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Consumers are increasingly interested in chestnuts for their health benefits and also for their organoleptic qualities. It is therefore very important to enhance the chestnut from a sensorial point of view. The sensorial characteristics of commercial chestnuts from three Italian Marrone cultivars (M1 'Marrone di Antrodoco'; M2 'Marrone dei Monti Cimini'; M3 'Marrone del Mugello' PGI) were investigated with the aim of identifying their sensory profiles. The sensory evaluation was conducted according to (ISO 8589 in Sensory analysis. General guidance for the design of test rooms, 2007; UNI EN ISO 13299 in Sensory analysis. Methodology. General guidance for establishing a sensory profile, 2016). Each descriptor was scored on a range with intervals ranging from 0 (absence of the descriptor) to 10 (maximum intensity of the descriptor). The M1 cultivar is characterized by greater crunchiness (8.0, on a scale from 0 to 10), sweetness (7.5), aromatic intensity (7.9) and caramel aroma (3.3). The M2 cultivar is distinguished by its buttery (3.2) and floral aroma (3.0) with a wood/musk note (1.9) that is missing from the other two cultivars. The M3 cultivar has an almond aroma (5.2) and is distinguished by walnut (3.0) and citrus (2.8) aromas, which are absent in cultivars M1 and M2. The results of this study are important as they experimentally demonstrate that the identification of characteristic sensory profile makes the qualitative differences between cultivars evident. The results showed that linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids were the main components of the lipid fraction of chestnut nuts. In all samples the unsaturated fraction predominated over the saturated one. It is also important to note that there were significant quantitative differences between cultivars. The valorization of Marrone chestnut cultivars contributes to promoting consumer use of these products with their high nutritional value and therefore contributes to the promotion of public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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BACKGROUND: Chestnut flour plays an important role in the production of bread, bakery products, and gluten‐free foods. Most of the references in the literature focus on the drying process itself and not on the effects of the drying and milling processes. Moreover, the literature is lacking recommendations regarding optimal moisture content and milling speed, thus motivating the present study. The first aim is to understand the chestnut drying process through an in‐depth evaluation of drying kinetics; the second aim is to assess the effects of three different moisture content (2%, 4% and 6%) and three different stone rotational speeds (120, 220 and 320 rpm) on operative milling parameters (flour yield, milling time, energy consumption, temperature increase, average power, specific milling energy), flour particle size distribution, and chestnut flours characteristics. RESULTS: The results show that moisture content and stone rotational speed have statistically‐significant effects on milling operative parameters, flour particle size and chestnut flour composition. In particular, stone rotational speed affected almost all the tested variables (mill operative parameters, flour particle size distribution, and flour characteristics). Therefore, as the stone rotational speed increases, energy consumption, average power, specific energy, and damaged starch content significantly increase. CONCLUSION: These findings clearly show that moisture content and stone rotational speed are powerful tools that allow the exploiation of the milling process to modulate the characteristics of the obtained flours. In conclusion, two different approaches for chestnut milling were suggested depending on the type of flour to be produced. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey conducted in the 1920s, prior to the chestnut blight, indicated that chestnuts and oaks were codominant canopy species in White Oak Canyon, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. A second survey in 1977 suggested that chestnuts were being replaced by tree species present before the blight, particularly oaks. In 2021, we resurveyed the 10 sites included in our 1977 survey and also recorded canopy and understory trees that grew above remnant chestnut sprouts. The canopy changed more substantially during the second interval (since 1977). Birch and maples were now more abundant. Hemlock declined, and oaks were less common in the canopy. In general, the trees considered as early to mid-successional have replaced oaks and hemlock. Chestnut sprouts have become much less common since 1977, presumably as repeated cycles of diebacks have weakened rootstocks. Those sites where chestnut sprouts have persisted until 2021 differed from neighboring sites without them. Chestnut sprouts were rare in sites with birch and hemlock; chestnut has persisted in locations with red oaks in the canopy and with few other understory competitors. This survey has been conducted over a longer time interval than previous studies that asked similar questions and our results suggest that changes to the forest composition following the loss of the American chestnut may be greater than previously recognized although the relative contribution of losing this codominant species is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Dryocosmus kuriphilus, commonly known as the chestnut gall wasp, belongs to the family Cynipidae and is native to China. It is a highly invasive insect species causing serious damage to chestnut trees and has rapidly spread to various continents, including Europe, North America, and Oceania. The D. kuriphilus has become one of the important pests of chestnut plants in the world and is listed as a quarantine object by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). In this study, we used PacBio long reads, Illumina short reads, and Hi-C sequencing data to construct a chromosome-level assembly of the D. kuriphilus genome. The assembled genome includes 14,729 contigs with a total length of 2.28 Gb and a contig N50 of 0.8 Mb. With Hi-C technology, 2.17 Gb (95.02%) of contigs were anchored and oriented into the 10 pseudochromosomes with the scaffold N50 of 198.8 Mb and the scaffold N90 of 158.8 Mb. In total, 24,086 protein-coding genes were predicted in the assembled D. kuriphilus genome as the reference gene set. A total of 1.82 Gb repeats (occupying 79.7% of the genome), including 1.42 Gb of transposable elements and 0.40 Gb of tandem repeats, were identified in D. kuriphilus genome. In the evaluation of completeness, the BUSCO analysis determined a level of 98.1% completeness for the assembled genome sequences based on the Insecta database (OrthoDB version 10). The high-quality genome assembly of D. kuriphilus will not only provide a valuable reference for the study of its evolutionary history and genetic structure but also facilitate the research of host-pest interactions and invasiveness. Moreover, this genome assembly will promote in the development of effective management strategies to mitigate the economic and ecological impacts of this invasive pest on chestnut trees and ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) is a widespread plant in Europe, rich in high-value compounds, which can be divided mainly into monomeric polyphenols and tannins. These compounds exhibit various biological activities, such as antioxidant, as well as anticarcinogenic and antimicrobial properties. Chestnut wood (CW) extracts were prepared using different extraction techniques, process conditions, solvents, and their mixtures. This work aimed to test various extraction techniques and determine the optimal solvent for isolating enriched fractions of vescalagin, castalagin, vescalin, and castalin from CW residues. Supercritical CO2 extraction with a more polar cosolvent was applied at different pressures, which influenced solvent density. According to the results, the proportions of the components strongly depended on the solvent system used for the extraction. In addition, HPLC-DAD was used for semiqualitative purposes to detect vescalagin, castalagin, vescalin, and castalin. The developed valorization protocol allows efficient fractionation and recovery of the polyphenolic components of CW through a sustainable approach that also evaluates pre-industrial scaling-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of high-quality aged marc spirits includes a minimum period of six months of ageing in oak barrels. Lastly, producers are interested in alternative botanical origin wood. The present study is aimed at investigating the influence of Greek oak (Quercus trojana) and Greek chestnut (Castanea sativa) compared with French (Quercus petraia) and American oak (Quercus alba) on the chemical composition and sensorial characteristics of aged tsipouro, produced from marc from the Black Muscat variety. Gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry (GC–O–MS) was used to identify volatile compounds of the aged tsipouro. Also, colour and polyphenol measurements were made, and an organoleptic evaluation was performed by 16 trained tasters. The findings revealed rather similar results between the tsipouro made from different wood species, especially between Greek and French oaks, and relative differentiation for that of chestnut. All the aged distillates exhibited a pleasant and rich aromatic potential, dominated by floral and fruity terpene varietal aromas as well as wood-related volatiles. Chestnut, with a high phenolic potential, gives pleasant organoleptic effects over time and can be an alternative wood for ageing spirits. This research highlights the importance of wood selection in the tsipouro ageing process and enables the use of Greek wood species in the ageing of spirits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of Botanical Research is the property of Bulletin of Botanical Research Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Chestnuts become sweetened with better tastes for fried products after cold storage, but the possible mechanism is not clear. The dynamics of sugar components and related physiological responses, as well as the possible molecular mechanism in chestnuts during cold storage, were investigated. Sucrose accumulation and starch degradation contributed to taste improvement. Sucrose content reached the peak after two months of cold storage, along with the accumulation of reducing sugars of maltose, fructose and glucose to a much lesser extent. Meanwhile, alpha-amylase and beta-amylase maintained high levels, and the activities of acid invertase and sucrose synthase increased. Transcriptome data demonstrated that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in the process of starch and sucrose metabolism pathway, revealing the conversion promotion of starch to sucrose. Furthermore, DEGs involved in multiple phytohormone biosynthesis and signal transduction, as well as the transcription regulators, indicated that sucrose accumulation might be interconnected with the dormancy release of chestnuts, with over 90% germinated after two months of cold storage. Altogether, the results indicated that cold storage improved the taste of chestnuts mainly due to sucrose accumulation induced by DEGs of starch and sucrose metabolism pathway in this period, and the sweetening process was interconnected with dormancy release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escin, extracted from horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) has anti-edema and anti-inflammatory effects. It is used to treat several clinical conditions, including venous insufficiency, pain, inflammation, and edema. Considering escin's pharmacodynamic, the inhibition of the bradykinin pathway represents a particular effect, decreasing the local edema and conferring an advantage in comparison to other compounds. In this narrative review, we described the effects of escin considering its effects on bradykinin pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Castanea sativa Mill. is important for ecosystems and societies. Its rich historical and cultural significance, remarkable ecological contributions, and diverse applications have inspired scientific research. This comprehensive review and conceptual mapping of chestnut research consolidates existing knowledge, identifies emerging trends, and highlights untapped potential to inform future investigations. First, the Scopus database was searched to retrieve all data-driven articles in English related to C. sativa published in English from 1951 to 2023. Second, the R language, Scopus Analytics, and VOSviewer were used to analyze the year of publication, authors, countries, affiliations, keywords, and citations. Finally, network analysis was performed to evaluate the hotspots and developmental trends of C. sativa. A total of 1889 research articles were recovered. Results: The articles showed an exponential progression, with a regression coefficient of 0.9435 (R2) and an annual growth rate of 6.28%. Italy (19.87%), Spain (15.56%), Portugal (13.39%), Turkey (6.92%), and Switzerland (5.17%) were the most prolific countries. C. sativa (798), sweet chestnut (54), cryphonectria parasitica (44), honey (38), phenolic compounds (35), chestnut blight (33) and antioxidant activity (31) are the keywords that occur the most frequently. The main research groups in the thematic map are "forest management," "Cryphonectria parasitica," "wood," "Spain" and "ethnobotany." Research on C. sativa has all the basic, motor, niche, and emerging or declining themes. Forest management, drought, Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi, C. sativa shells, amino acids, honey, phenolic compounds, hydrolyzable tannins, antioxidant capacity, antioxidants, and extractives are trending topics. Conclusions: This bibliometric analysis highlights the importance of C. sativa research, revealing its ecological contributions, cultural significance, and diverse applications. Future studies should focus on forest management, drought resistance, and bioactive properties to ensure sustainable utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castanea sativa Mill. (C. sativa) processing and pruning generate several by-products, including leaves, burs, and shells (inner and outer teguments), which are considered an important source of high-value phytochemicals. Ellagitannins from C. sativa leaf extracts have been described to impair H. pylori viability and inflammation in gastric cells. Furthermore, chestnut shells showed an important anti-inflammatory effect in gastric epithelial cells. Dietary polyphenols, including tannins, have been reported to interfere with targets of inflammation, including the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). A promising role as a further therapeutical target for gut disorders has been recently proposed for the regulatory subunit of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), as a potential stabilizer of intestinal barrier integrity. Therefore, the main objective of this work is the chemical characterization of several chestnut by-products (bud, spiny bur, wood, pericarp and episperm), together with the exploitation of their anti-inflammatory properties in intestinal cells, scavenging capacity, and stability following gastrointestinal digestion. The chemical characterization confirmed the presence of bioactive polyphenols in the extracts, including ellagitannins. In CaCo-2 cells stimulated by an IL-1β-IFN-γ cocktail, nearly all chestnut by-products (50 µg/mL) inhibited the release of proinflammatory mediators (CXCL-10, IL-8, MCP-1, ICAM), along with the NF-κB-driven transcription, and induced the HRE-driven transcription. The stability of the most promising extracts, identified through PCA and cluster analysis, was addressed by in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Despite the significant reduction in total polyphenol index of chestnut bud and wood after gastric and intestinal digestion, the activity of these extracts on both scavenging and anti-inflammatory parameters remained promising. These data contribute to exploit the potential of chestnut by-products as sources of dietary polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties at the intestinal level. Moreover, this study could represent an important step to encourage the recycling and valorization of chestnut by-products, promoting the circular economy and reducing the environmental impact related to the management of agriculture waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate some physicochemical properties (color, electrical conductivity, ash, water-insoluble and mineral matter contents) of chestnut honey produced in the Ayancık, Türkeli and Erfelek regions of Sinop province, where chestnut forests are dense. The experimental data showed that most of the honey samples had different amber color tones. The electrical conductivity values and the amounts of water-insoluble matter for all chestnut honeys were determined above 0.8 mS/cm and below 0.1 g per 100 g, respectively. In addition, honey samples contained mainly potassium and calcium and other minerals such as magnesium, sodium, aluminum and iron. It has been demonstrated that these chestnut honeys are registered with Geographical Indication and meet the criteria required in the Turkish Food Codex Honey Communiqué of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. These honeys have not been exposed to any external processing (heat treatment, etc.), have not been adulterated, do not contain impurities, and are pure and high quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, antagonistic endophytic fungi were isolated from postharvest chestnut fruits; endophytic antagonistic fungi and their combination of inhibitory effects on the fungal pathogen Neofusicoccum parvum were evaluated. A total of 612 endophytic fungi were isolated from 300 healthy chestnut kernels, and 6 strains out of them including NS-3, NS-11, NS-38, NS-43, NS-56, and NS-58 were confirmed as antagonistic endophytic fungi against Neofusicoccum parvum; these were separately identified as Penicillium chermesinum, Penicillium italicum, Penicillium decaturense, Penicillium oxalicum, Talarmyces siamensis, and Penicillium guanacastense. Some mixed antagonistic endophytic fungi, such as NS-3-38, NS-11-38, NS-43-56, and NS-56-58-38, exhibited a much stronger antifungal activity against N. parvum than that applied individually. Among them, the mixture of NS-3-38 showed the highest antifungal activity, and the inhibition rate was up to 86.67%. The fermentation broth of NS-3, NS-38, and their combinations exhibited an obvious antifungal activity against N. parvum, and the ethyl acetate phase extract of NS-3-38 had the strongest antifungal activity, for which the inhibitory rate was up to 90.19%. The NS-3-38 fermentation broth combined with a chitosan coating significantly reduced N. parvum incidence in chestnuts from 100% to 19%. Furthermore, the fruit decay and weight loss of chestnuts during storage were significantly decreased by the NS-3-38 fermentation broth mixture along with a chitosan coating. Therefore, a mixture of P. chermesinum and P. decaturense could be used as a potential complex biocontrol agent to control postharvest fruit decay in chestnuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chestnut production is considered one of the most important economic resources of rural mountainous areas in Greece. Lately, producers report a steep rise in the incidence of brown rot disease caused by the fungus Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales), which results in severe chestnut rot. The pathogen is considered an emerging pathogen in many countries worldwide (Italy, France, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand). This study aimed at (a) exploring the incidence of the brown rot disease in Vria (Regional Unit of Pieria, Region of Central Makedonia, Greece), (b) isolating and identifying the causal agent of the disease, (c) exploring the fungus presence at different phenological stages of the chestnut trees, and (d) implementing species-specific Bar- High Resolution Melting Analysis (HRM) for the early detection of G. smithogilvyi in chestnuts. G. smithogilvyi occurrence in chestnut tissues was more severe in June (59 %), nearly disappeared in July (19 %) and August (7 %) and increased again during harvesting time in September (57 %). This result could be attributed to a sum of different factors, including climate conditions. Moreover, it was demonstrated that G. smithogilvyi can be identified using a Bar-HRM analysis of chestnut tissues (buds, flowers and nuts). Results of this study clearly demonstrate that Bar-HRM can be used for the accurate, rapid and reliable identification of G. smithogilvyi universally on infected samples from different localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences between Castanea sativa Mill. and Castanea crenata Siebold & Zucc. × Castanea sativa Mill. in rooting ability in relation to endogenous levels of auxin, auxin cofactors and inhibitors that influence rooting success. Leafy cuttings of the two commercial cultivars 'Marsol' and 'Maraval' (Castanea crenata × Castanea sativa) and the native accession 'Kozjak' (Castanea sativa) were analyzed. Endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) concentration was assessed at the beginning of propagation (day 0); in addition, strigolactones, flavonoids, rooting ability and quality were assessed 120 days after. The concentration of endogenous IAA in 'Maraval' (324.34 ± 28.66 ng g−1) and 'Marsol' (251.60 ± 35.44 ng g−1) was significantly higher than in 'Kozjak' (112.87 ± 35.44 ng g−1). The best rooting result was observed with the genotypes 'Maraval' (100.00 ± 0.00%) and 'Marsol' (90.48 ± 6.15%). A significantly lower strigol concentration was observed in the roots of 'Maraval' (75.54 ± 17.93 ng g−1) compared with other genotypes. The total flavonoid concentration in 'Maraval' was significantly higher (2794.99 ± 187.13 μg g−1) than in 'Kozjak' (1057.38 ± 61.05 μg g−1). Our results indicate that the concentration of endogenous IAA has a significant influence on rooting success. The results further indicate that in the case of flavonoids and strigolactones, not only the individual compounds but also their ratio is important for rooting success. Correlation coefficients calculated between analyzed compounds and rooting success point toward specific functions of flavonoids and strigolactones in the rooting of Castanea that need to be functionally analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Northwest A & F University - Natural Science Edition is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Northwest A&F University (Natural Science Edition) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Food & Fermentation Industries is the property of Food & Fermentation Industries and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, chestnut and tea polyphenols were used as the main raw materials to develop tea polyphenol chestnut juice, aiming to explore the stability of tea polyphenols on the stability of cloudy chestnut juice and the digestive characteristics of chestnut starch.By adding ethyl gallate (EG), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin (EC), and mixed tea polyphenols to chestnut juice, it was found that the concentration of the five monomeric tea polyphenols with the least impact on the stability was 0.8 mg/mL.Tea polyphenols EC had the least impact on the stability of chestnut juice.Adding mixed tea polyphenols was most likely to cause instability in chestnut juice.The rheology analysis of chestnut juice showed that tea polyphenols could aggregate the starch particles in the juice through intermolecular force, leading to the reduction of the viscosity of chestnut juice and easy sedimentation.The addition of tea polyphenols would inhibit the digestion of chestnut juice, among which the addition of EG and EGCG chestnut juice had a better inhibition effect.According to the results of light transmittance, sedimentation accumulation, and in vitro digestion tests, it could be found that the addition of tea polyphenols would have an impact on the stability of chestnut juice and the digestive properties of chestnut starch.It provides a new research direction for the development of a tea polyphenol chestnut juice compound drink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castanea dentata (American Chestnut) was likely an important floral resource for a variety of insects in pre-blight eastern forests, including the rare oligolectic bee Andrena rehni, and insects may have played a significant role in the tree's pollination. We surveyed 2 chestnut orchards in New York in 2023 for insect visitors to male catkins. We recorded 66 species and retrieved pollen samples from 49 specimens across 6 families. Andrena rehni was documented after a 119-year absence in the state, and for all specimens, only Castanea pollen was detected in their pollen loads. Honeybees, bumblebees, and sweat bees also intentionally collected chestnut pollen, while longhorn beetles and soldier flies had the highest rates of carrying chestnut pollen incidentally. Our findings support the existing idea that some insects, like beetles, have the potential to contribute to chestnut pollination, and that American Chestnut provides pollen and nectar to a diversity of insects in northeastern landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Chestnut rice wine, also called banli mijiu (BLMJ), uses Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume) in the fermentation of traditional glutinous rice wine. This study characterised the microbial communities and volatile compounds in BLMJ and explored their correlations. Headspace solid‐phase microextraction‐gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS‐SPME‐GC–MS) revealed that the major volatile compounds during BLMJ fermentation include eighteen important volatile compounds (OAV > 1). High‐throughput sequencing (HTS) demonstrated that the abundance and diversity of bacteria were significantly greater than those of fungi during the fermentation process. Among them, Kropensteria and Saccharomyces were the most abundant bacteria and fungi at the genus level during the fermentation of BLMJ. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that eighteen important volatile compounds were significantly positively correlated with seven microbial genera (|r| > 0.9, P < 0.01), including six bacterial genera (Rhodococcus, Lactococcus, Pseudomonas, Janthinobacterium, Unclassified_f_Bacillaceae and Burkholderia‐Caballeronia‐Paraburkholderia) and one fungal genus (Saccharomyces). Therefore, these bacterias and fungi may be core functional microorganisms during BLMJ fermentation. The findings may provide important reference for mediating the microbial community during fermentation to improve the flavour of BLMJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In the current study, polyphenols were extracted from chestnut (Castanea sativa) shells (CSS) by two eco‐friendly techniques, namely microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE). The bioaccessibility, phenolic composition and bioactivity of CSS extracts were explored upon in vitro gastrointestinal digestion considering a future nutraceutical use. The phenolic and flavonoid concentrations, bioaccessibility and antioxidant/antiradical properties of both extracts decreased during digestion. The bioaccessibility was 25% and 26%, respectively, for UAE and MAE extracts. The phenolic profile demonstrated that gallic acid, caftaric acid and catechin were the most bioaccessible compounds for both extraction techniques. The CSS extracts unveiled notable radicals scavenging efficiency, particularly against HOCl (18.32–75.44% inhibition) and ONOO− (16.78–86.11% inhibition), as well as hypoglycaemic (6.95–17.99% α‐amylase inhibition) and neuroprotective (16.44–54.66% AChE inhibition) properties upon digestion. Considering the undigested extracts, the UAE extract revealed better results than the MAE extract. Oppositely, among digested fractions the MAE digests disclosed the most promising outcomes. The remarkable contribution of phenolic compounds to the bioactivity of CSS extracts after in vitro digestion was proved by heatmap correlations, indicating that their pro‐healthy properties were modified after gastrointestinal digestion, being ascribed to the distinct phenolic composition. This study evaluates, for the first time, the impact of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the bioaccessibility and bioactivity of phenolics‐rich CSS extracts prepared by UAE and MAE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the preliminary outcomes of a methodology for the physical and mechanical characterization of various chestnut elements in different states of preservation. Strategizing conservation and retrofit interventions for timber is necessary, and to do this, it is necessary to establish an estimation of physical (transmissivity, thermal conductivity, humidity level, etc.) and mechanical properties (density, compressive or bending strength, etc.). This essential information is typically associated with timber defects, but there are lack of correlations. The primary objective is to establish correlations between thermal and density properties with the aim of preserving original assets. The investigation delves into the relationship between timber density and thermal properties through experimental non-destructive testing (NDT). Two NDTs were employed with the aim of correlating: penetrometric testing and active thermography investigations. The parametric study on the excitation period yielded valuable insights into the temporal dynamics of heat transfer within the timber, underscoring the significance of selecting appropriate excitation periods to capture precise thermal properties. Tabular data on relative humidity for salified, dried, and new samples provided a quantitative backdrop to these observations, unveiling the nuanced effects of humidity on the timber's thermal response. The results of this study are positioned to inform future conservation efforts by laying the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of timber's mechanical properties. Particularly, the challenge lies in accurately estimating density, where surface tests are often less reliable than in-depth ones. Therefore, it is crucial to seek validation through other NDT tests, such as thermographic analysis and visual inspection, and hygrometric tests recognizing their importance in enhancing the reliability of density assessments. This approach will contribute to the development of more discerning preservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids are crucial secondary metabolites that possess the ability to mitigate UV damage and withstand both biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, it is of immense significance to investigate the flavonoid content as a pivotal indicator for a comprehensive assessment of chestnut's drought tolerance. This study aimed to determine the flavonoid content and drought tolerance-related physiological and biochemical indices of six chestnut varieties (clones) grafted trees—Qianxi 42 (QX42), Qinglong 45 (QL45), Yanshanzaofeng (YSZF), Yanzi (YZ), Yanqiu (YQ), and Yanlong (YL)-under natural drought stress. The results were used to comprehensively analyze the drought tolerance ability of these varieties. The study revealed that the ranking of drought tolerance indices in terms of their ability to reflect drought tolerance was as follows: superoxide (oxide) dismutase (SOD) activity, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, flavone content, catalase (CAT) activity, proline (PRO) content, soluble sugar content, peroxidase (POD) activity, betaine content, flavonol content, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, soluble protein content, superoxide ion (OFR) content, superoxide (ion OFR) production rate, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, chlorophyll content. Through principal component analysis, the contents of flavonoids and flavonols can be used as indicators for comprehensive evaluation of drought tolerance of chestnut. The comprehensive evaluation order of drought tolerance of grafted trees of 6 chestnut varieties (Clones) was: QL45 > QX42 > YQ > YZ > YSZF > YL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored the nutritional composition, phytochemicals analysis, and antioxidant capacity of two indigenous varieties of red and green water chestnut (WCN) fruit grown in Pakistan. Accordingly, this study was designed to investigate the proximate composition (moisture, ash, fiber, proteins, fat, and energy), physicochemical properties (pH, °Brix, and glycemic index), minerals, and vitamins. The methanolic extracts of WCN fruits were explored for phytochemicals (total phenolic and flavonoid content), and antioxidant potential was examined in vitro by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity (DPPH) and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Quantitative determination of mineral (sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc) and vitamin (vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin A, and β-Carotene) composition was also assessed. Based on the findings, the proximate compositions of WCN green and red varieties varied greatly as WCN green contained significantly higher protein (1.72%), fat (0.65%), dietary fiber (2.21%), moisture (70.23%), ash (1.16%), and energy content (112.8 Kcal) than WCN red. In WCN green, the macro–micromineral concentrations were significantly higher than WCN red. Among the minerals analyzed, potassium was the most abundant mineral found in both varieties. Levels of vitamin C, B6, A, and β-Carotene were significantly higher in WCN green. In this study, methanolic extract showed higher extraction efficiency than acetone, ethanol, and distilled water. WCN green had a significantly higher quantum of total phenolic (91.13 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid (36.6 mg QE/g) and presented significantly higher antioxidant activity than the WCN red. This study showed that, among both varieties, WCN green extract has therapeutic potential against free radical mediated health conditions and suggested the potential use of this fruit as a source of natural antioxidants in nutraceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chestnut gall wasp (CGW) Dryocosmus kuriphilus is a serious pest of chestnuts (Castanea sativa) in many chestnut growing areas in Turkey. Out of 200 galls randomly collected from four different areas of Yalova and Giresun provinces, 116 showed necrosis, while 84 were asymptomatic. Fungi associated with the necrotic and asymptomatic galls were determined based on morphology and DNA sequencing. Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi, Colletotrichum acutatum, Penicillium glabrum, Botrysphaeria dothidea, Trichoderma atroviridea, and Botrytis cinerea were found on 49, 11, 10, 8, 7, and 1 necrotic galls, respectively. On the other hand, G. smithogilvyi, Fusarium proliferatum, Aureobasidium sp., C. godetiae, Rhizopus stolonifer, P. glabrum, C. acutatum, Cladosporium sp., Alternaria spp., and Aspergillus sp. were hosted by 37, 35, 15, 14, 12, 8, 6, 3, 1, and 1 asymptomatic galls, respectively. Seven fungi, G. smithogilvyi, C. acutatum, F. proliferatum, B. dothidea, Cryphonectria parasitica, Diplodina castanea, and Penicillium sp. were isolated from 31, 6, 4, 1, 1, 1, and 1 of the dead larvae of D. kuriphilus, respectively. Two fungi, F. proliferatum and Penicillium sp., were isolated from the adults of Torymus sinensis, a parasitoid of CGW. Pathogenicity of G. smithogilvyi, C. acutatum, and F. proliferatum detected from dead larvae of D. kuriphilus and galls was tested on young chestnut saplings: the former two produced necrosis while the third one did not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process applied to the exhausted chestnut produced by the tannin extraction industry, utilizing process water recirculation to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the conversion process. Tannin extraction from wood typically involves hot water treatment, leaving behind residual wood biomass known as exhausted wood. These by-products maintain their renewable properties because they have only been exposed to hot water under a high pressure, which is unlikely to cause major alterations in their structural components. Hydrothermal treatment was carried out at temperatures of 220 °C and 270 °C for 1 h, with process water being recirculated four times. This investigation focused on analyzing the effects of recirculation on the yield and fuel properties of hydrochar, as well as characterizing the combustion behavior of the obtained hydrochar. The results indicated that recirculation of process water led to improvements in both the mass and energy yields of hydrochar. The mass yield of the hydrochar samples increased by 5–6%, and the ERE of the hydrochar samples increased by 5–8% compared to the HTC reference sample. However, alterations in the combustion characteristics were observed, including decreases in ignition temperature and combustion reactivity. The results indicate that, with PW recirculations, the combustion index decreased by about 14% and 18% for 220 °C and 270 °C, respectively. Overall, this research demonstrates the potential of utilizing HTC on chestnut tannin residue with process water recirculation to produce stable solid fuel and provides insights into the combustion behavior of the resulting hydrochar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are a wide range of uses, from the use of chestnut fruits as a food in the form of boiled or kebab, use of chestnut fruits in confectionery and pastry industry, use of trunks and branches in the furniture industry, use of fruit shell in the production of tannins, to the use of leaves and flowers in medicine and cosmetics. In this research, the competitiveness of the countries with the highest chestnut export value in the world (China, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Portugal, Greece, South Korea, Chile, France, Japan and Albania) were examined by the Revealed Comparative Advantage and the Relative Export Advantage Index method. Turkey's competitiveness has been revealed and necessary policy recommendations have been made to increase its competitive advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out between 2019 and 2021 to determine chestnut rootstock candidates in Efeler District of Aydın Province. Approximately 40 km² chestnut area was observed in this study. In the research area, 11 high-yielding genotypes which were observed to be unaffected by diseases and pests were identified. The seeds of the genotypes were stratificated, then the seeds that started to germinate were first planted in pots, and the resulting young plants were transferred to the trial garden. At the end of the vegetation period, characteristics related to plant development were examined in the seedlings obtained from the genotypes. The data obtained were evaluated using variance analysis and weighted rating methods, and the scores received by the genotypes were determined. As a result of the research, genotypes coded EK 3, EK 5 and EK 6 had the highest scores and were selected as rootstock candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focused on a study of the release of melanin from its gel dosage form and the toxicological properties of the gel. The recorded release of melanin from the gel was fastest during the first 3 h (50.8%). The remaining amount of melanin was subsequently released gradually as the system equilibrium shifted. The photoprotective action of the drug was prolonged because of the slowed melanin release. Symptoms of acute toxicosis and lethal outcomes were not recorded in all experimental animals during studies of the acute toxicity parameters of the developed gel based on melanin isolated from horse chestnut seed episperm with subcutaneous administration and cutaneous application at doses of 1500, 2000, 2500, and 3000 mg/kg. The developed photoprotective gel belonged to class Vof practically harmless substances. The LD50 value for cutaneous application to rats was >2500 mg/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The study assessed a pheromone-based mating disruption (MD) for the control of Conogethes punctiferalis in Korean chestnut orchards. Over two years, field trials showed that MD effectively reduced male C. punctiferalis numbers, with male catch inhibition (MCI) ranging from 70.5% to 95.1%. MD treatments, including single-dosage (TS) and double-concentration (TD) or two-application (TT) methods, significantly reduced fruit damage. In 2022, TS achieved 63.9–73.6% efficacy, while in 2023, TD and TT showed variable but notable reductions in pest numbers and fruit damage. The study confirms the MD's efficacy in mitigating C. punctiferalis damage in chestnut orchards, highlighting its potential as an eco-friendly pest management strategy in agroforestry systems. Chestnuts (Castanea crenata Siebold and Zucc.) are one of the major agroforestry products in Korea, and Conogethes punctiferalis is a major pest of the chestnut fruit. Pheromone-based mating disruption (MD) has emerged as a promising eco-friendly approach to reduce population levels and ultimately mitigate fruit damage. Field trials were conducted over two years (2022–2023) in two commercial chestnut orchards in Central Korea that were infested with C. punctiferalis. Compared with the control treatment, the MD treatment effectively reduced the number of male C. punctiferalis captured in the MD treatment plots. Male catch inhibition (MCI) rates ranged from 70.5% to 82.7% in 2022 and from 87.8% to 95.1% in 2023. The MD efficacy (%) was calculated based on the total number of chestnut fruits collected and the number of fruits damaged by C. punctiferalis. In 2022, the MD efficacy of the single-dosage treatment (TS, 50 g/ha) was 63.9% in Orchard A and 73.6% in Orchard B. In 2023, the MD efficacies of the double-dosage treatment (TD, 100 g/ha) and the two-application treatment (TT, 50 g/ha in June and August) were 60.2% and 77.9% in Orchard A and 50.9% and 64.8% in Orchard B, respectively. This study confirms the efficacy of pheromone-based MD in reducing the C. punctiferalis numbers in chestnut orchards and damage to chestnut fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although blossom and honeydew honeys are produced from different nectar sources, it is very difficult to distinguish them. In this study, physicochemical and biochemical properties were compared to distinguish honeydew and blossom honeys obtained from different botanical sources. The honeys of pine (Pinus spp.) and oak (Quercus, spp.) were used as honeydew honey, and chestnut (Castania sativa L.) and highland honey were used as blossom honey. Turbidity, specific optical rotation (SOR) [α]20, electrical conductivity (EC), CIEL* a*b color parameters, and moisture and pH were assessed as physical parameters. Proline, invertase activity, sugar composition, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant capacity were used as biochemical properties. It was determined that SOR values were the most important parameters in distinguishing honeydew and blossom honeys. Turbidity stands out as a crucial factor in differentiating between pine and oak honeys. Except for chestnut honey, electrical conductivity, CIE color Lab values, and sugar profiles were identified as additional distinguishing factors among the tested honeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu, 1951 (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) or Asian chestnut gall wasp, has been one of the most important pest insects on the chestnut tree (Castanea sativa) in the last 20 years in Europe. In Romania, it was observed since 2015 in the western part of the country, but the population was kept under control without a negative impact. After almost four years, a new presence of this species in Northeastern Romania was discovered in the most important area for Castanea sativa, The Chestnut Forest from Baia Mare which is a Natura 2000 protected area (Arboretele de castan comestibil de la Baia Mare, ROSCI0003) The distribution of the pest in this area is clustered (Moran's Index = 0.311) with a preference on eastern and western exposure and higher temperatures. The colonization in this area can be explained by the introduction of infested chestnut trees without the quarantine treatment. This study aims to present the distribution of D. kuriphilus, the level of infestation, and climatic preferences for suitable management of a future biological control program in Romania [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spines of Chinese red chestnut are red and the depth of their color gradually increases with maturity. To identify the anthocyanin types and synthesis pathways in red chestnut and to identify the key genes regulating the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway, we obtained and analyzed the transcriptome and anthocyanin metabolism of red chestnut and its control variety with green spines at 3 different periods. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that photosynthesis was more highly enriched in green spines compared with red spines, while processes related to defense and metabolism regulation were more highly enriched in red spines. The analysis showed that the change in spine color promoted photoprotection in red chestnut, especially at the early growth stage, which resulted in the accumulation of differentially expressed genes involved in the defense metabolic pathway. The metabolome results revealed 6 anthocyanins in red spines. Moreover, red spines exhibited high levels of cyanidin, peonidin and pelargonidin and low levels of delphinidin, petunidin and malvidin. Compared with those in the control group, the levels of cyanidin, peonidin, pelargonidin and malvidin in red spines were significantly increased, indicating that the cyanidin and pelargonidin pathways were enriched in the synthesis of anthocyanins in red spines, whereas the delphinidin pathways were inhibited and mostly transformed into malvidin. During the process of flower pigment synthesis, the expression of the CHS, CHI, F3H, CYP75A, CYP75B1, DFR and ANS genes clearly increased, that of CYP73A decreased obviously, and that of PAL, 4CL and LAR both increased and decreased. Notably, the findings revealed that the synthesized anthocyanin can be converted into anthocyanidin or epicatechin. In red spines, the upregulation of BZ1 gene expression increases the corresponding anthocyanidin content, and the upregulation of the ANR gene also promotes the conversion of anthocyanin to epicatechin. The transcription factors involved in color formation included 4 WRKYs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat treatment is a widely used physical technology for postharvest fruit and crops. The Chinese chestnut cultivar "Kuili" has high sugar and amylose contents, and is popular among people. However, the chestnut quality decreases quickly after harvest. In order to maintain the chestnuts' quality during storage, this study explores five hot water treatments for chestnuts: T1 (control, no treatment), T2 (50 °C), T3 (65 °C), T4 (75 °C), and T5 (90 °C) for 45 min. T1 was dried at ambient temperature, while the other heat treatments were dried at 30 °C for 30 min. After treatment, chestnuts were placed in plastic trays, covered with a 15 μm thick PVC film, and stored at 4 °C with 70% relative humidity; they remained in the same air for 120 days. Results indicated that T3 and T4 showed slight color changes while maintaining shell and kernel firmness, and their weight loss was reduced (+5–8%), as well as their decay rate (limited to within 20%). The T3, T4, and T5 treatments (from days 60 to 120) decreased their pest survival rates to <2%. Additionally, heat treatments facilitated the accumulation of total soluble sugar and increased the expression of sugar biosynthesis-related genes. Meanwhile, T3 and T4 delayed starch reduction (they maintained relatively higher contents, from 288 to ~320 mg g−1 DW) and altered some starch biosynthesis genes. Furthermore, T2, T3, and T4 exhibited higher antioxidant activity and lower hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anions (O2−) contents than T1. At the end of storage, the scores of T3 and T4 treatments were 55.1 and 52.3, and they ranked first and second among the five treatments, respectively. Therefore, these findings provide valuable insights for controlling postharvest losses in chestnuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A high-efficiency nickel-doped porous biochar (PCNi3) has been successfully synthesized from chestnut shell waste via a two-step chemical activation treatment with H3PO4. The influences of microstructure, surface morphology, elemental composition, surface functional groups, specific surface area, porosity, pore-size distribution, and chemical properties of the surface state on the removal of Cr (VI) from water were thoroughly investigated by using XRD, FESEM, FTIR, Raman, BET, and XPS testing methods, N2 adsorption, and XPS testing techniques respectively. The results indicate that the treatment of H3PO4 activation and nickel doping can effectively improve microstructure characteristics, thus promoting Cr (VI) adsorption capacity. The effects of initial solution pH, solution concentration, time, and temperature on remediation are revealed. The Cr (VI) uptake experiments imply that the adsorption curves of PCNi3 fit well with the Freundlich model, the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the Elovich model. The adsorption process of PCNi3 can be regarded as a spontaneous endothermic reaction limited by diffusion among particles and porosity. The adsorption mechanisms of PCNi3 are ion exchange, complexation, electrostatic adsorption, and coprecipitation with the assistance of surface active sites, porosity, Ni0 particles, and Ni7P3. With these advantages, PCNi3 reveals an extraordinary Cr (VI) removal capacity and a strong ability to reduce Cr (VI) to Cr (III). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian chestnut gall wasp (ACGW) (Hymenoptera Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu) is a severe pest of sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) with a strong impact on growth and nut production. A comparative field trial in Central Italy, including provenances from Spain, Italy, and Greece, was screened for ACGW infestation over consecutive years. The Greek provenance Hortiatis expressed a high proportion of immune plants and was used to perform a genome-wide association study based on DNA pool sequencing (Pool-GWAS) by comparing two DNA pools from 25 susceptible and 25 resistant plants. DNA pools were sequenced with 50X coverage depth. Sequence reads were aligned to a C. mollissima reference genome and the pools were compared to identify SNPs associated with resistance. Twenty-one significant SNPs were identified and highlighted a small genomic region on pseudochromosome 3 (Chr 3), containing 12 candidate genes of three gene families: Cytochrome P450, UDP-glycosyltransferase, and Rac-like GTP-binding protein. Functional analyses revealed a putative metabolic gene cluster related to saccharide biosynthesis in the genomic regions associated with resistance that could be involved in the production of a toxic metabolite against parasites. The comparison with previous genetic studies confirmed the involvement of Chr 3 in the control of resistance to ACGW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Gynodioecy is a rare sexual system in which two genders (sensu Lloyd, 1980), cosexuals and females, coexist. To survive, female plants must compensate for their lack of siring capacity and male attractiveness. In European chestnut (Castanea sativa), an outcrossing tree, self‐pollination reduces fruit set in cosexual individuals because of late‐acting self‐incompatibility and early inbreeding depression. Could this negative sexual interaction explain the presence of females in this species? Methods: We studied gender variation in wild populations of European chestnut. In addition, we compared fruit set (the proportion of flowers giving fruits) and other key female fitness components as well as reproductive allocation between genders. We then performed emasculation experiments in cosexual trees, by removing nectar‐producing fertile male inflorescences. We also removed sterile but nectar‐producing male inflorescences from female trees, as a control. Results: We found a highly variable proportion of male‐sterile individuals in the wild in European chestnut. In the experimental plot, trees from each gender had similar size, flower density, and burr set, but different fruit set. Removing nectar‐producing male inflorescences from branches or entire trees increased fruit set in cosexual but not in female trees. Conclusions: These results show that self‐pollination impairs fruit set in cosexual trees. Female trees avoid these problems as they do not produce pollen but continue to attract pollinators thanks to their rewarding male‐sterile inflorescences, resulting in a much higher fruit set than in cosexuals. This demonstrates that even outcrossed plants can benefit from the cessation of self‐pollination, to the point that unisexuality can evolve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales) is the main causal agent of chestnut brown rot on sweet chestnut worldwide. The rotting of nuts leads to alterations in the organoleptic qualities and decreased fruit production, resulting in significant economic losses. In 2021, there was an important outbreak of chestnut rot in southern Galicia (Spanish northwest). The profile of secondary metabolites from G. smithogilvyi was studied, especially to determine its capability for producing mycotoxins, as happens with other rotting fungi, due to the possible consequences on the safety of chestnut consumption. Secondary metabolites produced by isolates of G. smithogilvyi growing in potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium were identified using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Three metabolites with interesting pharmacological and phyto-toxicological properties were identified based on their exact mass and fragmentation patterns, namely adenosine, oxasetin, and phytosphingosine. The capacity of G. smithogilvyi to produce adenosine in PDA cultures was assessed, finding concentrations ranging from 176 to 834 µg/kg. Similarly, the production of mycotoxins was ruled out, indicating that the consumption of chestnuts with necrotic lesions does not pose a health risk to the consumer in terms of mycotoxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, chestnuts were processed into flour, and the obtained chestnut flour (CF) was passed through a sieve with an aperture size of 212 µm. Then the physicochemical properties, digestible and resistant starch contents of CF1 (<212 µm), CF2 (≥212 µm), and commercial chestnut flour (CCF) were determined. It was found that CCF had the highest values in terms of proximate composition, total soluble polyphenol content (891.25 mg GAE/100 g), and antioxidant activity (ABTS: 1552.11 mg TE/100 g, DPPH: 2003.01 mg TE/100 g). On the other hand, CF1 was superior in terms of resistant starch content (39.31 g/100 g, dw) (p < 0.05). The resistant starch content of CF1 was approximately 1.5-fold and 3-fold higher than CCF and CF2, respectively. Furthermore, the rapidly digestible starch content of CF1 (2.1 g/100 g, dw) and CF2 (0.93 g/100 g, dw) was quite lower than CCF (12.64 g/100 g, dw) (p < 0.05). Moreover, CF1 exhibited lower (p < 0.05) water, alkaline water, and sodium carbonate retention capacities, which make it a potential good flour for cookie and cracker production. In contrast, CF2 could be evaluated as a good ingredient for noodle-type foods due to its lower water solubility index. Considering the least gelation concentrations of samples, it was seen that CF1 (% 10) could also be valorized as a thickening or gelation agent in the food industry, as well as CCF (% 6). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The on‐tree counting of chestnut fruit (bur) is essential for yield estimation and monitoring of fruit load as well as tree health, which is important in determining the management strategy for orchards, markets, and tree health monitoring. However, the practice is still conducted by manual count or farmers' intuition. Precise and effective counting method is yet to be established. This study attempted to count chestnut fruits with the object detection algorithm, You Only Look Once (YOLO), using the RGB imagery collected with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The model trained with 500 images (7866 burs labeled with bounding boxes) in YOLO version 4 (v4) could count the number of burs with a R2 value of 0.98 and a root mean square error of 6.3 (8.3% of the mean) relative to the manual count in the data set for each whole tree (n = 53). The R2 of linear regression between the number of burs obtained with the YOLOv4 model and the total yield was 0.76, with a standard error of 1.08 kg tree−1 (26.4% of coefficient of variation), which was equivalent to the in situ burs count by an expert technician. In addition, the number of burs counted with the YOLOv4 model after the adjustment of trunk circumference was negatively correlated with nut weight. Overall, the study revealed that YOLO algorithm coupled with UAV‐based RGB imagery is a precise and efficient method for on‐tree burs detection, which could be used as an indicator of yield and fruit load. Core Ideas: This report aims to develop high‐throughput method for detection of on‐tree chestnut fruits.YOLO algorithm coupled with UAV‐based RGB imagery could detect chestnut fruits precisely and efficiently.The burs estimated by the algorithm could be an indicator of yield and fruit load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigments within polysaccharides pose significant challenges when analyzing their structural characteristics and evaluating their biological activities, making decolorization a crucial step in purifying these biomolecules. In this research, a novel approach using ultrasound-assisted static adsorption with macroporous resins was employed to decolorize polysaccharides extracted from seedless chestnut rose (Rosa sterilis S. D. Shi) fruit (RSP). Among the fourteen tested resins, AB-8, D101, D4020, HPD100, and S8 were identified as the most effective, demonstrating superior decoloration efficiency and polysaccharide recovery. Further examinations of RSPs treated with these five resins revealed distinct effects on their uronic acid levels, monosaccharide makeup, molecular weight, surface structure, and hypoglycemic properties. The RSP treated with HPD100 resin stood out for having the highest uronic acid content, smallest particle size, and lowest molecular weight, leading to the most notable inhibition of α-glucosidase activity through a mixed inhibition model. The application of HPD100 resin in the decolorization process not only potentially preserved the macromolecular structure of RSP but also enhanced its hypoglycemic efficacy. These findings provide a solid theoretical basis for further exploring RSP as a component of functional foods, underscoring the effectiveness of the ultrasound-assisted resin adsorption method in polysaccharide purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New and valuable packaging materials, with high biocompatibility and biodegradability, have garnered attention in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical characterization and biological activities of chitosan (CH)-based composite films with the incorporation of chestnut flower essential oil (CFEO). The composite films were prepared by the casting method and characterized in terms of structural, morphological, and mechanical properties via FT-IR, XRD, UV, SEM, AFM, and TGA. Antibacterial properties were investigated using Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Calletotrichum musae. Antioxidant capabilities were measured by DPPH assay. The results proved the significantly increased water vapor permeability (WVP), heat resistance, and antibacterial and antioxidant capabilities of CH-CFEO films. The incorporation of CH and CFEO enhanced UV blocking, which made the film shield almost all UV light. Films with a tensile strength of 6.37 ± 0.41 MPa and an elongation at break of 22.57 ± 0.35% were obtained with 6 mg mL−1 of CFEO. Subsequently, banana preservation experiments also confirmed that the composite films could effectively extend shelf life through reducing weight loss. These desirable performances enable our newly developed composite films to be a remarkable packaging material to become alternatives to traditional petroleum-based food-packaging materials and solve the fresh fruit preservation dilemma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chestnut blight (caused by Cryphonectria parasitica), together with Phytophthora root rot (caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi), has nearly extirpated American chestnut (Castanea dentata) from its native range. In contrast to the susceptibility of American chestnut, many Chinese chestnut (C. mollissima) genotypes are resistant to blight. In this research, we performed a series of genome-wide association studies for blight resistance originating from three unrelated Chinese chestnut trees (Mahogany, Nanking and M16) and a Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) study on a Mahogany-derived inter-species F2 family. We evaluated trees for resistance to blight after artificial inoculation with two fungal strains and scored nine morpho-phenological traits that are the hallmarks of species differentiation between American and Chinese chestnuts. Results support a moderately complex genetic architecture for blight resistance, as 31 QTLs were found on 12 chromosomes across all studies. Additionally, although most morpho-phenological trait QTLs overlap or are adjacent to blight resistance QTLs, they tend to aggregate in a few genomic regions. Finally, comparison between QTL intervals for blight resistance and those previously published for Phytophthora root rot resistance, revealed five common disease resistance regions on chromosomes 1, 5, and 11. Our results suggest that it will be difficult, but still possible to eliminate Chinese chestnut alleles for the morphophenological traits while achieving relatively high blight resistance in a backcross hybrid tree. We see potential for a breeding scheme that utilizes marker-assisted selection early for relatively large effect QTLs followed by genome selection in later generations for smaller effect genomic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovule abortion significantly contributes to a reduction in chestnut yield. Therefore, an examination of the mechanisms underlying ovule abortion is crucial for increasing chestnut yield. In our previous study, we conducted a comprehensive multiomic analysis of fertile and abortive ovules and found that ACS genes in chestnuts (CmACS) play a crucial role in ovule development. Therefore, to further study the function of ACS genes, a total of seven CmACS members were identified, their gene structures, conserved structural domains, evolutionary trees, chromosomal localization, and promoter cis-acting elements were analyzed, and their subcellular localization was predicted and verified. The spatiotemporal specificity of the expression of the seven CmACS genes was confirmed via qRT–PCR analysis. Notably, CmACS7 was exclusively expressed in the floral organs, and its expression peaked during fertilization and decreased after fertilization. The ACC levels remained consistently greater in fertile ovules than in abortive ovules. The ACSase activity of CmACS7 was identified using the genetic transformation of chestnut healing tissue. Micro Solanum lycopersicum plants overexpressing CmACS7 had a significantly greater rate of seed failure than did wild-type plants. Our results suggest that ovule fertilization activates CmACS7 and increases ACC levels, whereas an overexpression of CmACS7 leads to an increase in ACC content in the ovule prior to fertilization, which can lead to abortion. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that chestnut ovule abortion is caused by poor fertilization and not by nutritional competition. Optimization of the pollination and fertilization of female flowers is essential for increasing chestnut yield and reducing ovule abortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi of the genus Cryphonectria are of special interest to tree pathologists because they cause bark disease in numerous species of the Fagaceae and Betulaceae. Despite this special attention, several Cryphonectria species were not recognized as such for a long time. This also affected the identity of eight isolates with outdated names that have been deposited in our laboratory since 1954. The present study reconstructs the history of the Cryphonectria cultures M282–M289 using primary bibliographic sources. To verify the species identity, all isolates were DNA barcoded and taxonomic affiliation was assessed using a phylogenetic approach. The taxonomic identity combined with the history of the isolates confirms that the chestnut blight epidemic (Cryphonectria parasitica) in Spain was caused by the planting of Asian chestnuts and that the first documented case of bark canker in 1940 was caused by Cryphonectria radicalis on Japanese chestnuts imported from France. The history of isolate M289 could be traced back to CBS 165.32, which proved to be the oldest preserved isolate of the rare Cryphonectria naterciae, confirming the presence of this fungus in Europe for at least 100 years. Based on the ITS barcoding of the 32‐year‐old type specimen, Cryphonectria decipiens must be reclassified as a later synonym of Cryphonectria radicalis. The reconstruction of the history of isolates M282–M289 takes us on a scientific journey from Italy to France, Spain and Portugal in the early twentieth century and offers new insights into the historical context of the invasion of Cryphonectria parasitica in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study conducted investigations on the climate and soil nutrients of different chestnut orchards in the Yanshan region, selected key ecological factors affecting the growth and fruit quality of chestnuts, and provided a theoretical basis for the cultivation, introduction, and scientific planting of highquality chestnuts. [Methods] The Yanshanzaofeng chestnuts in four orchards located in Qianxi, Qianan, Funing, and Qinglong of Hebei Science and Technology Normal University were selected. The climate and soil nutrient conditions of the four orchards were investigated. Growth indicators such as branch length and diameter, nut weight, and internal quality indicators such as starch, fat, and protein content were analyzed. Principal component analysis was conducted on nine elimate factors and twelve soil factors in the four chestnut orchards to identify the most closely related ecological factors influencing chestnut growth and quality. [Results] (i) Different orchards had varying climate conditions, with Qianan orchard having higher rainfall than the others, Funing orchard having the highest number of sunshine hours in the growing season, and Qinglong orchard experiencing the greatest temperature difference during the growing season. (ii) Significant differences were found in soil nutrient content among the orchards, with the coefficient of variation for organic matter and mineral elements ranging from 19.1% (S) to 80.3% (available phosphorus). (iii) The main ecological factor influencing chestnut growth was the photosynthetic factor, while fruit quality was influenced by a combination of climatic factors, photosynthetic factors, and nutrient factors. Key ecological factor indicators included: annual precipitation, annual sunshine hours, growing season precipitation, growing season sunshine hours, soil organic matter, available phosphorus, available potassium, alkali nitrogen, copper, zinc, available boron, and sulfur. Soluble solids were significantly positively correlated with growing season sunshine hours, and fat was significantly positively correlated with available potassium and alkali nitrogen, and significantly positively correlated with available phosphorus. [Conclusions] Orchards with high growing season precipitation, long sunshine hours, and high organic matter and nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium content in the soil are more conducive to promoting the growth of Yanshanzaofeng' chestnuts and improving fruit quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their antiketogenic and antioxidant effects, chestnut tannins may offer a viable approach to manage the impaired immune and renal functions in transition cows. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with chestnut tannins on haematological, biochemical and antioxidant indices, as well as cortisol levels in prepartum dairy cows. Forty multiparous Holstein cows were divided into two homogeneous groups (n = 20): a control (CON), and an experimental group (CNT) receiving 20 g/day of chestnut tannins for the last 25 ± 2 days of pregnancy. Haematological and biochemical indices, cortisol concentration and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were measured in blood samples collected 25 (day -25) and 5 days (day -5) before the expected parturition. The addition of chestnut tannins exerted no significant effect on red blood cells indices; however, white blood cell (P = 0.02), lymphocyte (P = 0.05) and platelet (P < 0.01) counts were higher, while the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (P = 0.03) was lower on day -5 in the CNT group compared to the CON group. Significantly higher values of T-AOC (P = 0.03) and significantly lower levels of triglycerides (P = 0.03) and gammaglutamyl transferase (P = 0.02) were also found in CNT compared to CON on day -5. The improved haematological profile in CNT cows was accompanied by lower serum creatinine concentration (P = 0.04), while total protein, calcium, phosphorus and cortisol did not differ significantly between CNT and CON cows. These data demonstrate that dietary chestnut tannin supplementation in a closeup diet has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and could potentially mitigate immune suppression and kidney dysfunction near parturition. Further research should be conducted concerning the mechanisms underlying these responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]