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Visible/near-infrared (VIS/NIR) spectroscopy is a powerful tool for rapid, nondestructive fruit quality detection. This technology has been widely applied for quality detection of small thin-peel fruit, although less so for large thick-peel fruit because of the low signal-to-noise ratio of the spectral signal, resulting in a reduction of accuracy. More modeling work should be focused on solving this problem. This research explored a method of spectroscopy for the total soluble solid (TSS) content and acidity detection of ‘Shatian’ pomelo, which are two major parameters of fruit internal flavor. VIS/NIR spectral signal detection of 100 pomelo samples during storage was performed. Detection based on raw data, signal jitter, and scattered light noise removal, feature extraction, and deep learning were performed and combined with modeling detection to achieve an accurate step-by-step detection. Our results showed that 600 W is the optimal light intensity for detecting the internal flavor of pomelo. The TSS content of pomelo is optimally detected using Savitzky-Golay (SG) + multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) + genetic algorithm (GA) + principal component analysis (PCA) + convolutional neural network (CNN) + partial least squares regression (PLSR); however, acidity of pomelo is optimally detected using SG + MSC + GA + PLSR. With the optimal detection method, the coefficient of determination and root mean squared error (RMSE) of the validation set for TSS detection are 0.72 and 0.49, respectively; and for acidity detection are 0.55 and 0.10, respectively. Even though the accuracy is not high, the data are still acceptable and helpful in nondestructive quality grading of large quantities postharvest fruit. Therefore, our results demonstrated that VIS/NIR was feasible for detecting the TSS content and acidity of postharvest pomelo, and for providing a possible method for the nondestructive internal quality detection of other large thick-peel fruit.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a diffused worldwide vegetable. Great amounts of fertilizers are often applied for increasing yield and quality, without considering the negative effect on the environment. A possible perspective for reducing this risk is to raise the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) through the use of plant biostimulants, which also improve yield and quality concomitantly. The aim of the current study was to verify the potential beneficial effect of three vegetal-based biostimulants on agronomical, qualitative and nitrogen use efficiency of a processing tomato crop. The experiment provided three biostimulants (an extract of brown seaweed [SwE], a legume-derived protein hydrolysate [LDPH] and a tropical plant extract). The following assessments were carried out: marketable and unmarketable yields, mean fruits weight, firmness, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), colour parameters (a/b), hydrophilic antioxidant activity (HAA), lipophilic antioxidant activity (LAA), total ascorbic acid content (AsA), total phenols, nitrate and total nitrogen content, nitrogen use efficiency, N-uptake efficiency, and N-utilization. The foliar application of biostimulants especially protein hydrolysates and seaweed extract significantly affected the marketable yield with an average increase of 18.3% over the control and 41.3% average decrease in unmarketable yield. The N-use and N-uptake efficiency followed a similar trend, with biostimulants boosting it higher than control, +18.4% and +59.3%, respectively; the nitrogen content was also higher in fruits of sprayed plants: +21.3% over control. This finding also reflects on higher dry matter accumulation and firmness in fruits of treated plants (+10.9% and +14.1% over control, respectively). The biostimulants application, in particular SwE and LDPH, also boosted TSS (+12.8%), the a/b colour ratio (+7.5%), HAA and AsA (9.8% and 114.6%, respectively). Therefore, the legume-derived protein hydrolysates and extract of brown seaweed Ecklonia maxima seem a good sustainable approach to improve yield and quality of tomato for canning industries. Highlights - The effects of three plant-based biostimulants on yield and quality of processing tomato was explored. - Application of protein hydrolysates and seaweed extract improve marketable yield. - The biostimulants had different effect on nutritional and functional quality of tomato. - Hydrophilic antioxidant activity and ascorbic acid content increased under protein hydrolysate application.

In Italy, the evaluation of rootstocks is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and carried out in a network of trials along the Country. This study evaluated growth and yield performance of ‘Big Top’ nectarine and ‘Rome Star’ peach grafted on six rootstocks of different origin and vigor, namely GF677 (the most widespread in Italy), Garnem, Adesoto, RootPac®20, RootPac®40, and RootPac®90, in three different locations, Castelvetrano (Sicily), Forlì and Cesena (Emilia-Romagna). Yield, number of fruits, trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), average fruit weight, flesh firmness, soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA) were determined at the third leaf (2015). In all sites, trees on GF677, Garnem, and RootPac®90 were the most vigorous, and trees on RootPac®40 (-40 to -51% of GF677 TCSA) and RootPac®20 (-48 to -60% of GF677 TCSA) the least vigorous. In Castelvetrano, trees on Adesoto and RootPac®20 matured fruit slightly earlier than trees on other rootstocks; trees on RootPac®40 were the most productive and yield efficient, followed closely by trees on Adesoto and RootPac®20, the latter exhibiting the highest SSC; yield differences were mainly due to differences in fruit weight rather than in fruit number. In Emilia-Romagna, yield was directly related to tree vigor, with trees on GF677 being the most productive. In this case, yield differences were mainly due to differences in the number of fruits. Yield efficiency was also higher in the most vigorous trees, with the only exception of RootPac®40, which combined a size-controlling effect with high yield efficiency and large fruit size. While GF677 confirmed a good yield performance, RootPac®40 seems promising for high-density plantings, as it associates high yield efficiency and reduced tree vigor.

The plum cv. Horvin is a highly perishable fruit; this hampers post-harvest handling and there is currently no cold storage chamber or suitable post-harvest handling infrastructure in Colombia. The present work was aimed at evaluating the quality of the plum cv. Horvin in three storage conditions. The plum cv. Horvin is a climacterical fruit, its respiratory rate being influenced by storage conditions showing a direct relationship with temperature. It was found that 4°C was the best storage temperature for maintaining cv. Horvin plum quality, having a 13.23% accumulated weight loss, greater than 20 N firmness and more than 11°Brix total soluble solids (SST) at the end of a 31-day storage period. Weight loss, respiratory rate, firmness, titratable acidity (AT) and SST/AT ratio were the parameters best representing cv. Horvin plum maturity during storage. Total soluble solids did not reveal high variability in the storage conditions analysed here; this parameter should not be taken as being a post-harvest maturity index.

The investigation was carried out at Germplasm Centre (BAU-GPC), Bangladesh Agricultural University, during March to July 2016 in order to investigate the effect of pre-harvest fruit bagging on post-harvest quality of guava cv. Swarupkathi. Four different bagging materials viz. brown paper bag, white paper bag, white polythene bag, black polythene bag included for the study and uncovered fruits were used as control treatment. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Fruit bagging treatments showed significant effects on different parameters studied. It was observed that fruit size, fruit weight, vitamin C concentration, and moisture content increased due to fruit bagging. Fruits were gained maximum in size (6.59 cm length, 5.86 cm diameter) and weight (164.26 g) under white paper bag followed by white polythene bag (131.3g). The skin color of fruits was very attractive in case of white paper bag than that of other treatments. Total soluble solid concentration of the fruit was found maximum (12.33% Brix) under brown paper bag while maximum vitamin C concentration (162.14 mg 100 g-1) was recorded under white paper bag. Uncovered fruits showed maximum total sugar, non-reducing sugar, reducing sugar concentrations (10.13%, 6.05%, 4.08%, respectively).The results revealed that fruit bagging in general, improved the growth and quality of guava fruits as compared to control. Among the various fruit covering materials, white paper bag was found to be the best for overall improvement of physical and chemical quality of guava cv. Swarupkathi. [Fundam Appl Agric 2018; 3(1.000): 363-371]

BACKGROUND: In order to reach good fruit quality, apricots require a balance of sugars and acids as well as a strong apricot aroma. In this study, fruit quality of early, intermediate and late apricot cultivars was evaluated by measuring physical, chemical and olfactory attributes. Multivariate analysis of quality and aroma attributes was used to identify groups of similar cultivars and association with ripening season. RESULTS: Physical, chemical and aromatic attributes showed great variation amongcultivars but no relation to ripening season. Aromatic profiles (34 volatiles) of fruit tissues indicated qualitative and quantitative differences among cultivars. Ninfa and Mandorlon were richest in aroma, with a prevailing fruity component; Goldrich and Orange Red were also highly aromatic, with all odour components well represented; Pinkot, Alba and Pellecchiella were lowest in aroma, with a prevailing grassy component. Linear functions including five volatiles (concentrations) and fruit diameter or six aromatic compounds (odour units) and peel colour were found to discriminate cultivars by ripening season. Principal component analysis individuated three groupsof cultivars: NinfaandMandorlonwith sweetandfruity-flavouredfruits;Bulida, Alba,Goldrich,OuardyandSilvercotwith large, acidic andwell-coloured fruits; and Fracasso, Pellecchiella, Palummella and Pinkotwith small and floral/grassy-flavoured fruits. CONCLUSION: In apricot, detailed analysis of the aromatic profile may represent an efficient tool for classification of genotypes by ripening season, and volatiles with relevant odour contribution may serve as quality markers for selecting towards an extended ripening season of best quality apricots.