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• Increasing level of biotic and abiotic stress was assessed on Kinnow fruit quality features in different ecological zones. • Comparatively biotic and abiotic stress extent was increased in warm regions under changing climate scenario. • Inferior Kinnow mandarin fruit quality with more production of lower grades fruit were recorded at warm regions. • Better quality with higher level of polyphenols and antioxidant activity were recorded at relatively moderate conditions. • Fruit quality parameters were influenced by fluctuating agrometeorological indices in climate change scenario. The quality of Kinnow fruit was assessed in different ecological zones by selecting three main districts: Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh (TTS) and Vehari; all of them have varying environmental conditions. Abiotic and biotic stress on fruit quality was assessed. More growing degree days, photothermal index, photo and helio thermal units were computed in Vehari, while hydrothermal units and energy use efficiency were recorded in higher values at TTS. Fruit diameter was measured from April to December and recorded with increased width in TTS and Vehari during May and June. In May, more fruit drop was noted in TTS and Vehari compared to Sargodha due to heat stress. Pests such as citrus thrips, mites and fruit fly infected fruits were recorded in higher percentage at Vehari and TTS, while citrus red scale infestation was seen more in Sargodha. In Sargodha, a higher incidence of citrus scab and melanose was noted on Kinnow fruits, while more stem-end rot infected fruits were recorded at TTS and Vehari. In abiotic stress, more wind scares were noted at Sargodha, followed by TTS, whereas stem injury and styler-end deformity were found to be non-significant. Fruit physical parameters such as width, fresh weight and peel thickness were noted more in TTS and Vehari, while more surface smoothness and firmness were observed in Sargodha. Biochemical properties such as pH, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, sugars, ascorbic acid, total dissolved salts and electrical conductivity showed higher levels in Sargodha than TTS and Vehari. More antioxidant and total anthocyanins were found in Sargodha, while higher levels of total phenolic contents were estimated at TTS and total flavonoids in Vehari. Kinnow fruit of Sargodha received more sensory scores in organoleptic evaluation. Higher percentage of A-grade fruits was harvested from Sargodha and B-grade fruits from TTS and Vehari. More numbers of fruits and weight were obtained from TTS, followed by Sargodha. Extreme events such as heat stress and smog were seen more in Vehari and TTS and subsequently their fruit quality was found to be inferior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• More days were taken in Kinnow fruit during ripening phase at warm conditions as well as more agrometeorological indices were computed in fruit different phenophases. • Prior flowering, fruit-setting and cell division initiated with rapid fruit growth at warm districts of TTS and Vehari as compared to Sargodha. • Fruit peel thickness, size index, volume, diameter and weight were recorded as an increasing level in warm districts whereas fruit specific gravity and firmness were decreased in these districts during ripening process. • Timely color development, more fruit specific gravity and firmness were recorded at Sargodha due low fluctuation in climate variables had yielded exportable superior quality Kinnow fruit. • In climate change scenario, more fluctuating climatic variables were observed at warm conditions which adversely affected Kinnow fruit growth and development and also delayed in color development. Kinnow orchards of uniform age, planting density and vigor were selected in three different ecological zones situated in the districts of Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh (TTS) and Vehari of Pakistan. Climate change has adversely affected plants; particularly perennial fruits cultivated in tropical (banana, mango), subtropical (citrus, olive, grapes) and temperate (apple, apricot, plum) zones owing to their slow adaptability. In this context, the fluctuating effect of agrometeorological indices and energy-use efficiency on Kinnow mandarin's fruit growth and development was evaluated. Each experiment was performed in three biological replicates. Ten fruits were randomly collected at the end of each month (April-December) from a single plant to study fruit growth and development. Similarly, physical fruit parameters were recorded from August to February. More days were passed between fruit-setting till arrival of maturity at Vehari, whereas less number of days was counted in Sargodha. More growing degree days and photothermal index were calculated at Vehari during different phenophases of Kinnow fruit as compared to Sargodha. Hydrothermal units were more recorded in Sargodha than Vehari. More yields were obtained from TTS which had increased energy use efficiency than other two districts. Fruit cell division and cell enlargement stages were commenced afore and had finished earlier in Vehari district, followed by TTS. Fruit diameter, peel and pulp thickness as well as fresh weight were recorded in higher values at TTS and Vehari. Non-significant differences were seen in moisture percentage. More fruit size and shape indices were also recorded in TTS and Vehari. Fruit volume was measured larger at TTS, whereas fruit specific gravity was recorded higher at Sargodha from August to February. More intercellular space was seen in fruit samples collected from Vehari and TTS, which at maturity had reduced fruit firmness. Fruit color was recorded as green in samples from all three districts until the beginning of color-break in October. At the arrival of ripening phase in February, more values of color parameters a, b, C and L were enumerated at Vehari. Hue angle of fruit color was found to be at 1200, depicting green color that was rotated at 600 by portraying deep yellow or orange tinge on Kinnow mandarin. Climate variables have had a substantial effect on fruit growth and development phases as well as physical characteristics. Better physical quality and timely color development of Kinnow fruit was noted at Sargodha due to milder environmental conditions compared to TTS and Vehari. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extension in the display life of cut flowers is a pre-requisite of floral industry to meet with the demands of growers, wholesalers and consumers. Various chemical preservatives and growth regulators are currently in use to enhance the shelf and decorative life of cut flowers. In this study, a well-established plant growth regulator salicylic acid (SA) was supplemented in various concentrations, viz., 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg SA L −1 in vase solution during two consecutive years 2010–11. Days taken to open floret, percent florets opened, vase life, percent fresh weight change, electrolyte leakage, activities of antioxidative enzymes SOD, POD, CAT, and free radicals scavenging activity were investigated in this study. Salicylic acid at 150 mg L −1 significantly increased the days to open florets, percent florets opened, retained higher fresh weight, and enhanced the SOD, POD, CAT and free radicals scavenging activity. The lowest electrolyte leakage and the highest free radical scavenging activity were recorded with SA levels of 200 and 150 mg L −1 , respectively. The study concludes that SA is helpful in extending the vase life of gladiolus cut flower, and the highest physiological and biochemical response was at an optimum level of 150 mg SA L −1 of vase solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rosa hybrida seed dormancy significantly hinders the germination percentage. • Genotypic variations, agroclimatic and edaphic factors influenced the seed setting and germination percentage. • Cold stratification with GA 3 proved efficient in minimizing the seed dormancy and more germination percentage was obtained. • In conventional breeding selected parents, microsatellite markers proved convenient for selection of variant hybrid seedlings. • Microsatellite markers can easily select genetically different desirable hybrids at early growth stage. Roses have complex mode of inheritance due to inter and intra-variant ploidy level in both varieties and species, which occurred as result of inbreeding depression. Improvement in ornamental crops is blooming trend for maximizing production and quality produce for market acceptability. The main objective of this work was to improve rose seed germination that resulted from successful crosses to develop new hybrid lines and interrogated by using microsatellite 'Simple Sequence Repeat Marker's (SSRs). Four different seed treatments were applied to evaluate early and maximum seed germination. The resulted seedlings were evaluated for their number of days taken to germination, seedling root length and seedling length at the time of transplantation. The means data were calculated by using standard ANOVA technique with probability level 5%. The simple sequence repeat markers were applied to illustrate the inherited diversity within hybrid population, relevant to their parents. The population was differentiated by linkage group obtained in constructed maps. In this study, NaOCl rinsing and GA 3 application on cold scarified seed has significantly improved germination percentage. The early seedling germination (29.37 days) was observed in variety Bora bora crosses. The maximum root length (2.17 cm) was observed in Gruss-an-teplitz cross. These findings depicted that seed treatments favor the growth with disinfectants. Therefore, use of growth promoter increased the success rate as compared to control treatment. Furthermore, developed hybrids progenies resulted from successful crosses analyzed for morphological extent to demonstrate the characters of hybrids plants. The possible use of marker in developed population of hybrid roses was to determine the presence or absence of inherited locus of the parents, associated with morphological characters in developed progeny. Marker assisted study helpful for the selection of newly developed progeny from locally adapted varieties for future improvement in desired characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc (Zn) being an activator of certain enzymes, can regulate antioxidative activities and enhance the vase-life of cut-flowers. This greenhouse study on zinc nutrition of Oriental lily was performed with four levels of zinc, 0, 3, 6 and 9 mg Zn kg −1 of soil media, applied after two weeks of lily bulbs plantation. Maximum plant height, internodal distance, and leaf area were recorded at 6 mg Zn kg −1 soil media. Floral attributes, viz., flower-bud diameter, flower diameter, number of flowers per plant, stalk length, stalk diameter, fresh and dry weight of nine flowers per treatment also showed the maximum response at 6 mg Zn kg −1 . Earlier flower initiation, extended vase-life, lesser weight loss of flower, greater membrane integrity, content of chlorophyll and protein were recorded at 6 mg Zn kg −1 . Photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, relative water contents and net assimilation rate were higher at 6 mg Zn kg −1 dosage. Antioxidant enzymes, viz., SOD, POD and CAT in cut-flowers also remained at the maximum with this medium dose of zinc. This study concludes that zinc applied at 6 mg kg −1 is suitable dose for enhancing the plant growth, floral vase-life and quality of lily cut-flower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Zinc affected the growth and postharvest attributes of gladiolus cut flowers. [•] Physiological correlation exists between zinc and vase life of cut flowers. [•] Antioxidative activity in cut flowers increased by improving zinc nutrition. [•] Optimum zinc level retained higher water relations and cell membrane integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Poor red pigmentation in grapes has been a serious challenge to viticulture. • Effects of ABA and Ethrel® on anthocyanin formation in grapes were investigated. • Two sprays of ABA with Ethrel® at veraison improved red pigmentation in grape-skin. • ABA- and Ethrel®-treated grapes were significantly similar in firmness of berries. Poor red pigmentation in the berries of red table grapes has been a serious challenge to viticulture industry around the globe. During 2016 and 2017, the effects of spray applications of 100–400 mg L−1abscisic acid (ABA), alone or in combination with 125 or 250 ppm Ethrel® (Eth) applied at veraison, on color development, firmness and accumulation of dietary antioxidants in 'Red Globe' grape-berries, grown under the suboptimal conditions of Saudi Arabia, were investigated. At physiological maturity, the berries harvested from the grapevines treated with two spray applications of 200 mg L−1 ABA combined with 125 ppm of Eth at veraison, applied one week apart, exhibited significantly higher levels of total anthocyanins, phenolic and flavonoid contents in the skin compared to those harvested from the untreated (control) vines. At veraison, a brief exposure of grape-berries to ethylene seems to be required to initiate the process of anthocyanin biosynthesis. The firmness of the ABA-treated berries was slightly higher than those treated with Eth alone. In conclusion, two spray applications of ABA @ 200 mg L−1, combined with the substandard dose (125 ppm) of Eth at veraison, one week apart, substantially enhanced red pigmentation and increased the accumulation of dietary antioxidants in 'Red Globe' grape-berries grown under the non-conductive climatic conditions for anthocyanin biosynthesis. However, alternative management strategies need to be developed to maintain/improve the quality of grapes including berry firmness at commercial harvest and during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]