is critical for fruit quality formation. The expression of key genes was verified by qRT-PCR. Our results explained some of the key fruit quality formation mechanisms of Huangjin Peach, which provide a valuable foundation for the improvement and development of functional foods.