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Flavonoids play an important role in forming wine grapes and wine quality characteristics. The flavonoids of three winter red wine grapes, Yeniang No. 2 (YN2), Marselan (Mar), and Guipu No. 6 (GP6), were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-QQQ-MS). Furthermore, the flavonoids in GP6 grapevines using two types of training systems, namely, trellis (T) and espaliers (E), were also compared in this study. Overall, 196 flavonoid metabolites, including 96 flavones, 38 flavonols, 19 flavanones, 18 polyphenols, 15 anthocyanins, 7 isoflavones, and 3 proanthocyanidins, were identified. The flavonoid profiles were remarkably different among these three grape varieties, while they did not change much in the GP6 managed on trellis and espaliers. Grape varieties with different genetic backgrounds have their own unique flavonoid profiles. Compared with Mar-T, isoflavones and flavonols presented higher contents in GP6-T and YN2-T, which mainly contain glycitein, genistin, calycosin, kaempferide, isotrifoliin, and ayanin. The anthocyanin content was significantly higher in YN2-T than in the other two varieties. YN2 and GP6-T present a more stable color, with significantly more acetylated diglucosides and methylated anthocyanins in YN2-T and GP6-T than in Mar-T. Notably, GP6 had more varied flavonoids and the better characteristics to its flavonoid profile out of these three varieties, due to it containing a higher number of anthocyanins, flavone, and flavonols and the greatest number of different flavonoid metabolites (DFMs), with higher contents than YN2 and Mar. Compared with the trellis training system, the espaliers training system increased the content of flavonoids detected in GP6 grape berries; however, the composition of flavonoids strictly depends on the grape variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chardonnay is a non-floral grape with economic value and nutritional properties that is widely grown in northwestern China. However, limited research has been conducted on exogenous spraying to regulate volatile compound metabolism (especially isoprene metabolism) in Chardonnay grapes. Benzothiadiazole (BTH) can induce disease resistance and augment the contents of phenolics and volatile compounds in grapes. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of BTH on the accumulation of isoprene aroma, carotenoid levels and the activity profiles of key enzymes. Chardonnay grapevines were treated with 0.37 mM BTH at veraison to investigate the impact on physicochemical parameters, carotenoids, metabolic enzyme activities, and free and bound isoprenoids in developing Chardonnay grapes. The results showed that reducing sugars, and total soluble solids of BTH-treated grapes increased, while the content of titratable acidity, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, chlorophyll, and total carotenoids in treated ripe grapes decreased relative to control berries. BTH-treated ripe grapes exhibited elevated levels of bound norisoprenoids and three key enzemy activities (carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase, phytoene synthase, lycopene β-cyclase), with a slight decrease in free norisoprenoids. Free and bound terpenoids profiles were also significantly enhanced by BTH treatment at veraison. Our findings offer novel perspectives into the modulation of isoprene biosynthesis in grape berries when exposed to BTH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of leaf removal at three stages of grape development on the phenolic and volatile profiles of Cabernet Sauvignon and Marselan grapevines for two consecutive years in the Jieshi Mountain region, an area of eastern China with high summer rainfall. The results indicated that cluster-zone leaf removal generally reduced the titratable acidity of both varieties, but did not affect the total soluble solids of grape berries. Leaf-removal treatments increased the anthocyanin and flavonol content of berries in both varieties. However, in Cabernet Sauvignon, leaf removal negatively affected the norisoprenoid compounds, with a more pronounced impact observed when the leaf removal was conducted at an early stage. This negative effect may be related to a decrease in the levels of violaxanthin and neoxanthin, potential precursors of vitisprine and β-damascenone. In contrast, the removal of leaves had no effect on the norisoprenoid aroma of Marselan grapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microbial diversity on the carposphere (berry) surface of the grape cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon grown in eight different locations/vineyards of Henan Province was determined by high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal 18S rRNA gene. The structure of bacterial and fungal communities varied according to the sampling sites, but with some common phyla. Proteobacteria and Ascomycota were dominant/common phyla for bacteria and fungi, respectively. A total of 27 and 20 bacterial and fungal families, respectively, and 39 and 20 bacterial and fungal genera, respectively, with statistically significant differences, were found among different sampling sites. The difference for metabolic pathways of bacteria among the sampling sites existed. In addition, various abundances of enzymes from different sites might indicate that different function patterns exist in microbiota from different sites. The results revealed that locations of grape vineyards might play a significant role in shaping the microbiome, as well as the fact that vineyards can be distinguished based on the abundance of several key bacterial and fungal taxa. Overall, these findings extend our understanding of the similarities and differences in microbial community and their metabolic function on Cabernet Sauvignon grape surfaces from different geographic locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goji berry psyllid, Bactericera gobica Logniova (Homoptera: Psyllidae), is one of the most important pests on goji berry plants (Lycium barbarum L.), whose fruits are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and food. However, chemical control is still the predominant control strategy of this pest. Recently, two species of predatory mites, Neoseiulus setarius Ma, Meng & Fan and Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes were found to be associated with B. gobica in China. To assess their predation potential against B. gobica, the functional responses of these two phytoseiid species feeding on different densities (2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24 and 32 individuals) of B. gobica eggs and 1st instar nymphs were compared at a temperature of 25ºC ± 1º C. Logistic regression analysis revealed that both predatory mite species exhibited type Holling-II functional responses on eggs and 1st instar nymphs of B. gobica, with the predation number increased for both predators as the density of prey increased. Overall, N. setarius consumed more prey compared to N. barkeri across all levels of prey densities. Meanwhile, the highest attack rate (α = 0.0283), the lowest handling time (Th = 1.1324 h prey− 1), and the highest estimated maximum predation rate (T/Th = 21.19 prey day− 1) were all observed for N. setarius fed with 1st instar nymphs of B. gobica. These findings suggest that it is worthy considering utilizing N. setarius and N. barkeri as candidate biocontrol agents of B. gobica, with N. setarius appearing to be a more effective predator than N. barkeri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cluster thinning has been widely applied in yield management and its effect on green leaf volatiles (GLVs) in wines has seldom been studied. GLVs are important flavor compositions for grapes and wines. This work aimed to investigate the impact of cluster thinning on these volatiles and their precursors in grapes and wines. Severe cluster thinning (CT1) and medium cluster thinning (CT2) were performed on Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) vines in two sites (G-farm and Y-farm) from Xinjiang province in the Northwest of China. The impact of cluster thinning treatments on the accumulation of GLVs and their precursors, long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) of grape berries and C6 volatiles, in resulting wines was investigated. Multivariate analysis showed that cluster thinning treatments induced significant changes in fruit and wine composition in both farms. In Y-farm, medium cluster thinning (CT2) significantly increased the average cluster weight of harvested berries. Additionally, both cluster thinning treatments (CT1 and CT2) increased fatty acids in harvested berries and CT2 led to an increase in C6 esters and a decrease in C6 alcohols in the wines of Y-farm under the warmer and drier 2012 vintage. However, the effect of cluster thinning was likely negative in G-farm due to its wetter soil and excessive organic matter. The treatments may be applicable for local grape growers to improve viticultural practices for the more balanced vegetative and reproductive growth of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines. This work also provided further knowledge on the regulation of fatty acids and the derived C6 volatiles through the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberries are by far the most produced soft fruit (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries) worldwide, with China and the US being the two countries with the most production. In the US, strawberries reached a farm gate value of more than USD 3 billion in 2023 and are predominantly grown in the open field on an annual cycle in hilled-up soil beds using plastic mulch (plasticulture). This process relies on adequate pre-plant fertilizer application for plant establishment and fruit development. In North Carolina (US), it is current practice to apply pre-plant fertilizer containing 67 nitrogen (N) kg/ha; however, with increasing fertilizer costs and environmental concerns, questions remain as to whether or not pre-plant full-spectrum fertilizer rates can be reduced and substituted with organic low-N fertilizer sources, such as Polysulphate, without impacting yield or fruit quality. For this reason, field trials were established to evaluate the impact of pre-plant fertilizer rates on strawberry production ('Camarosa'). Trials were conducted in the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 seasons at two locations in North Carolina. The following N-rate pre-plant fertilizer treatments were applied: 80.1, 67.3, 54.1, 41.1, 33.6, 28.0, and 0 kg/ha. NO3 and NH4 content were frequently assessed in each replicate in the raised bed profile between planting and spring fertilizer application. Marketable and total strawberry yields were assessed over 6 weeks in the spring of 2020 and 2021. Our trial results showed that, especially in sandy soil, N rapidly declined under plastic within the first 8 weeks after pre-plant fertilizer application. However, no impact between pre-plant fertilizer rates and plant yield was observed. Treatments that contained Polysulphate and lower amounts of full-spectrum fertilizer showed significantly lower N concentrations in the soil while maintaining similar yields and fruit quality compared to grower-standard pre-plant fertilizer treatments. In summary, our results show that it is possible to reduce N content in pre-plant fertilizer by up to 50% compared to current recommendations without causing yield loss in short-day strawberry cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccinium uliginosum (VU) is one of the most precious wild berry plants distributed in the Changbai Mountain region in northeast China. Eight key morphological traits of VU were analyzed to examine the variation among and within five natural populations at different altitudes, as well as their response to environmental factors. The study results showed an increasing trend of variation among populations with ascending altitudes, but the range variation within populations exhibited a decreasing trend. The diversity level among populations was found to be higher than that within populations, and the five populations of VU were classified into four groups. Except for leaf width and twig length, all other morphological traits demonstrated significant or extremely significant correlations. Generally, with increasing altitude, leaf length decreased, while plant height, clear bole height, and basal diameter decreased significantly, and similar trends were observed with moisture factors, while a significant positive correlation was found with temperature factors. Among them, the morphological traits of clear bole height and basal diameter exhibited the strongest correlation with environmental factor variations. Overall, these findings indicate extensive variation in the morphological traits of VU within and among populations at different altitudes, with clear responses to changes in environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) is a famous edible and medicinal herb worldwide with considerable consumption. The recent cultivation of goji berries in the Daodi region was seriously reduced due to increased production costs and the influence of policy on preventing nongrain use of arable land in China. Consequently, production of Daodi goji berry was insufficient to meet market demands for high-quality medicinal materials. Searching for regions similar to the Daodi region was necessary. Methods: The MaxEnt model was used to predicted the current and future potential regions suitable for goji berry in China based on the environmental characteristics of the Daodi region (including Zhongning County of Zhongwei prefecture-level city, and its surroundings), and the ArcGIS software was used to analyze the changes in its suitable region. Results: The results showed that when the parameters were FC = LQHP and RM = 2.1, the MaxEnt model was optimal, and the AUC and TSS values were greater than 0.90. The mean temperature and precipitation of the coldest quarter were the most critical variables shaping the distribution of Daodi goji berries. Under current climate conditions, the suitable habitats of the Daodi goji berry were 45,973.88 km², accounting for 0.48% of China's land area, which were concentrated in the central and western Ningxia Province (22,589.42 km²), and the central region of Gansu Province (18,787.07 km²) bordering western Ningxia. Under future climate scenarios, the suitable area was higher than that under current climate conditions and reached the maximum under RCP 6.0 (91,256.42 km²) in the 2050s and RCP 8.5 (82,459.17 km²) in the 2070s. The expansion regions weremainly distributed in the northeast of the current suitable ranges, and the distributional centroids were mainly shifted to the northeast. The moderately and highly suitable overlapping habitats were mainly distributed in Baiyin (7,241.75 km²), Zhongwei (6,757.81 km²), and Wuzhong (5, 236.87 km²) prefecture-level cities. Discussion: In this stduy, MaxEnt and ArcGIS were applied to predict and analyze the suitable habitats of Daodi goji berry in China under climate change. Our results indicate that climate warming is conducive to cultivating Daodi goji berry and will not cause a shift in the Daodi region. The goji berry produced in Baiyin could be used to satisfy the demand for high-quality medicinal materials. This study addresses the insufficient supply and guides the cultivation of Daodi goji berry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicinal plant that is extensively cultivated in the arid and semiarid regions of northwest China. In this study, a novel cytorhabdovirus, tentatively named “goji cytorhabdovirus A (GCVA),” was identified from the goji berry plant exhibiting leaf crinkle symptoms through high-throughput sequencing (HTS). GCVA contains a linear, negative sense single-stranded RNA genome of 14,812 nucleotides and encodes six open reading frames in the order of 3′ leader-N-P-P4-M-G-L-5′ trailer. The genome of GCVA shares the highest nucleotide (nt) identity of 65.80% (16% query coverage) with yerba mate virus A (YmVA) (NC_076472). The N and L proteins also share low amino acid (aa) identities (<35.42 and  <  41.23%, respectively) with known cytorhabdoviruses. Typical features of the viruses in the genus Cytorhabdovirus include a highly conserved consensus sequence in the intergenic regions and extensive complementation of the 5′ non-coding trailer and the 3′ leader. These features were also found in GCVA. These data in combination with a phylogenetic analysis that was based on the aa sequences of the N and L proteins support the proposal that GCVA is a new species in the genus Cytorhabdovirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The goji berry, Lycium barbarum L., is a prominent indigenous medicinal plant in Northern China. The high nutrient content of fruits may make goji berry plants susceptible to pests. The goji berry psyllid Bactericera gobica is an extensively prevalent and devastating pest. The current primary approaches employed for goji berry psyllid prevention involve the utilization of chemical pesticides, which may potentially pose risks to human health and the environment. The advantage of biological control, in contrast to alternative methods, lies in its provision of a cost-effective and sustainable control system with minimal adverse effects. By comparing the predatory performance of three ladybird species preying on psyllids, our study suggests that each species possesses distinct advantages as potential predators of psyllids. Further field studies are necessary to determine the most promising ladybird species for rapid impact through inundative biological control, considering the specific environmental adaptability of each ladybird species. This study is expected to provide evidence supporting the potential of promising ladybird species as an effective biological control agent against goji berry psyllids. The psyllid Bactericera gobica is a serious pest in goji berry orchards. The current primary psyllid control methods involve chemical pesticides, which pose potential risks to human health and the environment. The implementation and promotion of biological control agents should receive increased attention as an alternative approach to safeguarding goji berry orchards. To compare the predatory performance of three potential biocontrol agents of psyllids, including Harmonia axyridis, Coccinella septempunctata and Hippodamia variegata, the functional response and intraspecific interactions of adult ladybirds were studied under laboratory conditions. We observed a significantly higher searching efficiency (0.84 ± 0.09) in H. axyridis when preying on psyllids compared to H. variegata (0.55 ± 0.05), whereas the handling time for psyllids was considerably longer in H. axyridis (7.33 ± 0.83 min) than in H. variegata (5.67 ± 0.97 min). The impact of intraspecific interactions on H. variegata (0.44 ± 0.04) was significantly greater than that on C. septempunctata (0.29 ± 0.03), whereas the maximum consumption by C. septempunctata (223.35 ± 41.3) significantly exceeded that of H. variegata (133.4 ± 26.9). Our study suggests that each of these three ladybird species possesses distinct advantages as a potential predator of psyllids. However, further field studies are required to determine the most promising ladybird species for rapid impact through inundative biological control, taking into consideration the specific environmental adaptability of each ladybird species. The present study is expected to provide evidence that supports the potential of incorporating promising ladybird species as an effective biological control agent in goji berry orchard management programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between soil nutrients and berry quality for the wine grape Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet Franc in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains, and subsequently to optimize soil nutrient conditions for optimal berry quality, thus providing guidance for vineyard soil management. Based on the basic data on soil nutrients and berry quality indicators, a partial least squares regression method was used to screen for major soil nutrient factors affecting the grape quality index. Then, the selected soil nutrient factors were taken as independent variables and the corresponding grape quality indicators were taken as dependent variables and a multilinear regression equation was formulated by the method of multivariate linear regression. Finally, the optimal solution for fruit quality and soil nutrients was solved using linear programming equations. The results showed that there was a lack of total nitrogen, organic matter, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, and available phosphorus in the soil nutrients, and an alkaline soil. There is a significant positive correlation between some soil nutrient indices, and there is also a multivariate linearity problem. Among all berry quality indices, titratable acid, tannin, and anthocyanin were negatively correlated with eleven and ten soil indices, respectively, while other berry quality indices were positively correlated with most soil nutrient indices. The optimal parameters for grape quality were determined using the method of linear programming equations, and the corresponding soil nutrient indicators content were defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel positive single-stranded RNA (+ ssRNA) virus named wheat yellow stripe associated virus (WYSAV) was identified in wheat plants in China. Molecular characterization revealed that the complete genome of WYSAV is divided into two segments, RNA1 and RNA2, which are 6,460 and 4,935 nucleotides (nt) in length, excluding their respective poly(A) tails. RNA1 contains one large opening reading frame (ORF), encoding a replication-associated protein. RNA2 contains six ORFs, encoding a coat protein (CP), a coat protein readthrough domain protein (CP-RTD), triple gene block protein 1 (TGB1), triple gene block protein 2 (TGB2), triple gene block protein 3 (TGB3), and a cysteine-rich protein (CRP). Phylogenetic analysis showed that WYSAV is related to members of the genus Benyvirus in the family Benyviridae. Thus, WYSAV is proposed to be a new member of the genus Benyvirus. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important food crops and ranked third in the world in terms of production, only behind rice and maize [1]. During its growth cycle, wheat faces several biotic and abiotic stresses. Wheat soil-borne virus disease is an important disease that is difficult to control and causes severe yield loss in China each year [2]. The main pathogens causing wheat soil-borne virus disease are Chinese wheat mosaic virus (CWMV) and wheat yellow mosaic virus (WYMV), and their transmission vector is Polymyxa graminis [3–5]. Members of the viral family Benyviridae usually have two to five genomic RNA segments and are transmitted by root-infecting vectors belonging to the family "Plasmodiophoridae". Although few members of the family Benyviridae, of which beet necrotic yellow vein virus is the type member, have been identified [6], several recently identified viruses have been found to be phylogenetically related to benyviruses but are not classified as members of the family Benyviridae. These "unclassified benyviruses" include red clover RNA virus 1, Arceuthobium sichuanense virus 3, Dactylorhiza hatagirea beny-like virus, goji berry chlorosis virus [7], Guiyang benyvirus 1, Guiyang benyvirus 2, Mangifera indica latent virus [8], Rhizoctonia solani beny-like virus 1 [9], Sanya benyvirus 1 [10], and Sclerotium rolfsii beny-like virus 1 [11]. In this study, we identified a novel + ssRNA virus in symptomatic leaf samples collected from cultivated wheat in the city of Zhumadian, Henan Province, China. We propose to name this virus "wheat yellow stripe associated virus" (WYSAV), and we have deposited its full-length sequence in the GenBank database under the accession numbers OQ547804 (RNA1) and OQ547805 (RNA2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goji berry is an important cash crop of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China. In the summer of 2019 and 2020, a root rot outbreak appeared in Zhongning County Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The correct identification of the causal agent is very important for prevention and cure of this root rot disease. The rotten root samples of symptomatic trees were dug for strain isolation using tissues separation method. The fungi were identified based on both morphological characteristics and molecular signatures. Five healthy 1‐year‐old goji berry cv. 'Ningqi‐7' seedlings inoculated with F. redolens QT114 showed root rot symptoms and F. redolens was re‐isolated from the rotted roots of inoculated seedlings. This is the first report of F. redolens causing root rot of Chinese wolfberry (L. barbarum L. cv. 'Ningqi‐7'). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The aphid Aphis gossypii Glover is a serious pest that inflicts severe damage upon goji berry plants in China. The current prevailing approach to pest prevention involves the utilization of chemical insecticides, which presents potential risks to both human health and the environment. The improper use of pesticides leads to the emergence of drug-resistant pests, thereby contributing to the resurgence of rampant pest populations. Therefore, the conservation and management of predators in agricultural ecosystems should receive increased attention, given their crucial role. Ladybirds have previously been identified as the primary predators of aphid species. However, their effectiveness as biological agents against aphids on goji berry plants remains uncertain. We found that the potential of ladybirds in controlling the aphid populations is promising, thus possibly making a contribution to environmental protection. By conducting an analysis of functional responses, intraspecific competition, and a semi-field study, we have determined that H. axyridis and C. septempunctata exhibit greater potential as biocontrol agents against aphids in comparison to H. variegata. Notably, future field studies will play a pivotal role in ensuring the effective implementation of a biological control program. The aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, is identified as a significant pest that causes severe damage to goji berries in China. To analyze the ladybird consumption of aphids, the functional responses of three ladybird species, Harmonia axyridis, Coccinella septempunctata, and Hippodamia variegata, and intraspecific competition among ladybird individuals were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Moreover, the practical impact of ladybirds on aphid population reduction was investigated in semi-field conditions. We found that all adult ladybirds of the three species exhibited a type II functional response toward aphids. According to Holling's disc equation, H. axyridis exhibited the highest searching efficiency (a = 0.79), while C. septempunctata had the shortest handling time (Th = 5.07 min) among the three ladybird species studied. Additionally, intraspecific competition had a greater impact on H. variegata (m = 0.41) compared to the other two ladybird species. The semi-field study demonstrated that H. axyridis (83.9% reduction) and C. septempunctata (78.7% reduction) exhibited higher efficacy in reducing aphid populations compared to H. variegata (27.3% reduction). This study suggests that H. axyridis and C. septempunctata exhibit potential as effective biological control agents against aphids on goji berry plants and highlights the importance of considering intraspecific competition. However, the results obtained from laboratory and semi-field studies cannot be directly extrapolated to field conditions due to the simplification of these experimental systems. Future field studies are crucial in ensuring the effective implementation of a biological control program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) is an emerging fruit crop; however, determining its proper harvest time in commercial cultivation remains challenging due to its rapid fruit development characteristics. In this study, we investigated 17 agronomic traits of three blue honeysuckle cultivars harvested on 5 successive dates within their respective harvest windows. 'Lanjingling', 'Wulan', and 'Berel' showed solid–acid ratios (SS:TA) ranging from 10.00 to 16.01, 8.13 to 10.23, and 5.77 to 7.11, respectively; anthocyanin contents ranged from 233.85 to 276.83 mg/100 g, 236.38 to 312.23 mg/100 g, and 235.71 to 334.98 mg/100 g, respectively; vitamin C contents ranged from 88.43 to 99.68 mg/100 g, 108.13 to 191.23 mg/100 g, and 89.71 to 120.40 mg/100 g, respectively; phenolic contents ranged from 25.22 to 37.59 mg/g, 25.40 to 36.52 mg/g, and 37.66 to 50.00 mg/g, respectively. The results revealed the SS:TA value consistently increased with delayed harvesting and were significantly negatively correlated with fruit firmness, total acidity, shelf life, and respiration intensity, suggesting it is an ideal maturity indicator for blue honeysuckle berries. The factor analysis suggests that the suitable harvest date for 'Lanjingling' could be either 47 days after flowering (DAF) with an SS:TA value of approximately 10.0, characterized by high firmness, extended shelf life, and elevated levels of anthocyanins and phenolics; or 67 DAF (SS:TA ≈ 16.0), characterized by high vitamin C content and sweetness, and larger size and weight. For 'Wulan', it suggests the suitable harvest date is either 54 DAF (SS:TA ≈ 9.0), yielding fruit with high levels of anthocyanins and vitamin C; or 62 DAF (SS:TA > 10.0), yielding fruit with high sweetness and large size and weight. For 'Berel', it is suggested to be either 52 DAF (SS:TA ≈ 6.5), resulting in fruit with high levels of anthocyanins and vitamin C; or 62 DAF (SS:TA > 7.0), resulting in balanced levels of the fruit quality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walsura guangxiensis (Meliaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China, is here described and illustrated. The new species is easily distinguishable from the other two Chinese members of the genus by its petals being pale yellow, filaments being connate into tubes above the middle, the berry being oval and glabrous. An identification key of Walsura for 17 species is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile compounds including terpenes, aldehyde, phenol, and alcohol are significantly contributed floral and fruity aromas to the Muscat variety. 'Ruidu Hongyu' grapevine is one of the newly developed grape varieties, and cultivation of this variety has been extended across China due to unique quality traits and taste. In this study, HS-SPME/GC-MS and transcriptome sequencing analysis were performed to evaluate the impact of exogenous 2,4-epibrassinolide (EBR), jasmonic acid (JA), and their signaling inhibitors brassinazole (Brz)/sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DIECA) on the biosynthesis of aroma substances in 'Ruidu Hongyu' grapevine. According to the results, exogenous BR and JA promoted the accumulation of various aroma substances, including hexenal, 2-hexenal, nerol oxide, vanillin, hotrienol, terpineol, neral, nerol, geraniol, and geranic acid. After EBR and JA treatments, most of the genes responsible for terpene, aldehyde, and alcohol biosynthesis expressed at a higher level than the CK group. Relatively, EBR treatment could not only promote endogenous BR biosynthesis and metabolism but also elevate BR signaling transduction. JA treatment contributed to endogenous JA and MeJA accumulation, as well. Through transcriptome sequencing, a total of 3043, 903, 1470, and 607 DEGs were identified in JA vs. JD, JA vs. CK, BR vs. CK, and BR vs. Brz, respectively. There were more DEGs under both EBR and JA treatments at late fruit ripening stages. The findings of this study increase our understanding regarding aroma substances biosynthesis and endogenous BR/JA metabolism in response to exogenous EBR and JA signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The myeloblastosis (MYB) superfamily is the largest transcription factor family in plants that play diverse roles during stress responses. However, the biotic stress-responsive MYB transcription factors of the grapevine have not been systematically studied. In China, grapevine berries are often infected with the grapevine berry inner necrosis virus (GINV), which eventually reduces the nutritional quality and commodity value. Results: The present study identified and characterized 265 VvMYB or VvMYB-related genes of the "Crimson seedless" grapevine. Based on DNA-binding domain analysis, these VvMYB proteins were classified into four subfamilies, including MYB-related, 2R-MYB, 3R-MYB, and 4R-MYB. Phylogenetic analysis divided the MYB transcription factors into 26 subgroups. Overexpression of VvMYB58 suppressed GINV abundance in the grapevine. Further qPCR indicated that among 41 randomly selected VvMYB genes, 12 were induced during GINV infection, while 28 were downregulated. These findings suggest that VvMYB genes actively regulate defense response in the grapevine. Conclusion: A deeper understanding of the MYB TFs engaged in GINV defense response will help devise better management strategies. The present study also provides a foundation for further research on the functions of the MYB transcription factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thornless blackberry cultivar 'Ningzhi 4' was developed by the Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing Botanical Garden Mem. Sun Yat-Sen). The new blackberry cultivar was selected from the 'Kiowa' (female parent) and 'Hull Thornless' (male parent) F1 hybrid. 'Ningzhi 4' had excellent plant characteristics, including thornlessness, semi-erect to erect canes, vigorous growth and good disease resistance. 'Ningzhi 4' had large fruit and high yield. In addition, the parents of the superior hybrid plant were further identified by SSR markers, which provided the basis for the fingerprint of the new blackberry cultivar 'Ningzhi 4'. This is a commercial cultivar to be grown for fruit production for either shipping or local sales. It also has value as a home-garden plant. This unique type of blackberry fruit was a traditional summer fruit. This new cultivar has thornless semi-erect to erect canes and produces high-quality berries with large size, good firmness, excellent flavor, and potential for shipping and postharvest storage. The new blackberry cultivar 'Ningzhi 4' is adapted to all areas of southern China and is expected to replace or complement 'Kiowa', 'Hull Thornless', 'Chester Thornless' and 'Triple Crown'. A local cultivar patent has been approved by the Jiangsu Variety Approval Committee as 'Rubus spp. Ningzhi 4′ in 2020 (S-SV-RS-014-2020). In the future, 'Ningzhi 4' could be promoted as an advantageous thornless blackberry cultivar in the main production regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goji berries are now becoming increasingly popular in the human diet due to their potential health benefits. Unscrupulous traders deliberately mislabel with certain origins to gain illegal profits, which seriously affected the consumers' benefits. In this study, an online ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐2,2‐diphenyl‐1 ‐picrylhydrazyl‐photodiode array detector‐electrospray ionization‐quadrupole time of flight mass was developed for rapid screening and identification of the antioxidants from Goji berry; then, the antioxidants characteristic fingerprint was established and explored in the origins discrimination of Goji berries from China combined with multivariate statistics analysis. As a result, twenty‐eight compounds were screened from Goji berry extract, 19 of which were identified by accurate molecular and ultraviolet information according to references. Principal components analysis and partial least squares discrimination analysis achieved the accurate classification from the four regions, eight compounds were selected as origin‐related antioxidant markers with variable importance in projection >1 and one‐way analysis of variance (P<0.05), including rutin, rutin di‐hexose, P‐coumaric acid tri‐hexose, dicaffeoylquinic acid isomer, Quercetin‐rhamno‐di‐hexoside, peak14, peak16, and peak27. This study provides a feasible strategy for the geographical origins discrimination of Goji berries based on antioxidant ingredients difference and will be helpful for improving the quality control level of Goji berries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycium barbarum is one of the most popular herbs in China. The high medicinal value can serve as a functional food rich in nutrients (such as polysaccharides, plant flavonoids, and carotenoids), further promoting glucose and lipid metabolism for better immune system, and mental efficiency, and even preventing neurodegeneration. The berry fruits with high water content can be dried to improve their shelf life using vacuum freeze drying. In this study, a numerical simulation was carried out to explore the heat and mass transfer, stress, and strain of Lycium barbarum during freeze-vacuum drying. Among them, the heat and mass transfer was a benefit to exploring the drying mechanism of Lycium barbarum freeze during vacuum drying. The stress and strain was to explore the cellular changes of Lycium barbarum freeze-vacuum during drying. The temperature experiment was carried out by vacuum freeze dryer. The pre-freezing stage was set at -40 for about 4 hours,°C then the vacuum was drawn at two heating rates (5, and 10 /h). The constant temperature was maintained when the heating°C plate temperature reached 40 . The cell change experiment was carried out by FDCS196 hot and cold table. The whole°C process was combined with the microscope and CCD camera, in order to obtain the real-time image of berry cells. The heat-mass-stress coupling of the drying was dominated by the high quality of the products. The heat-mass-structure coupling model during vacuum freeze drying was established to use binarization processing using the experimental image of fresh berry slices. The temperature, moisture, as well as internal stress, and strain of the fresh berry sample, were analyzed and then verified by experiments during vacuum freeze drying. The results showed that the length shrinkage (Sl) and equivalent diameter contraction (Sd) of berry tissue cells were always negative during the pre-freezing process, indicating the ever-expanding cells. By contrast, the cell shape coefficient (Sf) was increasing all the time. At the same time, the maximum stress was found on the cells, when the cells were completely frozen. The moisture of the sample during the simulation was fitted better with the WangandSingh and HendersonandPabis models, indicating the more suitable WangandSingh model(R² = 0.983). The experimental results show that the temperature of samples during the simulation was highly consistent with the experiment, indicating the better performance of the model. In addition, the cell shape was gradually altered around in the varying position with the decrease of sample temperature in the process of the pre-freezing experiment(R² = 0.857). A better consistency was found with the analysis data of stress and strain of sample cells during simulation.The research results can provide reference for the optimization of vacuum freeze drying system and the scientific formulation of process parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycium barbarum L. is a species widely used in dietary supplements and natural healthcare products. The berries, also known as goji or wolfberries, mostly grow in China, but recent reports on their outstanding bioactive properties have increased their popularity and cultivation around the world. Goji berries are a remarkable source of phenolic compounds (such as phenolic acids and flavonoids), carotenoids, organic acids, carbohydrates (fructose and glucose), and vitamins (ascorbic acid). Several biological activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, prebiotic, and anticancer activities, have been associated with its consumption. Hence, goji berries were highlighted as an excellent source of functional ingredients with promising applications in food and nutraceutical fields. This review aims to summarize the phytochemical composition and biological activities, along with various industrial applications, of L. barbarum berries. Simultaneously, the valorization of goji berries by-products, with its associated economic advantages, will be emphasized and explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Grapevine shoot growth and light utilization are typically adjusted through the use of canopy management strategies that are adapted to the local climate. In this study, we analyze the effects of a pergola (PER) and single-curtain training system (SCT) on the microclimate, light interception, photosynthetic capacity, and assimilate distribution of 'Miguang' grape in a rainy region of China. Methods and Results: We measured light interception, spectral absorptance, leaf area, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, soluble sugar and starch content per cane, assimilate distribution berry weight, soluble solids, and titratable acid content. SCT produced a higher photosynthetic photon flux density in the cluster region, a canopy light absorptance in the 450–800 nm wavelength range, higher chlorophyll content, and larger leaf area of the middle node leaves. It produced lower basal and top leaves leaf areas. At berry expansion (E-L-31) and veraison (E-L-35), the net photosynthetic capacity of the leaves from the base to the middle nodes was higher with SCT than with the PER, and the net photosynthetic capacity of leaves near the top was reduced with SCT. At the harvest period, the net photosynthetic rate of the middle and top node leaves and the shoot photosynthetic rate were higher with SCT than with the PER. The distribution of assimilates to the fruit was higher with SCT. In addition, SCT produced a higher shoot soluble sugar and lower internode length from the fourth to sixth nodes, and it produced a higher shoot starch content and internode diameter in the fourth internode. Conclusions: SCT significantly improved photosynthetic photon flux density in the cluster, promoted assimilate distribution to fruit, decreased vegetative growth, increased chlorophyll content, increased the leaf size of the middle node on the primary shoot, and increased shoot soluble sugar from the fourth to sixth nodes. Significance of this Study: The results of this study can provide a relevant theoretical basis and technical support for grape canopy management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape berry proanthocyandin (PA) mainly exists in the skin and seeds. Its content and composition determine the intensity of bitterness and astringency. Affected by global warming, the world's wine-producing regions, in particular in dry-hot regions such as western China, are facing the problem of unsynchronized berry ripening and seed ripening. Therefore, it is urgent to understand the influence of berry ripening progression on the composition and accumulation of seed PA, ultimately providing strategies for grape harvest decisions. In this paper, Vitis vinfera L. cv. Cabernet sauvignon and Marselan grapes from four sub-regions with different maturation processes were used as experimental materials to study the changes of soluble and insoluble PA contents as well as differences in their composition and mean degree of polymers (mDP) in seeds. The results showed that compared with 'Cabernet sauvignon' seeds, the mDP of soluble and insoluble PA were higher in 'Marselan' seeds. Both varieties showed that the grape berry, with the fastest sugar accumulation, had relatively high soluble PA content in seeds and a high content of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate and (-)-epicatechin in the seed PA composition units. In contrast, the 'Cabernet sauvignon' grapes from the YQ vineyard exhibited the slowest sugar accumulation speed among the four studied vineyards, and their seed PA had the highest mDP and the lowest proportion of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate in the composition units when commercially harvested. According to the results, it is suggested that a faster maturation process would bring about higher levels of bitterness composition, such as (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate in seed PA, which is not conducive to the formation of good-tasting tannins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Use the grape germplasm unique to China that is resistant to white rot disease, V. davidii Foex. 0941 as experimental materials. • By combining transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, changes in genes and metabolites are studied in disease-resistant and disease-susceptible varieties after infection by fungus. • Analysis reveals that the flavonoid metabolic pathway plays a significant role in the disease resistance of V. davidii Foex. 0941. Grape white rot is a devastating disease caused by Coniella diplodiella (Speg.) Sacc. The wild Chinese grape variety Vitis davidii Foex. 0941 (V. davidii) exhibits strong resistance to this disease, which is crucial for the utilization of wild resources in developing new disease-resistant cultivars. However, the underlying mechanism of V. davidii' s resistance remains unclear. In this study, we collected berries from the disease-resistant V. davidii and the disease-susceptible Vitis vinifera 'Manicure Finger' (V. vinifera) after inoculation with the grape white rot fungus. Through transcriptome and metabolome analyses, we observed that in the berries of V. davidii , metabolites associated with flavonoid metabolism, including naringenin, tricetin, eriodictyol, luteolin, dihydrokaempferol, myricetin, and syringetin, are significantly enriched compared to those in V. vinifera. Moreover, core genes involved in flavonoid metabolism (F3′5′H, F3′H, PAL, FLS) are expressed at higher levels in V. davidii. We have also identified several candidate genes associated with flavonoids, including flavonoid 3′,5′-methyltransferase-like, cellulose synthase-like protein E6, and flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase 2, which are highly expressed in V. davidii. This finding was further validated by qRT-PCR analysis, which also revealed higher expression levels of these genes in the resistant variety. Collectively, these results suggest that flavonoid compounds may play a key role in the resistance of V. davidii to Coniella diplodiella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitiligo is a skin disease characterized by lack of functional melanocytes. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has been demonstrated to preserve keratinocytes and fibroblasts against oxidative stress. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of LBP on autophagy in H2O2‐damaged human melanocytes. Cellular viability was measured by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and annexin V–fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double staining. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and electron microscopy were performed to detect autophagy. The protein expression level of Nrf2 and p62 were assessed by western blotting. Plasmid transfection and lentiviral infection were used to overexpress and silence Nrf2 in PIG1 cells. LBP promoted the proliferation and inhibited apoptosis of H2O2‐damaged PIG1 cells. LBP increased the proliferation of H2O2‐damaged PIG1 cells via induction of autophagy, and Nrf2 shRNA experiment confirmed that LBP activated the Nrf2/p62 signal pathway. These results suggest that LBP may be used for the treatment of vitiligo. Practical applications: Goji berry is the mature and dried fruit of Lycium barbarum L., which is a common food with a long history in China, as well as a Traditional Chinese Medicine. Our previous research found that LBP could activated the Nrf2/ARE pathway in an ultraviolet (UV)‐induced photodamage model of keratinocytes, and increase the levels of phase II detoxification and antioxidant enzymes. We firstly confirmed the anti‐vitiligo effects of L. barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) by inducing autophagy and promoted proliferation of human melanocytes, and LBP induced autophagy via activating the Nrf2/p62 signaling pathway in this study. These results proved that LBP can be an effective therapy for vitiligo treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexi Corridor is an excellent region for high-quality wines in China, but the characteristic and style of red wine from this region is unclear. To elucidate the regional style of red wines from Hexi Corridor, the aroma properties of red wines made from 16 different varieties/clones of grapes were comprehensively analyzed using HS-SPME-GC-MS, sensory evaluation, odor activity value method, and partial least squares regression analyses. We identified 52 aroma compounds and found that floral and black berry provided a good reference for shaping red wine style and selecting related varieties in Hexi Corridor region. Ethyl caproate, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, ethyl 9-decenoate, and hexyl alcohol, which were the characteristic aroma substances of Hexi Corridor red wines, had positive effects on the floral aroma of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Malbec wines. Hexyl alcohol and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol also contributed to the black berry and spice aromas, while isobutyl acetate opposed the expression of these aromas of Malbec and Cabernet Franc wines. These results showed that the sensory characteristics of floral and black berry are of vital significance in shaping the red wine style of Hexi Corridor, among which ethyl caproate, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, ethyl 9-decenoate, and hexyl alcohol are important contributors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape ripe rot (Colletotrichum viniferum) causes huge losses in grape production in vineyards in southern China. However, the molecular mechanism against ripe rot in grape species and the responsive genes implicated in these processes are relatively unknown. Here, we present the transcriptome analysis of berries from a C. viniferum-resistant species (Vitis davidii Föex). Uninfected berries at day zero were used as control samples (CK), an inoculation was made at day zero, and the berries were subsequently analyzed at 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days post inoculation (dpi), which exhibited a sequential disease-progression stage. There were a total of 1810 differentially expressed genes, including 1315 up-regulated and 495 down-regulated transcripts. At 7 dpi, these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were predominantly enriched in berries. In addition, in C. viniferum-infected grape fruits at 7 dpi, considerable changes in gene expression were induced, and those up-regulated genes involved in MAPK cascade, calcium ion binding, and serine/threonine kinase activity were enriched. According to our KEGG pathway analysis, numerous enriched biological processes, such as plant–pathogen interaction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and metabolism, were implicated in grape–fungus interactions. Our research also revealed alterations in the expression pattern of phenylalanine-pathway-related transcription factors (TFs) and genes. We proposed a model in which C. viniferum invasion produces intracellular and extracellular Ca2+ deregulation to stimulate the MAPK pathway to activate TFs' (WRKY, ERF, and MYB) up-regulation, thus initiating disease-resistant responses in the tolerant Vitis species. Our results offer comprehensive transcriptomic data about molecular responses in C. viniferum-infected grape, and these data will aid in understanding of processes underlying plant responses to C. viniferum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rain-shelter cultivation could protect grape berries from many diseases and affect grape berry quality. However, there have been few studies of the effects of rainshelter cultivation on the accumulation of volatiles in Shuijing grapes grown in Yunnan Province. Therefore, the goal of this research was to explore the effects of rain-shelter cultivation on the accumulation of volatiles in Shuijing grape berries during development. The Shuijing grapes used during this study were grown in the Yunnan Province of southwest China in two consecutive vintages (2018 and 2019). The results showed that rainshelter cultivation promoted grape ripening and inhibited volatiles synthesis in Shuijing grape berries. However, the application of rain shelters did not affect the accumulation patterns of volatiles; instead, it affected the concentrations of volatiles in Shuijing grape berries, especially during the maturation phase [12-15 weeks after flowering (WAF)]. The concentrations of isoprenoid-derived volatiles (2019), fatty acid-derived volatiles, and amino acid-derived benzenoids in Shuijing grape berries were decreased by rain-shelter cultivation during the maturation phase. The concentration of 2,5-dimethyl-4-methoxy3(2H)-furanone (mesifurane) was also decreased by rain-shelter cultivation during the late maturation phase (14 and 15 WAF). A principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the vintage had a much greater influence on the physicochemical parameters and volatiles of the Shuijing grape berries than the cultivation method. This work reveals the formation and accumulation patterns of volatiles of Shuijing grape berries under rainshelter cultivation during development and has significance for exploring the potential of rain-shelter cultivation in grape-producing regions with excessive rainfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, grape is one of the top five fruit crops for both bearing acreage and production. Recently, national grape production has been stalling because of an increase in drought events. In order to combat the adverse effects of drought on grape production, it is imperative to understand the historical drought trend and frequency during the growing season. In this study, we focused on agricultural drought during the four growth periods of grape: bud break-flowering, flowering-veraison, veraison-berry maturation, and berry maturation-leaf fall. Based on the weather data from 429 meteorological stations, we computed the Crop Water Deficit Index (CWDI) in the five main grape-growing regions of China: Northeast China, North China, Northwest China, Southwest China, and Southeast China. Then, we evaluated the CWDI-based drought distribution and trend in the study regions, as well as the frequency of different degrees of drought. The results showed that exceptional drought was occurring frequently in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, northern Gansu province, and northern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Among the four study growth periods of grape, exceptional drought was the most expansive during bud break-flowering. What's more, exceptional drought coverage during bud break-flowering in the study regions was increasing from 1981 to 2016. Analysis of butterfly structure showed that the occurrence of drought was continuous and persistent in northern China. Our study results could serve as guideposts to highlight Chinese grape production industry's vulnerability to agricultural drought against the background of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elaeagnus L. is found in wild or grown as ornamental plants and is increasingly regarded as underutilized berry shrubs by breeders. This genus has cosmopolitan distribution with various species widely distributed in China, Europe, the United States, and Canada. Interspecific hybrids, which have been reported several times, have attracted intense interest from plant breeders attempting to develop a fruit crop of Elaeagnus. Orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) is a powerful statistical modeling tool that provides insights into separations between experimental groups. In this study, the molecular phylogeny of Elaeagnus species was first discussed using the ITS and matK sequences for guiding the construction of a genetic basis pool. A morphological OPLS-DA clustering model based on the genetic divergence was also constructed for the first time, which effectively realized the morphological grouping of Chinese Elaeagnus species. The results showed that a total of 10 wild species widely distributed in China have the potential to develop fruit crops. Particularly, Elaeagnus conferta has the potential to provide a founder species with a large fruit size, while Elaeagnus Gonyanthes has the potential to provide important genetic resources with long pedicel. Elaeagnus lanceolata and Elaeagnus delavayi could be used to domesticate hybrids without spines, and the other five climbing shrubs could be used to develop high-yield crown-type commercial cultivars for automated field management. The top five contributing morphological traits affecting the current clustering model were V9 (flower color), V1 (flowering), V5 (evergreen or deciduous), V3 (leaf size), and V2 (fruiting). Furthermore, the grouping analysis indicated that the V9 was the most important factor affecting morphological clustering. Thereafter, the temporally calibrated phylogeny inferred from the matK sequence was used to reconstruct the origin and evolution of the genus Elaeagnus , and the results inferred an interesting geographic distribution pattern and potential cross-species interactions of Elaeagnus species at low latitudes in China. Our study also highlighted dispersal pattern investigation and genetic background analysis to improve future practices and policies related to species introduction of genetic basis pool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of grape varieties with cold resistance can be an advantage for the wine industry. 'Beimei', an interspecific hybrid wine grape variety with cold resistance and pleasant rose aroma, is now extensively cultivated in China. In the present study, the berry quality traits and metabolites of 'Beimei' and other "Bei" varieties were characterized. The sugar (234 g/L–391 g/L) and acid (6.2–8.3 g/L) contents of 'Beimei' and four additional "Bei" varieties, i.e., 'Beihong', 'Beixi', 'Beixin', and 'Xinbeichun' berries were smilar to that of traditional Vitis vinifera varieties. 'Beimei' grapes has the highest volatile compounds composition, especially the content of rose aroma compounds (2-phenyl-ethyl alcohol and neryl alcohol), which was significantly higher than that of the other "Bei" wine grape varieties. After fermentation, 'Beimei' wines showed improved quality, with a high resveratrol content (18 mg/L) compared to traditional Eurasian wines. In addition, the high content of main rose aroma compounds (acetic acid 2-phenylethyl acetate, phenylethyl alcohol, neryl alcohol and beta-damascenone) contribute to a pleasant rose aroma in 'Beimei' wines. In summary, these results indicate that 'Beimei' grapes could be used as a winemaking grape variety considering global climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covering crops was a commonly used viticultural technique to adjust the vineyard microclimate, thus affecting the grape and wine quality. In this two-year study, the purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) was used to cover the lands between rows in the vineyards located in the semi-arid Northwest China, Xinjiang. Results showed that the photosynthetically active radiation around the fruit zone and the temperature with the purslane covering treatment decreased. Compared with the clean tillage, covering purslane had lower TSS and higher TA in the grape berries, while lower alcohol content and higher TA was also found in their corresponding wines. Covering purslane treatment significantly increased the contents of anthocyanin and flavonol in the grapes and wines in the year 2018, but no significant effect on flavanols was observed in the wines. Norisoprenoids, esters, and C6 alcohols in the grapes and wines were increased in the purslane covering treatment, respectively. Additionally, compared to the clean tillage, the purslane covering treatment significantly improved the sensory value of the wines, especially the floral aroma and the complexity of the wines. This study helped us to better understand the feasibility of applying covering purslane in viticulture in the semi-arid climate of Northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil burial is a survival strategy for grapevines that can safely overwinter in north-western regions of China. A suitable training system was beneficial for soil burial to provide winter protection. Moreover, the training system can also significantly affect fruit quality during the development of grape berries, such as primary and secondary metabolites. In this study, four-year-old Cabernet Gernischt grapevines were used as experimental material and exposed to four training systems, including the Ningxia traditional vertical trunk (control, CK); the gobelet (T1); single guyot (T2); slant trunk with vertical shoot positioning (STVSP) (T3). The results showed that total soluble solid total phenol content was 12.69%, 57% higher under T3 training systems than in the control, and T3 alleviated the canopy density, leading to improving the leaf photosynthetic efficiency gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) assay used to detect the aroma compounds. The results indicated that the T3 training system enhanced the accumulation of alcohols, carbonyl compounds, C6/C9 and esters, which account for the largest proportion of volatile compounds, and the qRT-PCR reveals that VvEcar, Vvter, VvCCD1, and VvLis were raised under T3 at the transcriptional level. Moreover, T3 contributes to most free amino acid synthesis. Additionally, the PCA reveals the correlation of free amino acids under four training systems, which reflected the mostly amino acid related to T3, and thus, we could speculate that T3 enhances the overall aroma. These results may lead to new strategies to select a new, short trunk training system to achieve mechanized buried soil, to prevent cold and produce high-quality wine in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As medicine and food homology substance, goji berry is consumed worldwide in the form of fresh, dried and juice; however, pesticide residues have become one of the problems that essentially threaten its quality during cultivation and processing. In this study, a total of 75 dried goji berries were sampled from markets across China, and for the determination of 62 analytes, 28 pesticides were identified. Nine pesticides with high detectable rates and residual levels were selected for folia spraying, and their half-lives were found to range from 1.04 to 2.21 d. The processing factors (PFs) of juice were between 0.25 and 1.02, and this was mainly related with their octanol-water partition coefficient (logKow values). Washing could reduce pesticides residues to varying degrees with the removal rates between 17.00% and 74.05%. Sun drying with higher PF values in the range of 0.61–5.91 exhibited more obvious enrichment effect compared to oven drying. Commercial goji berry had cumulative chronic dietary risks with the hazard index (HI) values of 1.61%−4.97%. Its acute risk quotients (HQ a s) for consumers were 543.32%−585.92% and were mainly due to insecticides. These results provide important references for rationalizing pesticide application during goji berry cultivation and for the improvement of process to ensure food safety. [Display omitted] • Among 62 compounds analyzed in goji berry samples, 28 pesticides were identified. • Hazard index values of 1.61%− 4.97% indicated cumulative chronic dietary risks were acceptable. • Half-lives of nine pesticides with high detectable rates were 1.04-2.21 d. • Processing factors of juicing were mainly influenced by logKow values. • With obvious enrich effects, sun drying increased PFs by up to 5.91 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The double cropping system has been widely applied in many subtropical viticultural regions. In the 2-year study of 2014–2015, four grape varieties were selected to analyze their fruit volatile compounds in four consecutive seasons in the Guangxi region of South China, which had a typical subtropical humid monsoon climate. Results showed that berries of winter seasons had higher concentrations of terpenes, norisoprenoids, and C6/C9 compounds in "Riesling," "Victoria," and "Muscat Hamburg" grapes in both of the two vintages. However, in the "Cabernet Sauvignon" grapes, only the berries of the 2014 winter season had higher terpene concentrations, but lower norisoprenoid concentrations than those of the corresponding summer season. The Pearson correlation analysis showed the high temperature was the main climate factor that affected volatile compounds between the summer and winter seasons. Hexanal, γ-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol, cis -furan linalool oxide, and trans -pyran linalool oxide were all negatively correlated with the high-temperature hours in all of the four varieties. Transcriptome analysis showed that the upregulated VviDXSs , VviPSYs , and VviCCDs expressions might contribute to the accumulations of terpenes or norisoprenoids in the winter berries of these varieties. Our results provided insights into how climate parameters affected grape volatiles under the double cropping system, which might improve the understanding of the grape berries in response to the climate changes accompanied by extreme weather conditions in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most grapevine planting regions, especially in south of China, plenty of rainfall and high water level underground are the characteristic of the area, a series of problem during fruit ripening easily caused poor color quality. Thereby affecting fruit quality, yield and economic benefits. The accumulation of anthocyanin is regulated by transcriptional regulatory factor and a series of cultivation measures, root restriction can make plants in the environment of stress and stress relief, root restriction induced the higher expression of VvMYB15 and VvWRKY40 , and consistent with anthocyanin accumulation. Whether and how root restriction-inducible VvMYB15 and VvWRKY40 transcription factor regulate anthocyanin synthesis in grape berry is still unclear. In this study, we identified that the transient overexpression of VvMYB15 and VvWRKY40 alone or both in strawberry fruits and grape berries can promote anthocyanin accumulation and increase the expression level of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes, indicating VvMYB15 and VvWRKY40 play a positive regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Furthermore, we confirmed that both VvMYB15 and VvWRKY40 specifically bind to the promoter region of VvF3 ′ 5 ′ H and VvUFGT , and the expression of VvF3 ′ 5 ′ H and VvUFGT is further activated through the heterodimer formation between VvMYB15 and VvWRKY40. Finally, we confirmed that VvMYB15 promoted anthocyanin accumulation by interacting with VvWRKY40 in grape berries, our findings provide insights into a mechanism involving the synergistic regulation of root restriction-dependent coloration and biosynthesis via a VvMYB15 and VvWRKY40 alone or both in grape berries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kiwi berry (Actinidia arguta) is a new product on the market that expanding worldwide acceptance and consumption. This widespread interest has created an increasing demand to identify the nutritional and health benefits of kiwi berry. Many studies are being actively conducted to investigate the composition and health‐promoting effects of kiwi berry. In this study, the phytochemical content of free and bound fractions of eight kiwi berry varieties were systematically investigated in order to better understand the potential of this superfood crop. Nine phenolic monomers were identified and quantified by ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography‐PAD. Antioxidant activity was further determined via peroxyl radical scavenging capacity and cellular antioxidant activity assays. The free extracts had higher phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities than the corresponding bound extracts among the eight kiwi berry varieties. Bivariate Pearson's and multivariate correlation analyses showed that antioxidant activities were most related to the total phenolic, flavonoid, vitamin C, and phenolic acids contents. The results provide a theoretical basis for the selection of kiwi berry varieties and the utilization of functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kiwi berry (Actinidia arguta) has been widely studied because of its rich phenolic, flavonoid, and vitamin C contents. Numerous reports have demonstrated that fruit peels contain higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity than that of flesh. In this study, the phytochemical content and antioxidant activities of peel and flesh extracts of six kiwi berries were analyzed from four regions (namely, Dandong, Benxi, Taian, and Tonghua) in China. The antioxidant activity was determined using the peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC) and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assays. The phenolic, flavonoid, and vitamin C contents of kiwi berry peel were 10.77, 13.09, and 10.38 times richer than that of kiwi berry flesh, respectively. In addition, the PSC and CAA values of kiwi berry peel were higher than those of kiwi berry flesh. The analysis of the separation and contents of phenolics were performed by the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode-array detectormass spectrometry/mass (DAD-MS/MS) system, and the results illustrated that protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and quinic acid were the major phenolic compounds. In conclusion, this study indicated that kiwi berry peel contains a rich source of antioxidants. These data are of great significance for the full development and utilization of kiwi berries in these four regions of China to produce nutraceutical and functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the compilation of the list of the ten most popular HerbalEGram articles from 2021 by the American Botanical Council based on the number of individual link clicks. The list includes the topics liked by the researchers, educators, and health care professionals. The most-clicked article was Assistant Editor Connor Yearsley's report on the government of Thailand's approval of a pilot study of Andrographis extract for the treatment of COVID-19.

To study the effect of lactic acid fermentation of goji berry juice on the antioxidant activity and metabolism of sugars, organic acids, and amino acids, four different lactic acid bacteria were adopted in the fermentation and metabolites were analyzed. Results showed that all strains could grow well in goji berry juice and Lactobacillus brevis showed much better growth rate. Malic acid, was significantly metabolized by all bacteria. Lactic acid was detected as the most produced acidic metabolite during the fermentation, especially by Lactobacillus plantarum. In addition, inoculated with lactic acid bacteria could increase the content of biogenic amines and decrease the content of amino acids. Moreover, a significant increase of total polyphenol and antioxidant activity was found by inoculation with Lactobacillus acidophilus. Fermentation could lead to the goji berry juice more darkness, redness, yellowness, and saturation, which was more evident in L. acidophilus and L. plantarum fermented samples. Practical applications: Goji (Lycium barbarum) has been cultivated in large scale with more than 200,000 t annual yield of its berry in China. However, a small percentage of them has been used for industrial processing. In the present study, four strains of lactic acid bacteria were used to ferment goji berry juice, and their growth and effect on the quality of the juice were compared. Our results will provide useful information for the development of new goji berry processing products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe method was established for simultaneous determination of atropine, anisodamine, and scopolamine in goji berries by using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The graphene/hexagonal boron nitride hybrids were prepared and first applied as a cleanup adsorbent. Compared to classical cleanup adsorbent (C18), the graphene/hexagonal boron nitride hybrids as adsorbent had better extraction efficiency for the detection of analytes. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed analytical method achieved satisfactory linearity (R2 > 0.995), and obtained desirable recoveries ranged from 77.4 to 94.0% with the relative standard deviation of 1.2–6.1% at the concentration levels of 3.2–13.4 µg/kg. The limits of quantitation of atropine, anisodamine, and scopolamine were, respectively, 3.2, 4.6, and 4.5 µg/kg with linearity ranged from 3.2 to 25.4 µg/kg. The modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe sample preparation with ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry method was successfully applied to evaluate the safety of goji berries collected from 30 plant areas in China, suggesting its applicability and suitability for the routine analysis of three tropane alkaloids in goji berries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goji berries have been used as food and medicine for millennia. Due to their high morphological similarity, fruits of two distinct species belonging to the family Solanaceae, Lycium barbarum (LB) and Lycium chinense (Chinese boxthorn), are usually marketed together as goji berries, but nearly 90% of all commercially available goji berries belong to the former species. A third closely related species, a wild perennial thorny shrub native to north‐western China, Lycium ruthenicum (LR; known as Russian box thorn, and its fruit as black wolfberry), has become a popular choice for combating soil desertification and for alleviating soil salinity/alkalinity due to its high resistance to the harsh environment of saline deserts. Despite the phylogenetic closeness of LB and LR, their fruits are very different. To identify the genes involved in these distinct phenotypes, here we studied expression patterns of 22 transcriptional regulators that may be crucial drivers of these differences during five developmental stages. BAM1 may contribute to higher sugar content in LB. High expression of BFRUCT in ripe LR is likely to be an evolutionary adaptation to fruit ripening in an arid environment. Two arogenate dehydratase paralogues, CHS and LDOX, are probably crucial elements of the mechanism by which LR accumulates much higher levels of anthocyanin. DXS2 (carotenoid accumulation in LB) and CCD4 (carotenoid degradation in ripe LR fruit) may be crucial drivers behind the much higher content of carotenoids in LB. EIL3 and ERF5 are two transcription factors that may contribute to the higher abiotic stress resilience of LR. GATA22‐like appears to have more important roles in growth than ripening in LB fruit and vice versa in LR. HAT5‐like exhibited opposite temporal patterns in two fruits: high in the 1st stage in LB and high in the 5th stage in LR. PED1 was expressed at a much lower level in LR. Finally, we hypothesise that the poorly functionally characterised SCL32 gene may play a part in the increased resistance to environmental stress of LR. We suggest that BAM1, BFRUCT, EIL3, ERF5, ADT paralogues (for functional redundancy), PED1, GATA22‐like, HAT5‐like and SCL32 warrant further functional studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Gibberellic acid (GA3), a plant‐growth regulator, is often used to obtain enlarged table grape berries and induce seedlessness in them. However, the effects of GA3 on rachis elongation and bunch compactness have seldom been reported in wine‐grape production. We assessed the effects of GA3 spraying on wine‐grape inflorescences and bunches and their practical implications for viticulture in the Jiaodong Peninsula, China. RESULTS: Various GA3 concentrations were sprayed on field‐grown Vitis vinifera L. 'Cabernet Franc' (CF) and 'Cabernet Sauvignon' (CS) grapevines before anthesis in the Jiaodong Peninsula, China, in 2015 and 2016. Inflorescence length during berry development was measured, and flavonoids and aroma compounds in the fruit were detected by high‐performance liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS) and gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC‐MS), respectively. For both cultivars, 50 and 100 mg L−1 GA3 caused significant elongation of the rachis, whereas there was no significant effect on inflorescence growth and berry seed number. Anthocyanin, flavonol, and flavan‐3‐ol levels in mature berries were not significantly influenced by GA3 spraying, whereas C13‐norisoprenoids were modified. CONCLUSION: The application of 50‐100 mg L−1 GA3 prior to grapevine anthesis caused elongation of inflorescences and bunches, and eased cluster compactness in CF and CS, and no negative effects were observed on the yield and seed numbers. The concentration and composition of flavonoids and most aroma compounds were not influenced, except that the norisoprenoids were increased by 50 mg L−1 GA3 applications. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Hawthorn berry (Crataegus pinnatifida), approved as 'medicine food homology' fruit by China's National Health Commission, has been associated with positive effects on human health. In‐depth study of nutritional composition and antioxidant capacity can provide basic information on food value of Chinese organic frozen (OFHB)/freeze‐dried (OFDHB) hawthorn berries. Higher levels of dietary fibre, pectin, ascorbic acid, mineral and antioxidant capacity were found compared with some common fruits and other species hawthorn. Both OFHB and OFDHB samples have much higher content of potassium (1.02 × 104 and 9.73 × 103 mg kg−1) than sodium (54.23 and 42.31 mg kg−1). OFDHB had a more desirable ratio (2.68:1) of insoluble/soluble dietary fibre which is suitable for use as a food ingredient. Antioxidant capacity varied considerably depending on the part (peel > pulp) and reaching up to 577.5 µmol Trolox equivalent g−1. OFHB and OFDHB are excellent natural nutrient‐dense and antioxidant sources for dietary supplements and functional foods development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Berries have many biological and physiological functions such as antioxidant, antibacterial and anti‐inflammatory, and become a more popular food in China. Water‐soluble polyphenols are their main functional active substances, and aroma components contribute to the flavour. The contents of total phenol and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ten berries grown in Northeast China were determined. Their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were also investigated. Ribes rubrum L. and Rubus glaucus showed a higher antioxidant capacity. Ribes rubrum L. and Lonicera caerulea have a broader antibacterial spectrum. There is a correlation between the content of hydroxyl compounds in radical antioxidant activity. The metabolic pathways of polyphenols and VOCs are correlated, indicating a rapid evaluation of the biological activity of berries using the determination of volatile components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate and simple analytical approach for the determination of residues cinerin I, cinerin II, jasmolin I, jasmolin II, pyrethrin I and pyrethrin II (six active ingredients of pyrethrins) in fresh and dried goji berries was developed and validated for analysis by gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Good linearity (determination coefficient >0.99), accuracy (average recoveries of 88.3%–111.5%) and precision (intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations of 0.4%–8.3%) were obtained with the optimised determination method. The LODs and LOQs of the six analytes in two goji matrices were 0.24–2.1 µg/kg and 0.8–7 µg/kg, respectively. In a field trial, the terminal residual levels of pyrethrins (the sum of the concentrations of the six target analytes) in fresh and dried goji berry samples were <20–304 µg/kg at harvest, which could provide some information for the establishment of a maximum residue limit of pyrethrins on goji berries in China. Moreover, the risk assessment results indicated that because the risk quotient values were ≪100%, the potential dietary risk of pyrethrins on goji berries could be negligible for Chinese consumers. These detection and field results could provide some supporting data for the determination of pyrethrin residues in other crops and the proper application and safety assessment of pyrethrins in goji plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Basal leaf removal is widely practiced to increase grape cluster sunlight exposure that controls berry rot and improves quality. Studies on its influence on volatile compounds in grape berries have been performed mostly in Mediterranean or marine climate regions. It is uncertain whether similar efficiency can be achieved when grape berries are grown under continental climate. This study aimed to dissect the variation in volatile compound production and transcriptome in sunlight-exposed grape berries in a dry-hot climate region and to propose the key genes related to the variation. Results: Four cluster sunlight exposure strategies, including basal leaf removal at pepper-corn size stage, leaf removal at véraison (LR-V), leaf moving at véraison (LM-V), and half-leaf removal at véraison, were implemented at the north foot of the Mt. Tianshan region of northwestern China. Various cluster exposure treatments resulted in a decline in the concentrations of norisoprenoids and monoterpenes in ripening grape berries. Both β-carotene and lutein, the substrates of norisoprenoid biosynthesis, were reduced by cluster sunlight exposure. K-means cluster analysis showed that some genes involved in biosynthesis such as VviTPS55, VviTPS60, VviTPS66, VviCCD4a and VviCCD4b exhibited lower expression levels in exposed berries at least at one of the tested stages. Two C6-derived esters with fruity attributes, ethyl hexanoate and hexyl acetate, were reduced markedly. In contrast, main C6 alcohol compound levels were elevated in the LR-V- and LM-V-treated grape berries, which corresponded to the up-regulated expression of VviLOXA, VviLOXO and VviADH1 in the oxylipin pathway. Most of the differentially expressed genes in the exposed and control berries were enriched to the "stress response" processes, and this transcriptome difference was accumulated as the berries matured. Besides, LR-V treatment stimulated a significant up-regulation in photosynthesis-related genes in the grape berries, which did not happen with LM-V treatment. Conclusions: Cluster sunlight exposure in dry-hot climate viticulture resulted in different volatile-targeted transcriptomic and metabolic responses from those obtained in the temperate Mediterranean or marine climate region. Therefore, a modified canopy management should be adopted to improve the aroma of grape berries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) is well-known for its high content of flavonol glycosides (FGs), yet accurately determining the quantity of these nutrients present in the berries remains a challenge due to the significant variability of these nutrients and lack of reference standards. In this study, flavonol glycosides in sea buckthorn berries were identified and quantified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography Q-exactive high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-QE HRMS). The results showed that the total content of flavonol glycosides ranged from 39.5 to 240.2 mg/100 g fresh berries. The wild berries from Sichuan had remarkably high contents and unique profiles of flavonol glycosides. The main flavonol glycosides in all of the samples were isorhamnetin glycosides and quercetin glycosides, the predominant flavonol glycosides were different between different samples. The sPLS-DA statistical analysis indicated that cultivated and wild sea buckthorn can be distinguished based on their distinct composition and content of flavonol glycosides. The HCA clustered 16 high expression levels of FGs, which were revealed in a wild sample obtained from Sichuan. • High resolution and high sensitivity analysis was carried out on UPLC-QE HRMS. • 33 flavonol glycosides identified and quantified by UPLC-QE HRMS in sea buckthorn. • Differences of the flavonol glycosides between cultivated and wild samples were analyzed. • sPLS-DA analysis revealed clear distinction between cultivated and wild sea buckthorn. • High expression flavonol glycosides identified by hierarchical cluster analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]