Fruiting Structures Research Articles

Investigation of the Maturity Changes of Cherry Tomato Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The maturity of tomato fruit is normally characterized by external color, and it is often difficult to know when fruit have achieved commercial maturity or become over-mature. The internal structure of tomato fruit changes during development and this study investigates the utility of nondestructive measurement of tomato fruit structure as a function of maturity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The objective of this work is to use analysis of internal tomato fruit structural measurements to characterize maturity. Intact cherry tomato fruit were harvested at six different maturity stages. At each stage of maturity, the internal structure of the fruit was measured using a series of two-dimensional (2D) magnetic resonance (MR) images. Qualitative and quantitative image analyses were performed to correlate internal fruit structure with maturity. Internal structural changes observed in the pericarp region of the tomato fruit are highly correlated with fruit maturity. MR image information combined with classical analysis techniques provides a more complete understanding of structure and physicochemical changes in tomato fruit during maturation. This study demonstrates that MRI is a useful analytical tool to characterize internal changes in agricultural produce as the produce matures. This technique can be applied to almost any agricultural produce to monitor internal physical changes due to external impact, maturity stage, variation in climate, storage time, and condition, or other factors impacting quality.

Potentiality of Saccharomyces Boulardii in Fermentation of Bio-Ethanol Derived from Fruit Wastes

An astronomical increase in vehicular usage has led to the depletion of existing fossil fuels and forced researchers to find alternative sources of fuels. Extensive studies are utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae for bioethanol production. Therefore, in the present study, the potential application of Saccharomyces boulardii derived bioethanol from fruit wastes was explored. The orange, sweet lime, and banana peels were subjected to various pre-treatment procedures and used as substrates for yeast mediated fermentation. The cellulosic de-linearization of fruit peels induced by alkaline and steam pre-treatments was analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic analysis. The chemical nature of fruit waste-derived bioethanol was compared with commercial ethanol using gas chromatographic analysis. Bioethanol used in ratios 0%, 4%, 8%, 12% by volume as part of fuel blends were subjected to performance testing. This testing process was carried out on a single-cylinder, four-stroke spark-ignition engine and the effect of bioethanol content (by volume) on the operational parameters like total fuel consumption, brake specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency, volumetric efficiency, and equivalence ratios were assessed. FTIR spectra showed significant changes in the chemical structure of fruit peels due to pretreatments. The bioethanol yields increased up to 24 h of fermentation after which there was a steady decline. These results were confirmed by an increase in pH of the biomass after 24 h up to 72 h. Enzymatic hydrolysis of fruit peels resulted in higher bioethanol yield as compared to acid treatment. The fruit derived bioethanol showed ideal physicochemical characteristics for use as automobile fuel. The same showed decent performance when tested on a four-stroke, spark ignition engine

Velocity and Stability of Condensed Polymorphic SiH4: A High-Temperature High-Pressure Brillouin Investigation**Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (Grant No. 2017YFA0403704), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11474127, 11574112, 11274137, and 11504127), the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (Grant No. IRT1132), and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2015M570265).

Silane (SiH4) is a promising hydrogen-rich compound for pursing high temperature superconducting. Previous high pressure measurements of Raman, x-ray diffraction and theoretical studies on SiH4 mainly focused on its polymorphic structures above 50 GPa, while the structure and the stability under lower pressure range are still unclear. Here we report an investigation of condensed SiH4 by Brillouin scattering measurements at high temperature up to 407 K and high pressure up to 18 GPa. Brillouin scattering frequencies of fluid SiH4 under compression are obtained under isothermal conditions of 300 K, 359 K and 407 K. The SiH4 becomes unstable with increasing temperature and subsequently decomposes into silicon and H2. We find that compression at room temperature induces two velocity anomalies corresponding to a fluid-solid state transition and a phase IV to phase V transition, respectively. Brillouin scattering spectra has been a powerful tool to investigate the fruitful phases and structure transitions in the hydrogen-rich compound under extreme conditions.

Overexpression of the Watermelon Ethylene Response Factor ClERF069 in Transgenic Tomato Resulted in Delayed Fruit Ripening

Watermelon fruit undergoes distinct development stages with dramatic changes during fruit ripening. To date, the molecular mechanics of watermelon ripening remain unclear. Genetic and transcriptome evidences suggested that the ethylene response factor (ERF) gene ClERF069 may be an important candidate factor affecting watermelon fruit ripening. To dissect the roles of ClERF069 in fruit ripening, structure and phylogenetic analysis were performed using the amplified full-length sequence. Normal-ripening watermelon 97103, non-ripening watermelon PI296341-FR and the RIL population were used to analyze ClERF069 expression dynamics and the correlation with fruit ripening indexs. The results indicated that ClERF069 belongs to ERF family group VI and show high homology (83% identity) to melon ERF069-like protein. ClERF069 expression in watermelon flesh was negatively correlated with fruit lycopene content and sugar content during fruit ripening progress. Further transgenic evidences indicated that overexpression of 35S:ClERF069 in tomato noticeably delayed the ripening process up to 5.2 days. Lycopene, β-carotenoid accumulation patterns were altered and ethylene production patterns in transgenic fruits was significantly delayed during fruit ripening. Taken together, watermelon ethylene response factor ClERF069 was concluded to be a negative regulator of fruit ripening.

Secret lifestyles of pyrophilous fungi in the genus Sphaerosporella.

PremisePyrophilous fungi form aboveground fruiting structures (ascocarps) following wildfires, but their ecology, natural history, and life cycles in the absence of wildfires are largely unknown. Sphaerosporella is considered to be pyrophilous. This study explores Sphaerosporella ascocarp appearance following a rare 2016 wildfire in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), compares the timing of ascocarp formation with recovery of Sphaerosporella DNA sequences in soils, and explores the association of Sphaerosporella with post‐fire Table Mountain pine (Pinus pungens) seedlings.MethodsBurned sites in the GSMNP were surveyed for pyrophilous fungal ascocarps over 2 years. Ascocarps, mycorrhizae, and endophyte cultures were evaluated morphologically and by Sanger sequencing of the nuclear ribosomal ITS gene region (fungal barcode; Schoch et al., 2012). DNA from soil cores was subjected to Illumina sequencing.ResultsThe timing and location of post‐fire Sphaerosporella ascocarp formation was correlated with recovery of Sphaerosporella DNA sequences in soils. Genetic markers (fungal barcode) of Sphaerosporella were also recovered from mycorrhizal root tips and endophyte cultures from seedlings of Pinus pungens.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that Sphaerosporella species, in the absence of fire, are biotrophic, forming both mycorrhizal and endophytic associations with developing Pinus pungens seedlings and may persist in nature in the absence of wildfire as a conifer symbiont. We speculate that Sphaerosporella may fruit only after the host plant is damaged or destroyed and that after wildfires, deep roots, needle endophytes, or heat‐resistant spores could serve as a source of soil mycelium.

Searching for keystone plant resources in fruit‐frugivore interaction networks across the Neotropics

AbstractIdentifying keystone plant resources (KPR) is a contentious issue in ecology and conservation. Despite recent advances provided by mutualistic networks, we still lack studies addressing large‐scale identification of keystone plants. We developed a novel quantitative framework for the large‐scale identification of KPR that combines centrality and effects of simulated removals on networks properties. We built a database with 38 fruit–frugivore networks comprising 6,180 pairwise interactions from Neotropical forest and non‐forest ecosystems ranging from sea level to 2,500 m a.s.l.. Effects of random removal simulations and removal of keystone taxa candidates on nestedness, modularity and niche overlap were assessed. Furthermore, we tested whether changes in network descriptors responded to both latitudinal and elevational gradients. From a total of 373 genera on networks, only species in six genera were ranked as keystone candidates. The simulated removal of species in Miconia (Melastomataceae), Cecropia (Urticaceae) and Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae) led to significant changes in nestedness, modularity and niche overlap, suggesting that these plants play important roles in maintaining the structure of Neotropical fruit–frugivore interaction networks, regardless of latitude or elevation. Our results confirm the keystone role of previously recognized taxa, recognize overlooked ones, providing support for their role at a biogeographical scale, and partially challenge taxa traditionally identified as keystone resources for frugivores. Our study has implications for conservation and restoration of Neotropical ecosystems and provides a new framework for large‐scale identification of keystones in other types of ecological networks.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

Staminate and pistillate flowers and fruits of Halophila ovalis subsp. bullosa (Setchell) Hartog

Flowers and fruit of the seagrass Halophila ovalis subsp. bullosa (Setchell) Hartog are reported from the Nasese intertidal flats, Laucala Bay, Fiji Islands, and described for the first time. The observation of pistillate and staminate flowers completes the flowering event reporting of this endemic Fijian taxon, and also resolves its taxonomic identity. Lack of prior descriptions of H. ovalis subsp. bullosa flower and fruit may be a consequence of the small size of the flower and fruit structures, which may be easily overlooked during field studies. Our descriptions confirm that H. ovalis subsp. bullosa in Fiji is a dioecious seagrass, and that its reproductive features are identical to those of H. ovalis. The reproductive features observed, therefore, provide no evidence for subspecies designation of H. ovalis subsp. bullosa. Description of the sexual reproductive structures of H. ovalis subsp. bullosa is important in species discrimination, field identification, and to provide further precision in seagrass ecological investigations.

Seed dispersal of wild radishes and its association with within-population spatial distribution

BackgroundThe wild radishes, Raphanus raphanistrum and R. pugioniformis (Brassicaceae) are native to the East Mediterranean region. However, whereas R. raphanistrum is widely distributed worldwide, the endemic R. pugioniformis is limited to specific habitats. In R. raphanistrum the diaspores of the indehiscent fruits comprise glabrous, light, single-seeded segments, whereas the intact fruits of R. pugioniformis are heavy and covered with spiny backward-pointing trichomes. We aimed to investigate whether the structure of the diaspores was directly associated with long- and short-range dispersal in R. raphanistrum and R. pugioniformis, respectively. We further surveyed within-population spatial distributions, to test the hypothesis that short- and long-range dispersal contribute to a patchy vs. uniform distribution patterns of R. pugioniformis and R. raphanistrum, respectively.ResultsThe results indicated that dispersal by wind and run-off water was substantially lower for diaspores of R. pugioniformis than for those of R. raphanistrum diaspores. Supporting the hypothesis that backward-pointing trichomes promote adherence to soil particles, the displacement on soil surface of R. pugioniformis fruits depended on their orientation relative to wind direction. Furthermore, trichome removal from fruits of R. pugioniformis significantly reduced wind velocity needed to remove fruits that were placed on soils typical of the species’ natural habitats. The spatial-distribution survey results indicated a patchy distribution of R. pugioniformis populations as compared with the more uniform arrangement in the studied populations of R. raphanistrum; consistent with the unidirectional vs. homogeneous wind dispersal of the respective diaspores, with respect to wind direction. In addition, R. pugioniformis population sizes changed less between years than those of R. raphanistrum.ConclusionsOverall, our results indicate that fruit structure is strongly linked to dispersal ability and spatial distribution of the two closely related wild radish species. Whereas R. raphanistrum inhabits homogenous sandy soil habitats, the distribution range of R. pugioniformis includes heterogeneous environments in which growth niches are scarcer. We suggest that the different modes of dispersal have evolved as adaptive traits appropriate to the species’ specific habitats.

Peculiarities of yield formation of tomato in the protected ground of the Udmurt Republic

Relevance. A large reserve to increase the production of tomatoes for different periods of cultivation and purposes of use are highly productive new varieties and heterotic hybrids. In this regard, one of the important conditions now is the maximum compliance of newly created varieties and hybrids with modern technologies that allow obtaining competitive products. In addition to the main indicators (high yield, early maturity, favorable maturation), varietal features such as transportability of fruits, high taste appeal (especially salad-type hybrids), appearance, resistance to major diseases and manufacturability are also important. In recent years, tomato and other vegetable crops have grown mainly hybrids of the first generation F 1 and line (the result of targeted selection), less often populations. For more than a decade, only hybrid varieties have been grown in industrial greenhouse vegetable production. Methods. The article presents the results of 7-year research on the yield, its structure and quality of fruits of indeterminate tomato hybrids. Research on the yield and quality of fruits of indeterminate tomato hybrids was carried out in 2011-2017, in JSC "Zavyalovsky Greenhouse plant" of the Udmurt Republic. Results. Hybrid F 1 tomato Ismail, F 1 Macarena, F 1 Mace, F 1 Geronimo and F 1 Starbuck were distinguished by high productivity. This indicator was respectively: 34.5 kg / m 2 ; 33.1 kg / m 2 ; 32.3 kg / m 2 ; 32.0 kg / m 2 and 31.2 kg / m 2 . Tomatoes F 1 Yakimanka, F 1 Foronti, F 1 Starbuck, F 1 Taganka and F 1 Mace stood out for large-fruited. More than 30 mg / 100 g was contained in F 1 Izmail F 1 Ochakov, F 1 Mariachi, F 1 Kokhava vitamin C fruits. The nitrate content in tomato fruits was not high for years of research, it was within the MPC.

Structure, Conduct, and Performance (SCP) of Fruit Marketing in Ethiopia

This article has analyzed the structure, conduct and performance (SCP) of fruits marketing in Ethiopia. The specific objectives of the study were to identify the major fruit marketing channels and evaluate the market margins for key fruit marketing channels in the study area. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select sample fruit farmers. The data were collected by semi structured questionnaires, and rapid market appraisal. Results from the descriptive analysis shows that local collectors and retailers are the most important buyers of fruit from producers. The market actors in the survey period were producers, rural assemblers, retailers, wholesalers and consumers. Fruit production was constrained by lack of market to absorb the production; large number of middlemen in the marketing system, absence (weakness) of marketing institutions safeguarding farmers' interest and rights over their marketable produces (e.g. cooperatives); lack of coordination among producers to increase their bargaining power. The contribution of this study provides additional evidence to the existing body of knowledge in marketing research by researching the significance of SCP in the fruit marketing chain analysis in Ethiopia. Besides, this investigation adds to the literature to better understand why some marketing chain succeeds and others fail, and it underpins the structure, conduct and performance model to be context specific. Keywords : Marketing System, Structure, Conduct and Performance, fruit, Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/JMCR/68-01 Publication date: May 31 st 2020

Ca2+-dependent nuclease is involved in DNA degradation during the formation of the secretory cavity by programmed cell death in fruit of Citrus grandis 'Tomentosa'.

The secretory cavity is a typical structure in Citrus fruit and is formed by schizolysigeny. Previous reports have indicated that programmed cell death (PCD) is involved in the degradation of secretory cavity cells in the fruit, and that the spatio-temporal location of calcium is closely related to nuclear DNA degradation in this process; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying this Ca2+ regulation remain largely unknown. Here, we identified CgCaN that encodes a Ca2+-dependent DNase in the fruit of Citrus grandis 'Tomentosa', the function of which was studied using calcium ion localization, DNase activity assays, in situ hybridization, and protein immunolocalization. The results suggested that the full-length cDNA of CgCaN contains an ORF of 1011 bp that encodes a protein 336 amino acids in length with a SNase-like functional domain. CgCaN digests dsDNA at neutral pH in a Ca2+-dependent manner. In situ hybridization signals of CgCaN were particularly distributed in the secretory cavity cells. Ca2+ and Ca2+-dependent DNases were mainly observed in the condensed chromatin and in the nucleolus. In addition, spatio-temporal expression patterns of CgCaN and its protein coincided with the time-points that corresponded to chromatin degradation and nuclear rupture during the PCD in the development of the fruit secretory cavity. Taken together, our results suggest that Ca2+-dependent DNases play direct roles in nuclear DNA degradation during the PCD of secretory cavity cells during Citrus fruit development. Given the consistency of the expression patterns of genes regulated by calmodulin (CaM) and calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPK) and the dynamics of calcium accumulation, we speculate that CaM and CDPK proteins might be involved in Ca2+ transport from the extracellular walls through the cytoplasm and into the nucleus to activate CgCaN for DNA degradation.

Risks associated with pathogenic fungi isolated from surgical centers, intensive care units, and materials sterilization center in hospitals. Risks associated with pathogenic fungi isolated from critical hospital areas.

The hospital environment requires special attention to air quality, since it needs to be healthy for the protection of patients and health professionals in order to prevent them against hospital infections. The objective of this study was to isolate, identify and evaluate the susceptibility profile of isolated fungi from two hospitals. For air sampling the impaction (Spin Air, IUL®) and passive sedimentation methods were used. For the isolation of fungi from surfaces, contact plates (RODAC®) were used. The identification of the fungi was performed by observing the macroscopic and microscopic aspects of the colonies, whereas for better visualization of fruiting structures, the microculture technique was performed on slides. To evaluate the susceptibility profile, the broth microdilution test recommended by CLSI was performed. Thirty-five isolates were identified: Aspergillus flavus (12), Aspergillus fumigatus (11), Aspergillus niger (1), Aspergillus terreus (2), Penicillium spp. (7), and Fusarium spp. (2) in the hospitals evaluated. All isolates had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) more than 128μg/ml for fluconazole; 0.5 to 4.0μg/ml for amphotericin B (hospital 1), and all isolates from haospital 2 had MIC ≥2.0μg/ml. In hospital 1, MIC for posaconazole ranged from 0.25μg/ml to ≥32μg/ml, and hospital 2 ranged from 0.5 to 1.0μg/ml. The monitoring and evaluation of air quality and surfaces are essential measures for prevention and control of hospital infections, as these microorganisms are becoming increasingly resistant to antimicrobial agents, thus making treatment difficult, especially in immunocompromised individuals.

Seed development and its relationship to fruit structure in species of Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae) with fleshy fruits

AbstractIn Bromeliaceae, fruit type and seed morphology have been used to distinguish the subfamilies. We studied seed and fruit development of three species of Bromelioideae (Aechmea bromeliifolia, Billbergia distachia and Neoregelia bahiana) relating seed characters to fruit structure. Aechmea bromeliifolia has few ovules per locule inserted within the apical portion of the ovary and the seeds are larger, with a long chalazal appendage, growing towards the fruit base. In B. distachia and N. bahiana, the ovules are numerous and subapically to centrally inserted in the ovary; the seeds are smaller, with a radial disposition, and the chalazal appendages are short (B. distachia) or absent (N. bahiana). The chalazal appendages grow during seed development, and thus their presence/length may be related to the number of ovules/seeds per locule and to the disposition of the ovules inside the locules. The fruits are berries, and juiciness is promoted by mesocarp cells and by substances secreted inside the locules by the placental obturator at later stages of fruit development. These fruit and seed features are strategies for zoochory and provide evidence that each species studied is dispersed by a different type of animal.

<i>Camelina</i> (cruciferae, brassicaceae): structure of the genus and list of species

The taxonomic position of Camelina , as well as its intrageneric structure, are still not very well understood. At the same time, the structure of fruits and the general habit of plants undoubtedly show that essentially this genus is a single group of species. For the entire time of analyzing the diversity of the genus, no one questioned its integrity and no one tried to divide this genus into several. Only in the 18th century, three Camelina species, namely С. sativa , С. alyssum and С. foetida , were attributed to the genus Myagrum as M. sativum , M. alyssum and M. foetidum J. — P. Bergeret (Linnaeus, 1753; Miller, 1768) following the opinion of C. Bauhin (1623). Almost at the same time, however, H. J. N. Crantz (1762) proposed to separate the genus Camelina consisting of only one species, i. e., C. sativa (L.) Crantz., from the genus Myagrum . This article presents a new generic system of Camelina and the full species composition (18 species and their 22 synonyms). It is noted that the main area of the genus and its species origin was South-West Asia, and Europe can be regarded as the secondary area of diversity, where not only such natural species as C. pilosa , C. sylvestris , C. neglecta and C. microcarpa were formed, but also a number of cultivated ones, like C. sativa , C. linicola and C. alyssum . The work offers the most complete taxonomic typing and citations for typical herbarium materials.

On the connection of the fruit structure of Calophyllum inophyllum L. (Calophyllaceae) with the ecology of seashore plants and water dispersion

On the connection of the fruit structure of Calophyllum inophyllum L. (Calophyllaceae) with the ecology of seashore plants and water dispersion

Melezleme Islahı ile Elde Edilen Çilek F1 Populasyonu ve Ebeveynlerinde Bazı Meyve Kalite Kriterlerinin Belirlenmesi

Bu çalışmada, Osmanlı çileğinin ana ebeveyn, yerel (Karaçilek, Tüylü, Deli) ve standart (Kabarla, Sweet Ann ve Sweet Charlie) çilek çeşitlerinin tozlayıcı olarak kullanıldığı ıslah çalışması sonucu seçilen elli iki adet F1 genotipi ve ana ebeveynleri kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen meyvelerde suda çözünebilir kuru madde miktarı (%), pH, titre edilebilir asitlik (TA) (%), toplam kuru madde miktarı (%), kül tayini, askorbik asit içeriği (mg/100g) ve toplam fenol miktarı (µg GAE/g ta) belirlenmiştir. Araştırma sonuçları incelendiğinde SÇKM değerlerinin %5,80 ile %14,60; pH değerinin 2,69-3,90; titre edilebilir asit miktarının %0,58-1,79 arasında değiştiği belirlenmiştir. Askorbik asit en yüksek DB-119 genotipinde 55,61 mg/100g bulunurken, en yüksek toplam fenolik madde miktarı DC-42 genotipinde 3887,07µg GAE/g ta bulunmuştur. Meyve yapısının genetik faktörlerden etkilendiği ancak çevre koşularının etkileşimi ile meyve yapısında değişiklik olduğu bilinmektedir. Çalışma sonucunda belirlenen kriterler incelendiğinde melez bireylerin ana ebeveynlerine yakın değer aralığında olduğu belirlenmiştir.

Plum (Prunus rossica Erem.) fruit field and laboratory researces depending on the scion-stock combinations

The results of the field observations and biochemical researches of plum (PrunusrossicaErem.) fruits grown in the garden of intensive type with agrogenic soil in row spacing are presented in the article. The fruits of plum breeds Kubanskaya kometa и Naidena were gathered from the trees grafted on different stocks. The influene of the stock on the trees productivity, the fruit weight and biochemical structure of the plum fruits were studied. Basic chemical analyses, ascorbic acid concentration, antioxidant activity and fruit ash content were determined. The variation limits of the parameters under study depending on the used stock were shown. The best degustation evaluation parameters were found at the combinations of Kubanskaya kometa on stocks OPA-15-2 and Novinka, Naidena on OPA-15-2 (more than 4,5 points). The high positive correlation (r= 0.92) was marked between solutable solids and sugars content.The researches about the stock influence on the plum fruits titratable acidity change we have not found.The correlation between AA and ascorbic acid content in the fruits was determined (r =0.7). The decreasing row of the elements content in the plum fruits ash is the following: K>P>Mg>Ca>Mo>Cu>S>Ni>Fe≈Si>Mn. The proportion of K is from 18.67 (Naidena/ОРА-15-2) to 27.48 (Kubanskaya kometa/Novinka); P from 3.35 (Kubanskaya kometa/seedlings P.cerasifera Ehrh. to 6.39 (Kubanskaya kometa/Novinka), Mg from 1.11 (Nnaidena/ОРА-15-2) to 2.43 (Naidena/seedlings P.cerasifera Ehrh.) and Ca from 0.39 (Naidena/13-11) to 1.85 (Naidena/OPA-15-2) mass % respectively. The proportion of the rest elements is not more than 1 mass %. Under the OPA-15-2 stock influence the trees productivity and the single fruit weight increased, solutable solids, sugars and ascorbic acid concentration in the fruit in comparison with standard stock by the seedling rootstock of alycha (PrunuscerasiferaEhrh. seedlings). While ingrafting by Novinka stocks the parameters under study decreased.

Characterizing fruit ripening in plantain and Cavendish bananas: A proteomics approach

The fruit physiology of banana cultivars other than Cavendish is poorly understood. To study the ripening process, samples were taken daily from plantain and Cavendish bananas and the ripening stages were determined. We present data from the green to the fully mature stage. By analyzing the protein abundances during ripening we provide some new insights into the ripening process and how plantains fruits are different. Multivariate analysis of the proteins was performed correlated to the starch dynamics. A drop in sucrose synthase and a rise of acid invertase during ripening indicated a change in the balance of the sucrose fate. During ripening, sugars may no longer be available for respiration since they are stored in the vacuoles, making citrate the preferred respiratory substrate. We found significant cultivar specific differences in granule-bound starch synthase, alpha- and beta amylases and cell wall invertase when comparing the protein content at the same ripening stage. This corroborates the difference in starch content/structure between both banana types. Differences in small heat shock proteins and in the cell wall-modifying enzyme xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase support respectively the presumed higher carotenoid content and the firmer fruit structure of plantains. SignificanceWe follow the proteome during ripening and correlate the proteins to the measured starch content. We discuss the changes in two contrasting genotypes. This gives us for the first time insight into the ripening of plantain and how this is different from the well-known Cavendish banana. This will revive the plantain breeding programs since for the first time we get insight into the plantain ripening.

Draft Genomes of Two Artocarpus Plants, Jackfruit (A. heterophyllus) and Breadfruit (A. altilis).

Two of the most economically important plants in the Artocarpus genus are jackfruit (A. heterophyllus Lam.) and breadfruit (A. altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg). Both species are long-lived trees that have been cultivated for thousands of years in their native regions. Today they are grown throughout tropical to subtropical areas as an important source of starch and other valuable nutrients. There are hundreds of breadfruit varieties that are native to Oceania, of which the most commonly distributed types are seedless triploids. Jackfruit is likely native to the Western Ghats of India and produces one of the largest tree-borne fruit structures (reaching up to 45 kg). To-date, there is limited genomic information for these two economically important species. Here, we generated 273 Gb and 227 Gb of raw data from jackfruit and breadfruit, respectively. The high-quality reads from jackfruit were assembled into 162,440 scaffolds totaling 982 Mb with 35,858 genes. Similarly, the breadfruit reads were assembled into 180,971 scaffolds totaling 833 Mb with 34,010 genes. A total of 2822 and 2034 expanded gene families were found in jackfruit and breadfruit, respectively, enriched in pathways including starch and sucrose metabolism, photosynthesis, and others. The copy number of several starch synthesis-related genes were found to be increased in jackfruit and breadfruit compared to closely-related species, and the tissue-specific expression might imply their sugar-rich and starch-rich characteristics. Overall, the publication of high-quality genomes for jackfruit and breadfruit provides information about their specific composition and the underlying genes involved in sugar and starch metabolism.

Kinetika Perubahan Kualitas Fisik Buah Mangga Selama Pengeringan Beku dengan Perlakuan Pendinginan Awal dan Ketebalan Irisan

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the important fruits for tropical residents. The biggest losses of mangoes occur during the postharvest period due to the lack of proper postharvest handling and lack of processing efforts. Frozen drying is a method that is considered the best at present for preserving horticultural products. This freeze drying method can maintain the structure, taste, color, and aroma of fruit. In this method, the product was cooled to freeze for 6 hours. The solid phase water was then removed from the material through a sublimation process in vacuum condition. This study aimed to find out the freeze drying results through various pre-treatments and thicknesses by means of determining the proper combination treatment. The mango used had a sweetness level of 18° Brix with a size of 14 cm x 8 cm and an average weight of 400 g. This research was conducted using a three-factor completely randomized design of 2 x 3 x 5. The first factor was the cooling treatment (non-freezing and liquid nitrogen). The second factor was the thickness of the material (0.5 cm, 1 cm and 1.5 cm). The third factor was time (0 hours, 9 hours, 18 hours, 27 hours and 36 hours). The observed parameters comprised of: water content, texture, and lightness. The non-freezing treatment with 1.5 cm thickness showed a low water content of 7.58%, and the kinetics results used the Newtonian model. It also showed the highest vitamin C decrease, that was 84.12% and the kinetics results used the first-order model. The highest lightness decrease of liquid nitrogen treatment with 1 cm thickness was 74.08%.