Sour Cherry Fruits Research Articles

Results of experimental storage of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) fruit

In utilisation of sour cherry cultivars, the paradigm has gradually changed in the sense that fresh consumption gained much more attention than before on a worldwide scale. Consequently, much more attention is paid to the problems connected with the storage, i.e. preservation of fresh fruit for direct consumption. It is a genuine interest of growers, traders as well as of consumers to be informed about the possibilities of preserving economically the fresh status for a longer period after harvest during the warm summer weather in addition to the lengthening of the harvest season by choosing cultivars of different dates of ripening. Recent results of purposeful experiments indicate that the storability of the fruit of 6 main Hungarian sour cherry cultivars is on the same level ('Érdi bőtermő, 'Debreceni bőtermő’, 'Újfehértói fürtos', 'Kántorjánosi', 'Éva', 'Petri'). The traditional conditions facilitated the maintenance of freshness over a 5-week-long period, and the loss of volume was less than 7%. During the first 2 weeks, there was no difference between the cultivars regarding loss of volume and decay, moreover, the effect of time elapsed after harvest and of adversities of transport was not significant. It could be stated that 2 week of storing is safely feasible. We need only 2 °C temperature and 90% of relative humidity. The relations of oxygen and CO2 of the atmosphere is less decisive than temperature alone. No essential difference has been registered between the storing in plastic trays versus plastic boxes either. A study was performed to assess the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) effect on Hungarian sour cherries growing in Iran (`Érdi bőtermő and ‘Érdi jubileum') shelf life. The harvested fruits stored at 0 °C under modified atmospheres (15% 0, and 10% CO2 and 75% nitrogen) for 6 weeks. Descriptive analysis showed that sour cherry stored in control condition had a higher deterioration rate than those stored in under modified atmosphere, which showed a lower rejection rate and a longer shelf life than those stored in modified atmosphere.

Cracking susceptibility of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) in Hungary and relation to calcium application

The rain induced fruit cracking is a big, serious problem especially for sour cherry growers but in some year sour cherry growers had also problem with fruit cracking caused by too much rainfall in the harvesting season. The cracked sour cherry fruits can be easily infected by different diseases like Monillinia sp. Cracked and infected fruits can not be transported for long distance and using for preservation because they lost their market value by the pour fruit quality. There are two possibilities to protect fruits against the rain induced fruit cracking. The most effective protection technique is the plastic rain cover over the tree rows. The installation of these equipments is too expensive for the growers. That is the reason why researchers tried to find other less expensive and sufficiently effective ways like sprayings different mineral salts, hormone and other type chemicals against the rain induced fruit cracking. Several calcium formulas calcium chloride (CaC12), calcium hydroxide (Ca (OH),) and calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2) can be sprayed in appropriate solution concentration.
 The aim of our trial is to determinate the fruit cracking susceptibility of wide grown Hungarian sour cherry varieties and find the most effective calcium formula and its concentration for spraying in orchards to prevent the fruit cracking. In the first trial year (2006) cracking index of tested sour cherry varieties were determined under field and laboratory conditions. Under field conditions were not found differences between cracking tendency of tested cultivars. After results of immersing fruits in distillated water for 24 hours tested sour cherry varieties were divided to three groups by the susceptibility to rain induced fruit cracking: very susceptible (`Maliga emléke', 'Piramis', 'Érdi jubileum', 'Erdi nagygyümölcsű’ and 'Meteor korai'); susceptible ‘Érdi bőtermő, Tandy 279' and Cigány 59.; moderately susceptible/tolerant ("T" and "R" clones). In the second trial year (2007) calcium chloride (CaCl2) and calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2) were sprayed in 0,35m/m%; 0,5m/m% and 1,0m/m% solution concentration. One more commercial product "Damisol-Kalcium" was also applied in the advised 1,0m/m% concentration. Like in the trial year before (2006) under field conditions we did not kept differences between the cracking susceptibility of varieties and calcium treatments. As the result of laboratory testing (immersing calcium treated fruits in distillated water) we kept that calcium chloride (CaCl2) seems the most effective against the fruit cracking in 0,5m/in% solution concentration. The other calcium formulas also decreased the cracking ratio but in less scale.

Total Content of Phenols and Anthocyanins in Edible Fruits from Bosnia

Content of total phenols and total anthocyanins was estimated in edible fruits from Bosnia by photometric methods. Cyanidin-3-galactoside chloride was used as a standard for determination of total anthocyanins, and galic acid served as a standard for determination of total phenols. Total content of phenols was 12.7 mg/g in elderberry fruits, 10.4 mg/g in bilberry, 9.8 mg/g in blackberry, 8.8 mg/g in wild cherry, 6.1 mg/g in cultivated blackberry, 3.5 mg/g in cultivated strawberry, 2.4 mg/g in average in sour cherry fruits from different locations and the lowest quantity of total phenols was in edible parts of melon, only 0.2 mg/g. Total content of anthocyanins was 6.8 mg/g in wild cherry, 6.7 mg/g in elderberry fruits and 4.5 mg/g in bilberry. Wild bilberry fruits from different locations had in average 3.5 mg/g, cherries from different locations 1.3 mg/g, cultivated blackberries 1.0 mg/g, cultivated strawberries 0.8 mg/g while melon fruit had no anthocyanins at all. Acidity was measured in macerate of edible fruits by direct insertion of electrode. pH values in the macerates were as follows: 3.03 in bilberry, 3.45 in blackberries, 3.59 in sour cherries, 3.92 in wild cherries, 4.44 in elderberries and 6.19 in melon.

Tissue Necrosis of Sour Cherry Fruits, An Unusual Disease Occurrence Caused by a Phoma sp. in Serbia.

Following frequent rains during May and June of 1999, a high incidence of an unknown disease on sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) fruits was observed in western Serbia (Šabac). Initially, small, water-soaked, dark green spots appeared on the fruit tissue similar to infections caused by Pseudomonas syringae or a Colletotrichum sp. (1,2). Later, spots enlarged, coalesced, and became necrotic and covered most of the fruit surface. The diseased tissue was slightly depressed and fruit shriveled and dried. Approximately 60 to 80% of the total yield was affected. Numerous hyaline, unicellular, and ellipsoidal conidia were observed with a microscope. Orange spore masses often occurred on the necrotic tissue following rain. Symptoms of the disease were not expressed during the dry spring of 2000, but were observed in rainy 2001. The most susceptible cultivar was Haiman's Rubin. Disease symptoms were absent on the domestic cultivar Oblačinska. Placing small necrotic fragments on potato dextrose agar (PDA) resulted in grayish fungal colonies that produced black, globose pycnidia with hyaline, unicellular, and ellipsoidal conidia under daylight conditions that were similar to those formed on necrotic sour cherry fruit in the orchard. At 25°C, colonies covered the entire 9-cm diameter surface of PDA after 5 to 6 days. No teleomorph was observed. Bacterial isolations on nutrient agar were unsuccessful. Unripe sour cherry fruits were punctured with a sterile needle and small colony fragments of the fungus were placed over the wound. Symptoms typical of those on fruit found in orchards were observed after 7 days of incubation at 25°C. No symptoms developed on control fruits punctured with a sterile needle. The fungus was reisolated from the inoculated fruits and shown to be identical to the original strains. On the basis of pathogenicity and morphological characteristics of the strains investigated, the fungus was determined to be a Phoma sp. (3), also known as sour cherry necrosis in other fruit-tree-growing regions. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the fungus on sour cherry fruit in Serbia.

Timing of fungicide applications against anthracnose in sweet and sour cherry production in Norway

The aim of this three-year study (2001–2003) was to optimize fungicide application against anthracnose ( Colletotrichum acutatum) in sweet and sour cherry orchards. The experimental sprays were applied to trees receiving normal fungicide programmes (grower schedule), although without the use of dithianon, except for the first year where only the experimental applications were applied to the sour cherry trees. Fungicide treatments were applied with either dithianon or copperoxychloride added prior to flowering or with dithianon added after flowering. Spraying with dithianon or copperoxychloride prior to flowering did not significantly reduce anthracnose compared to untreated. Two applications with dithianon during the green fruit stage (from petal fall and during the following 3–4 weeks) greatly reduced anthracnose at harvest. Three applications on green fruit did not reduce disease more than two applications. In sweet cherries, two sprays with dithianon at the green fruit stage in addition to the grower schedule reduced anthracnose at harvest from 14% to 3% in 2002 and from 15% to 1% the following year. In 2001, when very few fruit developed anthracnose, no treatment effects were evident. Treatments on green sour cherry fruit similar to those on sweet cherries reduced the attack of anthracnose from 85% to 42% in 2002 and from 51% to 12% the following year. In 2001, no treatment included only sprays on green fruit. However, one treatment, which included copperoxychloride at bud burst, one application of dithianon during flowering and two applications on green fruits, reduced anthracnose from 27% to 9%. Based on these results, cherry growers are recommended to spray twice with dithianon on green fruit if they have a history of anthracnose in their orchards.

RIPENING AND SENESCENCE OF TWO SOUR CHERRY (PRUNUS CERASUS L.) CULTIVARS

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is one of the most important fruit crops in Hungary. However, sour cherry fruits are considered as perishable commodities, which cannot be stored for any length of time. During storage firmness decreases rapidly and fruit becomes sensitive to microbiological damages. The aim of this work was to track the sour cherry cell wall breakdown process by studying pectin decomposition and the role of β-galactosidase in fruit ripening and senescence. The β-galactosidase enzyme is known to be partly responsible for cell wall breakdown. We have monitored changes in size and colour of two well-known Hungarian sour cherry cultivars, 'Kantorjanosi' and 'Pandy 279'. Our results show that the activity of β-galactosidase during ripening was almost always higher in 'Kantorjanosi' than in 'Pandy 279'. In 'Pandy 279' the β-galactosidase activity increased continuously during development, whereas in 'Kantorjanosi' the activity fluctuated, showing a decrease from the green to the pink stage, followed by an increase until fruit reached the red stage and a subsequent decrease. The activity of β-galactosidase increased during senescence by 5- or 3-fold in 'Kantorjanosi' and 'Pandy 279', respectively. For both cultivars, the size of the fruit increased continuously during ripening and did not change during senescence. The results suggest that β-galactosidase plays different roles during ripening and senescence and its different isoenzymes may be responsible for the different activities observed during these two processes.

Analysis of Transport Activity of Arabidopsis Sugar Alcohol Permease Homolog AtPLT5

The transporters responsible for sugar uptake into non-photosynthetic sink tissues in plants, such as roots and flowers, have not been fully identified and analyzed. Plants encode around 100 putative sugar transporters within the major facilitator superfamily, yet only a few have been studied. Here we report the analysis of a sugar alcohol permease homolog (AtPLT5, At3g18830) from Arabidopsis. A wide range of sugars including hexoses, pentoses, tetroses, a sugar acid, and sugar alcohols but not disaccharides induced inward currents in oocytes expressing AtPLT5. AtPLT5 expression also resulted in 14C-labeled substrate uptake in oocytes, indicating that AtPLT5 encodes an ion-coupled uptake transporter. K(0.5) values for glucose and sorbitol were highly dependent on external pH. Expression of AtPLT5 was found primarily in sink tissues: in the elongation zone of roots, in the inflorescence stem, and several floral structures, especially in the floral abscission zone. Expression was induced by mechanical wounding and insect feeding. Analysis of transport properties and expression in Arabidopsis indicate that AtPLT5 functions to transport a wide range of sugars into specific sink tissues in the plant.

Simultaneous Identification and Quantification of the Sugar, Sugar Alcohol, and Carboxylic Acid Contents of Sour Cherry, Apple, and Ber Fruits, as Their Trimethylsilyl Derivatives, by Gas Chromatography−Mass Spectrometry

Our gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method--developed for the simultaneous quantitation of mono-, di-, and trisaccharides, sugar alcohols, caboxylic and amino acids, measured as their trimethylsilyl-(oxime) ether/ester derivatives, from one solution by a single injection, prepared in the presence of the fruit matrix--has been extended/utilized for special purposes. The compositions of (i) freshly harvested and stored sour cherries (Prunus cerasus), (ii) apples obtained from organic and integrated productions (Malus domestica), and (iii) green and ripe bers (Zizyphus mauritiana L.) were compared. On the basis of earlier, basic researches (derivatization, quantitation, and fragmentation studies of authentic compounds), we demonstrate the reproducible quantitation of the main and minor constituents in a wide concentration range (approximately 1 x 10(-)(3) to >/=40%, in total up to < or =98%, calculated on dry matter basis of the fruit matrices). Reproducibility of quantitations, calculated on the basis of their total ion current values, provided an average reproducibility of 3.3 (sour cherries), 6.2 (apple), and 4.3 (ber) RSD %, respectively.

Boron Fertilization and Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus) Fruit Quality

In Michigan boron (B) deficiencies in sour cherry have resulted in routine use of B sprays to enhance fruit set and increase fruit yield. However, field observations indicate that high B levels are associated with premature softening, making fruit unacceptable for processing. Our fertilization studies show that fruit B levels are higher, but B generally has little or no effect on fruit size, maturity, color, or pull force. However, at some locations, B applications increase the number of soft fruit, especially when harvest is delayed well after the optimum maturity date (as indicated by pull force). B-induced yield increases can be achieved without inducing excessive fruit softening by careful monitoring of fruit maturation and prompt harvest. Leaf and fruit B levels will be presented.

Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of Sorbitol Transporters from Developing Sour Cherry Fruit and Leaf Sink Tissues

The acyclic polyol sorbitol is a primary photosynthetic product and the principal photosynthetic transport substance in many economically important members of the family Rosaceace (e.g. almond [Prunus dulcis (P. Mill.) D.A. Webber], apple [Malus pumila P. Mill.], cherry [Prunus spp.], peach [Prunus persica L. Batsch], and pear [Pyrus communis]). To understand key steps in long-distance transport and particularly partitioning and accumulation of sorbitol in sink tissues, we have cloned two sorbitol transporter genes (PcSOT1 and PcSOT2) from sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) fruit tissues that accumulate large quantities of sorbitol. Sorbitol uptake activities and other characteristics were measured by heterologous expression of PcSOT1 and PcSOT2 in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Both genes encode proton-dependent, sorbitol-specific transporters with similar affinities (K(m) sorbitol of 0.81 mM for PcSOT1 and 0.64 mM for PcSOT2). Analyses of gene expression of these transporters, however, suggest different roles during leaf and fruit development. PcSOT1 is expressed throughout fruit development, but especially when growth and sorbitol accumulation rates are highest. In leaves, PcSOT1 expression is highest in young, expanding tissues, but substantially less in mature leaves. In contrast, PcSOT2 is mainly expressed only early in fruit development and not in leaves. Compositional analyses suggest that transport mediated by PcSOT1 and PcSOT2 plays a major role in sorbitol and dry matter accumulation in sour cherry fruits. Presence of these transporters and the high fruit sorbitol concentrations suggest that there is an apoplastic step during phloem unloading and accumulation in these sink tissues. Expression of PcSOT1 in young leaves before completion of the transition from sink to source is further evidence for a role in determining sink activity.

VOLUME AND AREA SHRINKAGE OF WHOLE SOUR CHERRY FRUITS (PRUNUS CERASUS) DURING DEHYDRATION

ABSTRACT Whole sour cherry fruits were dehydrated in heated air at temperatures of 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 and 75°C, air velocities of 0.1, 1, 2, 3, 5 m/s, and air relative humidities of 5 and 50%. Volume changes were evaluated by picnometric techniques and with geometric measurements by micrometer and superficial area from geometric measurements. It was observed that, volume and area changes do not depend on dehydration operating variables. A linear relationship was found between the dimensionless volume change and the moisture content of the partially dehydrated fruits. The area depended on moisture according to a third degree polynomial.

The effect of the fruit set on the mean mass of sour cherry fruits

Experiments were conducted with four sour cherry cultivars three of that were self-fertile and one was self-sterile. Different levels of fruit set were obtained by limiting, the bee pollination period. The limitation of the duration of the effective bee pollination period definitely affected the fruit set of all the four cvs. The mass of individual fruits seemed to be related to the final set but this relationship has not find to be definitely expressed statistically at that moderate level of maximum fruit sets (10-14 per cent at the maximum) we obtained in the experiments. For this reason, further research is needed to explore that level of fruit set that can notably reduce the fruit size (mass) to an undesirable extent.&#x0D;

Analysis of Flavanols in Beverages by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Chemical Reaction Detection

A screening method, which allows the simple and rapid determination of the flavanolic composition of plant and food extracts, has been developed. The method is based on a postcolumn chemical reaction with p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde with detection at 640 nm after HPLC separation and measurement of the UV absorbance at 280 nm in a diode array detector. This approach allows one not only to obtain the flavanol profiles of the samples but also to characterize the compounds present in the chromatograms through their A640/A280 absorbance ratio combined with the retention time and the UV spectrum. The advantages of this procedure are shown by applying it to the study of the flavanol composition of some beverages, including red wine, beer, apple cider, and sour cherry and blackthorn fruit liqueurs. Keywords: Flavan-3-ols; procyanidins; prodelphinidins; beverages; wine; beer; cider

CALCIUM UPTAKE IN SEALED PLASMALEMMA VESICLES ISOLATED FROM POST HARVEST CaCl2-TREATED SOUR CHERRIES

Calcium chloride (CaCl2) enhances turgidity and quality of postharvest sour cherry, Prunus cerasus L., fruit. Mechanisms by which plasma membrane (PM) ATPase maintains the electrochemical gradient in cell turgor were studied in isolated PM vesicles isolated from tapwater-, CaCl2- and chelated amino acid-calcium-treated Montmorency sour cherry fruit. Electron microscopy and periodic-chromicphosphotungstic acid staining indicated 85-90% closed PM vesicles. Protein activity associated with the PM was four times higher in both Ca treatments than in untreated cherries. ATPase activity was insensitive to NO3 and NaN3, but inhibited by vanadate, indicating absence or low levels of tonoplast and mitochondrial ATPases. PM vesicles exhibited a pH jump in the presence of acridine orange (A493-530nm). Cherry fruit appeared to have a PM ATPase similar to that of other plant species. Generation of a positive membrane potential across the PM was dependent upon ATP.

Glycosidically bound aroma components from sour cherry

Benzyl β- d-glucoside, 2-phenylethyl β- d-glucoside, 6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-octa-2( E),7-dienyl β- d-glucoside and 2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)phenyl β- d-glucoside were isolated from sour cherry fruit pulp by liquid chromatography. Identifications were performed, after per- O-methylation, by comparison of HRGC, HRGC-MS and HRGC-FTIR data with those of authentic β- d-glucosides synthesized under modified Koenigs-Knorr conditions.

Studies on Abscission of Phthalimide-induced Parthenocarpic Sour Cherry Fruits

Abstract AC 94377 (alone and in combination with an auxin), GA3, and BA were evaluated for induction of parthenocarpy and subsequent retention of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L. ‘Montmorency’) fruit. The persistence of AC 94377-treated fruit was enhanced by addition of CFPA or NAA, persistence and growth being greatest with AC 94377 (3.0 × 10−3 m) + CFPA (7.5 × 10−5 m). CFPA alone (7.5 × 10−5 m) often prevented abscission of flowers, but failed to induce significant fruit growth. Parthenocarpic fruit weighed 30-40% less than seeded fruit. Abscission of parthenocarpic fruit occurred primarily during June drop, and was reduced by an additional application of AC 94377 + CFPA with or without GA3 3 weeks after bloom. AC 94377 and NAA sprayed 2 and 3 weeks after full bloom did not affect the magnitude of June drop of open-pollinated fruit. The rate of fruit abscission was related to time after application, presence or absence of seeds, and relative position between seeded and parthenocarpic fruit. When AC 94377, GA3, and CFPA were applied in lanolin paste to defruited pedicels, only mixtures including CFPA reduced the abscission rate significantly. Chemical names used: l-(3-chlorophthalimido)-cyclohexanecarboxamide (AC 94377); 2-chloro,4-fluorophenoxyacetie acid (CFPA); N-(phenylmethyl)-lH-purin-6-amine (BA); gibberellic acid (GA3); 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA).

Cherry Fruit Growth: Localization of Indoleacetic Acid Oxidase and Inhibitors in the Seed

Abstract The distribution of indoleacetic acid (IAA) oxidase activity was determined in seeds of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L. cv. Montmorency) fruits in mid-Stage II of development, 32 days after full bloom. The greatest activity was found in the integument tissue. No IAA oxidase activity was detected in the embryo or endosperm. When polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVP) was added to the extraction buffer (0.2 m acetate, pH 4.0), a trace of activity was detected in the embryo, but not in the endosperm. Inhibitors of IAA oxidase were coextracted with the enzyme and occurred in the greatest quantity in the integument tissue, an intermediate level in the embryo, and only a trace in the endosperm. The inhibitor from the integument and embryo tissues exhibited different kinetics when increasing concentrations were assayed against IAA oxidase isolated from the integuments. The possible significance of IAA oxidase and inhibitor distribution in the seed is discussed in relation to sour cherry fruit growth.

Interaction between Temperature and Ethylene in Sour Cherry Fruit Abscission1

Abstract Fruits of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L. cv. Montmorency) were collected with pedicels attached during stage III of fruit development and were incubated with or without exogenous ethylene at temperatures between 15 and 35°C. Exogenous ethylene was supplied either by preincubation in 1.0 mm (2-chloroethyl)phosphonic acid (ethephon) or by incubating in ethylene-enriched (7 μ1 liter−1) air in a flow-through system. There was no detectable interaction between ethylene concentration and temperature in promoting fruit abscission, measured as fruit removal force. Thus, the ability of ethylene to induce this response appeared to be independent of temperature between 15 and 35°. Events which occur subsequent to induction by ethylene during fruit abscission layer development were slightly affected by temperature, with a mean Q10 of 1.20.

Cherry Fruit Abscission: Peroxidase Activity in the Abscission Zone in Relation to Separation1

Abstract Peroxidase activity was demonstrated in the abscission zone and adjacent tissues of sour cherry fruit (Prunus cerasus L., cv. Montmorency) from Stage I of fruit growth to maturity. Activity was markedly greater in the receptacle and abscission zone, than in the fruit tissues. A difference was observed histochemically in the peroxidase of the abscission layer from that of the adjacent tissues. Moreover, peroxidase activity in the abscission zone increased to a maximum at a stage of development coinciding with the initiation of the separation phase. This increase in activity was accompanied by an increase in 2 of the major isoenzymes and the appearance of a third. The relationship between changes in peroxidase and abscission in fruit explants was less clear. Ethylene and ethephon had no significant effect on total peroxidase activity; however, ethylene appeared to increase the activity of a basic isoenzyme. Cycloheximide treatment decreased total and isoenzyme activity. Lowering the endogenous ethylene level did not reduce total activity, although the activity of a basic isoenzyme was decreased.

Cherry Fruit Abscission: A Role for Ethylene in Mechanically Induced Abscission of Immature Fruits1

Abstract Mechanical injury to the seed of immature sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L., cv. Montmorency) fruit caused an immediate and marked increase in ethylene evolution followed by abscission of the fruit at the peduncle: pedicel zone. Ethylene evolution was induced when the seed, but not the pericarp, was injured. The magnitude of ethylene evolution was related to stage of fruit development at time of injury, and was most pronounced when the nucellus was the dominant tissue in the seed. Ethephon (500 and 1000 ppm) also caused immature fruits to abscise and abscission was preceded by embryo abortion. The site of ethephon-induced fruit separation differed depending on stage of fruit development at time of treatment. Fruit separation occurred at the peduncle:pedicel abscission zone when immature fruits were treated, and at the pedicel fruit zone when mature fruits were treated. The role of ethylene in the abscission of immature sour cherry fruit is discussed.