Search

This study explores the impacts of global warming on the reproductive efforts of Posidonia oceanica, a key seagrass species endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. By analyzing data from five areas in Sardinia in February 2023, we have investigated the relationship between thermal descriptors and P. oceanica flowering and fruiting variables. In fact, whether climate change has been affected the distribution of seagrasses by changing their reproductive efforts is still controversial and our findings contribute to this ongoing debate, highlighting a noticeable increase in reproductive events potentially affected by rising temperature. Overall, mean summer sea surface temperature (SST) was positively associated to inflorescence density, presence of living fruits and fruit size; living fruits and fruit size were also influenced positively by the maximum SST within 3 months before sampling (November–February). Both flowering and fruiting were negatively affected by the maximum SST within 1 month before inflorescence observation and mean winter SST, respectively, suggesting that P. oceanica reproductive effort depends on the duration and the temporal context in which the anomaly occurs. However, the high variability between meadows of the same area highlights the need of future studies to focus on the uncertainties related to local factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: During fruit ripening, polygalacturonases (PGs) are key contributors to the softening process in many species. Apple is a crisp fruit that normally exhibits only minor changes to cell walls and limited fruit softening. Here, we explore the effects of PG overexpression during fruit development using transgenic apple lines overexpressing the ripening‐related endo‐POLYGALACTURONASE1 gene. MdPG1‐overexpressing (PGox) fruit displayed early maturation/ripening with black seeds, conversion of starch to sugars and ethylene production occurring by 80 days after pollination (DAP). PGox fruit exhibited a striking, white‐skinned phenotype that was evident from 60 DAP and most likely resulted from increased air spaces and separation of cells in the hypodermis due to degradation of the middle lamellae. Irregularities in the integrity of the epidermis and cuticle were also observed. By 120 DAP, PGox fruit cracked and showed lenticel‐associated russeting. Increased cuticular permeability was associated with microcracks in the cuticle around lenticels and was correlated with reduced cortical firmness at all time points and extensive post‐harvest water loss from the fruit, resulting in premature shrivelling. Transcriptomic analysis suggested that early maturation was associated with upregulation of genes involved in stress responses, and overexpression of MdPG1 also altered the expression of genes involved in cell wall metabolism (e.g. β‐galactosidase, MD15G1221000) and ethylene biosynthesis (e.g. ACC synthase, MD14G1111500). The results show that upregulation of PG not only has dramatic effects on the structure of the fruit outer cell layers, indirectly affecting water status and turgor, but also has unexpected consequences for fruit development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water management is an important practice that affects fruit size and quality. Effective implementation of irrigation scheduling requires knowledge of the appropriate indicators and thresholds, which are established manly based on the effects of water deficits on final fruit quality. Few studies have focused on the real-time effects of water status on fruit and shoot growth. To establish soil water potential (jsoil) thresholds to trigger irrigation of peach at pivotal fruit developmental stages, photogrammetry, 13C labelling, and other techniques were used in this study to investigate real-time changes in stem diameter, fruit projected area, net leaf photosynthetic rate (Pn), and allocation of photoassimilates to fruit under soil water potential conditions ranging from saturation to stress in 6-year-old 'Shimizu hakuto' peach. Stem growth, fruit growth, and Pn exhibited gradually decreasing sensitivity to water deficits during fruit developmental stages I, II, and III. Stem diameter growth was signifi- cantly inhibited when jsoil dropped to -8.5, -7.6, and -5.4 kPa, respectively. Fruit growth rate was low, reaching zero when the jsoil was -9.0 to -23.1, -14.9 to -21.4, and -16.5 to -23.3 kPa, respectively, and Pn decreased significantly when the jsoil reached -24.2, -22.7, and -20.4 kPa, respectively. In addition, more photoassimilates were allocated to fruit under moderate jsoil conditions (-10.1 to -17.0 kPa) than under other jsoil values. Our results revealed three jsoil thresholds, -10.0, -15.0, and -15.0 kPa, suitable for triggering irrigation during stages I, II, and III, respectively. These thresholds can be helpful for controlling excessive tree vigor, maintaining rapid fruit growth and leaf photosynthesis, and promoting the allocation of more photoassimilates to fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important spice species in Rutaceae, the Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum) can provide pungent and numbing taste, as well as aroma in its mature fruit. Here we assembled a chromosome-level genome of green prickly ash which was widely cultivated in a major production area including Chongqing and Sichuan province, China. We generated 712 Gb (~112 x) PacBio long reads and 511 Gb (~82 x) Hi-C data, and yielded an assembly of 99 pseudochromosomes with total size of 5.32 Gb and contig N50 of 796 kb. The genomic analyses and cytogenetic experiments both indicated that the cultivar 'Zhuye Huajiao' was a triploid. We identified a Zanthoxylum-specific whole genome duplication event emerging about 24.8 million years ago (Mya). We also detected a transposition burst event (0.3e0.4 Mya) responsible for the large genome size of Z. armatum. Metabolomic analysis of the Zanthoxylum fruits during development stages revealed profiles of 39 volatile aroma compounds and 528 secondary metabolites, from which six types of sanshools were identified. Based on metabolomic and transcriptomic network analysis, we screened candidate genes encoding long chain acyl-CoA synthetase, fatty acid desaturase, branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase involved in sanshool biosynthesis and three genes encoding terpene synthase during fruit development. The multi-omics data provide insights into the evolution of Zanthoxylum and molecular basis of numbing and aroma flavor of Sichuan pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CONSTANS/CONSTANS-Like (CO/COL) family has been shown to play important roles in flowering, stress tolerance, fruit development and ripening in higher plants. In this study, three COL genes, MiCOL6, MiCOL7A and MiCOL7B, which each contain only one CCT domain, were isolated from mango (Mangifera indica), and their functions were investigated. MiCOL7A and MiCOL7B were expressed mainly at 20 days after flowering (DAF), and all three genes were highly expressed during the flowering induction period. The expression levels of the three genes were affected by light conditions, but only MiCOL6 exhibited a clear circadian rhythm. Overexpression of MiCOL6 promoted earlier flowering, while overexpression of MiCOL7A or MiCOL7B delayed flowering compared to that in the control lines of Arabidopsis thaliana under long-day (LD) and short-day (SD) conditions. Overexpressing MiCOL6, MiCOL7A or MiCOL7B in transgenic plants increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and proline levels, decreased malondialdehyde (MAD) levels, and improved survival under drought and salt stress. In addition, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) analyses showed that the MiCOL6, MiCOL7A and MiCOL7B proteins interact with several stress- and flower-related proteins. This work demonstrates the functions of MiCOL6, MiCOL7A and MiCOL7B and provides a foundation for further research on the role of mango COL genes in flowering regulation and the abiotic stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grafting, the careful selection of rootstocks and scions, has played a crucial role maintaining Chilean avocado fruit quality standards in a scenario in which climate change and drought-related issues have considerably decreased avocado fruit production in the last fifteen years. The historical use of seedling rootstocks in Chile has experienced a recent shift towards clonal rootstocks, driven by the potential to produce more consistent and predictable crops. This research aims to compare Hass avocado plants grafted on Mexicola seedling and Dusa® clonal rootstocks in a soilless and protected system using (i) a differential expression analysis of root and leaf samples and (ii) a fruit transcriptomic and metabolomic integration analysis to improve our understanding of rootstock–scion interaction and its impact on avocado tree performance and fruit quality. The results demonstrated that no significant transcriptomic and metabolomic differences were identified at fruit level in the ready-to-eat (RTE) stage for Hass avocado fruit from both rootstocks. However, Hass avocados grafted on the clonal rootstock showed greater aerial growth and slightly increased fruit size than the seedling rootstock due to the enrichment of cell wall-remodeling genes as revealed in leaves and fruit at harvest stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge (XSB) is one of the most promising trees for sustainable development, the low fruit yield of which, however, has become a restriction in the fruit product industrialization. The contents of soluble sugar and starch in leaves, two-year-old leaf branch (TYLB), current-leaf branch (CLBr) and flowering branch (FlBr) and the relationship among those carbohydrates and fruit yields were measured to evaluate whether the demand of XSB fruit growth and carbohydrate supplement were synchronized. The contents of soluble sugar and starch in TYLB decreased from germination to leafing stage. The obvious fluctuation of the carbohydrates in the four plant organs were exhibited at flowering stage with the maximal soluble sugar content of 226.93 mg g−1 in leaf and maximal starch content of 82.23 mg g−1 in TYLB. The soluble sugar in FlBr and leaf decreased after fruit ripening, while the content in CLBr increased at that period. The starch contents in TYLB at leafing and fruit formation stages and FlBr at flowering stage exhibited the first three high positive coefficients to the large fruit yield. While the starch contents in leaf, CLBr and TYLB at leafing, flowering and fruit formation stages exhibited the first three high positive coefficients to the middle fruit yield. The results indicated that the shortage of carbohydrate to the fruit cluster at the flowering and fruitlet developing stages resulted in the fruitlet abscission. This study indicates that the loading capacity of nutrients in vegetative organs at the critical period of fruit development should be considered first to ensure the yield target of XSB fruit in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental 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.)

The ERF subfamily, a significant part of the APETALA2/ethylene-responsive element-binding factor (AP2/ERF) transcription family, plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Despite its importance, research on this gene family in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is limited. This study identified and analyzed the sweet cherry ERF subfamily in terms of classification, physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, chromosome distribution, gene replication and collinearity, Cis-acting elements, and potential protein interactions. Preliminary investigations of transcription during fruit cracking and normal development were also conducted. Fifty ERFs (PatiERF1~50) were identified, distributed unevenly across eight chromosomes and classified into ten groups with nineteen conserved motifs. Collinearity analysis with other plant species revealed homology, with the highest number of ERF orthologous genes found in apple (Malus domestica L.). Cis-acting elements, particularly abscisic acid response factor, were abundant in PatiERF promoters. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis indicated the involvement of PatiERFs in sweet cherry fruit development and cracking, and nine and four significant candidates related to these processes were speculated, respectively. Furthermore, four other classes of transcription factors (TFs), namely MYB, GRAS, BHLH, and BZIP, as well as 23 structure genes, were predicted to have co-expression and interaction relationships with PatiERFs during fruit development. This suggests their potential synergistic regulation with ERFs in the cherry fruit development process. Our study represents the first comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the ERF subfamily in sweet cherry, laying a crucial foundation for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms correlated with fruit growth, development, and cracking mediated by ERF genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit development and softening play pivotal roles in determining fruit quality and post-harvest shelf life in Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra). However, the specific role of beta (β)-galactosidase, particularly β-galactosidase of M. rubra (MrBGAL), in facilitating fruit softening remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to address this gap by investigating the involvement of MrBGALs genes in fruit softening. We identified all 15 MrBGALs and conducted a comprehensive analysis, including phylogenetic relationships, gene structure, protein motifs, co-linearity, and expression patterns. Using phylogenetic analysis, we classified all MrBGALs into five distinct groups. Additionally, cis-element prediction and comparative genome analysis provided insightful clues about the functionality of MrBGALs. Transcriptome data revealed unique expression patterns of MrBGALs throughout various fruit development stages. These findings introduce valuable candidate genes that can contribute to unraveling the functions and molecular mechanisms governing fruit development and softening in Chinese bayberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purple paprika (Capsicum annuum) is a vegetable with potential economic value; however, enhancing and maintaining the purple fruit color is challenging. We investigated the effects of night blue-light supplementation on fruit growth, anthocyanin content, and gene expression in purple paprika. During two duplicated experiments conducted in spring and autumn, purple paprika plants were subjected to blue-light supplementation at night. Ten days after fruits were pollinated, night blue light with photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 80 to 100 µmol·s−1·m−2 was supplied from 1800 HR to 0500 HR (11 hours). Fruit samples were harvested 15, 20, and 40 days after pollination from control (no-light treatment) and blue light–treated fruits. The fruit size, fresh weight, anthocyanin content, and expression levels of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes (HY5, bHLH, WDR, MYB, PAL, CHS, F3H, DFR, ANS, and UFGT) were determined. Blue-light supplementation increased the anthocyanin-related gene expressions in the fruit peel, enhancing anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation. However, there were no significant differences between the growth of control and blue light–treated fruits. These findings highlight the potential of night blue-light supplementation to enhance anthocyanin content in purple paprika fruits without affecting overall fruit growth.

The optimal load capacity provides sustainable production and high quality in 'Fuji' apple production. Determining optimal crop loads with simple and affordable thinning methods is critical for apple. We set different load capacities on different apple tree rootstocks and evaluated their effects on tree development, fruit yield and quality. The optimal load capacity for vigorous stock, dwarfing rootstock, and dwarfing interstock were 240, 90, and 100 for apples above 80 mm in diameter, respectively. To explore the optimal strategies of diverse fruit thinning agents (carbaryl, 6-BA, NAA, and Metamitron) used in the 'Fuji' apple tree, we assess from thinning agents' types, varying spraying concentrations, and application time in the most widely used dwarfing interstock. The results showed that the best use of fruit thinning agents is 2,000 mg/L carbaryl at 10 d after flowering could significantly reduce fruit set rate and improve the fruit quality in the dwarfing interstock. During the research, only the fruit thinner NAA treatment suppresses fruit development. Thus, we performed the transcriptome analysis on the NAA-treated and control fruits at 60 (FS1), 90 (FS2), 120 (FS3), and 150 (FS4) days after flowering stages to investigate the potential transcriptional regulations of NAA on fruit development and ripening. Transcriptome results showed that genes related to fruit expansion (expansin A15, expansin B3), phytohormone-related genes (HVA22C, PRE1, AHP1, etc.), fruit coloring-related genes (PAL), and many ripening-related transcription factors (EIN3, ERF, ARF, etc.) might be regulated by exogenous NAA. Our results provide an important reference for the sustainable production and optimal use of fruit thinning agents.

Ethylene plays an important role in regulating the development and ripening of fruits, and 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid synthase is the key rate-limiting enzyme in ethylene synthesis pathway. In this study, eight PpACS genes were identified from the peach genome [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch], and their phylogeny, gene structures, promoter motifs and expression patterns were analyzed. The PpACS genes could be divided into four types, and the genes with similar structures and motif distribution clustered together. Identification of the cis-elements in the promoters revealed that the PpACS genes may respond to various hormones. Furthermore, expression analysis showed that five (PpACS1, PpACS5, PpACS6, PpACS7 and PpACS8) of the eight PpACS genes were expressed at different stages during peach fruit development. Among them, PpACS1 was highly expressed at the ripening stage and induced by ethylene. The expression peaks of PpACS5, PpACS6, PpACS7 and PpACS8 during the transition from first exponential growth to pit hardening (S1 to S2) indicated a potential function of ethylene during this important transition. Taken together, these results provide valuable information for future investigation into the functions of the PpACS genes during peach fruit development and ripening.

Abstract Background Proteins with the jumonji (JMJ)-C domain belong to the histone demethylase family and contribute to reverse histone methylation. Although JMJ-C family genes have an essential role in regulating plant growth and development, the characterization of the JMJ-C family genes in melon has not been uncovered. Results In this study, a total of 17 JMJ-C proteins were identified in melon (Cucumis melo L.). CmJMJs were categorized into five subfamilies based on the specific conserved domain: KDM4/JHDM3, KDM5/JARID1, JMJD6, KDM3/JHDM2, and JMJ-C domain-only. The chromosome localization analyses showed that 17 CmJMJs were distributed on nine chromosomes. Cis-acting element analyses of the 17 CmJMJ genes showed numerous hormone, light, and stress response elements distributed in the promoter region. Covariance analysis revealed one pair of replicated fragments (CmJMJ3a and CmJMJ3b) in 17 CmJMJ genes. We investigated the expression profile of 17 CmJMJ genes in different lateral organs and four developmental stages of fruit by RNA-seq transcriptome analysis and RT-qPCR. The results revealed that most CmJMJ genes were prominently expressed in female flowers, ovaries, and developing fruits, suggesting their active role in melon fruit development. Subcellular localization showed that the fruit-related CmJMJ5a protein is specifically localized in the cell nucleus. Conclusions This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the gene structure, classification, and evolution of JMJ-C in melon and supports the clarification of the JMJ-C functions in further research.

Arid region is characterised by extreme climatic condition, poor soil health and over-exploitation of natural resources. Under prevailing conditions of arid India, Ficus carica is an emerging fruit crop with high commercial value and nutritional significance. Phenological study plays an important role in ensuring efficient crop management practices, but such studies in fig have not yet been conducted in India. The present study was conducted with an aim to define and describe phenological stages of common fig cultivar ‘Diana’ in arid regions according to the Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie (BBCH)-scale using two-digit numerical system. The BBCH scale markedly explains various developmental stages of crops. Seven principal growth stages, viz. bud development (0), leaf development (1), shoot development (3), inflorescence development (5), flower development (6), syconium (fig receptacle) development (7) and fruit maturation (8), and 25 secondary growth stages of fig have been described. The sequential progression of principal growth stages of fig indicated temporal variation in growth pattern as well as overlapping of secondary growth stages. Phenological description will act as a pragmatic approach to define growth stages in order to facilitate timely agronomic practices such as canopy management, nutrient management and irrigation scheduling, pest and disease management. Since fig is considered one of the important minor fruits of India, a detailed phenological description will be instrumental in enhancing its potential in arid and semi-arid regions.

In arid areas, water shortage has become a major bottleneck limiting the sustainable development of agriculture, necessitating improved water use efficiency and the full development of innovative water-saving irrigation management technologies to improve quality. In the present study, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Micro Tom) fruits were used as materials, and different irrigation frequencies were set during the fruit expansion stage. The normal treatment (CK) was irrigated every three days, while the water deficit treatments were irrigated at varying frequencies: once every 4 days (T1), 5 days (T2), 6 days (T3), 7 days (T4), and 8 days (T5). These corresponded to 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, and 40% of the maximum field moisture capacity (FMC), respectively, with CK maintaining full irrigation at 90% of the maximum FMC. The water deficit treatment T3, with less stress damage to plants and the most significant effect on fruit quality improvement, was selected based on plant growth indices, photosynthetic characteristics, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and fruit quality indices, and its effects on carotenoids, glycolic acid fractions, and volatile compounds during tomato fruit ripening were further investigated. The outcome indicated that moderate water deficit significantly increased the carotenoid components of the tomato fruits, and their lycopene, lutein, α-carotene, and β-carotene contents increased by 11.85%, 12.28%, 20.87%, and 63.89%, respectively, compared with the control fruits at the ripening stage. The contents of glucose and fructose increased with the development and ripening of the tomato fruits, and reached their maximum at the ripening stage. Compared to the control treatment, the moderate water deficit treatment significantly increased the glucose and fructose levels during ripening by 86.70% and 19.83%, respectively. Compared to the control conditions, water deficit conditions reduced the sucrose content in the tomato fruits by 27.14%, 18.03%, and 18.42% at the mature green, turning, and ripening stages, respectively. The moderate water deficit treatment significantly increased the contents of tartaric acid, malic acid, shikimic acid, alpha ketoglutaric acid, succinic acid, and ascorbic acid, and decreased the contents of oxalic acid and citric acid compared to the control. The contents of total soluble sugar and total organic acid and the sugar–acid ratio were significantly increased by 48.69%, 3.71%, and 43.09%, respectively, compared with the control at the ripening stage. The moderate water deficit treatment increased the fruit response values to each sensor of the electronic nose, especially W5S, which was increased by 28.40% compared to the control at the ripening stage. In conclusion, during the ripening process of tomato fruit, its nutritional quality and flavor quality contents can be significantly improved under moderate (MD) deficit irrigation treatment. The results of this experiment can lay the foundation for the research on the mechanism of water deficit aiming to promote the quality of tomato fruit, and, at the same time, provide a theoretical basis and reference for tomato water conservation and high-quality cultivation.

Superoxide dismutases (SODs), as the first line of defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS), play an essential role in protecting plants from adverse elicitors during plant growth and development. However, little is known about the SOD gene family and their response to salinity stress and fruit development in cultivated strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa). In this study, 32 SOD genes consisting of 16 Cu/ZnSODs, 11 FeSODs, and 5 MnSOD were identified, which presented three well-resolved clades in the phylogenetic tree. Each clade had similar motifs, and exon–intron structures, which in turn supported the evolutionary classification. Cis-acting element analysis suggested that FaSOD genes might be involved in the plant response to abiotic and biotic stresses, hormones, and light. The analysis of previously published transcriptome data revealed that FaSOD genes are expressed variably under salt stress. Among these SODs, FaMSD5 was expressed at relatively high levels in strawberry root and leaf, and its transcript abundance significantly increased after salt treatment. Some transcription factors related to photomorphogenesis, hormone signaling pathways, and hyperosmotic salinity response were predicted to bind to the FaMSD5 promoter. These outcomes implied that FaMSD5 might play an important role in protection against salt stress. In addition, the comprehensive transcriptome analysis of FaSOD genes in strawberry fruit showed that almost all FaCSDs and FaMSDs were more highly expressed than FaFSDs at different developmental stages, and the expression patterns of FaCSD1, FaCSD2, FaCSD7, FaCSD8, and FaCSD10 suggested that they were likely to be involved in fruit development and ripening. This study provides a basis for further exploration of the function of the FaSOD gene family in strawberry and provides candidate FaSOD genes for enhancing salinity tolerance and regulating fruit development and ripening.

This article explores the genetic factors that influence the coloration of ripe tomatoes, with a focus on the transition from green to red fruit. The study identifies three specific genes that play a role in determining fruit color, and mutations in these genes can result in green ripe fruit. The research also investigates the genetic mechanisms behind green fruit coloration in wild tomato species. Understanding these genetic factors is important for agricultural breeding programs and provides insights into the evolution of fruit color in tomatoes. The study found that the downregulation of certain proteins in pink fruit cultivars can transform the fruit into green ripe fruit. Additionally, genetic variations in other genes contribute to the green or gray-green coloration of ripe fruit in wild tomato species. The study also identifies disruptions in the lycopene biosynthesis pathway and regulatory factors as contributors to green fruit development. These findings have implications for breeding programs and highlight the complexity of fruit ripening regulation. [Extracted from the article]

Fruit ripening represents a multifaceted biological process intricately controlled by an array of plant hormones, transcription factors, and epigenetic modifications. These regulatory mechanisms are crucial in determining fruit quality and post-harvest shelf life. Recent advancements in proteomics have shifted the focus toward understanding protein post-translational modifications (PTMs), which play a crucial role in modulating protein function. PTMs enhance protein activity and stability by altering their properties after biosynthesis, thereby adding an additional layer of regulation to the ripening process. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the roles of PTMs, including ubiquitination, phosphorylation, redox modifications, and glycosylation in regulating fruit ripening. Emphasis is placed on the intricate interplay between these PTMs and key regulator factors such as plant hormones, transcriptional mechanisms, and epigenetic modifications. By exploring these interactions, this review seeks to enhance our understanding of the complex regulatory network underlying fruit ripening and to offer novel perspectives on strategies for fruit preservation.

Objective: This study aimed to provide theoretical basis for hardy kiwifruit quality improvement and rational utilization. Methods: Taking the main variety 'Longcheng No. 2' and line 'Haijia' as experimental materials, the changes of basic quality indexes, contents of total phenolics and flavonoids were analyzed during fruit development. On this basis, the antioxidant capacities were comprehensively evaluated by three assays (FRAP iron reducing ability, ABTS radical scavenging ability and DPPH radical scavenging ability). Furthermore, the differences of total phenolics and antioxidant capacities in different parts of fruit were compared. Results: ① The contents of soluble solids, titratable acids and Vc in the fruits of the two varieties (lines) showed a trend of continuous increasing during fruit development. ② The chlorophyll contents of two varieties (lines) both declined constantly at the early stage of fruit development, and then increased continuously from 64 days after blooming. The carotenoids of two varieties (lines) also increased continuously from 64 days after blooming, meanwhile, the anthocyanins of 'Haijia' increased gradually. ③ The contents of total phenolics, flavonoids and three antioxidant capacities all decreased significantly during fruits ripening. The correlation analysis showed that among all quality indexes, total phenolics and flavonoids had extremely significant positive correlations with the three antioxidant capacities. ④ In mature fruits, the contents of total phenolics and flavonoids in the peel were significantly higher than those in the flesh, which indicated strong antioxidant capacities. Conclusion: The antioxidant capacities of two varieties (lines) of hardy kiwifruit decreased significantly during fruit development. Moreover, the content of total phenolics, especially flavonoids are the main components to affect antioxidant capacities during fruit development. In the different fruit parts, the peel has higher antioxidant capacities, but it is also the main source of astringency.

【Objective】In recent years, grape industry has developed rapidly in Guangdong Province, which has been a high-profit grape production region where two crops of grape berry can be harvested in a year. However, the short day photoperiod and chilling temperatures in autumn and winter induce systematic leaf senescence, which is unfavorable for over-winter berry development and quality formation in grape. In the study, the effect of artificial supplementary lighting on leaf senescence and berry development in 'Shine Muscat' grape were explored, with an aim to provide technical basis for maintaining leaf function and berry development in winter.【Method】From mid-October, 8-year-old 'Shine Muscat' plants on rootstock of '5BB' were treated with 3 μmol/m2·s red and blue LED light (5∶1) belts, which were placed above the leaves at the fruit cluster node. Light supplementary was carried out from 18:00 to 24:00 until the berries became mature. Changes in chlorophyll index (SPAD value), photosynthetic parameters (Pn) of the leaves at the fruit cluster node and horizontal and vertical diameters of berries were traced, and single berry weight, cluster weight and total soluble solid (TSS) content were collected at mature period.【Result】After 6 weeks of supplementary lighting treatment, leaves at the cluster node in the control plants became yellowing with decreasing SPAD value. While artificial lighting treatment was effective to suppress leaf chlorosis in winter, with significantly lower SPAD decreasing range. After 10 weeks of treatment, leaves at various nodes in supplementary lighting treatment were higher than those at corresponding nodes in the control plants, suggesting that artificial lighting suppressed systematic leaf senescence in winter. The Pn of both lighting treatment and the control plants decreased dramatically from mid-November to late December. However, the decreasing range of Pn was smaller in the lighting treatment. Pn had no significant correlation with stomatal conductance (Gs), but was extremely negatively correlated to mesophyll CO2 concentration (Ci), indicating the reduction of Pn during leaf senescence in winter was mainly caused by non-stomatal limitation. Supplementary lighting treatment maintained Pn via overcoming both stomatal and non-stomatal limitations. the supplementary lighting treatment, significantly increased single berry weight (10.8 g VS 8.8 g), promoted berry horizontal diameter, slightly increased single cluster weight, but significantly reduced total soluble solids (15.0% VS 16.7%).【Conclusion】The results show that supplementary lighting treatment is effective to delay systematic leaf senescence in winter and promote berry growth. It is recommended to use supplementary LED lighting during over-winter grape cultivation in Guangzhou or in regions with similar climate. However, measures should be taken to promote TSS accumulation in the berry.

IntroductionThe Cucurbitaceae family comprises many agronomically important members, that bear nutritious fruits and vegetables of great economic importance. Coccinia grandis, commonly known as Ivy gourd, belongs to this family and is widely consumed as a vegetable. Members of this family are known to display an impressive range of variation in fruit morphology. Although there have been studies on flower development in Ivy gourd, fruit development remains unexplored in this crop.MethodsIn this study, comparative transcriptomics of two Ivy gourd cultivars namely “Arka Neelachal Kunkhi” (larger fruit size) and “Arka Neelachal Sabuja” (smaller fruit size) differing in their average fruit size was performed. A de novo transcriptome assembly for Ivy gourd was developed by collecting fruits at different stages of development (5, 10, 15, and 20 days after anthesis i.e. DAA) from these two varieties. The transcriptome was analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes, transcription factors, and molecular markers.ResultsThe transcriptome of Ivy gourd consisted of 155205 unigenes having an average contig size of 1472bp. Unigenes were annotated on publicly available databases to categorize them into different biological functions. Out of these, 7635 unigenes were classified into 38 transcription factor (TF) families, of which Trihelix TFs were most abundant. A total of 11,165 unigenes were found to be differentially expressed in both the varieties and the in silico expression results were validated through real-time PCR. Also, 98768 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified in the transcriptome of Ivy gourd.DiscussionThis study has identified a number of genes, including transcription factors, that could play a crucial role in the determination of fruit shape and size in Ivy gourd. The presence of polymorphic SSRs indicated a possibility for marker-assisted selection for crop breeding in Ivy gourd. The information obtained can help select candidate genes that may be implicated in regulating fruit development and size in other fruit crops.

Background: Flowering plays an important role in completing the reproductive cycle of plants and obtaining next generation of plants. In case of citrus, it may take more than a year to achieve progeny. Therefore, in order to fasten the breeding processes, the juvenility period needs to be reduced. The juvenility in plants is regulated by set of various flowering genes. The citrus fruit and leaves possess various medicinal properties and are subjected to intensive breeding programs to produce hybrids with improved quality traits. In order to break juvenility in Citrus, it is important to study the role of flowering genes. The present study involved identification of genes regulating flowering in Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck via homology based approach. The structural and functional characterization of these genes would help in targeting genome editing techniques to induce mutations in these genes for producing desirable results. Results: A total of 43 genes were identified which were located on all the 9 chromosomes of citrus. The in-silico analysis was performed to determine the genetic structure, conserved motifs, cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and phylogenetic relationship of the genes. A total of 10 CREs responsible for flowering were detected in 33 genes and 8 conserved motifs were identified in all the genes. The protein structure, protein-protein interaction network and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis was performed to study the functioning of these genes which revealed the involvement of flowering proteins in circadian rhythm pathways. The gene ontology (GO) and gene function analysis was performed to functionally annotate the genes. The structure of the genes and proteins were also compared among other Citrus species to study the evolutionary relationship among them. The expression study revealed the expression of flowering genes in floral buds and ovaries. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the flowering genes were highly expressed in bud stage, fully grown flower and early stage of fruit development. Conclusions: The findings suggested that the flowering genes were highly conserved in citrus species. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed the tissue specific expression of flowering genes (CsFT, CsCO, CsSOC, CsAP, CsSEP and CsLFY) which would help in easy detection and targeting of genes through various forward and reverse genetic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acids and their derivatives play a variety of roles in living organisms. Fatty acids not only store energy but also comprise membrane lipids and act as signaling molecules. There are three main proteins involved in the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway in plant peroxisomes, including acyl-CoA oxidase (ACX), multifunctional protein (MFP), and 3-ketolipoyl-CoA thiolase (KAT). However, genome-scale analysis of KAT and MFP has not been systemically investigated in tomatoes. Here, we conducted a bioinformatics analysis of KAT and MFP genes in tomatoes. Their physicochemical properties, protein secondary structure, subcellular localization, gene structure, phylogeny, and collinearity were also analyzed. In addition, a conserved motif analysis, an evolutionary pressure selection analysis, a cis-acting element analysis, tissue expression profiling, and a qRT-PCR analysis were conducted within tomato KAT and MFP family members. There are five KAT and four MFP family members in tomatoes, which are randomly distributed on four chromosomes. By analyzing the conserved motifs of tomato KAT and MFP family members, we found that both KAT and MFP members are highly conserved. In addition, the results of the evolutionary pressure selection analysis indicate that the KAT and MFP family members have evolved mainly from purifying selection, which makes them more structurally stable. The results of the cis-acting element analysis show that SlKAT and SlMFP with respect may respond to light, hormones, and adversity stresses. The tissue expression analysis showed that KAT and MFP family members have important roles in regulating the development of floral organs as well as fruit ripening. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the expressions of SlKAT and SlMFP genes can be regulated by ABA, MeJA, darkness, NaCl, PEG, UV, cold, heat, and H2O2 treatments. These results provide a basis for the involvement of the SlKAT and SlMFP genes in tomato floral organ development and abiotic stress response, which lay a foundation for future functional study of SlKAT and SlMFP in tomatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tocopherols are lipophilic antioxidants known as vitamin E and synthesized from the condensation of two metabolic pathways leading to the formation of homogentisate and phytyl diphosphate. While homogentisate is derived from tyrosine metabolism, phytyl diphosphate may be formed from geranylgeranyl diphosphate or phytol recycling from chlorophyll degradation. Here, we hypothesized that abscisic acid (ABA) could induce tocopherol biosynthesis in sweet cherries by modifying the expression of genes involved in vitamin E biosynthesis, including those from the phytol recycling pathway. Hence, the expression of key tocopherol biosynthesis genes was determined together with vitamin E and chlorophyll contents during the natural development of sweet cherries on the tree. Moreover, the effects of exogenously applied ABA on the expression of key tocopherol biosynthesis genes were also investigated during on-tree fruit development, and tocopherols and chlorophylls contents were analyzed. Results showed that the expression of tocopherol biosynthesis genes, including VTE5, VTE6, HPPD and HPT showed contrasting patterns of variation, but in all cases, increased by 2- and 3-fold over time during fruit de-greening. This was not the case for GGDR and VTE4, the first showing constitutive expression during fruit development and the second with marked down-regulation at ripening onset. Furthermore, exogenous ABA stimulated the production of both α- and γ-tocopherols by 60% and 30%, respectively, promoted chlorophyll degradation and significantly enhanced VTE5 and VTE6 expression, and also that of HPPD and VTE4, altogether increasing total tocopherol accumulation. In conclusion, ABA increases promote the transcription of phytol recycling enzymes, which may contribute to vitamin E biosynthesis during fruit development in stone fruits like sweet cherries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge) is an oil-bearing tree species in northern China. In this study, we used yellowhorn from Heilongjiang to analyze the morphological and physiological changes of fruit development and conducted transcriptome sequencing. The results showed that the fruit experienced relatively slow growth from fertilization to DAF20 (20 days after flowering). From DAF40 to DAF60, the fruit entered an accelerated development stage, with a rapid increase in both transverse and longitudinal diameters, and the kernel contour developed completely at DAF40. From DAF60 to DAF80, the transverse and vertical diameters of the fruit developed slowly, and the overall measures remained stable until maturity. The soluble sugar, starch, and anthocyanin content gradually accumulated until reaching a peak at DAF80 and then rapidly decreased. RNA-seq analysis revealed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the seed coat and kernel, implying that seed components have different metabolite accumulation mechanisms. During the stages of seed kernel development, k-means clustering separated the DEGs into eight sub-classes, indicating gene expression shifts during the fruit ripening process. In subclass 8, the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway was enriched, suggesting that this class was responsible for lipid accumulation in the kernel. WGCNA revealed ten tissue-specific modules for the 12 samples among 20 modules. We identified 54 fatty acid biosynthesis pathway genes across the genome, of which 14 was quantified and confirmed by RT-qPCR. Most genes in the plastid synthesis stage showed high expression during the DAF40-DAF60 period, while genes in the endoplasmic reticulum synthesis stage showed diverse expression patterns. EVM0012847 (KCS) and EVM0002968 (HCD) showed similar high expression in the early stages and low expression in the late stages. EVM0022385 (HCD) exhibited decreased expression from DAF40 to DAF60 and then increased from DAF60 to DAF100. EVM0000575 (KCS) was increasingly expressed from DAF40 to DAF60 and then decreased from DAF60 to DAF100. Finally, we identified transcription factors (TFs) (HB-other, bHLH and ARF) that were predicted to bind to fatty acid biosynthesis pathway genes with significant correlations. These results are conducive to promoting the transcriptional regulation of lipid metabolism and the genetic improvement in terms of high lipid content of yellowhorn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phyllosphere endophytes play a critical role in a myriad of biological functions, such as maintaining plant health and overall fitness. They play a determinative role in crop yield and quality by regulating vital processes, such as leaf functionality and longevity, seed mass, apical growth, flowering, and fruit development. This study conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis aiming to review the prevailing research trajectories in phyllosphere endophytes and harness both primary areas of interest and emerging challenges. A total of 156 research articles on phyllosphere endophytes, published between 2002 and 2022, were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). A systematic analysis was conducted using CiteSpace to visualize the evolution of publication frequency, the collaboration network, the co-citation network, and keywords co-occurrence. The findings indicated that initially, there were few publications on the topic of phyllosphere endophytes. However, from 2011 onwards, there was a notable increase in the number of publications on phyllosphere endophytes, gaining worldwide attention. Among authors, Arnold, A Elizabeth is widely recognized as a leading author in this research area. In terms of countries, the USA and China hold the highest rankings. As for institutional ranking, the University of Arizona is the most prevalent and leading institute in this particular subject. Collaborative efforts among the authors and institutions tend to be confined to small groups, and a large-scale collaborative network needs to be established. This study identified the influential journals, literature, and hot research topics. These findings also highlight the interconnected nature of key themes, e.g., phyllosphere endophyte research revolves around the four pillars: diversity, fungal endophytes, growth, and endophytic fungi. This study provides an in-depth perspective on phyllosphere endophytes studies, revealing the identification of biodiversity and microbial interaction of phyllosphere endophytes as the principal research frontiers. These analytical findings not only elucidate the recent trajectory of phyllosphere endophyte research but also provide invaluable insights for similar studies and their potential applications on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve higher and earlier yield, modern olive orchards are increasingly intensified, with tree densities up to > 1500 trees hectare-1. With increasing tree densities, individual-tree canopy volume must be proportionally reduced. Not all cultivars are adaptable to high and very high orchard densities, because of excessive vigor and/or insufficient bearing when the canopy is pruned to a small volume. However, what makes an olive cultivar suitable for intensive and super intensive orchards is not clear. Recently, few studies have addressed this topic, suggesting that tree architecture and early bearing are essential traits. Yet, what architectural and productive features are important, how they work and whether they are interrelated remains elusive. This review summarizes and interprets the literature on olive, as well as the more abundant literature available for other fruit species, aiming to provide a comprehensive knowledge framework for understanding how tree architectural characteristics, plant vigor, and fruiting vary across olive genotypes, and how they are interconnected. It is concluded that, among the architectural characteristics, greater branching and smaller diameters of woody structures are particularly important features for cultivar suitability to intensive and super intensive olive orchards. Greater branching allows to produce more fruiting sites in the small volume of canopy allowed in these systems. It also reduces investments in woody structures, liberating resources for fruiting. Additional resources are liberated with smaller structure diameters. Greater branching also increases resources by increasing biomass partitioning into leaves (i.e. the photosynthetic organs), relative to wood. Since yield is affected by the competition for resources with vegetative growth, reducing resource investments in woody structures and/or increasing resource directly, increases yield. Yield, in turn, depresses vegetative growth, reducing vigor and the need for pruning. High yields also produce short shoots which have relatively greater investments in leaf mass and area, and lower in the woody stem, making them more suitable than long shoots to support concurrent fruit growth. This single framework of interpretation of how the different architectural and fruiting characteristics work and interact with one-another, will provide guidance for cultivar selection and breeding for intensive and super intensive olive orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a typical climacteric fruit, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is widely used for studying the ripening process. The negative regulation of tomato fruits by transcription factor SlNAC1 has been reported, but its regulatory network was unclear. In the present study, we screened a transcription factor, SlERF109-like, and found it had a stronger relationship with SlNAC1 at the early stage of tomato fruit development through the use of transcriptome data, RT-qPCR, and correlation analysis. We inferred that SlERF109-like could interact with SlNAC1 to become a regulatory complex that co-regulates the tomato fruit ripening process. Results of transient silencing (VIGS) and transient overexpression showed that SlERF109-like and SlNAC1 could regulate chlorophyll degradation-related genes (NYC1, PAO, PPH, SGR1), carotenoids accumulation-related genes (PSY1, PDS, ZDS), ETH-related genes (ACO1, E4, E8), and cell wall metabolism-related genes expression levels (CEL2, EXP, PG, TBG4, XTH5) to inhibit tomato fruit ripening. A dual-luciferase reporter and yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) showed that SlNAC1 could bind to the SlACO1 promoter, but SlERF109-like could not. Furthermore, SlERF109-like could interact with SlNAC1 to increase the transcription for ACO1 by a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assay, a luciferase complementation assay, and a dual-luciferase reporter. A correlation analysis showed that SlERF109-like and SlNAC1 were positively correlated with chlorophyll contents, and negatively correlated with carotenoid content and ripening-related genes. Thus, we provide a model in which SlERF109-like could interact with SlNAC1 to become a regulatory complex that negatively regulates the tomato ripening process by inhibiting SlACO1 expression. Our study provided a new regulatory network of tomato fruit ripening and effectively reduced the waste of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the potential of Sentinel-1 (S1) multi-temporal data for the early-season mapping of the rapeseed crop. Additionally, we explore the effectiveness of limiting the portion of a considered time series to map rapeseed fields. To this end, we conducted a quantitative analysis to assess several temporal windows (periods) spanning different phases of the rapeseed phenological cycle in the following two scenarios relating to the availability or constraints of providing ground samples for different years: (i) involving the same year for both training and the test, assuming the availability of ground samples for each year; and (ii) evaluating the temporal transferability of the classifier, considering the constraints of ground sampling. We employed two different classification methods that are renowned for their high performance in land cover mapping: the widely adopted random forest (RF) approach and a deep learning-based convolutional neural network, specifically the InceptionTime algorithm. To assess the classification outcomes, four evaluation metrics (recall, precision, F1 score, and Kappa) were employed. Using S1 time series data covering the entire rapeseed growth cycle, the tested algorithms achieved F1 scores close to 95% on same-year training and testing, and 92.0% when different years were used, both algorithms demonstrated robust performance. For early rapeseed detection within a two-month window post-sowing, RF and InceptionTime achieved F1 scores of 67.5% and 77.2%, respectively, and 79.8% and 88.9% when extended to six months. However, in the context of temporal transferability, both classifiers exhibited mean F1 scores below 50%. Notably, a 5-month time series, covering key growth stages such as stem elongation, inflorescence emergence, and fruit development, yielded a mean F1 score close to 95% for both algorithms when trained and tested in the same year. In the temporal transferability scenario, RF and InceptionTime achieved mean F1 scores of 92.0% and 90.0%, respectively, using a 5-month time series. Our findings underscore the importance of a concise S1 time series for effective rapeseed mapping, offering advantages in data storage and processing time. Overall, the study establishes the robustness of RF and InceptionTime in rapeseed detection scenarios, providing valuable insights for agricultural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium chloride (LiCl) has been used in signalling and molecular studies of animals, plants, and yeast. However, information on its roles in basidiomycetous fungi is still limited. In this study, we used RNA-Seq to study the effects of LiCl on Coprinopsis cinerea. LiCl enhanced mycelial growth and inhibited fruiting body formation in C. cinerea. RNA-Seq of the LiCl-treated C. cinerea resulted in a total of 14,128 genes. There were 1199 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the LiCl-treated samples and control samples in the mycelium stage (the first time point), and 1391 DEGs were detected when the control samples were forming hyphal knots while the treated samples were still in the mycelium (the second time point). Pathway enrichment analysis of the DEGs revealed a significant association between enhanced mycelium growth in the LiCl-treated C. cinerea and metabolic pathways. In addition, the DEGs involved in cellular process pathways, including "cell cycle-yeast" and "meiosis-yeast", were identified in suppressed C. cinerea fruiting body formation by LiCl under favourable environmental conditions. As LiCl can predominantly inhibit the activity of glycogen synthase kinase3 (GSK3), our findings suggest that LiCl affects the expression of genes involved in fruiting body initiation and cellular processes by inhibiting GSK3 activity which is essential for fruiting body formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cork spot-like physiological disorder (CSPD) is a newly identified issue in 'Kurenainoyume' apples, yet its mechanism remains unclear. To investigate CSPD, we conducted morphological observations on 'Kurenainoyume' apples with and without pre-harvest fruit-bagging treatment using light-impermeable paper bags. Non-bagged fruit developed CSPD in mid-August, while no CSPD symptoms were observed in bagged fruit. The bagging treatment significantly reduced the proportion of opened lenticels, with only 17.9% in bagged fruit compared to 52.0% in non-bagged fruits. In non-bagged fruit, CSPD spots tended to increase from the lenticels, growing in size during fruit development. The cuticular thickness and cross-sectional area of fresh cells in CSPD spots were approximately 16 µm and 1600 µm², respectively. Healthy non-bagged fruit reached these values around 100 to 115 days after full bloom from mid- to late August. Microscopic and computerized tomography scanning observations revealed that many CSPD spots developed at the tips of vascular bundles. Therefore, CSPD initiation between opened lenticels and vascular bundle tips may be influenced by water stress, which is potentially caused by water loss, leading to cell death and the formation of CSPD spots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passion fruit, an economically valuable fruit crop, is highly vulnerable to adverse climate conditions. The HVA22 genes, recognized as abscisic acid (ABA) and stress-inducible, play vital roles in stress response and growth regulation in diverse eukaryotic organisms. Here, six HVA22 genes were firstly identified in passion fruit genome and all predicted to be localized within the endoplasmic reticulum. Phylogenetic analyses showed that all PeHVA22s were divided into four subgroups. The gene structural features of PeHVA22 genes clustered in the same subgroup were relatively conserved, while the gene structure characteristics of PeHVA22s from different subgroups varied significantly. PeHVA22A and PeHVA22C closely clustered with barley HVA22 in Group II, were also induced by ABA and drought stress treatment, suggesting conserved roles similar to barley HVA22. Meanwhile, most PeHVA22s exhibited induced expression post-drought treatment but were suppressed under salt, low and high-temperature conditions, indicating a unique role in drought response. Additionally, PeHVA22s displayed tissue-specific expression patterns across diverse tissues, except for PeHVA22B which maybe a pseudogene. Notably, PeHVA22C, PeHVA22E, and PeHVA22F predominantly expressed in fruit, indicating their involvement in fruit development. Almost all PeHVA22s showed variable expression at different developmental stages of stamens or ovules, implying their roles in passion fruit's sexual reproduction. The intricate roles of PeHVA22s may result from diverse regulatory factors including transcription factors and CREs related to plant growth and development, hormone and stress responsiveness. These observations highlighted that PeHVA22s might play conserved roles in ABA response and drought stress tolerance, and also be participated in the regulation of passion fruit growth and floral development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) is a crop of economic relevance in the Peninsula of Yucatan. Its fruits have a high level of capsaicinoids compared to peppers grown in other regions of the world, which gives them industrial importance. Soil is an important factor that affects pepper development, nutritional quality, and capsaicinoid content. However, the effect of soil type on fruit development and capsaicinoid metabolism has been little understood. This work aimed to compare the effect of soils with contrasting characteristics, black soil (BS) and red soil (RS), on the expression of genes related to the development of fruits, and capsaicinoid synthesis using a transcriptomic analysis of the habanero pepper fruits. Plants growing in RS had bigger fruits and higher expression of genes related to floral development, fruit abscission, and softening which suggests that RS stimulates fruit development from early stages until maturation stages. Fruits from plants growing in BS had enrichment in metabolic pathways related to growth, sugars, and photosynthesis. Besides, these fruits had higher capsaicinoid accumulation at 25 days post-anthesis, and higher expression of genes related to the branched-chain amino acids metabolism (ketol-acid reductisomerase KARI), pentose phosphate pathway and production of NADPH (glucose6-phosphate-1-dehydrogenase G6PDH), and proteasome and vesicular traffic in cells (26S proteasome regulatory subunit T4 RPT4), which suggest that BS is better in the early stimulation of pathways related to the nutritional quality and capsaicinoid metabolism in the fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato [Solanum lycopersicum L.] fruits are frequently picked at various growth stages from mature green towards red ripe stages, mainly based on the widely used visual grading schemes. Which in many cases are inaccurate, time intensive and do not support high-tech agriculture, which needs accurate classification of tomato fruit development and ripening. The present study was conducted to identify the diverse developmental stages of tomato fruits using biophysical and biochemical parameters combined with multivariate techniques. Results showed that among the genotypes considered, the biophysical parameters like length, width, biomass and firmness was in the range of 23.65–62.28 mm, 24.99–80.47 mm, 2.11–4.85 g/fruit, 1.67–4.43 kg/cm2, respectively. The biochemical parameters like total soluble solids, titratable acidity, beta carotene, ascorbic acid and lycopene content was in the range of 3.99–6.5°Brix, 0.38–0.59%, 1.83–12.06 ppm, 83.12–339 mg/100 g and 4.11–76.77 mg/100 g, respectively. Multivariate techniques like principal component analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and discriminant analysis (DA) were used to develop a new index called Tomato Fruit Stage Index (TFSI), which could group the tomato fruits from different growth developmental stages into categories like immature green, mature green and ripening stages. The range of TFSI was found to be 0 to 1. TFSI was < 0.3 for immature green, 0.3–0.42 for mature green and > 0.42 for red ripe fruit stages. The validation of TFSI showed that it was effective (R2 = 0.985**) in identifying the fruit developmental stages and could be useful in future for routine categorisation and determination of the fruit developmental stages in tomato genotypes by the processing industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit size is an important factor for the sale of fruit in fresh markets. Fruit size prediction early in the growing season would help with planning harvest operations, administering marketing strategies and an advance determination of the proportion of fruit that will be suitable for certain size classes. Fruit diameter growth of 'Keenan' Valencia oranges was measured over five consecutive growing seasons (2014–2018) during Stage II (cell enlargement) and Stage III (maturation) periods between January and October. Fruits were randomly selected and tagged from around the tree canopy to record the fruit diameter at fortnightly intervals until harvest. The data were used to develop a fruit size prediction model using the cubic smoothing splines technique. Results indicated that from the fruit growth patterns, an accurate prediction of the final fruit size and distribution were possible during the early Stage II fruit development phase, 6–7 months ahead of the final harvest. It was concluded that fruit size must be 66 mm in diameter by 30 March to attain a fruit size > 77 mm at harvest. This model was tested in 2019 with an accuracy of 97% in predicting fruit size distribution harvest across three size classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As one of the important sources of food for human beings, fruits have been extensively studied. To better guide basic and applied research, it is urgent to conduct a systematic analysis of these studies based on extensive literature collection. Methods: Based on the Web of Science Core Collection database, this study uses R language and CiteSpace to conduct bibliometric analysis and data mining on the literatures related to fruit quality from January 2013 to June 2023. Results: The results indicated that among various fruits, tomatoes have been most frequently studied with special interests in photosynthesis, fruit development, and molecular breeding. The research direction primarily focused on fruit resistance and storage characteristics. Among the indicators related to fruit quality, antioxidant activity has the highest co-occurrence with other indicators of fruit quality, especially with nutrients such as anthocyanins, phenolic substances, sugars, and fruit firmness. Discussion: Currently, adaptation to stress and antioxidant activity are recognized as prominent research focal points in this field. Fruit morphology, particularly fruit size, irrigation methods, application of molecular technology, and infection prevention, represent potential areas of interests in future research on fruit quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ligustrum vulgare (LV), widely cultivated in Europe and often used in hedges, has been historically recognized in folk medicine for its potential health benefits. This study focused on exploring the untargeted identification of secondary metabolites in ethanol extracts (70% v/v) from different morphological parts (young shoots, leaves, flowers and fruits) of LV at various stages of plant development, using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Additionally, the selected biological activities (antioxidant activity, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition (COX-2), α-amylase inhibition and cytotoxicity) of the tested extracts were determined. Untargeted metabolomics showed that LV extracts were a rich source of phenylethanoid compounds, flavonoids, iridoids and their derivatives. The flowers of LV had the highest content of oleuropein (33.43 ± 2.48 mg/g d.w.). The lowest antioxidant activity was obtained for ripe and post-seasonal fruits, while in the case of other samples, the activity was at a similar level. All tested extracts showed α-amylase and COX-2 inhibitory activity. In addition, LV extracts showed strong antiproliferative properties in colorectal (HT29) and liver (HepG2) cancer cell lines. The obtained results show the difference in the content of bioactive compounds in various morphological parts of Ligustrum vulgare. These differences may influence the multifaceted medicinal potential of this plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Although maturity date (MD) is an essential factor affecting fresh fruit marketing and has a pleiotropic effect on fruit taste qualities, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. In this study, we functionally characterized two adjacent NAM‐ATAF1/2‐CUC2 (NAC) transcription factors (TFs), PpNAC1 and PpNAC5, both of which were associated with fruit MD in peach.PpNAC1 and PpNAC5 were found capable of activating transcription of genes associated with cell elongation, cell wall degradation and ethylene biosynthesis, suggesting their regulatory roles in fruit enlargement and ripening.Furthermore, PpNAC1 and PpNAC5 had pleiotropic effects on fruit taste due to their ability to activate transcription of genes for sugar accumulation and organic acid degradation.Interestingly, both PpNAC1 and PpNAC5 orthologues were found in fruit‐producing angiosperms and adjacently arranged in all 91 tested dicots but absent in fruitless gymnosperms, suggesting their important roles in fruit development. Our results provide insight into the regulatory roles of NAC TFs in MD and fruit taste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungus-resistant grapevine cultivars, so called PIWIs, are characterized by increased resistance to powdery mildew and downy mildew. However, in order to maintain the durability of resistance in these new grape cultivars, targeted fungicide treatments are recommended. For ideal schedule of these treatments, it is necessary to recognize the most sensitive organs of the grape. This study introduces a method for phenotypic evaluation of Plasmopara viticola resistance in grape clusters under controlled and standardized conditions during phenological development over the entire season. The approach was validated with the traditional cultivar Pinot Noir and the PIWIs Cabernet Cortis (Rpv3.3, Rpv10), Solaris (Rpv3.3, Rpv10) and Souvignier Gris (Rpv3.2). All cultivars were susceptible during the early stages of development up to flowering, and resistance levels increased as phenological development progressed. Cabernet Cortis and Solaris clusters were susceptible until fruit development (BBCH 71–73) when they became almost completely resistant. No differences between Souvignier Gris and Pinot Noir were detected until berries were pea-sized (BBCH 75) when P. viticola resistance of Souvignier Gris clusters increased significantly. Ontogenetic resistance in Pinot Noir was detected at berry touch (BBCH 77–79) and clusters of this cultivar were almost completely resistant at the beginning of ripening (BBCH 81–83). These results indicate that the approach presented is suitable for determining the resistance of grape cultivars at different stages of development. Consequently, in the future, fungicide applications can be adjusted more precisely to the resistance level of a grape cultivar during the growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hollow heart is a kind of physiological defect that seriously affects the yield, quality, and economic value of cucumber. However, the formation of hollow hearts may relate to multiple factors in cucumber, and it is necessary to conduct analysis. Results: In this study, hollow and non-hollow fruits of cucumber K07 were used for comparative transcriptome sequencing and analysis. 253 differentially expressed genes and 139 transcription factors were identified as being associated with the formation of hollow hearts. Hormone (auxin) signaling and cell wall biosynthesis were mainly enriched in GO and KEGG pathways. Expression levels of key genes involved in indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis in carpel were lower in the hollow fruits than non-hollow fruits, while there was no difference in the flesh. The concentration of indole-3-acetic also showed lower in the carpel than flesh. The biosynthetic pathway and content analysis of the main components of the cell wall found that lignin biosynthesis had obvious regularity with hollow heart, followed by hemicellulose and cellulose. Correlation analysis showed that there may be an interaction between auxin and cell wall biosynthesis, and they collectively participate in the formation of hollow hearts in cucumber. Among the differentially expressed transcription factors, MYB members were the most abundant, followed by NAC, ERF, and bHLH. Conclusions: The results and analyses showed that the low content of auxin in the carpel affected the activity of enzymes related to cell wall biosynthesis at the early stage of fruit development, resulting in incomplete development of carpel cells, thus forming a hollow heart in cucumber. Some transcription factors may play regulatory roles in this progress. The results may enrich the theory of the formation of hollow hearts and provide a basis for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preservation maintains the viability of an organism within a certain period. Mycelia are preserved through sub-culturing; however, it is laborious and maintains cultures for a short period. Hence, this study was conducted to establish an alternative low-cost preservation technique. The efficiency of wood sticks for the preservation of Lentinus tigrinus, Lentinus sajor-caju, and Lentinus swartzii was determined. The viability and the mycelial growth of the preserved cultures were assessed for 18 months. The efficiency of the method was verified by evaluating the fruiting body production. The incubation period, size of the fruits, yield, and biological efficiency were evaluated. Wood sticks were suitable for the three mushrooms which demonstrated 100% viability. The mycelial growth of the preserved cultures of L. swartzii and L. tigrinus are comparable to the control while a significantly longer mycelial diameter was recorded in the preserved culture of L. sajor caju. The control group of L. tigrinus and L. sajor-caju showed faster mycelial growth in fruiting bags while preserved cultures of L. swartzii showed a shorter incubation period. Fruit size, yield, and biological efficiency were all comparable. Therefore, this low-cost preservation method can be utilized to preserve L. tigrinus, L. sajor-caju, and L. swartzii for extended periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soursop cultivation can be affected by a variety of pests that affect its normal development, measures to control pests especially in flowers and fruits are necessary. The use of diatomaceous earth is an alternative for pest management; however, its control potential is unknown. For this reason, the objective of the research was to evaluate the effect of diatomaceous earth on the control of cottony cochineal and sooty mold in fruits of the soursop crop. A randomized complete block design (DBCA) with seven treatments and three repetitions was used. The treatments evaluated were diatomaceous earth (SIO-DEM +) in doses of 2.00; 4.00; 6.00; 8.00; 10.00 and 12.00 kg ha-1 and control (without application). The variables evaluated were, percentage of incidence of mealybugs, degree of severity of sooty mold and fruit development (length, thickness and weight). The results obtained showed that the percentage of incidence of cottony mealybug using the doses of 10.00 kg ha-1 and 12 kg ha-1 decreased the incidence of the pest by more than 40%. The severity of sooty mold damage in soursop fruits under the effect of different doses of diatomaceous earth decreased in grade 3 - 2 with the treatments T5 (10.00 kg ha-1) and T6 (12.00 kgha-1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is regarded as a good source of carbohydrates, protein, lipids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It also presents significant antioxidant capabilities, mostly due to its substantial amounts of vitamin C, chlorophyll, β-carotene, and phenolic. However, a high variation in the characteristics and composition of okra fruit has been reported among different harvest stages. Material and methods. Data on physical parameters, nutritional values, content of bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity of the "Mai Vang" okra variety cultivated in Vietnam were recorded from 5 to 17 days after flowering at an interval of 2 days. Results. The results demonstrated that quick fruit development occurred between 11 and 17 days, and fruits at this stage were of highest fresh weight, length, diameter, and firmness. However, the okra at the stage of 15 days old had the optimum value of nutritional components (protein and lipid) and bioactive substances (β-carotene and phenolic), as well as antioxidant activity, which is very suitable for processing food products. Conclusion. The findings are useful for understanding the change in physicochemical properties and the accumulation of nutrients and bioactive compounds in okra fruits during maturation. They can also help in identifying the best stage of maturation for the production of healthy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays important roles in plant development, including the maintenance of fruit quality when applied as postharvest treatment. However, little information is available about the effects of preharvest GABA treatments. Thus, GABA (10, 50 and 100 mM) was applied as foliar spray at key points of fruit development in three sweet cherry cultivars and over two years. The results show that quality parameters, such as total soluble solid content, titratable acidity and firmness were higher in the fruit from GABA-treated trees than in the controls, either at harvest or during four weeks of cold storage. In addition, the total phenolic and total and individual anthocyanin concentrations were also enhanced by GABA treatments and the fruit color was improved. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and peroxidase were also enhanced by the GABA treatments. The most effective concentration was 50 mM, which led to extending the storage period of sweet cherries with high quality traits to up to four weeks, while for the controls this was two weeks. Thus, GABA treatment had a clear effect on delaying the postharvest ripening and senescence processes in sweet cherries, with an additional effect on enhancing the content of bioactive compounds, such as phenolics and anthocyanins, with antioxidant properties and health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the function of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase (PIP5K) in tomatoes, members of the tomato PIP5K family were identified and characterized using bioinformatic methods, and their expression patterns were also analyzed under salt stress and in different tissues. Twenty-one PIP5K members—namely, SlPIP5K1–SlPIP5K21—were identified from ten chromosomes, and these were divided into three groups according to a phylogenetic analysis. Further bioinformatic analysis showed four pairs of collinear relationships and fragment replication events among the SlPIP5K family members. To understand the possible roles of the SlPIP5Ks, a cis-acting element analysis was conducted, which indicated that tomato PIP5Ks could be associated with plant growth, hormones, and stress responses. We further validated the results of the in silico analysis by integrating RNA-seq and qRT-PCR techniques for salt- and hormone-treated tomato plants. Our results showed that SlPIP5K genes exhibited tissue- and treatment-specific patterns, and some of the SlPIP5Ks exhibited significantly altered expressions after our treatments, suggesting that they might be involved in these stresses. We selected one of the SlPIP5Ks that responded to our treatments, SlPIP5K2, to further understand its subcellular localization. Our results showed that SlPIP5K2 was located on the membrane. This study lays a foundation for the analysis of the biological functions of the tomato SlPIP5K genes and can also provide a theoretical basis for the selection and breeding of new tomato varieties and germplasm innovation, especially under salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]