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Grape sour rot (GSR) is a disease complex involving fungi and bacteria that can cause significant yield losses of susceptible varieties. It is widely spread in the eastern U.S. and other grape-growing regions globally. Previous studies suggest that damaged fruit skin and feeding insects like Drosophila spp. are required for the disease to occur. Current control strategies for the management of sour rot are not sustainable, and research on the implications of chemical management of the disease on microbiome diversity is scarce. Our aim was to: i) investigate the effect of insecticide application and netting treatment on the microbiota of GSR-susceptible and tolerant grape varieties; and ii) identify the core microbial assemblages potentially associated with grape sour rot development in Maryland. Using a combined analysis of culture-dependent and independent data, we found that microbiota diversity of healthy grape berries did not change with netting, insecticide application, and between varieties. There was a significant difference in bacterial diversity between healthy and sour rot-affected berries. Komagataeibacter was consistently associated with infected berries followed by Acetobacter and Gluconobacter. This is the first study to report the association of Komagataeibacter with GSR-infected berries. It is thus imperative to investigate its role alongside that of other identified core microbiomes in sour rot development. Candida and Pichia were also consistent genera in infected berries. Several unidentified Candida, Pichia, and other fungal species from infected berries formed the core mycobiomes and it would be worth investigating their involvement in GSR development in Mid-Atlantic vineyards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese table grapes are quite expensive because their production is highly labor-intensive. In particular, grape berry pruning is a labor-intensive task performed to produce grapes with desirable characteristics. Because it is considered difficult to master, it is desirable to assist new entrants by using information technology to show the recommended berries to cut. In this research, we aim to build a system that identifies which grape berries should be removed during the pruning process. To realize this, the 3D positions of individual grape berries need to be estimated. Our environmental restriction is that bunches hang from trellises at a height of about 1.6 meters in the grape orchards outside. It is hard to use depth sensors in such circumstances, and using an omnidirectional camera with a wide field of view is desired for the convenience of shooting videos. Obtaining 3D information of grape berries from videos is challenging because they have textureless surfaces, highly symmetric shapes, and crowded arrangements. For these reasons, it is hard to use conventional 3D reconstruction methods, which rely on matching local unique features. To satisfy the practical constraints of this task, we extend a deep learning-based unsupervised monocular depth estimation method to an omnidirectional camera and propose using it. Our experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for estimating the 3D positions of grape berries in the wild. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knowledge about the diet quality among youth who follow different types of plant-based diets is essential to understand whether support is required to ensure a well-planned diet that meets their nutritional needs. This study aimed to investigate how food groups, macronutrient intake, and objective blood measures varied between Norwegian youth following different plant-based diets compared to omnivorous diet. Methods: Cross-sectional design, with healthy 16-to-24-year-olds (n = 165) recruited from the Agder area in Norway, following a vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian or omnivore diet. Participants completed an electronic questionnaire, a dietary screener, 24-hour dietary recalls and provided dried blood samples for analysis of carotenoids and fatty acids. Results: Vegans reported the highest mean intake (g/d, g/MJ) of vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds and substitutes to dairy and meat (compared to all, p<0.001), fruit and berries (compared to omnivores, p = 0.004 and pescatarians, p = 0.007), and vegetable oil (compared to omnivores, p<0.001, pescatarians, p = 0.003 and flexitarians, p = 0.004) and vegetable products (compared to omnivores, p = 0.007). No difference was found between groups in mean intake (g/d, g/MJ) of any of the confectionary foods or sweet pastries, beverages (sugar-sweetened, non-sugary, alcoholic), or salted snacks, neither in g/MJ of convenience foods. The energy percentage (E%) of protein, carbohydrates and total fat were within the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 across groups. However, all groups, except vegans, exceeded the E% for saturated fatty acids. All groups exceeded recommendations for added and free sugar. Furthermore, all groups consumed <25g/d of dietary fibre, except vegans and pescatarians. For omega-3, lacto-ovo-vegetarians had intakes below recommendations. Blood marker of total carotenoids did not differ between groups, neither did the reported mean intake (g/MJ) of carotenoid-rich foods. Vegans showed the lowest blood level of palmitic acid compared to all (p<0.001), but highest level of linoleic acid (compared to flexitarians, p = 0.022, and omnivores, p<0.001). The lowest blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were found in vegans and lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that all groups had risk of dietary shortcomings. However, vegans consumed the most favorable diet. All groups should increase their consumption of vegetables, fruits and berries, and reduce their total sugar intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influence of cadmium (Cd) stress on the micropropagation of Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum L.) across three distinct genotypes (ERU, NQ1, NQ7), employing an array of machine learning (ML) algorithms, including Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forest (RF), Gaussian Process (GP), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). The primary motivation is to elucidate genotype-specific responses to Cd stress, which poses significant challenges to agricultural productivity and food safety due to its toxicity. By analyzing the impacts of varying Cd concentrations on plant growth parameters such as proliferation, shoot and root lengths, and root numbers, we aim to develop predictive models that can optimize plant growth under adverse conditions. The ML models revealed complex relationships between Cd exposure and plant physiological changes, with MLP and RF models showing remarkable prediction accuracy (R2 values up to 0.98). Our findings contribute to understanding plant responses to heavy metal stress and offer practical applications in mitigating such stress in plants, demonstrating the potential of ML approaches in advancing plant tissue culture research and sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation is a temporary response of the immune system that can be treated using common anti-inflammatory drugs. However, prolonged use of these drugs increases the risk of adverse side effects. Accordingly, there is an increasing need for alternative treatments for inflammation with fewer side effects. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by most eukaryotic cells and have been studied as a candidate for cell-free therapy for inflammatory diseases due to their immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. In recent years, the focus of exosome research has shifted from animal cell-derived exosomes to plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PDENs). Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PDENs) are easier to obtain, have minimal safety concerns, and can be produced in higher quantities and lower cost than exosomes derived from animal cells. In this study, the isolation and analysis of the anti-inflammatory potential of PDENs from black nightshade berries (Solanum nigrum L.) were carried out. The results of isolation and characterization showed that PDENs had a spherical morphology, measuring around 107 nm with zeta potential of -0.6 mV, and had a protein concentration of 275.38 μg/mL. PDENs were also shown to be internalized by RAW264.7 macrophage cell line after 2 hours of incubation and had no cytotoxicity effect up to the concentration of 2.5 μg/mL. Furthermore, exposure to several doses of PDENs to the LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cell significantly decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine gene IL-6, as well as the expression of IL-6 protein up to 97,28%. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of neral, a monoterpene compound with known anti-inflammatory properties, which may contribute to the anti-inflammatory activity of PDENs isolated from Solanum nigrum L. berries. Taken together, the present study was the first to isolate and characterize PDENs from Solanum nigrum L. berries. The results of this study also demonstrated the anti-inflammatory activity of PDEN by suppressing the production of IL-6 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides isolated from Korean ginseng berries (GBPs) have shown beneficial effects such as immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic properties. However, little is known about anti-inflammatory effects of GBPs. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate anti-inflammatory properties of four fractions of GBPs, namely GBP-C, GBP-F1, GBP-F2, and GBP-F3, in macrophages. Their toxicities and effects on NO production in RAW264.7 cells were assessed by culturing cells with various concentrations of GBPs and stimulating cells with LPS. Furthermore, expression levels of inflammatory mediators, cytokines, cell surface molecules, and immune signaling pathways were evaluated in LPS-stimulated macrophages using different fractions of GBPs at 450 μg/mL. These GBPs activated LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells to significantly reduce NO production. They suppressed the expression of mRNA and cell surface molecules via MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Collectively, results revealed that all four GBP fractions showed anti-inflammatory effects, with GBP-F1 having a more efficient anti-inflammatory effect than GBP-C, GBP-F2, and GBP-F3. The structure of GBP-F1 mainly consists of 1 → 3)- Araf, 1 → 4)- Glcp, and 1 → 6)–Galp glycosidic linkages. These results demonstrate that GBPs can be employed as alternative natural sources of anti-inflammatory agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black Soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larval (BSFL) frass was examined for its nutrient nitrogen, phosphate and potassium (N:P205:K2O), phytohormone and biogenic amine content, its plant growth promoting activity, and screened to test the hypothesis that bacteria characteristic of the genus Enterococcus (present in the biome of decaying catering waste and the larval gut) are excreted by BSFL in their frass. Frass plant growth promoting activity was measured by comparing the growth of winter wheat berry (Triticum aestivum) in frass treated soil to that of untreated (control) soil. The N:P205:K2O percent dry matter average, biogenic amine and phytohormone content of frass was determined by standard soil analysis, HPLC and HPLC/GC-MS methodologies, respectively. All were at too low of concentrations to account for its plant growth promoting activity. Frass added to soil induced a 11% increase in aerial mass and shoot length in treated plants over controls. Numerous colonies of Enterococci growing out on BEA (bile-esculin-agar) plates were detected in frass collected directly from larvae confirming the hypothesis that viable Enteroccoci are passing from the larval gut into their frass. Since a number of rhizobacteria, including Enterococci, have previously been identified as part of the larval gut biome, the passage of Enterococci from the larval gut into frass in the face of only trace N:P205:K2O percent dry matter averages, biogenic amine and phytohormone content is consistent with the hypothesis that Enterococci exhibiting rhizobacterial activity have a role in conferring to frass its plant growth promoting activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transposition of transposable elements affect expression levels, splicing and epigenetic status, and function of genes located in, or near, the inserted/excised locus. For example, in grape, presence of the Gret1 retrotransposon in the promoter region of the VvMYBA1a allele at the VvMYBA1 locus suppress the expression of the VvMYBA1 transcription factor gene for the anthocyanin biosynthesis and this transposon insertion is responsible for the green berry skin color of Vitis labrascana, 'Shine Muscat', a major grape cultivar in Japan. To prove that transposons in grape genome can be removed by genome editing, we focused on Gret1 in the VvMYBA1a allele as a target of CRISPR/Cas9 mediated transposon removal. PCR amplification and sequencing detected Gret1 eliminated cells in 19 of 45 transgenic plants. Although we have not yet confirmed any effects on grape berry skin color, we were successful in demonstrating that cleaving the long terminal repeat (LTR) present at both ends of Gret1 can efficiently eliminate the transposon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the application ratio of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in the field, L9 (33) orthogonal experimental design was used to study the effects of different N, P and K ratios on the yield and quality of blueberry fruit, aiming to optimize the amount of supplied fertilizers. The results showed that N, P and K fertilizer had different effects on fruit yield and quality, among which K fertilizer was the most important factor. Fertilization could significantly improve the yield and fruit quality of blueberry, and the average yield of fertilization treatment was 37.78% higher than that of the control group (CK). Even the treatment with the worst results F6 (N2P3K1), its single fruit weight, anthocyanins, total phenols, soluble solids and soluble protein content were 1.09, 1.32, 1.23, 1.08 and 1.21 times higher than the control (CK), respectively. Based on the comprehensive evaluation of principal component analysis and multi factor analysis of variance, the best fertilization combination for high-yield and good-quality blueberries was N1P2K2 (F2), that is, the best fertilization effect was that including N 100 g/plant, P2O5 25 g/plant, K2O 25 g/plant, applied in the form of ammonium sulfate (472 g/plant), superphosphate (41 g/plant) and potassium sulfate (40 g/plant), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copernicia alba (Arecaceae) is a palm tree regionally known as carandá that forms large populations and produces abundant fruits, an important food source for the local fauna in Brazilian wetlands. The fruits present morphological variations regarding color, shape and dimensions. In this study fruits of different shapes were collected and processed following routine techniques in plant morphology, and biochemistry analysis of endosperm. (hemicellulose) The fruits isdark, of the berry type, with partially fibrous pericarp, rich in phenolic compounds; the ruminated seed coat also contains phenols; the endosperm, formed of cells with highly thickened, not lignified hemicellulosic walls, stores xyloses, proteins and lipids. The embryo is short and straight. Xylose is the leading sugar of xylan, which can be liberated by hydrolysis with specific enzymes, such as xylanases. This sugar is of interest in several industrial sectors, such as the production of biofuels and xylitol for foods. Excepting depth of seed rumination, C. alba fruits do not have relevant differences in anatomy and classes of substances detected. The fruit yield showed differences associated with its shape, indicating the best utilization. Considering fruit anatomical features and tissue composition, we highlight that the seeds of C. alba have the potential as a new functional food source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease which is often accompanied by a decline in vascular health and function. Current evidence suggests that berries may have a potential role in the modulation of vascular function, but dietary interventions are still needed to confirm findings, especially in older subjects. In the context of the MIND FoodS HUB project, this study aims to investigate the effect of a single serving of blueberry (250 g of blueberry versus a control product) in a group of older subjects (≥ 60y) through a randomized, controlled, cross-over dietary intervention trial. Specifically, the study evaluates the absorption kinetics of bioactives following the blueberries intake and the effects on markers related to oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular function analyzed at different time points. By considering a drop-out rate estimate of 25%, at least 20 subjects will be recruited in the study. The study will provide evidence to support the potential beneficial effects of blueberry and its bioactive compounds on vascular function in a group of population more susceptible to vascular dysfunction and to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, the study will contribute the analysis of several metabolic and functional markers that can support the biological plausibility of the results obtained. Finally, the trial will provide data on the absorption and metabolism of blueberry bioactives which will be used to study their association with the different markers under study. Trail registration: The trial is registered at ISRCTN (http://isrctn.com/ISRCTN18262533); May 7, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passive rewilding is a potential tool for expanding woodland cover and restoring biodiversity by abandoning land management and allowing natural vegetation succession to occur. Land can be abandoned to passive rewilding deliberately or due to socio-economic change. Despite abandonment being a major driver of land use change, few have studied the long-term outcomes for vegetation and biodiversity in Western Europe. Studies are also biased towards sites that are close to seed sources and favourable to woodland colonisation. In this case-study, we reconstruct a time series of passive rewilding over 33 years on 25 ha of former farmland that had been subject to soil tipping, far from woodland seed sources. Natural colonisation by shrubs and trees was surveyed at three points during the time series, using field mapping and lidar. Breeding birds were surveyed at three time points, and compared with surveys from nearby farmland. Results showed that natural colonisation of woody vegetation was slow, with open grassland dominating the old fields for two decades, and small wetlands developing spontaneously. After 33 years, thorny shrub thickets covered 53% of the site and former hedgerows became subsumed or degraded, but trees remained scarce. However, the resulting habitat mosaic of shrubland, grassland and wetland supported a locally distinctive bird community. Farmland bird species declined as passive rewilding progressed, but this was countered by relatively more wetland birds and an increase in woodland birds, particularly songbirds, compared to nearby farmland. Alongside biodiversity benefits, shrubland establishment by passive rewilding could potentially provide ecosystem services via abundant blossom resources for pollinators, and recreation and berry-gathering opportunities for people. Although closed-canopy woodland remained a distant prospect even after 33 years, the habitat mosaic arising from passive rewilding could be considered a valuable outcome, which could contribute to nature recovery and provision of ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era of growing international competition in modern viticulture, the study and implementation of innovative technologies to increase the production of high-quality grapes and wines are of critical importance. In this study, the non-destructive portable sensor Multiplex, based on fluorescence sensing technique, was applied to evaluate grape maturity parameters and flavonol content of the understudied Pinot blanc variety. The effects of environmental and agronomical factors on flavonol content of Pinot blanc grapes were investigated in eight vineyards characterised by different microclimatic and agronomic conditions. Furthermore, the direct impact of canopy management treatment on the flavonol dynamics of the grapes oriented in the four cardinal directions was assessed. Results highlight the positive role of moderate temperatures and direct sunlight exposure on Pinot blanc flavonol content; however, no direct vineyard-elevation effect was observed. The ability to modulate and evaluate the flavonol content in field represent crucial factors because of their potential effect on flavonoids-dependent wine characteristics, such as stability and ageing. In the present study, for the first time, two calibration curves were reported for pre- and post-veraison periods between flavonol indices and the berry skin flavonol content and a good correlation was observed between Multiplex measurement and the total polyphenolic content of grape juice. Moreover, the strong correlation between the chlorophyll index with grape juice sugar content and titratable acidity revealed the practical application of non-destructive sensors to predict the optimal harvest time for Pinot blanc grapes. In conclusion, the non-destructive fluorescence sensor Multiplex is a high-potential tool for innovative viticulture, for evaluating grape skin composition variables in white grape varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research was to evaluate fertilization technologies for the indicators of the quality and quantity of highbush blueberry yield. In the experiment, a similar level of mineral fertilization was used in all treatments. The experiment was to show the differences between fertilization with biostimulation and without biostimulation. The research was carried out in two seasons (2019–2020) on ´Bluecropˋ shrubs growing in the Blueberry Experimental Field in central Poland (51° 55'42.7 "N 20° 59'28.7" E). Shrubs grow at a distance of 1 x 3 m. Plants are rejuvenated every year in spring and irrigated by drip. The experiment was carried out in a random block design (4 fertilizer treatments x 5 replications x 6 bushes). The experiment assessed the effect of fertilization on yield, berry mass, fruit setting, leaf surface and physicochemical parameters of fruit. Based on the conducted research, it was proved that the applied fertilization technologies had a significant impact on the size and quality of the yield of "Bluecrop" highbush blueberry. Particularly noteworthy is the fertilization technology with biostimulation (treatment T4), which has a positive effect on the yield, fruit mass, percentage of setting and firmness of the berries. Analysis of the issue in the light of the results of the conducted research shows that the use of biostimulated products has an important impact on the intensification of production while maintaining good quality of fruits. Through research, the positive effect of fertilization programs with biostimulation (treatment T4) on the most important production parameters of blueberry fruit from the producer's point of view has been proven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poisonous plants cause tremendous economic losses to the livestock industry. These economic losses are deterioration in their health, decreased productivity, deformed offspring, and reduced longevity. The current study is the first comprehensive report on poisonous plants of Azad Jammu and Kashmir which systematically documents the phytotoxicological effect and mode of action in livestock. The information was gathered from 271 informants including 167 men and 104 women through semi-structured interviews and literature search through available databases. The data collected through interviews was analyzed with quantitative tools viz. the factor informant consensus and fidelity level. A total of 38 species of flowering plants belonging to 23 families and 38 genera were reported. Family Asteraceae (5 spp) was the most dominant, followed by Solanaceae (4 spp), Fabaceae (4 spp), Euphorbiaceae (4 spp) and Convolvulaceae (3 spp). Among all the species collected, herbs were the dominant life form (22 spp, 57.89%), trailed by shrubs (11 spp, 28.95%), and trees (5 spp, 13.16%). Whole plant toxicity was reported to be the highest (15 spp, 39.47%), followed by leaf toxicity (12 spp, 31.58%), seed toxicity (4 spp, 7.89%), fruit toxicity (3 spp, 10.53%), latex toxicity (2 spp, 5.26%), flowers toxicity (1 spp, 2.63%), and berries toxicity (1 spp, 2.63%). The most toxic route of administration was found oral (39 spp, 40.63%), followed by intraperitoneal (24 spp, 25%), and intravenous (21 spp, 21.88%). The most commonly affected organ was found liver (20.41%), followed by gastrointestinal tract (20.341%), CNS (16.33%), skin (14.29%), kidneys (12.24%), lungs (4.04%), reproductive organs (2.04%), spleen (1.75%), blood (1.75%), heart (1.75%), urinary tract (1.75%), and pancreas (1.75%). The maximum Fic value was found for dermatological disorders (0.91), followed by the endocrine system (0.90), gastrointestinal (0.82), neurology (0.77), nephrology (0.67), cardiovascular (0.67), urinary (0.67), respiratory (0.60), sexual (0.60) disorders. Senecio vulgaris, and Ageratum conyzoides were the most important plants with fidelity level (0.95) and (0.87). Nerium oleander, Lantana camara, Leucaena leucocephala, and Ricinus communis were the important poisonous plant with maximum fidelity level (100%). Ricinus communis with reported lowest LD50 (<20 mg/kg) was the top-ranked poisonous plant followed by Lantana camara and Justicia adhatoda (25–50 mg/kg), Nerium Oleander (157.37 mg/kg), and Datura innoxia (400 mg/kg). We found that knowledge about poisonous plants is less prevailing in the rural areas of Azad Kashmir compared to the knowledge about medicinal plants and poisonous nature of reported plants is due to production of toxic substances and presence of essential oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is a member of the Heath family (Ericaceae) and is a temperate low-growing woody perennial native to North America that is both economically important and has significant health benefits. While some native varieties are still grown today, breeding programs over the past 50 years have made significant contributions to improving disease resistance, fruit quality and yield. An initial genome sequence of an inbred line of the wild selection 'Ben Lear,' which is parent to multiple breeding programs, provided insight into the gene repertoire as well as a platform for molecular breeding. Recent breeding efforts have focused on leveraging the circumboreal V. oxycoccos, which forms interspecific hybrids with V. macrocarpon, offering to bring in novel fruit chemistry and other desirable traits. Here we present an updated, chromosome-resolved V. macrocarpon reference genome, and compare it to a high-quality draft genome of V. oxycoccos. Leveraging the chromosome resolved cranberry reference genome, we confirmed that the Ericaceae has undergone two whole genome duplications that are shared with blueberry and rhododendron. Leveraging resequencing data for 'Ben Lear' inbred lines, as well as several wild and elite selections, we identified common regions that are targets of improvement. These same syntenic regions in V. oxycoccos, were identified and represent environmental response and plant architecture genes. These data provide insight into early genomic selection in the domestication of a native North American berry crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain is a common hallmark of most age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Previous studies from our group identified the presence of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds in leaves derived from the Chilean berry Ugni molinae (murtilla), in addition to show a potent anti-aggregation activity in models of Alzheimer´s disease. However, possible beneficial effects of berry extracts of murtilla was not investigated. Here we evaluated the efficacy of fruit extracts from different genotypes of Chilean-native U. molinae on reducing protein aggregation using cellular models of Huntington´s disease and assess the correlation with their chemical composition. Berry extraction was performed by exhaustive maceration with increasing-polarity solvents. An unbiased automatic microscopy platform was used for cytotoxicity and protein aggregation studies in HEK293 cells using polyglutamine-EGFP fusion proteins, followed by secondary validation using biochemical assays. Phenolic-rich extracts from murtilla berries of the 19–1 genotype (ETE 19–1) significantly reduced polyglutamine peptide aggregation levels, correlating with the modulation in the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins. Using LC-MS and molecular network analysis we correlated the presence of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and ellagitannins with the protective effects of ETE 19–1 effects on protein aggregation. Overall, our results indicate the presence of bioactive components in ethanolic extracts from U. molinae berries that reduce the load of protein aggregates in living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural succession of vegetation on abandoned farmland provides opportunities for passive rewilding to re-establish native woodlands, but in Western Europe the patterns and outcomes of vegetation colonisation are poorly known. We combine time series of field surveys and remote sensing (lidar and photogrammetry) to study woodland development on two farmland fields in England over 24 and 59 years respectively: the New Wilderness (2.1 ha) abandoned in 1996, and the Old Wilderness (3.9 ha) abandoned in 1961, both adjacent to ancient woodland. Woody vegetation colonisation of the New Wilderness was rapid, with 86% vegetation cover averaging 2.9 m tall after 23 years post-abandonment. The Old Wilderness had 100% woody cover averaging 13.1 m tall after 53 years, with an overstorey tree-canopy (≥ 8 m tall) covering 91%. By this stage, the structural characteristics of the Old Wilderness were approaching those of neighbouring ancient woodlands. The woody species composition of both Wildernesses differed from ancient woodland, being dominated by animal-dispersed pedunculate oak Quercus robur and berry-bearing shrubs. Tree colonisation was spatially clustered, with wind-dispersed common ash Fraxinus excelsior mostly occurring near seed sources in adjacent woodland and hedgerows, and clusters of oaks probably resulting from acorn hoarding by birds and rodents. After 24 years the density of live trees in the New Wilderness was 132/ha (57% oak), with 390/ha (52% oak) in the Old Wilderness after 59 years; deadwood accounted for 8% of tree stems in the former and 14% in the latter. Passive rewilding of these 'Wilderness' sites shows that closed-canopy woodland readily re-established on abandoned farmland close to existing woodland, it was resilient to the presence of herbivores and variable weather, and approached the height structure of older woods within approximately 50 years. This study provides valuable long-term reference data in temperate Europe, helping to inform predictions of the potential outcomes of widespread abandonment of agricultural land in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ecuadorian páramo, a high altitude tundra-like ecosystem, is a unique source of various ecosystem services and distinct biodiversity. Anthropogenic activities are associated with its fragmentation, which alters ecological factors and directly threatens resident species. Vaccinium floribundum Kunth., commonly known as Andean blueberry or mortiño, is a wild shrub endemic to the Andean region and highly valued in Ecuador for its berries, which are widely used in food preparations and hold an important cultural value. Since it is a wild species, mortiño could be vulnerable to environmental changes, resulting in a reduction of the size and distribution of its populations. To evaluate the extent of these effects on the mortiño populations, we assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of the species along the Ecuadorian highlands. We designed and developed a set of 30 species-specific SSR (simple sequence repeats) markers and used 16 of these to characterize 100 mortiño individuals from 27 collection sites. Our results revealed a high degree of genetic diversity (HE = 0.73) for the Ecuadorian mortiño, and a population structure analyses suggested the existence of distinct genetic clusters present in the northern, central and southern highlands. A fourth, clearly differentiated cluster was also found and included individuals from locations at higher elevations. We suggest that the population structure of the species could be explained by an isolation-by-distance model and can be associated with the geological history of the Andean region. Our results suggest that elevation could also be a key factor in the differentiation of mortiño populations. This study provides an extensive overview of the species across its distribution range in Ecuador, contributing to a better understanding of its conservation status. These results can assist in the development of conservation programs for this valuable biological and cultural resource and for the páramo ecosystem as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spissistilus festinus (Say) (Hemiptera: Membracidae) was shown to transmit Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) in a greenhouse study. Grapevines infected with GRBV exhibit reduced sugar accumulation, altered secondary metabolite production and delayed berry maturation that negatively impacts wine quality and economics. Augmentative biocontrol may be a useful integrated pest management (IPM) tool for suppressing S. festinus populations in vineyards, but minimal research has been conducted on testing potential predators against the different life stages of S. festinus. The susceptibility of S. festinus adults and nymphs (1st through 5th instar) to predation by six commercially available biocontrol agents in petri dish and bell bean plant arenas was determined under greenhouse conditions. No significant mortality of S. festinus nymphs or adults occurred when exposed to Cryptolaemus montrouzieri adults, C. montrouzieri larvae and Sympherobius barberi adults in petri dish or bell bean plant arenas. Significant mortality of 1st and 2nd instar nymphs of S. festinus in the presence of Zelus renardii nymphs was observed in petri dish but not in bell bean arenas. Hippodamia convergens adults and Chrysoperla rufilabris larvae both consumed a significant number of S. festinus nymphs in petri dish and bell bean arenas. No significant predation of S. festinus adults was documented in this experiment. Results of this study aid in identifying predators that may be suitable candidates for additional field testing to determine their potential efficacy as biocontrol agents of S. festinus in a vineyard setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bunch rot in grapes is an aggressive disease and needs to be controlled during the postharvest period. We investigate the antifungal potential of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim., Zanthoxylum rhetsa, Cuminum cyminum, Coriandrum sativum, and Zingiber montanum (J. Koenig) Link ex A. Dietr. essential oils against Aspergillus aculeatus that cause bunch rot disease on postharvest grapes. C. cyminum essential oil exhibited stronger significantly inhibition percentage of 95.08% than other treatments in in vitro assay. Cumin aldehyde (33.94%) and α-terpinen-7-al (32.20%) were identified as major volatile compounds in C. cyminum oil. Antifungal potential of C. cyminum oil was then tested in conidia germination and in vitro tests compared to cumin aldehyde and α-terpinen-7-al. Their EC50 values against the conidial germination were also estimated. Significant reduction of conidia germination was also detected in C. cyminum essential oil and cumin aldehyde at a concentration of 1,000 and 100 μg/mL, respectively. EC50 values of the C. cyminum essential oil, cumin aldehyde, and α-terpinen-7-al were 67.28 μg/mL, 9.31 μg/mL, and 13.23 μg/mL, respectively. In vivo assay, the decrease of the disease severity (0.69%) and incidence (1.48%) percentage of A. aculeatus on grape berries treated at 1,000 μg/mL of C. cyminum essential oil was significantly greater than that obtained from other treatments after 10 days incubation. In addition, grape berries treated with C. cyminum essential oil decreased weight loss and retained fruit firmness. The changing of total soluble solids, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity are also delayed in treated fruits. Therefore, essential oil of C. cyminum may be applied as a biological antifungal agent to control A. aculeatus in postharvest grapes without any negative effects on its quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenotypic changes that occurred during the domestication and diversification of grapevine are well known, particularly changes in seed morphology, but the functional causes and consequences behind these variations are poorly understood. Wild and domesticate grapes differ, among others, in the form of their pips: wild grapes produce roundish pips with short stalks and cultivated varieties have more elongated pips with longer stalks. Such variations of form are of first importance for archaeobotany since the pip form is, most often, the only remaining information in archaeological settings. This study aims to enlighten archaeobotanical record and grapevine pip development by better understanding how size and shape (co)variates between pip and berry in both wild and domesticated Vitis vinifera. The covariation of berry size, number of seeds per berry ("piposity"), pip size and pip shape were explored on 49 grapevine accessions sampled among Euro-Mediterranean traditional cultivars and wild grapevines. We show that for wild grapevine, the higher the piposity, the bigger the berry and the more elongated the pip. For both wild and domesticated grapevine, the longer is the pip, the more it has a "domesticated" shape. Consequences for archaeobotanical studies are tested and discussed, and these covariations allowed the inference of berry dimensions from archaeological pips from a Southern France Roman site. This systematic exploration sheds light on new aspects of pip-berry relationship, in both size and shape, on grapevine eco-evo-devo changes during domestication, and invites to explore further the functional ecology of grapevine pip and berry and notably the impact of cultivation practices and human selection on grapevine morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Berry firmness is one of the main selection criteria for table grape breeding. However, the underlying genetic determinants and mechanisms involved in gene expression during berry development are still poorly understood. In this study, eighteen libraries sampled from Vitis vinifera L. cv. 'Red Globe' and 'Muscat Hamburg' at three developmental stages (preveraison, veraison and maturation) were analyzed by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). The firmness of 'Red Globe' was significantly higher than that of 'Muscat Hamburg' at the three developmental stages. In total, a set of 4,559 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was identified between 'Red Globe' and 'Muscat Hamburg' in the preveraison (2,259), veraison (2030) and maturation stages (2682), including 302 transcription factors (TFs). Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that 23 TFs were predicted to be highly correlated with fruit firmness and propectin content. In addition, the differential expression of the PE, PL, PG, β-GAL, GATL, WAK, XTH and EXP genes might be the reason for the differences in firmness between 'Red Globe' and 'Muscat Hamburg'. The results will provide new information for analysis of grape berry firmness and softening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial leaf scorch, caused by Xylella fastidiosa, is a major threat to blueberry production in the southeastern United States. Management of this devastating disease is challenging and often requires early detection of the pathogen to reduce major loss. There are several different molecular and serological detection methods available to identify the pathogen. Knowing the efficiency and suitability of these detection techniques for application in both field and laboratory conditions is important when selecting the appropriate detection tool. Here, we compared the efficiency and the functionality of four different molecular detection techniques (PCR, real-time PCR, LAMP and AmplifyRP® Acceler8™) and one serological detection technique (DAS-ELISA). The most sensitive method was found to be real-time PCR with the detection limit of 25 fg of DNA molecules per reaction (≈9 genome copies), followed by LAMP at 250 fg per reaction (≈90 copies), AmplifyRP® Acceler8™ at 1 pg per reaction (≈350 copies), conventional PCR with nearly 1.25 pg per reaction (≈ 440 copies) and DAS-ELISA with 1x105 cfu/mL of Xylella fastidiosa. Validation between assays with 10 experimental samples gave consistent results beyond the variation of the detection limit. Considering robustness, portability, and cost, LAMP and AmplifyRP® Acceler8™ were not only the fastest methods but also portable to the field and didn’t require any skilled labor to carry out. Among those two, AmplifyRP® Acceler8™ was faster but more expensive and less sensitive than LAMP. On the other hand, real-time PCR was the most sensitive assay and required comparatively lesser time than C-PCR and DAS-ELISA, which were the least sensitive assays in this study, but all three assays are not portable and needed skilled labor to proceed. These findings should enable growers, agents, and diagnosticians to make informed decisions regarding the selection of an appropriate diagnostic tool for X. fastidiosa on blueberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) fruit accumulate high levels of anthocyanins during ripening, which might be controlled by abscisic acid (ABA), a signal molecule in non-climacteric fruits. For an integrated view of the ripening process from ABA to anthocyanin biosynthesis, we analyzed the transcriptomes of ‘Bluecrop’ highbush blueberry fruit using RNA-Seq at three ripening stages, categorized based on fruit skin coloration: pale green at ca. 30 days after full bloom (DAFB), reddish purple at ca. 40 DAFB, and dark purple at ca. 50 DAFB. Mapping the trimmed reads against the reference sequences yielded 25,766 transcripts. Of these, 143 transcripts were annotated to encode five ABA biosynthesis enzymes, four ABA signal transduction regulators, four ABA-responsive transcription factors, and 12 anthocyanin biosynthesis enzymes. The analysis of differentially expressed genes between the ripening stages revealed that 11 transcripts, including those encoding nine-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase, SQUAMOSA-class MADS box transcription factor, and flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase, were significantly up-regulated throughout the entire ripening stages. In fruit treated with 1 g L−1 ABA, at least nine transcripts of these 11 transcripts as well as one transcript encoding flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase were up-regulated, presumably promoting anthocyanin accumulation and fruit skin coloration. These results will provide fundamental information demonstrating that ABA biosynthesis and signal transduction, and anthocyanin biosynthesis are closely associated with anthocyanin accumulation and skin coloration in highbush blueberry fruit during ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coffee berry borer (CBB, Hypothenemus hampei) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is the most destructive pest of coffee worldwide. Information on CBB development times can be used to predict the initiation of new infestation cycles early in the coffee-growing season and thus inform the timing of insecticide applications. While laboratory estimates of CBB development under constant conditions exist, they have not been applied under the heterogeneous environmental conditions that characterize many coffee-growing regions. We measured CBB development times and abundance in commercial coffee farms across an elevational gradient on Hawai‘i Island and applied thermal accumulation models from previous laboratory studies to test their fit to field data. Artificial lures were used to infest coffee berries at five farms ranging in elevation from 279–792 m, and weather variables were monitored at macro (farm-level) and micro (branch-level) scales. CBB development was followed in the field from the time of initial berry infestation by the founding female through the development of F1 mature adults. Mean development time from egg to adult across all sites was 38.5 ± 3.46 days, while the mean time required for the completion of a full life cycle (from time of infestation to presence of mature F1 females) was 50.9 ± 3.35 days. Development time increased with increasing elevation and decreasing temperature. Using macro-scale temperature data and two different estimates for the lower temperature threshold (14.9°C and 13.9°C), we estimated a mean requirement of 332 ± 14 degree-days and 386 ± 16 degree-days, respectively, from the time of berry infestation to the initiation of a new reproductive cycle in mature coffee berries. Similar estimates were obtained using micro-scale temperature data, indicating that macro-scale temperature monitoring is sufficient for life-cycle prediction. We also present a model relating elevation to number of CBB generations per month. Our findings suggest that CBB development times from laboratory studies are generally applicable to field conditions on Hawai‘i Island and can be used as a decision support tool to improve IPM strategies for this worldwide pest of coffee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yeast species that colonize the surface of grape berries at harvest time play an important role during the winemaking process. In this study, the use of culturable microbial techniques permitted a quantitative and qualitative inventory of the different yeast species present on the grape berry surfaces of Montepulciano and Verdicchio varieties when treated with conventional and organic fungicides. The results show that the most widespread yeast species at harvest time were Aureobasidium pullulans and Hanseniaspora uvarum, which are considered normal resident species and independent of the grape varieties and treatments applied. Specific differences when comparing the grape varieties were observed in species and were detected at a lower frequency; Pichia spp. were prevalent in Verdicchio, whereas Lachancea thermotolerans and Zygoascus meyerae were found in Montepulciano. In both vineyards, the farming treatments improved the competitiveness of A. pullulans, which was probably due to its reduced susceptibility to treatments that improved the competition toward other fungi. In contrast, the fermenting yeast H. uvarum was negatively affected by fungicide treatments and showed a reduced presence if compared with untreated grapes. Organic treatments directly impacted the occurrence of Issachenkia terricola in Montepulciano grapes and Debaryomyces hansenii and Pichia membranifaciens in Verdicchio. Conversely, a negative effect of organic treatments was found toward Metschnikowia pulcherrima and Starmerella bacillaris. Overall, the data suggest that the yeast community colonizing the grape berry surface was influenced by both grape variety and farming treatments, which characterized the yeast biota of spontaneous must fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the literature on willingness to pay (WTP) for local food by applying meta-regression analysis to a set of 35 eligible research papers that provide 86 estimates on consumers’ WTP for the attribute “local.” An analysis of the distribution of WTP measures suggests the presence of publication selection bias that favors larger and statistically significant results. The analyzed literature provides evidence for statistically significant differences among consumers’ WTP for various types of product. Moreover, we find that the methodological approach (choice experiments vs. other approaches) and the analyzed country can have a significant influence on the generated WTP for local. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliability and economic assessment of the Multiplex® optical sensor employed for non-destructive grape parameters estimates was evaluated in 2017 against a wet chemistry approach in mature vineyards including five cultivars (two whites, two red and one pink colored) assuring a broad range of variation in both technological and phenolic maturity parameters. Among the five Multiplex (Mx) indices evaluated (SFR_R, FLAV, FLAV-UV, ANTH_RG and FERARI) in all cultivars with the exception of Barbera SFR_R showed a significant and linear correlation with total soluble solids (TSS) for TSS ≥ 10 °Brix. Conversely, no significant correlation was found between FLAV and total flavonols concentration, whereas a significant linear correlation was found in Barbera (R2 = 0.66) and Ervi (R2 = 0.63) when the FLAV index was replaced with the FLAV_UV index. Within each cultivar, both ANTH_RG and FERARI showed close correlations with total anthocyanins concentration determined by wet chemistry although under different model shapes. Expressing berry color accumulation on a per skin mass basis rather than for whole berry mass basis, allowed for better separation of behavior of single cultivars and improved accuracy of model fitting for the combination of Barbera and ANTH_RG. A strict linear correlation was always found, within each index, for Mx readings taken on the two opposite sides of the same cluster, implying no significant within-cluster differences in sugar, color and flavonol concentrations. Economic assessment of Mx by means of the Net Present Value (NPV) approach showed that Mx is economically viable for a two hectare vineyard cultivating three red grape varieties (90 samples per year) if its lifetime is at least 7 years. Conversely, if only two red varieties are grown Mx should be used at least 11 years to make it economic suitable. Bigger properties growing a higher number of red varieties are the more interested in Mx as the expected NPV assumes positive values with a Mx usage of minimum 3 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blueberry is a kind of new rising popular perennial fruit with high healthful quality. It is of utmost importance to develop new blueberry varieties for different climatic zones to satisfy the demand of people in the world. Molecular marker assisted breeding is believed to be an ideal method for the development of new blueberry varieties for its shorter breeding cycle than the conventional breeding. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) markers are widely used molecular tools for marker assisted breeding, which could be detected at large scale by the transcriptome sequencing. Here, we sequenced the leaves transcriptome of 19 rabbiteye (Vaccinium ashei Reade), 13 southern highbush (Vaccinium. corymbosum L × native southern Vaccinium Spp) and 22 cultivars of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L) by using next generation sequencing technologies. A total of 80.825 Gb clean data with an average of about 12.525 million reads per cultivar were obtained. We assembled 58,968, 55,973 and 53,887 unigenes by using the clean data from rabbiteye, southern highbush and northern highbush blueberry cultivars, respectively. Among these unigenes, 3599, 3495 and 3513 unigenes were detected as candidate resistance genes in three blueberry crops. Moreover, we identified more than 8756, 9020, and 9198 SSR markers from these unigenes, and 7665, 4861, 13,063 SNPs from the annotated single copy unigenes, respectively. The results will be helpful for the molecular genetics and association analysis of blueberry and the basic molecular information of pest and disease resistance of blueberry, and would also offer huge number of molecular tools for the marker assisted breeding to produce blueberry cultivars with different adaptive characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sour rot is a disease complex produced by an interaction between grape berries and various species of yeast and acetic acid bacteria in the presence of Drosophila fruit flies. While yeast and bacteria are consistently found on healthy grape berries worldwide, we explored whether the composition of these epiphytic communities differed depending on the presence or absence of sour rot symptoms. Using high-throughput sequencing, we characterized the microbiome of sour rot-affected grapes from two geographical areas across two years. In 2015 and 2016, both healthy and sour rot-affected berries were collected from commercial and research vineyards in Geneva, NY and commercial vineyards in Tasmania, AUS. In this experiment, all associated organisms grouped together primarily by location, and not by presence/absence of symptoms or cultivar. The predominant difference between asymptomatic and symptomatic samples, regardless of location, was the abundance of Acetobacter species, which were significantly more plentiful in the symptomatic samples. Yeast genera such as Candida, Hanseniaspora, Pichia and Saccharomyces were abundant in both sets of samples, but varied by region. The consistent presence of yeast species and the increased abundance of acetic acid-generating bacteria is consistent with our understanding of their etiological role in sour rot development. In 2016, diseased grapes also were collected from vineyards in Fredonia, NY, and Modesto, CA. Consistent with our comparison study, all associated organisms again grouped together primarily by location. Yeast genera such as Candida, Hanseniaspora, Pichia and Saccharomyces were abundant in both sets of samples, but varied by region. The consistent presence of yeast species and the abundance of acetic acid-generating bacteria in both experiments is consistent with our understanding of their etiological role in sour rot development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer spending on organic food products has grown rapidly. Some claim that organics have ecological, equity, and health advantages over conventional food and therefore should be subsidized. Here we explore the distributive impacts of an organic fruit subsidy that reduces the retail price of organic fruit in the US by 10 percent. We estimate the impact of the subsidy on organic fruit demand in a representative poor, middle income, and rich US household using three analytical methods; including two econometric and one machine learning. We do not find strong evidence of regressive redistribution due to our simulated organic fruit subsidy; the poor household’s relative reaction to the subsidy is not much different than the reaction at the other two households. However, the infra-marginal savings from the subsidy tend to be larger in richer households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fully utilize the characteristic climatic conditions in the southern region of China, a two-crop-a-year cultivation system technique for ‘Kyoho’ grape was developed during the past decade. After summer harvest in June, appropriate pruning and chemical treatments promote flowering and fruiting, which enables a second harvest in late December. Due to climatic differences between the two crop growing seasons, grape phenol and carotenoid metabolism differ greatly. The reported study analyzed the transcriptome of the carotenoid and phenylpropanoid/flavonoid pathways in grapes at four different stages during the two growing seasons. Compared with those in summer grapes, expression levels of the majority of genes involved in the carotenoid metabolic pathway in winter grapes were generally upregulated. This result was associated with lower rainfall and much more abundant sunlight during the second growing season. On the other hand, summer cropping strongly triggered the expression of upstream genes in the phenylpropanoid/flavonoid pathway at E-L 33 and E-L 35. Transcript levels of flavonoid 3’,5’-hydroxylase (F3’5’H), flavonoid 3’-hydroxylase (F3’H), flavonoid 3-hydroxylase (F3H) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were upregulated in winter grapes at the mature stage. Together, these results might indicate that more flavonoids would be synthesized in ripe winter grapes during the mature stage of the second crop under much drier conditions, longer sunlight hours and lower temperature. These data provide a theoretical foundation for the secondary metabolism of berries grown under two-crop-a-year cultivation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blueberry is a small fruit crop which includes a complex group of different Vaccinium species of various ploidy levels. Commercial blueberries have been grown in Europe most recently, so there is not much information available about their adaptation into new regions. In this work we investigated adaptation to the environmental conditions of northern Spain, in terms of flowering and ripening seasons, of a set of 70 blueberry cultivars including several of the most important cultivated American species (V. corymbosum, V. virgatum, V. macrocarpon and V. uliginosum) in order to identify which types are best-suited in this geographical area of Europe. Most materials showed high chilling requirements for flowering under local conditions, while materials with low-chilling requirements showed problems in the maturation process of the flowers. Most cultivars were early or mid-season while a relative lack of late-season cultivars was observed. GBS was used for the analysis of genetic diversity in this sample of 70 cultivars. A total of 5255 SNP markers were obtained and a cluster analysis revealed three main groups associated with the ploidy level of the species. A Principal Component Analysis revealed a grouping of the V. corymbosum cultivars according to their chilling requirements. A total of 29 SNPs were identified as being highly informative for diversity analysis and potentially useful for cultivar identification and for breeding purposes. The results obtained from this research should contribute to the expansion of this crop, as well as providing data about genetic diversity useful for the preservation of genetic resources or for future breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unusual novel plant virus provisionally named goji berry chlorosis virus (GBCV) was isolated from goji berry plants (Lycium chinense Miller) showing chlorosis symptoms and its complete genome sequence was determined. The viral genome consists of a positive-sense single-stranded RNA of 10,100 ribonucleotides and contains six open reading frames (ORFs). Electron microscopy showed that the viral genome is packaged as a filamentous particle with an average length of approximately 850 nm. Phylogenetic analysis and amino acid similarity analysis of the encoded ORFs revealed that this new virus could be classified in an intermediate position between the families Benyviridae and Virgaviridae. The GBCV 200-kDa replicase (ORF1) is more similar to benyvirus replicases than to virgavirus replicases, while its 17-kDa coat protein (CP, ORF2) is more closely related with virgavirus CPs than benyvirus CPs. ORF3 was predicted to produce a C-terminally extended protein from ORF2 via frameshifting. While ORF4 (45-kDa), ORF5 (44-kDa), and ORF6 (16-kDa) have no apparent sequence homology with other known viruses, ORF5 is predicted to encode a movement protein (MP) that is phylogenetically related to the furovirus MP and ORF6 was experimentally proven to encode a viral suppressor of RNA silencing. These unusual characteristics suggest that GBCV may represent an evolutionary link between the families Benyviridae and Virgaviridae and indicate the existence of a novel, unidentified virus group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted during the 2014 and 2015 vintages on Vitis vinifera L. cv. Merlot and Cabernet Gernischt to investigate whether natural variation in berry size could affect grape aromatic compounds. Grape berries were separated into three size categories based on their diameter: small, middle and large. The results showed that berry size exerted a significant influence on the volatile profiles of both winegrape varieties. Hierarchical clustering analysis demonstrated that the volatile profiles of middle berries were different from those of large and small berries. Middle berries had the greatest abundance of aroma compounds, followed by small and large berries. Especially, C6/C9 compounds, norisoprenoids, terpenoids showed markedly different concentrations among differently sized Merlot berries and C6/C9 compounds, terpenoids among differently sized Cabernet Gernischt berries. Middle berries of both grape varieties may possess the greatest intensity of fresh-green, fruity and floral aromas due to the high odour activity values (OAVs) of decanal, hexanal, (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-β-damascenone and β-ionone in middle sizes of Merlot berries and the high OAVs of (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-β-damascenone in middle sizes of Cabernet Gernischt berries. This knowledge could be important for winemakers to conduct targeted berry sorting, thereby improving the aromatic quality of grapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytochromes P450 are enzymes that participate in a wide range of functions in plants, from hormonal signaling and biosynthesis of structural polymers, to defense or communication with other organisms. They represent one of the largest gene/protein families in the plant kingdom. The manual annotation of cytochrome P450 genes in the genome of Vitis vinifera PN40024 revealed 579 P450 sequences, including 279 complete genes. Most of the P450 sequences in grapevine genome are organized in physical clusters, resulting from tandem or segmental duplications. Although most of these clusters are small (2 to 35, median = 3), some P450 families, such as CYP76 and CYP82, underwent multiple duplications and form large clusters of homologous sequences. Analysis of gene expression revealed highly specific expression patterns, which are often the same within the genes in large physical clusters. Some of these genes are induced upon biotic stress, which points to their role in plant defense, whereas others are specifically activated during grape berry ripening and might be responsible for the production of berry-specific metabolites, such as aroma compounds. Our work provides an exhaustive and robust annotation including clear identification, structural organization, evolutionary dynamics and expression patterns for the grapevine cytochrome P450 families, paving the way to efficient functional characterization of genes involved in grapevine defense pathways and aroma biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antestia bug, Antestiopsis thunbergii (Gmelin 1790) is a major pest of Arabica coffee in Africa. The bug prefers coffee at the highest elevations, contrary to other major pests. The objectives of this study were to describe the relationship between A. thunbergii populations and elevation, to elucidate this relationship using our knowledge of the pest thermal biology and to predict the pest distribution under climate warming. Antestiopsis thunbergii population density was assessed in 24 coffee farms located along a transect delimited across an elevation gradient in the range 1000–1700 m asl, on Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Density was assessed for three different climatic seasons, the cool dry season in June 2014 and 2015, the short rainy season in October 2014 and the warm dry season in January 2015. The pest distribution was predicted over the same transect using three risk indices: the establishment risk index (ERI), the generation index (GI) and the activity index (AI). These indices were computed using simulated life table parameters obtained from temperature-dependent development models and temperature data from 1) field records using data loggers deployed over the transect and 2) predictions for year 2055 extracted from AFRICLIM database. The observed population density was the highest during the cool dry season and increased significantly with increasing elevation. For current temperature, the ERI increased with an increase in elevation and was therefore distributed similarly to observed populations, contrary to the other indices. This result suggests that immature stage susceptibility to extreme temperatures was a key factor of population distribution as impacted by elevation. In the future, distribution of the risk indices globally indicated a decrease of the risk at low elevation and an increase of the risk at the highest elevations. Based on these results, we concluded with recommendations to mitigate the risk of A. thunbergii infestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ripening is one of the key processes associated with the development of major organoleptic characteristics of the fruit. This process has been extensively characterized in climacteric fruit, in contrast with non-climacteric fruit such as grape, where the process is less understood. With the aim of studying changes in gene expression during ripening of non-climacteric fruit, an Illumina based RNA-Seq transcriptome analysis was performed on four developmental stages, between veraison and harvest, on table grapes berries cv Thompson Seedless. Functional analysis showed a transcriptional increase in genes related with degradation processes of chlorophyll, lipids, macromolecules recycling and nucleosomes organization; accompanied by a decrease in genes related with chloroplasts integrity and amino acid synthesis pathways. It was possible to identify several processes described during leaf senescence, particularly close to harvest. Before this point, the results suggest a high transcriptional activity associated with the regulation of gene expression, cytoskeletal organization and cell wall metabolism, which can be related to growth of berries and firmness loss characteristic to this stage of development. This high metabolic activity could be associated with an increase in the transcription of genes related with glycolysis and respiration, unexpected for a non-climacteric fruit ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relative expressions of structural genes and a number of transcription factors of the anthocyanin pathway relevant in Vaccinium species, and related key enzyme activities were compared with the composition and content of metabolites in skins of ripe fruits of wild albino and blue bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) found in Slovenia. Compared to the common blue type, the albino variant had a 151-fold lower total anthocyanin and a 7-fold lower total phenolic content in their berry skin, which correlated with lower gene expression of flavonoid 3-O-glycosyltransferase (FGT; 33-fold), flavanone 3-hydroxylase (FHT; 18-fold), anthocyanidin synthase (ANS; 11-fold), chalcone synthase (CHS, 7.6-fold) and MYBPA1 transcription factor (22-fold). The expression of chalcone isomerase (CHI), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR), anthocyanidin reductase (ANR) and MYBC2 transcription factor was reduced only by a factor of 1.5–2 in the albino berry skins, while MYBR3 and flavonoid 3’,5’-hydroxylase (F3’5’H) were increased to a similar extent. Expression of the SQUAMOSA class transcription factor TDR4, in contrast, was independent of the color type and does therefore not seem to be correlated with anthocyanin formation in this variant. At the level of enzymes, significantly lower FHT and DFR activities, but not of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and CHS/CHI, were observed in the fruit skins of albino bilberries. A strong increase in relative hydroxycinnamic acid derivative concentrations indicates the presence of an additional bottleneck in the general phenylpropanoid pathway at a so far unknown step between PAL and CHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Berries are a rich source of antioxidants and phytochemicals that have received considerable interest for their possible relations to human health. In this study, the anti-adipogenic effect of polyphenol-rich extract obtained from chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliot, raspberry Rubus idaeus L., bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus L. and cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton fruits and its underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipose cells. Treatment with the extract (25–100 μg/mL) significantly decreased lipid accumulation and reactive oxygen species generation in adipocytes without showing cytotoxicity. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that the extract at a concentration of 100 μg/mL suppressed adipogenesis and lipogenesis via the down-regulation of PPARγ (67%), C/EBPα (72%), SREBP1 (62%), aP2 (24%), FAS (32%), LPL (40%), HSL (39%), and PLIN1 (32%) gene expression. Moreover, the extract significantly increased the expression of adiponectin (4.4-fold) and decreased leptin expression (90%) and respectively regulated the production of these adipokines in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The obtained results suggest that the analyzed extract may be a promising source of bioactive compounds that support long-term weight maintenance and promote the effective management of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Berries and associated bioactive compounds, e.g. polyphenols and dietary fibre (DF), may have beneficial implications with respect to the metabolic syndrome, including also cognitive functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects on cognitive functions and cardiometabolic risk markers of 5 wk intervention with a mixture of berries, in healthy humans. Methods: Forty healthy subjects between 50–70 years old were provided a berry beverage based on a mixture of berries (150g blueberries, 50g blackcurrant, 50g elderberry, 50g lingonberries, 50g strawberry, and 100g tomatoes) or a control beverage, daily during 5 weeks in a randomized crossover design. The control beverage (water based) was matched with respect to monosaccharides, pH, and volume. Cognitive tests included tests of working memory capacity, selective attention, and psychomotor reaction time. Cardiometabolic test variables investigated were blood pressure, fasting blood concentrations of glucose, insulin, blood lipids, inflammatory markers, and markers of oxidative stress. Results: The daily amounts of total polyphenols and DF from the berry beverage were 795 mg and 11g, respectively. There were no polyphenols or DF in the control beverage. The berry intervention reduced total- and LDL cholesterol compared to baseline (both P<0.05), and in comparison to the control beverage (P<0.005 and P<0.01, respectively). The control beverage increased glucose concentrations (P<0.01) and tended to increase insulin concentrations (P = 0.064) from base line, and increased insulin concentrations in comparison to the berry beverage (P<0.05). Subjects performed better in the working memory test after the berry beverage compared to after the control beverage (P<0.05). No significant effects on the other test variables were observed. Conclusions: The improvements in cardiometabolic risk markers and cognitive performance after the berry beverage suggest preventive potential of berries with respect to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and associated cognitive decline. Possibly the polyphenols and DF contributed to the beneficial effects. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasive pest Drosophila suzukii was introduced to southern Europe in 2008 and spread throughout Central Europe in the following years. Precise reliable data on the temperature-dependent behavior of D. suzukii are scarce but will help forecasting and cultivation techniques. Depending on physico-chemical properties, surface temperature of objects may differ from ambient temperatures, determining physical activity, and affect oviposition on or into substrate, determining preimaginal development later. Therefore, the preferred ambient temperatures of D. suzukii and fruit temperature for oviposition were examined on a linear temperature gradient device. Thirty adults (15 ♀; 15 ♂) were adapted to different temperatures (10, 20, 30°C) for six days and then exposed to different temperature gradients (10–25, 20–35, 25–40°C). D. suzukii adapted to 10°C remained in cooler regions and suffered from a significantly higher mortality at the 25–40°C gradient. Animals adapted to warmer temperatures had a wider temperature preference on the gradient device. Acclimation to lower temperatures and the resulting lower temperature preferences may allow the flies to disperse better in spring to search for oviposition sites. The oviposition activity decreased continuously at a fruit temperature above 28°C and below 15°C, with highest oviposition activity in fruits with temperatures between 19.7°C and 24.8°C. The preferred fruit temperature is in accordance with the temperature optimum of reproduction biology and preimaginal development of D. suzukii reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitis vinifera cv. Koshu is an indigenous grape cultivar that has been cultivated for more than a thousand years in Japan and one of the most important cultivars in white winemaking. To improve Koshu wine quality, it is necessary to identify the metabolites in Koshu berry. We conducted a comprehensive and comparative lipidome analysis of Koshu and Pinot Noir berries cultivated in the same location in Japan using GC-MS/MS for fatty acids and LC-MS for glycerolipids and glycerophospholipids. Koshu skins and juices contained 22 and 19 fatty acids, respectively, whereas 23 and 20 fatty acids were detected in Pinot Noir skins and juices. C22:6n3 and C24:0 contents in Koshu skins were two and three times higher than those in Pinot Noir skins. C24:0 content in Koshu juices was also higher than that in Pinot Noir juices. Forty-nine lipid components (six digalactosyldiacylglycerols, one monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, 10 phosphatidylcholines, 12 phosphatidylethanolamines, and 20 triglycerides) were detected in Pinot Noir and Koshu skins. Strong peaks were observed for MGDG 36:6, DGDG 36:6, PC 34:2, PC 36:5, TG 54:6, TG 54:7, and TG 54:8 in Koshu skins. The contents of 36 of the 49 lipid components were significantly higher in Pinot Noir skins than Koshu skins. Pinot Noir skins contained more lipids whose alkyl chains have more than 18 carbons than Koshu skins. Further analysis of both lipid profiles revealed that the number of double bonds in a fatty acid molecule in Pinot Noir skins and juices was significantly larger than that in Koshu skins and juices. A strong relationship exists between the heat requirement of grapevine cultivars and the level of fatty acid desaturation. C18-fatty acids were the major components in Koshu and Pinot Noir berries. The expression levels of C18-fatty acid desaturases regulated the accumulation of C18-unsaturated fatty acids in berry skins. The loss of C18:3 in Koshu berries at the end of ripening was observed. Koshu might effectively convert C18:3 into (Z)-hex-3-enal for the production of C6-aroma compounds. These findings by the lipidome analysis are expected to contribute to the improvement of Koshu wine aroma and breeding strategies of cold-tolerant Koshu grapevines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape berries harbor a wide range of microbes originating from the vineyard environment, many of which are recognized for their role in the must fermentation process shaping wine quality. To better clarify the contribution of the microbiome of grape fruits during wine fermentation, we used high-throughput sequencing to identify bacterial and fungi communities associated with berries and musts of Cannonau. This is the most important cultivar-wine of Sardinia (Italy) where most vineyards are cultivated without phytochemical treatments. Results suggested that microbiomes of berries collected at four different localities share a core composition characterized by Enterobacteriales, Pseudomonadales, Bacillales, and Rhodospirillales. However, any area seems to enrich berries microbiome with peculiar microbial traits. For example, berries belonging to the biodynamic vineyards of Mamoiada were rich in Bacillales typical of manure (i.e. Lysinibacillus, Bacillus, and Sporosarcina), whereas in the Santadi locality, berries showed soil bacteria such as Pasteurellales and Bacteroidales as well as Rhodospirillales and Lactobacillales which are commonly involved in wine fermentation. In the case of fungi, the most abundant taxa were Dothioraceae, Pleosporaceae, and Saccharomycodaceae, and although the proportion of these families varied among localities, they occurred ubiquitously in all vineyards. During vinification processes performed at the same wine cellar under controlled conditions and without using any yeast starter, more than 50% of bacteria groups of berries reached musts, and each locality had its own private bacteria signature, even if Saccharomyces cerevisiae represented the most abundant fungal species. This work suggests that natural berries microbiome could be influenced by pedoclimatic and anthropologic conditions (e.g., farming management), and the fruits’ microorganisms persist during the fermentation process. For these reasons, a reliable wine genotyping should include the entire holobiont (plant and all its symbionts), and bioprospecting activities on grape microbiota could lead to improved viticulture yields and wine quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivated blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium angustifolium, Vaccinium darrowii, and Vaccinium virgatum) is an economically important fruit crop native to North America and a member of the Ericaceae family. Several species in the Ericaceae family including cranberry, lignonberry, bilberry, and neotropical blueberry species have been shown to produce iridoids, a class of pharmacologically important compounds present in over 15 plant families demonstrated to have a wide range of biological activities in humans including anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory. While the antioxidant capacity of cultivated blueberry has been well studied, surveys of iridoid production in blueberry have been restricted to fruit of a very limited number of accessions of V. corymbosum, V. angustifolium and V. virgatum; none of these analyses have detected iridoids. To provide a broader survey of iridoid biosynthesis in cultivated blueberry, we constructed a panel of 84 accessions representing a wide range of cultivated market classes, as well as wild blueberry species, and surveyed these for the presence of iridoids. We identified the iridoid glycoside monotropein in fruits and leaves of all 13 wild Vaccinium species, yet only five of the 71 cultivars. Monotropein positive cultivars all had recent introgressions from wild species, suggesting that iridoid production can be targeted through breeding efforts that incorporate wild germplasm. A series of diverse developmental tissues was also surveyed in the diversity panel, demonstrating a wide range in iridoid content across tissues. Taken together, this data provides the foundation to dissect the molecular and genetic basis of iridoid production in blueberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of action selection in humans can present challenges of task design since our actions are usually defined by many degrees of freedom and therefore occupy a large action-space. While saccadic eye-movement offers a more constrained paradigm for investigating action selection, the study of reach-and-grasp in upper limbs has often been defined by more complex scenarios, not easily interpretable in terms of such selection. Here we present a novel motor behaviour task which addresses this by limiting the action space to a single degree of freedom in which subjects have to track (using a stylus) a vertical coloured target line displayed on a tablet computer, whilst ignoring a similarly oriented distractor line in a different colour. We ran this task with 55 subjects and showed that, in agreement with previous studies, the presence of the distractor generally increases the movement latency and directional error rate. Further, we used two distractor conditions according to whether the distractor’s location changes asynchronously or synchronously with the location of the target. We found that the asynchronous distractor yielded poorer performance than its synchronous counterpart, with significantly higher movement latencies and higher error rates. We interpret these results in an action selection framework with two actions (move left or right) and competing ‘action requests’ offered by the target and distractor. As such, the results provide insights into action selection performance in humans and supply data for directly constraining future computational models therein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the actual therapeutic approaches for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), efficient and secure alternative options remain a research focus. In this context, anthocyanins seem promising natural anti-inflammatory agents, but their action mechanisms and efficacy as compared with established drugs still require more clarification. The main aim of this study was to compare the anti-inflammatory action of a chemically characterized anthocyanin-rich fraction (ARF), obtained from Portuguese blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.), with that of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), a first-line drug in IBD, in a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis rat model. Such fraction showed a high content and great molecular diversity of anthocyanins, with malvidin-3-galactoside and petunidin-3-arabinoside in the highest concentrations. After daily administration by intragastric infusion for 8 days, ARF, at a molar anthocyanin concentration about 30 times lower than 5-ASA, showed a higher effectiveness in counteracting the intestinal inflammation, as assessed by i) body weight variation and colon damage score, ii) reduction in leukocyte infiltration, iii) increase in antioxidant defenses and iv) by downregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in colon tissue homogenates. The strong inhibition of COX-2 expression seems to be a crucial anti-inflammatory mechanism common to both ARF and 5-ASA, but the additional higher abilities of anthocyanins to downregulate iNOS and to decrease leukocytes infiltration and to increase antioxidant defenses in colon may account for the much higher anti-inflammatory action of anthocyanins. These data may contribute to the development of a promising natural approach in IBD management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), an economically important pest of blueberry and other thin-skinned fruits, persists and prolifically reproduces under seemingly lethal climatic conditions in the field. However, behavioral and physiological mechanisms employed by D. suzukii to tolerate such extreme climatic conditions in the field are unknown. The primary objective of this project was to investigate diel periodicity of D. suzukii and their reproductive success under field conditions as related by climatic factors such as temperature and relative humidity. Results show that D. suzukii reproductive success was significantly higher during the night (including dawn and dusk periods) than the day in terms of oviposition, pupation, adult eclosion, and the number of progeny per female. Female D. suzukii reproductive success was not significantly different between specific regions of a blueberry bush in relation to the amount of shade provided by the canopy. Our studies indicate that D. suzukii flight activity is crepuscular and is sensitive to fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity. Results also suggest that the majority of fly activity during peak hours is concentrated in areas around the border and within the center of blueberry orchards with little activity in the surrounding wooded areas. These findings suggest that D. suzukii prefers microclimate with mild temperatures and high humidity, and does not function well when exposed to direct sunlight with extreme heat. The authors propose that D. suzukii management strategies should be implemented during the early morning and immediately before darkness to maximize efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grapevine berry development is a complex and genetically controlled process, with many morphological, biochemical and physiological changes occurring during the maturation process. Research carried out on grapevine berry development has been mainly concerned with wine grape, while barely focusing on table grape. ‘Fujiminori’ is an important table grapevine cultivar, which is cultivated in most provinces of China. In order to uncover the dynamic networks involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, cell wall development, lipid metabolism and starch-sugar metabolism in ‘Fujiminori’ fruit, we employed RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and analyzed the whole transcriptome of grape berry during development at the expanding period (40 days after full bloom, 40DAF), véraison period (65DAF), and mature period (90DAF). The sequencing depth in each sample was greater than 12×, and the expression level of nearly half of the expressed genes were greater than 1. Moreover, greater than 64% of the clean reads were aligned to the Vitis vinifera reference genome, and 5,620, 3,381, and 5,196 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between different fruit stages, respectively. Results of the analysis of DEGs showed that the most significant changes in various processes occurred from the expanding stage to the véraison stage. The expression patterns of F3’H and F3’5’H were crucial in determining red or blue color of the fruit skin. The dynamic networks of cell wall development, lipid metabolism and starch-sugar metabolism were also constructed. A total of 4,934 SSR loci were also identified from 4,337 grapevine genes, which may be helpful for the development of phylogenetic analysis in grapevine and other fruit trees. Our work provides the foundation for developmental research of grapevine fruit as well as other non-climacteric fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]