Young Fruit Research Articles

A growth posture identification method of immature peaches in natural environments

The precise bagging of immature peaches by the fruit bagging robot requires the identification of the target young fruits as well as the acquisition of their growth angles. The network models employed in single detection algorithms exhibit complexity and pose challenges for deployment on mobile terminals as they heavily rely on the availability of labeled samples. A semi-supervised learning and lightweight strategy based on YOLOv8n-seg was proposed to identify the growth posture of immature peaches in the work. Firstly, the self-training method and data enhancement in semi-supervised learning were used to generate efficient pseudo-label data. A tremendous labeling workload was solved. Secondly, the YOLOv8n-seg backbone network was replaced with an improved MobileNetv3 structure for better real-time detection on MT to reduce network parameters and calculations. The model was easily deployed with improved detection speed. Meanwhile, the original upsampling module was replaced with the CARAFE module to enhance the recognition capability of global features, which considered the impact of immature peaches on the nearby color background. The CIOU loss function was ultimately substituted with the SIOU loss function to further optimize the boundary frame loss and target detection accuracy. The enhanced model could predict the coordinate information of immature peaches and calculate growth angles. The experimental results show that the improved peach seedling growth posture network model has a weight size of only 23.1% of the original model. Additionally, the algorithm achieved a remarkable rate of 87.8% in identifying young peach fruits, with an average error of ±3.3° in estimating the growth angle. It took an average of 31 ms to detect a 3024 × 4032 pixels image in the edge computing device JETSON AGX ORIN CLB development kits. The method could rapidly identify immature peaches and estimate the growth angle, which ensured accurate bagging.

In vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oil extracts from underutilized Zanthoxylum ovalifolium tutcher fruits: Prospective applications in the food industry

Zanthoxylum ovalifolium fruits and its oils are being used in traditional foods as flavoring agent. So, the present investigation was taken to evaluate the potential of essential oils extracted from fruits activity against food borne spoilage microbes. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids and phytosterols. GC-MS results showed the presence of a total of 20 compounds, including Oleoyl chloride in the oil extracted from young fruit and Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in both oils. The LC-MS results revealed a total of 48 compounds, highlighting variations in composition between ZEY and ZEM, likely due to the fruit's maturity stage. DPPH free radical scavenging potential of young fruit essential oils extract showed highest percentage of scavenging activity and IC50 values. The antimicrobial activities of the essential oils were evaluated against bacterial and fungal strains by well diffusion method. S. aureus showed highest zone of inhibition and all fungal strains showed excellent inhibition compared to standard. These essential oils have appreciated capability of suppressing growth of wide variety of food borne microbes in turn scavenging the free radicals released by them. Derived from natural sources, this essential oil offers a promising alternative for extending the shelf life of food products.

Bio-fortification with selenium (Se) improves quality and nutrient profile in citrus fruit

Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient for the human body. Humans can enhance Se absorption by consuming horticultural plants, particularly fruits. Therefore, there is need for Se biofortification in fruits to meet the human demand for Se. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal Se application rate, application stage and method, and to assess their impacts on improving both the quality and nutrient profile of a sweet orange cultivar 'Hongjiangcheng' (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck). 'Hongjiangcheng’ is a notable variety of mandarin orange, acclaimed for its large size, thin and smooth skin, orange-red flesh, tender and juicy texture, balanced sweetness and acidityand distinctive flavor. A field experiment was conducted at the Qiaotou Town Test Base in Chengmai County, Hainan Province, China. Biofortification of Se was done through foliar and soil application methods. Treatments were: Control (C) with no application of Se, foliar application of 25 (SeF1), 50 (SeF2), 100 (SeF3) and 200 (SeF4) mg/L and soil application of 100 mg/L (SeS1) as well as a combination of 100 mg/L Se in soil along with 50 mg/L Se on leaves (SeS1F2). At start of the experiment, 189 healthy, four-year-old citrus trees of similar size and normal growth were selected. The trees were divided into three groups of 63 each. Each group received the aforementioned treatments at the young fruit, expanding fruit and premature fruit stages. The Se was applied once during each stage before 9:00 am on sunny days. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with 9 biological replicates (7 treatments × 9 replicates = 63 citrus trees/ application stage). Foliar application of Se at rate of 200 mg/L (SeF4) enhanced total Se content in leaves by 105, 34 and 69 % at young fruit, expanding fruit and premature fruit stages compared to control (p≤0.05). Respective increments in fruits were 264, 22 and 21 %. The total Se content in leaves were 32 and 40 % higher in the SeF4 (foliar) compared to SeS1 and SeS1F2 (soil) treatments across all development stages (p≤0.05), respectively. The respective increments in fruits total Se content were 16 and 52 %. Only at the young fruit stage, the organic Se content in fruits was significantly higher in the SeF4 compared to soil application treatments (p≤0.05). Single fruit weight was enhanced by 16.61, 13.69 and 4.36 g by foliar than soil application at young fruit, expanding fruit and premature fruit stages, respectively. It was significantly higher (155.53 vs. 113.13 g) after application of SeF4 treatment at young fruit stage relative to all other treatments (p≤0.05). The application of SeF4 at the young fruit stage resulted in an increased seed rate (97 %), total soluble solids (28 %) and solid-to-acid ratio (75 %), while titratable acid decreased by 26 % compared to the control. Interestingly, Se application had non-significant effects on the fruit shape index, peel rate and residue rate across all stages (p>0.05). Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between fruit Se content and several quality indices like total soluble solids, solid acid ratio, fruit shape index and fruit weight at young fruit stage (p≤0.05). It is concluded that foliar application of Se at 200 mg/L (SeF4) during young fruit stage improved citrus Se content, its fruit weight and quality indices establishing these fruits as a valuable source of Se-rich food for human consumption.

Identification of the Optimal Quantitative RT-PCR Reference Gene for Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera).

Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) possesses medicinal, economic, and ecological significance and is extensively used for feed production, papermaking, and ecological restoration due to its ease of propagation, rapid growth rate, and strong stress resistance. The recent completion of the sequencing of the Paper Mulberry genome has prompted further research into the genetic breeding and molecular biology of this important species. A highly stable reference gene is essential to enhance the quantitative analysis of functional genes in Paper Mulberry; however, none has been identified. Accordingly, in this study, the leaves, stems, roots, petioles, young fruits, and mature fruits of Paper Mulberry plants were selected as experimental materials, and nine candidate reference genes, namely, α-TUB1, α-TUB2, β-TUB, H2A, ACT, DnaJ, UBQ, CDC2, and TIP41, were identified by RT-qPCR. Their stability was assessed using the geNorm, Normfinder, Delta Ct, BestKeeper, and RefFinder algorithms, identifying ACT and UBQ as showing the greatest stability. The expression of BpMYB090, which regulates the production of trichomes, was examined in the leaves of plants of the wild type (which have more trichomes) and mutant (which have fewer trichomes) at various developmental stages to validate the results of this study. As a result, their identification addresses a critical gap in the field of Paper Mulberry research, providing a solid foundation for future research that will concentrate on the characterization of pertinent functional genes in this economically valuable species.

Soil moisture content estimation of drip-irrigated citrus orchard based on UAV images and machine learning algorithm in Southwest China

Soil moisture content (SMC), as a pivotal component in the energy and matter exchange processes within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, plays a crucial role in surface water dynamics, energy fluxes, and carbon cycling within ecosystems. The development of remote sensing technology has offered new perspectives for monitoring soil moisture at regional scales. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) equip with multispectral have distinct advantages for vegetation monitoring, including rapidity and cost-effectiveness, which has superior applicability and practicality. Therefore, in a 5a "Daya" late-maturing citrus orchard, the vegetation index (VI) and texture feature (TF) information of citrus canopy based on UAV multi-spectral images were extracted, and soil and plant analyzer development (SPAD) of citrus was collected. These different data sources were integrated into the framework of the random forest algorithm (RF) and genetic algorithm-optimized random forest (GA-RF) to evaluate the accuracy of surface SMC (SSMC) estimation in citrus orchard. The Biswas model was utilized to simulate the root zone SMC (RSMC). The spatiotemporal variations of SMC in citrus orchard were analyzed, and the potential of low-cost sensor-equipped drones in rapidly acquiring spatial and temporal distribution information of SMC at a large regional scale was explored. The results indicated that the GA-RF models outperformed the RF models in estimating citrus orchard SMC (with R2 ranging from 0.502 to 0.949 and RMSE ranging from 0.552 % to 3.166 % for GA-RF, compared to R2 ranging from 0.430 to 0.936 and RMSE ranging from 0.587 % to 3.449 % for the RF). The GA-RF models using VI+SPAD as inputs exhibited the best performance for SMC at depths of 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm and 40 cm (SMC5, SMC10, SMC20 and SMC40) across citrus growth stages (R2 ranging from 0.793 to 0.949 at 5 cm, R2 ranging from 0.702 to 0.938 at 10 cm, R2 ranging from 0.714 to 0.927 at 20 cm). In bud bust to flowering, young fruit and fruit maturation stages (stage Ⅰ, ⅠⅠ and ⅠⅤ), all models demonstrated good accuracy in estimating SMC at depth of 10 cm (R2 ranging from 0.567 to 0.908 in stage Ⅰ, with R2 ranging from 0.681 to 0.916 in stage ⅠⅠ and R2 ranging from 0.579 to 0.938 in stage ⅠⅤ). In fruit expansion stage (stage III), the models performed best in predicting SMC5 (R2 ranging from 0.698 to 0.861). The Biswas model was constructed to simulate SMC40 by utilizing the inverted SMC10 and SMC20, thereby generating spatiotemporal distribution maps of SMC at different depths in citrus orchard. The SSMC was susceptible to environmental factors, exhibiting significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity. In summary, this study illustrated that the integration of multiple data sources into GA-RF enhanced the estimation performance of SMC at different growth stages of late-maturing citrus orchard in the Southwest China. Additionally, it enabled the rapid and efficient monitoring of spatiotemporal variations in SMC, providing an effective method and practical foundation for precision irrigation and improved water use efficiency.

Genome-wide identification and expression analyses of SWEET gene family reveal potential roles in plant development, fruit ripening and abiotic stress responses in cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait).

The sugars will eventually be exported transporter (SWEET) family is a novel class of sugar transporters that play a crucial role in plant growth, development, and responses to stress. Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) is a nutritious berry with economic importance, but little is known about SWEET gene family functions in this small fruit. In this research, 13 VmSWEET genes belonging to four clades were identified in the cranberry genome for the first time. In the conserved domains, we observed seven phosphorylation sites and four amino acid residues that might be crucial for the binding function. The majority of VmSWEET genes in each clade shared similar gene structures and conserved motifs, showing that the VmSWEET genes were highly conserved during evolution. Chromosomal localization and duplication analyses showed that VmSWEET genes were unevenly distributed in eight chromosomes and two pairs of them displayed synteny. A total of 79 cis-acting elements were predicted in the promoter regions of VmSWEETs including elements responsive to plant hormones, light, growth and development and stress responses. qRT-PCR analysis showed that VmSWEET10.1 was highly expressed in flowers, VmSWEET16 was highly expressed in upright and runner stems, and VmSWEET3 was highly expressed in the leaves of both types of stems. In fruit, the expression of VmSWEET14 and VmSWEET16 was highest of all members during the young fruit stage and were downregulated as fruit matured. The expression of VmSWEET4 was higher during later developmental stages than earlier developmental stages. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results revealed a significant up-regulation of VmSWEET10.2, under osmotic, saline, salt-alkali, and aluminum stress conditions, suggesting it has a crucial role in mediating plant responses to various environmental stresses. Overall, these results provide new insights into the characteristics and evolution of VmSWEET genes. Moreover, the candidate VmSWEET genes involved in the growth, development and abiotic stress responses can be used for molecular breeding to improve cranberry fruit quality and abiotic stress resistance.

Extraction, Characterization, and In Vitro Biological Activity of Polyphenols from Discarded Young Fig Fruits Based on Deep Eutectic Solvents.

(1) Background: Discarded young fig fruits (DYFFs) result in a waste of resources, such as sparse fruits and residual fruits, and there has been no research on the relationship between phenolic compounds and biological activity in DYFFs (2) Methods: Different deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and 80% ethanol were used to prepare DYFF extracts, and polyphenol extraction efficiency and bioactivities in the DYFFs extracts were compared. (3) Results: More than 1700 phytochemicals were identified in DYFFs, and thirteen of these typical phenolic compounds were analyzed quantitatively; chlorogenic acid, rutin, luteolin 8-C-glucoside, and epicatechin are the main polyphenols in DYFFs, especially chlorogenic acid with 2720-7980 mg/kg. Ferulic acid, caffeic acid, epicatechin, (+)-catechin, luteolin 8-C-glucoside, rutin, hesperetin, and chlorogenic acid showed different degrees of correlation with in vitro antioxidant activity. Moreover, the highest total phenol content found in the extracts of ChCl-Ethylene glycol (Choline chloride:Ethylene glycol = 1:2) was 8.88 mg GAE/g DW, and all quantitatively analyzed phenolic compounds had high levels in various DESs and 80% ethanol. The 80% ethanol and Choline chloride (ChCl) solvent system showed the greatest antioxidant properties, and the Choline chloride-Urea (Choline chloride: Urea = 1:2) extract of DYFFs exhibited the highest inhibitory activity. (4) Conclusions: DESs have demonstrated potential as promising green solvents, especially the ChCl solvent system, which facilitates the extraction of polyphenols.

A new species of Oxalis sect. Holophyllum (Oxalidaceae) from the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo, discovered with the help of citizen science

A new species of Oxalis sect. Holophyllum restricted to the Atlantic Forest of the State of Espírito Santo (Brazil) is described. This species can be distinguished from others of the section by the leaf blades up to ca. 1.6× longer than wide, adaxially with very abundant, patent hairs, phyllodial peduncles shorter than the leaves, distally enlarged and hiding floral buds and young fruits underneath, and flowers with yellow corolla. A morphological description with taxonomic notes and a preliminary assessment of its conservation status are presented here, as well as a photographic plate, and a geographic distribution map for the new species. An identification key for the species of O. sect. Holophyllum with the peduncle wider distally than proximally is also provided.

Effects of rootstocks and developmental time on the dynamic changes of main functional substances in 'Orah' (Citrus reticulata Blanco) by HPLC coupled with UV detection.

Citrus fruit is rich in important functional constituents such as flavonoids, phenolic acids terpenes and other functional substances that play an important role for treating clinical diseases or controlling major agricultural diseases and pests. Plant secondary metabolites have become one of the most important resources of novel lead compounds, especially young citrus fruits contain multiple functional substances. 'Orah', a type of citrus reticulata, is known for its fine appearance, productivity, delicious sweetness, late-maturing characteristics, and is widely cultivated in China. Fruit thinning and rootstock selection are commonly used agronomic measures in its production to ensure its quality and tree vigor. However, few studies have demonstrated the effects of these agronomic measures on the functional substances of 'Orah'. In this study, we used HPLC coupled with UV to detect the dynamic changes of fruit quality, 13 main flavonoids, 7 phenolic acids, 2 terpenes, synephrine and antioxidant capacity in both peel and pulp of citrus fruits grafted on four rootstocks (Red orange Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. red tangerine, Ziyang xiangcheng Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka, Trifoliate orange Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf, and Carrizo citrange Citrus sinensis Osb.×P.trifoliate Raf) at six different developmental stages (from 90 DAF to 240 DAF). The results indicated that rootstock can significantly affect the contents of functional constituents and antioxidant capacity in 'Orah'. Additionally, it was found that pruning at either 90 DAF (days after flowering) or 150 DAF produced the most favorable outcomes for extracting functional substances. We also identified rootstock 'Trifoliate orange' has the highest total soluble solids (TSS) and 'Ziyang xiangcheng' to be the optimal in terms of comprehensive sensory of fruit quality, while 'Red orange' and 'Ziyang xiangcheng' are optimal in terms of functional substance quality, and 'Red orange' excels in antioxidant capacity. Overall, the findings demonstrate the important role of rootstocks and developmental stage in shaping fruit sensory quality and functional substance synthesis, providing valuable insights for guiding rootstock selection, determining thinning time, and utilizing pruned fruits in a more informed manner.

Wild Pepper (Piper laetispicum) Fruit Quality Traits at Different Developmental Stages.

High-quality Piper laetispicum (Piper laetispicum C. DC) is the key to the development of foods, natural medicines, and cosmetics. Its crude fat, ash, piperine, protein, and aroma compounds were determined in this experiment. Principal component (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analyses (HCA) were used to evaluate the aroma compounds at different developmental stages. The main aroma compounds identified using steam distillation combined with GC-MS were sabinene (34.83-76.14%), α-copaene (5.11-19.51%), linalool (2.42-15.70%), trans-caryophyllene (2.37-6.57%), α-pinene (1.51-4.31%), and germacrene D (1.30-4.10%). The aroma metabolites at different developmental stages were analysed using non-targeted metabolomes, and linalool was found to be the most abundant. Based on the experimental results, there were more nutrient compounds in young Piper laetispicum than in the last three developmental stages. The aromatic metabolites contributed the most to PC1. There were also more different metabolites of aroma between the young and expanding stages. Therefore, regarding quality, young fruits have great potential.

EjCBF3 conferred cold-resistance through the enhancement of antioxidase activity in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)

Low-temperature is a serious threat to production of plants, and cold damage of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) reduces fruit yield tremendously. C-Repeat Binding Factors (CBFs) are known to work as core regulators for cold adaption in plants. However, loquat EjCBFs and their mechanism for cold tolerance have not been identified. In this study, 3 EjCBFs were discovered from loquat using genome-wide searching strategy, which were candidates responding to low-temperature stress supported by analysis of conserved domains and cis-elements in promoters. The greatest up-regulation was shown on EjCBF3 both in loquat leaves and young fruits subjected to low-temperature treatment. EjCBF3 was located in the cell nucleus of Nicotiana benthamiana (N. benthamiana), and its transcriptional activation activity was verified in yeast. Transient over-expression of EjCBF3 alleviated chilling injury through the increase of antioxidase peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in N. benthamiana, and the removal of H2O2 with the application of scavenger attenuated cold damage in loquat leaves. Higher survival rate and lower electrolyte leakage were found in Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) treated with low-temperature stress with the over-expression (OE) of EjCBF3. Furthermore, the induction of cold-regulated genes (CORs) including COR15A, COR47, COR78, and KIN1 were greater in OE plants than that of wild type (WT) suffering cold stress. Results provide new insights into the cold tolerance of loquat and a novel cold-resistant gene, EjCBF3, for loquat breeding.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Pattern Analysis of the WNK Gene Family in Apple under Abiotic Stress and Colletotrichum siamense Infection.

With-no-lysine kinase (WNK) is a unique serine/threonine kinase family member. WNK differs from other protein kinases by not having a standard lysine in subdomain II of the universally preserved kinase catalytic region. Conversely, the amino acid lysine located in subdomain I plays a crucial role in its phosphorylation. The WNK family has been reported to regulate Arabidopsis flowering, circadian rhythm, and abiotic stress. Eighteen members of the WNK gene family were discovered in apples in this research, and they were primarily grouped into five categories on the phylogenetic tree. Conserved domains and motifs also confirmed their identity as members of the WNK family. Promoter cis-acting element analysis indicated their potential role in responses to both abiotic stress and phytohormones. Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of MdWNK family genes was stimulated to different extents by Colletotrichum siamense, NaCl, mannitol, ABA, JA, and SA, with Colletotrichum siamense being the most prominent stimulant. MdWNK family genes were expressed across all apple tissues, with young fruits showing the greatest expression and roots showing the least expression. The research offered detailed insights into the MdWNK gene family, serving as a crucial basis for investigating the biological roles of MdWNK genes.

Virus diseases limiting greenhouses and open field production of cucurbits in Antalya province

The Mediterranean region in Türkiye is noted for the production of cucurbits and other vegetables. As such, the aim of this study was to sample symptomatic cucurbits crops from open fields and greenhouses where there is active cultivation of these crops. Young shoot, leaves, and fruits exhibiting virus-like symptoms (yellowing, mosaic, necrotic) were collected. Out of 968 plant samples collected and tested through RT-PCR and PCR, 949 were discovered to be infected with several viruses. The identified virus diseases included ZYMV, WMV, PRSV, SqMV, CGMV, CYSDV, BPYV, CABYV, ToLCNDV and CMV. In terms of hosts exhibiting a high incidence of virus infections, cucumber (363 samples), squash (277 samples), melon (201 samples), and watermelon (108 samples) emerged as the top four hosts. Additionally, viruses with notable high incidences in the collected samples, as recorded through molecular testing in decreasing order included ZYMV at 28.1%, CYSDV at 15.5%, and WMV at 14.4%. Also, 90% of samples collected from open fields had single or multiple infection. In contrast, 26.4% of samples from greenhouses exhibited mosaic symptoms and 74.6% showed yellowing symptoms. Notably, MNSV and BPYV, were detected in these samples. The samples also exhibiting mixed infections predominantly displayed mosaic symptoms, including mixed infections such as ZYMV with WMV, ZYMV with CMV, CMV with WMV, and CMV with PRSV. In contrast, samples obtained from open fields showed a higher prevalence of yellowing symptoms, such as ToLCNDV with CMV, ToLCNDV with ZYMV, ZYMV with CMV with CYSDV, and ZYMV with CMV with CVYV.

A Derelomine Weevil Severely Damaging the Inflorescence and Young Fruits of Date Palm

A Derelomine Weevil Severely Damaging the Inflorescence and Young Fruits of Date Palm

Metabolic and gene-expression analyses reveal developmental dynamics of cutin deposition in pomegranate fruit grown under different environmental conditions

The chemical and transcriptional changes in the cuticle of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit grown under different environmental conditions were studied. We collected fruit from three orchards located in different regions in Israel, each with a distinct microclimate. Fruit were collected at six phenological stages, and cutin monomers in the fruit cuticle were profiled by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), along with qPCR transcript-expression analyses of selected cutin-related genes. While fruit phenotypes were comparable along development in all three orchards, principal component analyses of cutin monomer profiles suggested clear separation between cuticle samples of young green fruit to those of maturing fruit. Moreover, total cutin contents in green fruit were lower in the orchard characterized by a hot and dry climate compared to orchards with moderate temperatures. The variances detected in total cutin contents between orchards corresponded well with the expression patterns of BODYGUARD, a key biosynthetic gene operating in the cutin biosynthetic pathway. Based on our extraction protocols, we found that the cutin polyester that builds the pomegranate fruit cuticle accumulates some levels of gallic acid—the precursor of punicalagin, a well-known potent antioxidant metabolite in pomegranate fruit. The gallic acid was also one of the predominant metabolites contributing to the variability between developmental stages and orchards, and its accumulation levels were opposite to the expression patterns of the UGT73AL1 gene which glycosylates gallic acid to synthesize punicalagin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first detailed composition of the cutin polyester that forms the pomegranate fruit cuticle.

基于改进YOLOv5的苹果幼果检测方法

The intelligent detection of young apple fruits based on deep learning faced various challenges such as varying scale sizes and colors similar to the background, which increased the risk of misdetection or missed detection. To effectively address these issues, a method for young apple fruit detection based on improved YOLOv5 was proposed in this paper. Firstly, a young apple fruits dataset was established. Subsequently, a prediction layer was added to the detection head of the model, and four layers of CA attention mechanism were integrated into the detection neck (Neck). Additionally, the GIOU function was introduced as the model's loss function to enhance its overall detection performance. The accuracy on the validation dataset reached 94.6%, with an average precision of 82.2%. Compared with YOLOv3, YOLOv4, and the original YOLOv5 detection methods, the accuracy increased by 0.4%, 1.3%, and 4.6% respectively, while the average precision increased by 0.9%, 1.6%, and 1.2% respectively. The experiments demonstrated that the algorithm effectively recognized young apple fruits in complex scenes while meeting real-time detection requirements, providing support for intelligent apple orchard management.

Mitigating citrus fruit cracking: the efficacy of chelated calcium or silicon foliar fertilizers in 'Okitsu no. 58' citrus fruit.

The 'Okitsu No. 58' citrus variety is highly prone to fruit cracking, which jeopardizes yield and results in economic losses. In this study, we investigated the impacts of spraying 5 distinct concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 g/L) of chelated calcium (Ca) or silicon (Si) fertilizers at the young fruit stage (60-90 days after flowering, DAF) on fruit cracking and quality in the citrus variety 'Okitsu No. 58'. The results showed either Ca or Si fertilizer treatments reduced fruit cracking. We found that all Ca and partial Si treatments (0.4 and 0.5 g/L) significantly promoted the accumulation of Ca content in the peel. Notably, Ca or Si treatments significantly reduced polygalacturonase (PG) activity and inhibited the production of water-soluble pectin (WSP) in the peel. Additionally, Ca or Si treatments elevated the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the peels. Changes in these parameters likely contributed to strengthening the durability of peel cell wall constituents, thus enhancing the fruit's resistance to fruit cracking. Overall, except for the C3 (0.3 g/L of Ca), Ca or Si fertilizers contributed to fruit conventional quality, mainly in terms of higher soluble sugars (SS) and SS/TA (titratable acid). Therefore, our findings will provide a reference for the prevention and control of citrus fruit cracking and the development of new fertilizers.

VlMYB4 and VlCDF3 co-targeted the VlLOG11 promoter to regulate fruit setting in grape (Vitis vinifera L).

The VlLOG11 mediates the cytokinin signaling pathway to regulate grape fruit setting. Fruit set, as an accepted agronomic trait, is inextricably linked with fruit quality and yield. Previous studies have demonstrated that exogenous treatment with the synthetic cytokinin analog, forchlorfenuron (CPPU), significantly enhances fruit set. In this study, a significant reduction in endogenous cytokinins was found by measuring the content of cytokinins in young grape berries after CPPU treatment. LONELY GUYs (VlLOGs), a key cytokinin-activating enzyme working in the biosynthesis pathway of cytokinins, exhibited differential expression. Some differentially expressed VlLOGs genes were presented by RNA seq data and their functions and regulation patterns were further investigated. The results showed that VlLOG11 was differentially expressed in young grape berries after CPPU treatment. Overexpression of VlLOG11 in tomato increases the amount of fruit set, and upregulated the expression of genes associated with cytokinin signaling including SlHK4, SlHK5, SlHP3, SlHP4, SlPHP1, SlPHP2. VlMYB4 and VlCDF3 could regulate the expression of VlLOG11 by directly binding to its promoter in young grape berries during fruit set. These results strongly demonstrated that VlMYB4/VlCDF3-VlLOG11 regulatory module plays a key role in the process of fruit setting in grape. This provided a basis for the molecular mechanism of VlLOG11-mediated cytokinin biosynthesis in young grape fruit set.

THE EFFECT OF MATURITY ON PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENT, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, AND NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF MUNTINGIA CALABURA FRUITS CULTIVATED IN INDONESIA

Objective: Cultivation location and maturity levels could affect Muntingia calabura's bioactive compounds and biological activities. The present investigation evaluated two different maturity stages (young and ripened) of Indonesian M. calabura on their phytochemical constituents (total phenolic [TP] and total flavonoid [TF]), antioxidant activity, and nutrition composition. Material and Method: The TP and TF were measured using the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent and ammonium chloride (AlCl3). Antioxidant activity was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) acid (ABTS). Nutrition composition: total soluble solids (TSS) were determined by the gravimetric method; soluble sugars used anthrone-sulfuric acid colorimetric assays; and vitamin C established 2,6-dichloroindophenol (DCIP) titration. Result and Discussion: The ripened fruit presented the most potent antioxidant activity. DPPH and ABTS IC50 values were 28.38 ± 0.84 µg/ml and 29.92 ± 3.05 µg/ml, respectively. In contrast, the young fruit exhibited the highest TP (56.85 ± 1.08 mg/g GAE) and TF (8.45 ± 0.65 mg QE). Our findings additionally suggested that ripened fruit was a good source of nutrients, such as soluble sugar (SS; 12.34 ± 0.76%) and vitamin C (21.88 ± 2.73 mg/g).

Transcriptome Profiles Reveal That Phytohormone Signal Transduction-related Genes Involved in Regulating Xenia in Rabbiteye Blueberry

Blueberries are small perennial evergreen or deciduous shrub berries of the genus Vaccinium in Ericaceae family. Pollination with different parental genotypes has significant effects on fruit size, fruit harvest time, fruit firmness, and chemical composition, such as soluble solids, titratable acids, anthocyanins, fructose, sucrose, glucose, flavonoids, and total phenols, showing an evident xenia effect. To understand the molecular mechanism and biosynthetic pathways involved in the xenia effect in rabbiteye blueberry, we employed transcriptome profiling by RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during fruit development of the variety ‘Premier’ produced by self and cross-pollination with ‘Brightwell’ and ‘Powderblue’. On the basis of the transcriptomic sequences, DEGs related to plant hormone signal transduction were identified through bioinformatics analysis, screening of DEGs, and functional enrichment analysis. The results showed that the single fruit weight and the contents of anthocyanins fructose, glucose, and sucrose showed significant differences between self- and cross-pollinated fruits, demonstrating a distinct xenia effect. High-throughput sequencing was conducted on the transcriptomes of young fruits harvested at six developmental stages (at 10-day intervals from 40 to 90 days after self- and cross-pollination). After screening and identification, 16.37 million to 25.52 million raw reads were generated and 4,937,201,302 to 7,709,896,920 clean bases were obtained. The comparison group of 80-day-old fruits generated through self-pollinated ‘Premier’ and those crossed with ‘Brightwell’ (PBR-80 vs. PPR-80) showed the largest number of DEGs (6377), of which 3052 were upregulated and 3325 were downregulated. Through further screening, 174 DEGs were found related to plant hormone signal transduction, comprising 147 known genes and 27 new genes and that 76 genes were downregulated and 98 genes were upregulated. Of the eight DEGs randomly selected for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction verification, their expression patterns were consistent with those revealed by high-throughput sequencing. The results elucidated the underlying mechanism of xenia, thereby providing a solid theoretical foundation for the targeted breeding, quality control, and improvement of economic benefits of blueberry, which are of important theoretical value and practical significance.