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The current study investigated the impact of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation on apricot kernel oil extraction and the resulting quality characteristics of the oil. The seed kernels underwent physicochemical and antioxidant studies after being separated, gelatinized, and fermented. The results revealed 43.6 % of oil yield by fermentation. The extracted oil had a lower acid value (3.74 mg KOH/g), and peroxide value (4.25 meq/kg). The investigation of additional oil properties was included, like iodine value (100.26 mg KOH/g), saponification value (190.5 mg KOH/g), specific gravity (0.919), viscosity (4.62), moisture content (0.592 %), and refractive index (1.4836), which signifies optimum physicochemical parameters of oil. As per the FTIR data, some distinct functional groups like C-H stretch and C O, C C, CH3, OH, and R-O-R esters were found in the extracted oil. The oil's fatty acid composition, with 50.47 % saturated, 22.23 % mono-unsaturated, and 35.13 % polyunsaturated fatty acids, enhances stability, oxidative resistance, and nutritional value, justifying its favorable physicochemical properties. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of the oil showed to have good antioxidant activity. Metabolic modeling of S. cerevisiae provided information about compounds received after fermentation. Hence, it can be concluded that fermentation is a suitable approach to extract apricot seed kernel oil with beneficial properties. [Display omitted] • Apricot seed kernel is a good source of oil, we can use it for multiple purposes. • Saccharomyces cerevisiae -based fermentation, we can get 43.6 % of oil. • Different beneficial fatty acids were obtained from this oil: Caprylic, Lauric, Margaric, Paullinic, Phthalic acid, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Prunus sibirica seeds with rich oils has great utilization, but contain amygdalin that can be hydrolyzed to release toxic HCN. Thus, how to effectively reduce seed amygdalin content of P. sibirica is an interesting question. Mandelonitrile is known as one key intermediate of amygdalin metabolism, but which mandelonitrile lyase (MDL) family member essential for its dissociation destined to low amygdalin accumulation in P. sibirica seeds still remains enigmatic. An integration of our recent 454 RNA-seq data, amygdalin and mandelonitrile content detection, qRT-PCR analysis and function determination is described as a critical attempt to determine key MDL and to highlight its function in governing mandelonitrile catabolism with low amygdalin accumulation in Prunus sibirica seeds for better developing edible oil and biodiesel in China. Results: To identify key MDL and to unravel its function in governing seed mandelonitrile catabolism with low amygdalin accumulation in P. sibirica. Global identification of mandelonitrile catabolism-associated MDLs, integrated with the across-accessions/developing stages association of accumulative amount of amygdalin and mandelonitrile with transcriptional level of MDLs was performed on P. sibirica seeds of 5 accessions to determine crucial MDL2 for seed mandelonitrile catabolism of P. sibirica. MDL2 gene was cloned from the seeds of P. sibirica, and yeast eukaryotic expression revealed an ability of MDL2 to specifically catalyze the dissociation of mandelonitrile with the ideal values of Km (0.22 mM) and Vmax (178.57 U/mg). A combination of overexpression and mutation was conducted in Arabidopsis. Overexpression of PsMDL2 decreased seed mandelonitrile content with an increase of oil accumulation, upregulated transcript of mandelonitrile metabolic enzymes and oil synthesis enzymes (involving FA biosynthesis and TAG assembly), but exhibited an opposite situation in mdl2 mutant, revealing a role of PsMDL2-mediated regulation in seed amygdalin and oil biosynthesis. The PsMDL2 gene has shown as key molecular target for bioengineering high seed oil production with low amygdalin in oilseed plants. Conclusions: This work presents the first integrated assay of genome-wide identification of mandelonitrile catabolism-related MDLs and the comparative association of transcriptional level of MDLs with accumulative amount of amygdalin and mandelonitrile in the seeds across different germplasms and developmental periods of P. sibirica to determine MDL2 for mandelonitrile dissociation, and an effective combination of PsMDL2 expression and mutation, oil and mandelonitrile content detection and qRT-PCR assay was performed to unravel a mechanism of PsMDL2 for controlling amygdalin and oil production in P. sibirica seeds. These findings could offer new bioengineering strategy for high oil production with low amygdalin in oil plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit aroma of Japanese apricot is distinct, and the specific volatile compounds are not clearly known during fruit development and during post‐harvest stage. This study therefore aimed to explore the volatile compounds present during these stages. The volatile compounds were analysed by headspace solid‐phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. OAV, PCA and electronic nose techniques were used to determine the characteristic aroma components. Enzyme‐linked immunoassay (ELISA) was also applied to determine the activity of enzymes. The results showed that in the cultivars ‘Xiyeqing’ a total of 52 components that included 20 terpenes, 15 aldehydes, 9 esters, 3 ketones and 5 other substances were detected during fruit development and post‐harvest stage. While in the cultivar ‘Xiaoyezhugan’ a total of 49 components that included 25 terpenes, 7 aldehydes, 11 esters, 1 alcohol, 3 ketones and 2 other substances were also detected during fruit development and post‐harvest stage. We concluded that the characteristic volatile compounds of mature Japanese apricot fruit were (+)‐limonene, linalool, damascenone, β‐damascenone and nonanal, finding the basis for the fruity, floral and sweet aroma of the Japanese apricot fruit. Further analysis indicated that low temperature inhibited the synthesis of esters and terpenes, and dark conditions were more favourable to the synthesis of volatile compounds than light conditions. Short‐term storage of Japanese apricot fruit at room temperature and dark conditions was conducive for the maintenance of volatile compounds, and low‐temperature storage was the most destructive to the fruit volatile compounds. These findings form a theoretical foundation for exploring the specific volatile compound of Japanese apricot and helped to determine the optimal storage condition of post‐harvest stage for Japanese apricot fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin and development of agriculture and its relationship with climate change are hotly debated topics among environmental archaeologists. In this study, we analyzed wood charcoal materials from the Neolithic Xinglong site in northern China in order to understand the woody vegetation around the site and how early millet farmers shaped local woodlands. Our results suggest that the area around the Xinglong sites during 8700–7000 yr BP was primarily woodlands, including Prunus sibirica shrubs, Ulmus and Acer forests, and Populus stands near waterways. From 8000 to 7000 yr BP, the warm and humid climate probably contributed to the expansion of Acer, Rhamnus, and Juniperus, and may have facilitated the development of early millet agriculture. Among these ancient wood fragments that we studied, the high percent of Prunus charcoal appears to indicate an abundance of fruit trees, which might have constituted the main component of local vegetation. Meanwhile, the wood taxa illustrate the existence of a variety of ecological habitats, and it is logical to assume that people made full use of the locally available wood resources. Notably, Populus and Ulmus were the dominant sources of fuel. The results of tree-ring curvature analyses indicate that people mainly collected trunks or large branches of Ulmus, Populus, Acer, and Juniperus timbers. We interpret the increasing use of Prunus twigs and the declining percentage of Prunus charcoal in the period between 8000–7000 yr BP as indicating that people started to protect and manage wild fruit trees. They may have started pruning to acquire more food resources as part of the cultural responses and adaptation strategies employed by these early millet cultivators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of apricot cultivation is greatly threatened by frost damage to flower buds during the dormancy period. One of the most important aspects of the evaluation of cultivars is therefore the determination of their frost tolerance. In this paper, the frost hardiness of flower buds of 16 apricot cultivars was investigated in three dormancy periods, applying a standardised artificial freezing test protocol and determining LT50 values. The results showed that both the genotypes and the yearly climatic conditions had a significant effect on frost tolerance. A genotype generally determines the potential maximum of its frost tolerance ('Sweet Red' and 'Primaya' were very sensitive to frost every year, while 'Harlayne' and 'Rózskajszi C.1406' could be considered as frost hardy). Flower buds can reach different levels of frost resistance each year depending on the temperature conditions during the hardening and dehardening periods. From the point of view of yield security, it is essential when planning an orchard, to take into account and harmonise the frost hardiness of the cultivars selected and the growing site conditions. Therefore, it is very important to have adequate information about the frost hardiness of different apricot cultivars, which should be included in cultivar descriptions. This paper is intended to contribute to this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The globose scale (GS), Sphaerolecanium prunastri (Boyer de Fonscolombe) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea), has invaded wild apricot forests in their native range in Central Eurasia threatening the ancestral germplasm resource. Biological control efficacy of the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1773) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) against the globose scale was assessed in laboratory and field experiments. Results: In the laboratory, Harmonia axyridis has a high feeding capacity on GS with numbers consumed daily increasing with temperature (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 °C), reaching an upper asymptote of 160–200 scales per day. In field cage experiments, efficacy of biological control (EBC) against first instar (49–99%) and second instar nymphs (20–80%) increased with GS density. When ants were present, control efficiency was reduced by 10–15%. In open-field experiments without cages, EBC was comparatively lower regardless of duration and how H. axyridis were released whether as adults, eggs cards or a mixture of adults and eggs cards. Conclusions: In the long term, biological control with this ladybird predator could be considered as part of an IPM program package that includes banning or delaying mowing grass and understory plants in the forests that offer pollen and nectar for natural enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for roughage in the animal nutrition industry has led to the search for various alternative roughage. In this context, as a result of the research, tree leaves have the potential to be considered as a nutritious and balanced forage source for animals. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the usability of apple (Malus domestica), apricot (Prunus armeniaca), cherry (Prunus avium), grape (Vitis vinifera), and umber mulberry (Morus rubra) leaves in ruminant nutrition. As a result of the research, nutritional contents of tree leaves (dry matter, crude protein, crude ash, crude oil, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin, tannin), in vitro gas, carbon dioxide and methane gas production, in vitro gas post-production rumen fluid volatile fatty acid contents were found to be different from each other (P<0.05). In addition, although metabolic energy, organic matter digestion, digestible dry matter, dry matter consumption and relative feed values were found to be different in tree leaves (P<0.05), the highest values of these parameters were found in mulberry leaves. Metabolic energy (ME-J/kgDM) in grape, mulberry, apple, apricot and cherry is 9.24, 10.69, 10.07, 10.24, 9.33, organic matter digestibility (OMD-%) is 56.49, 58.98, 54.46, 57.34, and 58.31, respectively. has been detected. In the volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid of the leaves after in vitro gas production; Total volatile fatty acid (TVFA-mmol/L) was defined as 69.16, 76.25, 66.04, 68.63, and 65.24, acetic acid (AA-mmol/L) was determined as 44.90, 48.52, 41.93, 46.82, and 43.62, respectively. As a result of our detailed studies, it has been determined that the leaves of various fruit trees stand out with their considerable nutritional content. The most important reason for the differences in the findings is that the nutritional content of tree leaves is different from differs. As a result of our comprehensive study, these nutritional content differences offer significant potential for using leaves of various fruit trees as a source of forage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied five common perishable fruits in terms of their polyphenols dynamic, minerals distribution, scavenger activity and the effects of 50% ethanolic extracts on the viability of Caco-2 cells in vitro, over a period of time between T = 0 and T = 5/7 days, typically the end of their shelf life. Altogether, there were few changes found, consisting of either an increase or a decrease in their chemical and biological attributes. A slow decrease was found in the antioxidant activity in apricot (−11%), plum (−6%) and strawberry (−4%) extracts, while cherry and green seedless table grape extracts gained 7% and 2% antioxidant potency, respectively; IC50 values ranged from 1.67 to 5.93 μg GAE/μL test extract. The cytotoxicity MTS assay at 24 h revealed the ability of all 50% ethanol fruit extracts to inhibit the Caco-2 cell viability; the inhibitory effects ranged from 49% to 83% and were measured at 28 µg GAE for strawberry extracts/EES, from 22 µg to 45 µg GAE for cherry extracts/EEC, from 7.58 to 15.16 µg GAE for apricot extracts/EEA, from 12.50 to 25.70 µg GAE for plum extracts/EEP and from 21.51 to 28.68 µg GAE for green table grape extracts/EEG. The MTS anti-proliferative assay (72 h) also revealed a stimulatory potency upon the Caco-2 viability, from 34% (EEA, EEG) and 48% (EEC) to 350% (EES) and 690% (EEP); therefore fruit juices can influence intestinal tumorigenesis in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) is an economically important fruit tree in Beijing, China. However, canker diseases have become one of the main threats to apricot production. In the present study, a field survey was conducted in apricot orchards in Beijing and the disease incidence of apricots was surveyed (75.7%). Thirty fungal strains were isolated from branches of apricots. Five species were identified through multilocus phylogenetic (rDNA internal transcribed spacer [ITS], large subunit [LSU] and tef1‐a for Botryosphaeriales; ITS, act, rpb2, tef1‐a and tub2 for Cytospora) and morphological analyses, including two new species (Cytospora huairouensis and C. prunina) and three known species (C. leucostoma, Diplodia gallae and Phaeobotryon rhois). C. leucostoma and P. rhois were identified as the causal agents of canker of apricot by pathogenicity tests conducted on 3‐year‐old plants in the greenhouse. The current study contributed to a theoretical basis for predicting the potential risk of apricot canker in Beijing, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater is the main water source in arid and semiarid areas of the Loess Plateau, where rainfall is generally insufficient, ineffective and underutilized during the growing season. Thus, improving rainwater utilization efficiency is essential for sustainable agricultural development. A new system composed of rainwater harvesting, an infiltrator bucket with multiple holes and mulching (RHM), was designed to maintain soil moisture at a proper level in rain-fed orchards in arid and semiarid areas of the Loess Region of China. However, there is a lack of clarity on the effectiveness of RHM. In this study, changes in the soil environment and the growth and physiology of apricot trees were monitored via two treatments: (1) Rain-harvesting irrigation system (RHM) treatment and (2) traditional orchard treatment (CK) as a baseline. The results showed that (1) RHM could effectively improve soil water storage at depths of 0–45 cm and at a horizontal distance of 40 cm from the trunk. For the 1.4 mm light rain event, the soil water content increased by 6.3–12%, and for the two moderate rains, the soil water content increased by 12–25%. The change in the soil relative water content predicted by the LSTM model is consistent with the overall trend of the measured value and gradually decreases, and the prediction accuracy is high, with an error of 0.65. (2) The average soil temperatures at 5 cm, 20 cm and 40 cm under RHM were 17.0% (2.4 °C), 13.6% (1.9 °C) and 7.5% (1 °C) greater than those under CK, respectively. (3) Compared with the control treatment, RHM improved the growth and WUEL of apricot trees. The results highlighted the efficiency of the RHM system in enhancing the soil environment and regulating the growth and physiology of apricot trees, which has greater popularization value in arid and semiarid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese apricot is an important subtropical deciduous fruit tree in China, widely distributed in different altitude areas. How does it adapt to the different temperature environments in these areas? In this study, we identified a low‐temperature transcription factor PmCBF03 on chromosome 7 through adaptive analysis of populations at different altitudes, which has an early termination single nucleotide polymorphism mutation. There were two different types of variation, PmCBF03A type in high‐altitude areas and PmCBF03T type in low‐altitude areas. PmCBF03A gene increased the survival rate, Fv/Fm values, antioxidant enzyme activity, and expression levels of antioxidant enzyme genes, and reducing electrolyte leakage and accumulation of reactive oxygen species in transgenic Arabidopsis under low temperature and freezing stress. Simultaneously, PmCBF03A gene promoted the dormancy of transgenic Arabidopsis seeds than wild‐type. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that PmCBF03A directly bound to the DRE/CRT element in the promoters of the PmCOR413, PmDAM6 and PmABI5 genes, promoting their transcription and enhanced the cold resistance and dormancy of the overexpressing PmCBF03A lines. While PmCBF03T gene is unable to bind to the promoters of PmDAM6 and PmABI5 genes, leading to early release of dormancy to adapt to the problem of insufficient chilling requirement in low‐altitude areas. Summary statement: The PmCBF03 allele variation is involved in regulating the low‐temperature adaptability of Japanese apricots at different altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bumblebees are important pollinators for many plants, and plant pollen is the most important food for bumblebees in return. However, there are significant differences in the nutrition compositions of pollens from different plants, and it is still not known whether bumblebees determine their feeding behavior according to the nutritional content. In the current study, we compared the feeding responses of the managed Bombus terrestris on four commercial pollens and their effect on colony development under laboratory conditions. The results show that B. terrestris preferred wild apricot pollen, followed by oilseed rape, buckwheat, and, lastly, sunflower pollens. The number, body weight, and size of the bumblebees in colonies fed with a diet combination of four pollens were significantly higher than those of the bumblebees in colonies fed any single-pollen diet; even buckwheat and sunflower fed alone did not allow the bumblebees to produce offspring. This study will be helpful in order to develop nutritive pollen diets for bumblebees. Pollen is a major source of proteins and lipids for bumblebees. The nutritional content of pollen may differ from source plants, ultimately affecting colony development. This study investigated the foraging preferences of Bombus terrestris in regard to four pollen species, i.e., oilseed rape, wild apricot, sunflower, and buckwheat, under laboratory conditions. The results show that B. terrestris diversified their preference for pollens; the bumblebees mostly preferred wild apricot pollen, whereas sunflower pollen was the least preferred. The colonies fed on a mixed four-pollen diet, with a protein–lipid ratio of 4.55–4.86, exhibited better development in terms of the number of offspring, individual body size and colony weight. The colonies fed with buckwheat and sunflower pollens produced a significantly lower number of workers and failed to produce queen and male offspring. Moreover, wild apricot pollen had the richest protein content (23.9 g/100 g) of the four pollen species, whereas oilseed rape pollen had the highest lipid content (6.7 g/100 g), as revealed by the P:L ratios of wild apricot, sunflower, buckwheat, and oilseed rape, which were 6.76, 5.52, 3.50, and 3.37, respectively. Generally, B. terrestris showed feeding preferences regarding different pollens and a mixture of pollens, which ultimately resulted in differences in colony development. The findings of this study provide important baseline information to researchers and developers of nutritive pollen diets for bumblebees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Eulecanium giganteum (Hemiptera: Coccidae), the giant eulecanium scale, for the territory of the European Union, following the commodity risk assessment of Acer palmatum plants from China, in which E. giganteum came to attention as a pest of possible concern. The pest is only known to be present in Asia, where it has been reported from China, India, Iran, Japan and eastern Russia (Primorsky Krai). The pest has not been reported within the EU. It is not listed in Annex II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. It is polyphagous, feeding on broad‐leaf trees and shrubs assigned to 41 genera in 22 plant families. Host plant species commonly found in the EU include apricot (Prunus armeniaca), elm (Ulmus spp.), grapevine (Vitis vinifera), maple (Acer spp.), oak (Quercus spp.), oriental plane (Platanus orientalis), pomegranate (Punica granatum), quince (Cydonia oblonga), silkworm mulberry (Morus alba), walnut (Juglans regia), and several ornamentals. Climatic conditions and availability of host plants in southern EU countries would most probably allow this species to successfully establish and spread. However, EU native natural enemies are anticipated to provide biological control and therefore reduce potential impacts. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry and spread. E. giganteum satisfies all the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest, other than the criterion on impact which is a key uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of plant-derived smoke on seed germination and plant growth, depending on concentration and time, are widely known. However, there are very few studies demonstrating that it provides tolerance to abiotic stresses. This study comprehensively compares the effects of SW and KAR1 on seed germination and morphological, biochemical, and molecular changes observable in the examined seeds. Moreover, the study shows that it regulates the expression of some genes encoding antioxidant enzymes in apricot seedlings (Prunus armeniaca L.) exposed to salinity stress (100 mM NaCl). The highest germination rate was 1:1000 DS with 60% and 1 μM KAR1 with 72%. In terms of shoot development, root and stem length, 1:100 concentration in the DS group and 1 μM concentration in the KAR1 group gave the best results. The shoot development rates were 95.83% and 87.50% in the DS and KAR1 groups, respectively. While the root length was 137.68 and 141.92 mm in the DS and KAR1 groups, respectively, the stem length was 103.78 and 102.67 mm, respectively. The data revealed that SW (1:1000 v/v) and KAR1 (1μM) increased the expression levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) genes in the samples taken from the apricot seedlings treated with salt at hours 3, 6 and 9. This increase varies in SW and KAR1 depending on time. When the biochemical results were examined, it was seen that the application of SW and KAR1 to the seedlings under salinity stress led to a significant decrease in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content. We can assert that SW is more effective than KAR1 on TBARS content. Morphological, molecular, and biochemical results revealed enhanced germination, growth, gene expression, and TBARS content in apricot seeds and seedlings exposed to SW and KAR1. This data may be applicable to more comprehensive trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the effect of shear rate, concentration (4–20 kg/m3) and temperature (20°C–60 °C) on the apparent viscosity of apricot gum solutions. Design/methodology/approach: Apparent viscosity has been measured using a rotational viscometer. Findings: It has been observed that the shear stress and apparent viscosity values increase at high concentrations in the prepared apricot gum solutions. However, it is understood that the higher the temperature in the operation conditions, the lower the apparent viscosity results. Power-law is found the best-fitting model to illustrate the changes in temperature and concentration. According to the consistency coefficient and flow behavior indices, the apricot gum displayed shear-thinning behavior (pseudoplastic). The apricot gum is a polysaccharide with amino and uronic acids, according to Fouirer Transform Infrared Spektrofotometre spectra. Practical implications: The results suggest that power-law model can be used to estimate the viscosity of apricot gum solutions at different temperatures and concentrations for applications for which flow behavior should be taken into account. Originality/value: Exudate gums have good rheological properties and, therefore, are widely used in the food industry. Apricot gum is a biodegradable and abundant polysaccharide that enhances viscosity, stabilizes suspension or emulsion and improves the flow properties of foods. Different rheological models are used to investigate rheological properties. However, those models are time-independent to fit the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to investigate the effects of essential oils on the mechanical and antimicrobial properties of protein-based edible films. Clove and apricot oils were added to whey protein isolate (WPI) solutions and were named C-WPI and A-WPI, respectively. Kaşar cheese was chosen as a food sample to investigate the behavior of modified films on a food product. It was observed that the oil-protein interaction increased the elasticity but decreased the strength of the emulsified films. The incorporation of oil into the film matrix resulted in a more opaque appearance but also increased thermal stability. It was detected that both types of essential oils impart antimicrobial properties of the films, but clove oil is more effective than apricot oil. In conclusion, the successful antimicrobial properties of the modified WPI film make it a potential packaging material, especially for food products prone to microbiological spoilage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Understanding the resource requirements, including the dietary needs, of threatened species is crucial for formulating effective conservation strategies, especially in ecologically sensitive arid and semi-arid regions. In recent years, there has been a significant decline in the population of goitered gazelles, a representative species in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate the components and seasonal variation in diet of the goitered gazelle. The primary foods of the goitered gazelles included Chenopodiaceae, Rosaceae, Gramineae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae. Furthermore, there was seasonal variation in the food composition and dietary preferences of the species. Based on these findings, we propose conservation recommendations for goitered gazelles and other herbivores living in arid and semi-arid regions. Global climate change, habitat fragmentation, and human interference have resulted in a significant, ongoing decline in the population of goitered gazelles. Effective conservation strategies require an understanding of resource requirements of threatened species, such as dietary needs. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the food composition and seasonal dietary changes of goitered gazelles through microhistological analyses of fresh feces. Fabaceae (11.5%), Gramineae (9.4%), Chenopodiaceae (20.2%), Asteraceae (10.1%), and Rosaceae (19.5%) formed the primary dietary components of goitered gazelle. Additionally, Krascheninnikovia arborescens (13.4%) and Prunus sibirica (16.3%) were identified as the key forage plants. Forbs (50.4%) were the predominant plants for grazing throughout the year, particularly in the spring (72.9%). The proportion of trees in the diet was highest in the autumn (36.7%) and comparatively lower in other seasons. Furthermore, the proportions of shrubs (22.0%) and graminoids (14.8%) both reached their peaks in the winter. Our findings indicate that goitered gazelles strategically forage seasonally to cope with resource bottlenecks, enhancing their adaptability to arid and semi-arid habitats. Our study provides essential ecological information for the conservation of goitered gazelles and emphasizes the importance of dietary studies of species of ecological significance in environmentally sensitive areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apricot has a long history of cultivation and has many varieties and types. The traditional variety identification methods are timeconsuming and labor-consuming, posing grand challenges to apricot resource management. Tool development in this regard will help researchers quickly identify variety information. This study photographed apricot fruits outdoors and indoors and constructed a dataset that can precisely classify the fruits using a U-net model (F-score: 99%), which helps to obtain the fruit's size, shape, and color features. Meanwhile, a variety search engine was constructed, which can search and identify variety from the database according to the above features. Besides, a mobile and web application (ApricotView) was developed, and the construction mode can be also applied to other varieties of fruit trees. Additionally, we have collected four difficult-to-identify seed datasets and used the VGG16 model for training, with an accuracy of 97%, which provided an important basis for ApricotView. To address the difficulties in data collection bottlenecking apricot phenomics research, we developed the first apricot database platform of its kind (ApricotDIAP, http://apricotdiap.com/) to accumulate, manage, and publicize scientific data of apricot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to a cluster of intractable gastrointestinal disorders with an undetermined etiology and a lack of effective therapeutic agents. Amygdalin (Amy) is a glycoside extracted from the seeds of apricot and other Rosaceae plants and it exhibits a wide range of pharmacological properties. Here, the effects and mechanisms of Amy on colitis were examined via 16S rRNA sequencing, ELISA, transmission electron microscopy, Western blot, and immunofluorescence. The results showed that Amy administration remarkably attenuated the signs of colitis (reduced body weight, increased disease activity index, and shortened colon length) and histopathological damage in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-challenged mice. Further studies revealed that Amy administration significantly diminished DSS-triggered gut barrier dysfunction by lowering pro-inflammatory mediator levels, inhibiting oxidative stress, and reducing intestinal epithelial apoptosis and ferroptosis. Notably, Amy administration remarkably lowered DSS-triggered TLR4 expression and the phosphorylation of proteins related to the NF-κB and MAPK pathways. Furthermore, Amy administration modulated the balance of intestinal flora, including a selective rise in the abundance of S24-7 and a decline in the abundance of Allobaculum, Oscillospira, Bacteroides, Sutterella, and Shigella. In conclusion, Amy can alleviate colitis, which provides data to support the utility of Amy in combating IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The five independent countries of Central Asia, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, contain one of the richest areas in the world for the specific and intraspecific diversity of temperate fruit and nut tree species. Research was carried out via the collaboration of national research and education institutes with local community-based agencies and farmer communities. Raw data (2014 observations) for almond, apple, apricot, cherry plum, currant, grapevine, pear, pomegranate, and walnut were collected at the household (HH) level across the five countries: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. A set of models was used, including household variety richness as the dependent variable, to understand the influence of socio-ecological variables on the amount and distribution of crop varietal diversity in the farmers' production systems. Four variables were included as explanatory variables of variety richness (fixed factors): ecoregion, ethno-linguistic group, management, and abiotic stress. The results show clear evidence that abiotic stress determines a higher richness of intra-specific diversity in the form of local varieties grown by farmers living in climatically unfavorable areas. The results for the studied ecoregions follow the same trend, with ecoregions with harsher conditions displaying a higher positive correlation with diversity. Mild environments such as the Central Asian riparian woodlands show an unexpectedly lower diversity than other harsher ecoregions. Ethno-linguistic groups also have an effect on the level of varietal diversity used, related to both historic nomadic practices and a culture of harvesting wild fruit and nuts in mountainous areas. The home garden management system hosts a higher diversity compared to larger production systems such as orchards. In Central Asia, encouraging the cultivation of local varieties of fruit and nut trees provides a key productive and resilient livelihood strategy for farmers living under the harsh environmental conditions of the region while providing a unique opportunity to conserve a genetic heritage of global importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mixed plantations utilize resources through specific strategies. However, the impact mechanism of mixed plantations on the water and nutrient use efficiency of different tree species remains unclear. Methods: Robinia pseudoacacia mixed (R. pseudoacacia and Amygdalus davidiana, RPAD; R. pseudoacacia and Armeniaca sibirica, RPAS) and monoculture stands (R. pseudoacacia, RP; A. davidiana, AD; and A. sibirica, AS) were used to determine mixing species relative to monoculture effects on leaf water (WUE), nitrogen (NUE), and phosphorus (PUE) use efficiencies and their potential drivers in the Loess Hilly Region. Results: Mixing R. pseudoacacia and A. sibirica is a good strategy to maximize soil nutrient resources. Compared to monocultures of all species, R. pseudoacacia and A. davidiana in RPAD and A. sibirica in RPAS had higher WUE and lower NUE and PUE; P limitation of R. pseudoacacia in mixed stands was lower than that in RP. Furthermore, R. pseudoacacia WUE was positively correlated with stand density and crown area, A. davidiana and A. sibirica were the opposite. Regarding all tree species, WUE was influenced by leaf dry matter content, leaf tissue density, and soil available P, while NUE, PUE, and N:P ratio were by average tree height and specific leaf area. Notably, irrespective of tree species, WUE exhibited a negative correlation with NUE and PUE, but a positive correlation with N:P ratio. Conclusions: Mixed plantations affect water and nutrient use efficiency by altering the above- and below-ground niche through tree structure, and there is a degree of trade-off between WUE, and NUE, PUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Lepidosaphes malicola (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), the Armenian mussel scale, for the territory of the European Union, following commodity risk assessments of Prunus persica and P. dulcis plants for planting from Türkiye, in which L. malicola was identified as a pest of possible concern. L. malicola is a polyphagous insect of temperate and arid areas, feeding on more than 60 plant species belonging to 26 families. Important crops significantly affected by L. malicola in parts of Asia include stone fruits (Prunus armeniaca, P. persica), pome fruits (Malus domestica, Pyrus communis), grapes (Vitis vinifera), pomegranate (Punica granatum), walnuts (Juglans regia) and ornamental plants (Berberis spp., Cornus spp., Jasminum spp., Ligustrum spp.). L. malicola has two generations annually. The overwintered eggs hatch from late May to early June. First‐instar nymphs crawl on the host plant for a short period, then settle to feed. Nymphs reach maturity in late summer or early autumn. Plants for planting, fruits and cut flowers provide potential pathways for entry into the EU. Host availability and climate suitability suggest that southern, central and some parts of northern EU countries would be suitable for the establishment of L. malicola. Despite being a pest in Armenia, Iran and Tajikistan, there is no evidence of it being a pest in Türkiye. L. malicola was detected in Bulgaria and Greece over 30 years ago, but there have been no records since, and its status is uncertain. Its ability to cause an impact in the EU is also uncertain. It is not listed in Annex II of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry. Except for the criterion of having an economic or environmental impact, for which there is great uncertainty, L. malicola satisfies all other criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High‐risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by defoliated 1‐ or 2‐year old bare root plants for planting (grafted or not) of 12 Prunus species (Prunus armeniaca, P. avium, P. canescens, P. cerasifera, P. cerasus, P. davidiana, P. domestica, P. dulcis, P. fontanesiana, P. persica, P. salicina, P. tomentosa) imported from Moldova, taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country. The evaluation identified three EU‐quarantine pests, Erwinia amylovora (protected zone quarantine pest), Xiphinema rivesi non‐EU populations and Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (protected zone quarantine pest), which were selected for further evaluation, based on defined criteria, including their presence in the applicant country. It should be noted that there is uncertainty regarding whether all relevant pests have been identified due to a limited number of scientific publications and pest surveys in Moldova. For the three selected pests, the risk mitigation measures proposed in the technical dossier from Moldova were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on it, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with Erwinia amylovora being the pest most frequently expected on the imported plants. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9823 and 10,000 bundles (comprising 10–20 plants per bundle) out of 10,000 bundles would be free from E. amylovora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, based on the analysis of the technological process of drying apricots on a tunnel-type drying machine, the governing parameters and the control parameters at the exit of dehydrator as well as disturbing factors were determined. Fruit and air control parameters at the outlet of the tunnel-type drying chamber were determined as the final value of the state vector components, the solution of the system of non-linear ordinary differential equations with distributed parameters, describing the static mode of the drying process. With respect to assessing the quality of drying process control, the requirements of minimum energy consumption during drying, achieving maximum productivity and maintaining the desired value of the residual moisture content of the product were used. In order to reach a compromise between these requirements, a Pareto-optimal solution of the problem was proposed, for which a linear fold of the first and second criteria was introduced and the dependence of the minimum value of a new criterion on the fold parameter was considered. Based on the analysis of the results, approximately 5 % reduction in energy consumption with a significant increase in the quality of the dried fruits could be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we identified the members of the small auxin-up RNA (SAUR) gene family in Prunus sibirica and analyzed their localization, phylogeny, duplication, cis-elements in the promoter, and expression patterns. In total, 57 PsSAURs were identified, which were randomly distributed along eight chromosomes. Among them, eight and ten pairs of segmentally duplicated genes and tandem duplication genes were found in 13 and 21 PsSAURs, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the PsSAURs were divided into five groups (Group A-E). Light-responsive, methyl jasmonate, abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and gibberellin, as well as low-temperature responsiveness, and defense and stress responsiveness were identified by analyzing PsSAURs promoter sequences. The collinearity analysis of P. sibirica SAURs and Prunus mume and Prunus persica SAURs family genes detected 35 and 59 pairs of gene pairs, respectively, and the Ks values of all collinearity gene pairs were almost less than 1. Expression pattern analysis showed that PsSAURs had different tissue and stage expression patterns. However, research on SAURs in non-model plants remains limited, and studies on the expression and function of SAURs are lacking. This study provides a foundation for further investigations into the functional analyses of SAURs in P. sibirica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is designed to determine the feasibility of using osmotic solutions formed after dehydration of apricot fruits for sugar fortification. The purpose of the study is to analyze the quality indicators of osmotic solutions obtained as a result of osmotic dehydration of apricot fruits and to develop a rational direction for their further use. The subject of the study was apricot fruits (Prunus armeniaca) of the Aurora variety and enriched sugar. It is proposed to enrich sugar with a derivative product formed during the production of candied fruits using the method of osmotic dehydration and drying from apricot fruits. The results of the study showed that, according to organoleptic indicators, the osmotic solution formed after the production of candied apricot fruits corresponded to the raw material. The mass fraction of dry substances in the osmotic solution is reduced by 25.24 %, and sucrose by 20.3 % due to dilution with cell juice of apricot fruits. The osmotic solution had a fairly high color, probably due to saturation with carotenoids, the concentration of which is 15.87 mg/100 ml. Due to the addition of osmotic solutions, the color of sugar increases by 87.3 units. ICUMSA, however, the sugar solution is transparent, without insoluble sediment, mechanical and other impurities. In addition, sugar is enriched with carotenoids, the mass concentration of which is 1.13 mg/100 g. The analysis showed that the addition of osmotic solutions to sugar does not entail a deterioration in their microbiological composition. A model has been developed for the rational processing of apricot fruits and the use of waste osmotic solutions, which can become the basis for sugar enrichment technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two kinds of fresh apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) samples were sulphurized in various concentrations of sodium metabisulfite solution at different immersion times. The sulphur contents in fresh apricot samples and in the apricot samples dried in open air for a week were determined as a function of immersion time. Variations of vitamins of K1, D2, E and phytosterols were determined as a function of sulphur content of two kinds of fresh apricot samples. It was observed that amount of vitamins of K1, D2 and E decreased with increasing concentrations of sodium metabisulfite solution and prolonging immersion time. Moreover, it was observed that there was no regular relationship between sulfur content and phytosterol changes in both apricot samples. While fatty acids such as palmitic acid, myristic acid and oleic acid were determined in all apricot samples, the palmitoleic acid, stearic acid and arachidonic acid were encountered in some samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to investigate effects of Benzyl Adenine and Zinc sulfate on Plum trees growth, at the field of Depart. Horticultural and Landscape, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, during the spring season of 2021. Spraying three different concentrations (0, 50, and 100) mg.L-1 of Benzyl adenine and foliar applications of Zinc sulfate with three different concentrations (0, 25, and 50) mg.L-1 on vegetative and root system traits, as well as the chemical content of Plum seedlings (Prunus domestica L.) grafted on to Apricot rootstocks. The experiment conducted using factorial experiment with a Randomized Complete Block Design and, three replicates, Two seedlings per treatment, were used. The results revealed significant differences concerning the foliar application of Benzyl Adenine, particularly at the 100 mg/L concentration. which had a substantial impact on various vegetative traits. Additionally, it exhibited a superior effect on root characteristics.. Conversely, Zinc element demonstrated significant superiority at the concentration of 50 mg/L concerning the same vegetative and root traits,. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research reveals the main reasons that prevent the extension of commercial apricot plantations in Ukraine and worldwide. This brief description includes eight cultivars from Ukrainian and foreign breeding programmes. The trials conducted in the Right-Bank subzone of the Western Forest Steppe of Ukraine. The plants from Ukrainian breeding programme 'Melitopolskyi Ranni?', 'Botsadivskyi', 'Siaivo', 'Kumir', 'Osoblyvyi Denysiuka', as well as the foreign one - 'Robada', 'Harogem', 'HJA-19', were distinguished by high adaptability to the complex of adverse overwintering factors in the above-mentioned region. These samples did not lose the acquired level of frost resistance under the influence of provoking thaws. A comprehensive assessment of drought resistance, based on water-holding capacity, turgor recovery degree, water deficiency, and leaves' hydration of the presented varieties, established that all variants of the experiment were not inferior to the best popular cultivars. According to the the biological feature of buds' formation at an early age, the cultivars 'Robada' and 'HJA-19' were characterized as early-fruiting. The yield and quality indicators for the 2021-2022 years of research were evaluated. Average fruit weight was noted in all samples, with the cultivar 'Siaivo' exceeding the average. To improve the assortment and enrich the apricot gene pool collections with the best samples suitable for cultivation in the Forest-Steppe Zone of Ukraine, according to the results of the study, the following researched cultivars were included in the collection of valuable samples of the common apricot gene pool of the Institute of Horticulture of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine: 'Melitopolskyi Ranni?,' 'Botsadivskyi,' 'Siaivo,' and 'Osoblyvyi Denysiuka'. These cultivars are sources of productivity and adaptability to abiotic factors of cultivation (winter and frost resistance, drought resistance). They are certified by the National Center of Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of microbial preparations (MP) on mineral nutrition, the productivity of the fruit plant nursery, as well as soil fertility indicators in the steppe Crimea were studied. The research was carried out in field small-plot experiments. The variants of experiment were: Azotobacterin (AB) and Diazophyte (DA)—diazotrophs; Phosphoenterin (PE) is a phosphate mobilizer; Complex of microbial preparations (CMP). It was established that MPs increase the total nitrogen content in the leaves of apricot seedlings: AB—by 73%; mahaleb cherry: DA—by 25%. The content of total phosphorus in the leaves of apricot and almond seedlings increased by 9–29% under the influence of PE and CMP relative to the control. The potassium content in the leaves of cherry plum and mahaleb cherry seedlings increased under the influence of CMP by 7 and 44% respectively. The use of PE and CMP led to an improvement in plant nutrition with nitrogen—on apricot and peach seedlings by 28–64%, phosphorus—by 9–70%, potassium—on cherry plum and apricot by 6–33% when growing seedlings in the second field of the nursery. The use of MP had little effect on the content of mobile forms of basic nutrients and humus in the soil. Improving the mineral nutrition of fruit plant seedlings using MP contributed to an increase in the output of standard planting material per unit area. The most effective were PE on peach and cherry seedlings, CMP—on apricot and cherry plum, which made it possible to obtain additional 3–29 thousand seedlings per hectare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of food safety and the role of transcriptomics and proteomics in advancing our understanding of this field. It highlights the various stages involved in ensuring food safety, including regulatory measures, research institutions, and proper food handling. The article also explores the potential applications of transcriptomics and proteomics in identifying hazards, assessing food quality, and developing strategies to enhance food safety. Several research articles included in this special issue provide insights into the use of these techniques in specific areas such as disinfection of Listeria monocytogenes, fruit size enhancement in apricots, characterization of biogenic amine-producing bacteria, identification of bioactive peptides in octopus skin mucus, and characterization of bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus faecium strains. The article concludes by emphasizing the value of this special issue for researchers interested in applying transcriptomics and proteomics to analyze food samples and enhance their understanding of food safety. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding proteins (Lhcb) play crucial roles in plant growth, development, and the response to abiotic stress in higher plants. Previous studies have reported that Lhcb genes were involved in the phytochrome regulation and responded to different light and temperature conditions in Poaceae (such as maize). However, the evolution and functions of Lhcb genes remains poorly characterized in important Rosaceae species. Results: In this investigation, we conducted a genome-wide analysis and identified a total of 212 Lhcb genes across nine Rosaceae species. Specifically, we found 23 Lhcb genes in Fragaria vesca, 20 in Prunus armeniaca, 33 in Malus domestica 'Gala', 21 in Prunus persica, 33 in Rosa chinensis, 29 in Pyrus bretschneideri, 18 in Rubus occidentalis, 20 in Prunus mume, and 15 in Prunus salicina. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Lhcb gene family could be classified into seven major subfamilies, with members of each subfamily sharing similar conserved motifs. And, the functions of each subfamily was predicted based on the previous reports from other species. The Lhcb proteins were highly conserved within their respective subfamilies, suggesting similar functions. Interestingly, we observed similar peaks in Ks values (0.1–0.2) for Lhcb genes in apple and pear, indicating a recent whole genome duplication event (about 30 to 45 million years ago). Additionally, a few Lhcb genes underwent tandem duplication and were located across all chromosomes of nine species of Rosaceae. Furthermore, the analysis of the cis-acting elements in the 2000 bp promoter region upstream of the pear Lhcb gene revealed four main categories: light response correlation, stress response correlation, hormone response correlation, and plant growth. Quantitative expression analysis demonstrated that Lhcb genes exhibited tissue-specific expression patterns and responded differently to low-temperature stress in Rosaceae species. Conclusions: These findings shed light on the evolution and phylogeny of Lhcb genes in Rosaceae and highlight the critical role of Lhcb in pear's response to low temperatures. The results obtained provide valuable insights for further investigations into the functions of Lhcb genes in Rosaceae, and these functional genes will be used for further fruit tree breeding and improvement to cope with the current climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food emulsifier are mostly prepared from a lipophilic lipid tail with a hydrophilic sugar head. In this study, the lipophilic tail was obtained from apricot kernels, which are food waste, and the hydrophilic head was gluconic acid instead of sugar, in order to draw attention to the non-cyclic poly hydroxyl compounds. Thus, oleic acid of apricot kernel was used as the lipophilic moiety of the prepared surfactant. So, apricot kernel was grinned and dried, oil was extracted using soxhlet apparatus, Physical and chemical parameters and fatty acids composition of the extracted oil had been determined. The extracted oil was then hydrolyzed into glycerol and a mixture of free fatty acids. The fatty acids mixture was separated. Then, oleic acid was extracted individually in pure form using supercritical CO2 extractor, it was then confirmed according to its melting point, Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) after esterification, elemental analysis, Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H1NMR), and mass spectrometry (MS) to detect the corresponding molecular ion peak. The pure individual oleic acid was converted to hydroxy stearic acid, which was then converted to an amphiphilic compound (surfactant) via esterification reaction with the hydrophilic gluconic acid, and afforded a new surfactant known as 2,3,4,5-tetrahydroxy-6-((9-((-2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexanoyl) oxy)octadecanoyl) oxy)hexanoic acid or stearyl gluconate for simplification. The structures elucidation of all synthesized compound was established according to elemental analysis and spectral data (Fourier transform infrared IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS). Moreover, the prepared compound was tasted for its antibacterial activity, and showed good activities against some types of bacteria. The surface-active properties, foamability, foaming stability and emulsion stability of stearyl gluconate were studied and compared with the properties of the well-known surfactant sucrose stearate, and it was clear that, the activity of stearyl gluconate as a surfactant was higher than that of sucrose stearate. Moreover, establishment of safety of this compound was performed using albino rats by acute oral toxicity and kidney and liver functions of these mice. On the other hand, the prepared surfactant was used in the production of low fat—free cholesterol mayonnaise as egg replacer. Texture properties and the sensory evaluation of the prepared mayonnaise showed that the properties were improved by using the new prepared surfactant. Thus, the prepared gluconyl stearate can be used as a safe food additive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Himalayan region supports a wide diversity of flora and fauna; hence it is home to many natural resources. Despite this, the people living here are struggling for essential needs such as food and nutrition. However, in Himalayan region, wild plants and their fruits contribute significantly to the livelihood of local people and communities. Several studies recommended that Himalayan wild fruits possess significant biologically active compounds, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. In addition, the presence of secondary metabolites in these plants gives them a prominent place in traditional medicinal systems. However, detailed investigation of health-promoting effects, chemical composition, and nutraceutical profiling is lacking in the variety of Himalayan wild fruits. Therefore, this review article will explore the information about wild edible fruits, such as health-promoting effects, chemical composition, and nutraceutical profiling in the Himalayan region. In this context, a detailed search was done through different search engines including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct and Google Scholar. Specific keywords were used to explore available data about Himalayan wild fruits. Several Himalayan wild fruits like Berberis asiatica, Celtis australis, Ficus palmata, Fragaria indica, Morus alba, Myrica esculenta, Phyllanthus emblica, Prunus armeniaca, etc. showed presence of important bioactive compounds responsible for different therapeutic activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anticancer, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, antimicrobial, etc. These fruits also possess high nutraceutical value. Hence this study presents detailed information about wild edible fruits which will be helpful in future for researchers, food industries, pharmaceutical industries, and several other government and non-government organisations in developing strategies to ensure food security by using these important wild fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it is aimed to determine the stomatal and chlorophyll densities in some apricot cultivars and to guide future studies on drought stress etc. in terms of some apricot cultivars. The study was carried out in 2018 and 2019 in the fruit collection garden of Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Horticulture on Iğdır, Roxana, Zaza, Tyrinthe varieties grafted on 8-year-old apricot rootstocks. Chlorophyll densities of the leaves of the varieties were determined with a device (NDVI Plantpen 300), stomatal dimensions and stomatal numbers were measured and counted under a microscope as a result of the moulding method from the underside of the leaf. Chlorophyll density was high in both sun and shade leaves of Tyrinthe cultivar. When monthly averages of stomatal numbers of all cultivars were analysed, a statistical difference was found. As a result of the analysis of variance, the highest value was observed in Tyrinthe variety, the highest values in terms of stomatal width and length occurred in September, and when the varieties were evaluated, Roxana variety in terms of width and Zaza variety in terms of length gave positive results. With this study, chlorophyll density and stomatal characteristics of some apricot varieties in Aydın ecology during the vegetation period were examined and it was tried to shed light on the relevant comments in future studies on physiological balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to measure LARE extract efficiency against the adults of B. zonata in both of first generation and second generation of the same pest. Data showed that the concentration effect (1: 40) of LARE extract sprayed against adults of B. zonata (first generation) on three groups of fruits, Guava, Peach and Apricot were sprayed by hand sprayer under laboratory conditions during the season (2022) successively. The percentages of mortality after 24 h., 48 h. and 72 hours were 73.75%, 5% and 21.25% respectively. But in the case of second-generation experiments, laying eggs for females' adults of B. zonata. Percentages total numbers of pupae were 100% of distorted adults exit were 32.56%. Data, illustrated that the percentage of (AChE), (GST) and (SOD) activity decreased significantly when sprayed LARE compared with the control by 22.5%, 39.14% and -- 2.98% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eurytomidae family includes many agricultural pests of economic importance. The apricot seed wasp (ASW) Eurytoma samsonowi Vassiliev, 1915 (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae), a major economic pest of apricot (Prunus armeniaca), was recently detected in apricot orchards in Gafsa, Southern-West of Tunisia. In this study, we investigated population dynamics and host plant range of this emerging pest. Moreover, we recorded its occurrence on almond, plum, and peach fruits. The monitoring of adult emergence showed that the ASW is a univoltine species. Adults emerged starting from the end of February to the end of March from "mummified" fruits remained attached on trees. Males emerged earlier than females by 3 to 7 days (protandry). Females started to lay eggs in unripe young fruits from March until April. Oviposition started, respectively, on the early ripening cultivar Bakour, then Bedri, Amor Leuch, and Bayoudhi. Up to seven eggs per fruit were deposited under natural conditions, and up to three larvae per fruit hatched. However, only one larva completed its development inside the seed. Larvae feed on the unripe developed seeds causing the premature fall of fruits, and some of the infested fruits remained attached on the trees after the harvest as "mummified" apricots. During post-harvest, full-grown larvae become grey and enter in diapause by June to overwinter inside the stones of fruits. Pupation occurs by the end of December to February. Examination of "mummified" fruits showed an infestation rate ranging from 98 to 99.89%. They are the primary source of infestation of next year crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is a fruit that belongs to the Rosaceae family; it has a unique flavor and is of important economic and nutritional value. The composition and content of soluble sugars and organic acids in fruit are key factors in determining the flavor quality. However, the molecular mechanism of sugar and acid accumulation in apricots remains unclear. We measured sucrose, fructose, glucose, sorbitol, starch, malate, citric acid, titratable acid, and pH, and investigated the transcriptome profiles of three apricots (the high-sugar cultivar 'Shushanggan', common-sugar cultivar 'Sungold', and low-sugar cultivar 'F43') at three distinct developmental phases. The findings indicated that 'Shushanggan' accumulates a greater amount of sucrose, glucose, fructose, and sorbitol, and less citric acid and titratable acid, resulting in a better flavor; 'Sungold' mainly accumulates more sucrose and less citric acid and starch for the second flavor; and 'F43' mainly accumulates more titratable acid, citric acid, and starch for a lesser degree of sweetness. We investigated the DEGs associated with the starch and sucrose metabolism pathways, citrate cycle pathway, glycolysis pathway, and a handful of sugar transporter proteins, which were considered to be important regulators of sugar and acid accumulation. Additionally, an analysis of the co-expression network of weighted genes unveiled a robust correlation between the brown module and sucrose, glucose, and fructose, with VIP being identified as a hub gene that interacted with four sugar transporter proteins (SLC35B3, SLC32A, SLC2A8, and SLC2A13), as well as three structural genes for sugar and acid metabolism (MUR3, E3.2.1.67, and CSLD). Furthermore, we found some lncRNAs and miRNAs that regulate these genes. Our findings provide clues to the functional genes related to sugar metabolism, and lay the foundation for the selection and cultivation of high-sugar apricots in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field surveys were carried out to assess the incidence of peach latent mosaic viroid in nine orchards of stone fruit trees in four growing regions of Poland. Forty of 119 peaches, six of 37 apricots, five of eight nectarines and one of four plums trees tested positive by RT-PCR for this viroid. Most of the infected stone fruit trees did not show any symptoms. Leaf yellow mosaic was only noticed on 'Maycrest' peach and 'Saturn' nectarine trees, and additional symptoms of cracked fruits with corky sutures and enlarged pits were observed on one 'Maycrest' tree. One or two isolates from each orchard and each species of infected tree were selected, and together, 11 isolates of peach latent mosaic viroid were used for genetic analyses. The nucleotide sequence similarity of selected isolates found in Poland was 93.6–100%. They shared 82.0–98.8% similarity with the viroid strains from different hosts and geographical regions. The phylogenetic analysis led to the clustering of all isolates detected during this study in the most numerous represented subgroup II-A, composed of peach latent mosaic viroid strains originating from different geographic regions and host plants. Although Polish isolates were clustered in the same subgroup, some differed in length and nucleotide sequences. It was shown that the genetic variability of isolates found in Poland was unrelated to the regions of their origin. A positive signal was obtained in dot-blot hybridization of all analyzed 11 isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing novel and low-emission multi-generation systems is attracting considerable critical attention. In this regard, a novel tri-generation of power, fresh water and hot air has been developed in this study based on solid oxide fuel cell. Power has been generated by a solid oxide fuel cell, a gas turbine cycle and a super-critical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle. An air flow has been heated in a heat exchanger and fresh water has been produced through a desalination unit. Super-critical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle, heat exchanger of hot air and desalination unit have been all triggered by a co-combusted gas of apricot stone and synthesis gases of solid oxide fuel cell. Analysis of variance has been utilized to identify the significant influences on power production, fresh water, hot air, emission effect of system and system efficiency. Multi-objective optimization has showed that apricot stone of 200 kg/h, fuel utilization of 0.77, current density of 9697 A/m2 and pressure ratio of 3 in gas turbine system are the optimum conditions. The system has produced 2.10 MW of power, 837 g/h of fresh water and 57 m3/h of hot air with an emission effect of 2069 kg/MW.h and an efficiency of 43.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, sulphurized apricots with different sulfur values were obtained from the factory in Malatya province. These apricot samples were kept at market temperature values (4, 26 and 40°C) in the package offered for sale, and their sulfur dioxide values were determined daily. As a result of the experimental periods, reduction rate and other data were determined by calculating the sulfur dioxide in the sample. Also, loss rate and kinetics of sulfur dioxide were determined from its change over time at different temperatures. From the results obtained, important findings such as shelf life of sulphurous apricots at different temperatures in the package, deterioration and effect of the sulfur dioxide value on the shelf life were obtained. According to the analysis results of apricots containing different amounts of sulfur, when the moisture and SO2 loss in dried apricot samples during their stay on the shelf were examined in the kinetic study, it was determined that it was suitable for the first order kinetic model for 4°C and the second order kinetic model for 26 and 40°C. From the experimental results, quite low sulfur removal values were obtained for the samples offered for sale after 980 hours at 4°C and 525 hours at 26°C. Moisture and SO2 losses accelerated after approximately 740 hours at a temperature of 40°C. In the sample containing 3280 ppm sulfur dioxide during shelf storage at 4°C, there was an 11% loss of sulfur dioxide after 980 hours. A 46% sulfur dioxide loss was determined in the same samples after 740 hours at 40°C. It has been determined that sulfur dioxide loss is greater at higher temperatures. When the storage conditions of the samples were examined in terms of humidity, it was observed that apricots lost their moisture in the range of 52-85% after 29 days at temperatures of 4 and 40 °C. Based on the fact that the water activity of the packaged sulfurized dried apricots offered for sale is 25%, in this study, an average shelf life of approximately 25 days was determined according to this value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prunus armeniaca L. known as apricot, is one of the important export products of Turkey and its kernel oil has become widely popular in different fields such as food pharmacy, aromatherapy and cosmetics industry. Apricot oil obtained from the kernels of apricots is characterized by high contents of oil, fiber, various minerals, proteins, vitamins and phenolics with health-improving effects. The aim of this study was to compare the fatty acid composition and some quality properties of 10 different kinds of apricot kernel oils produced by the different brands. The lowest value of free fatty acid with 0.30 % was determined in the A5 sample. The antioxidant activity results of A1 brand apricot oil sample were found similar to A4 brand apricot oil (P>0.05). In the results of the total phenolic content was lowest in A5 sample with 101.17 mg GAE/100g. The results of the highest antioxidant activity and total phenolic content were determined in the sample A3. The common major fatty acids in the analyzed oil samples were determined as oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid. Oleic acid was determined as the main unsaturated fatty acid component for all oil types except the A1 sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, five types of economic forest plots were selected as sample plots (Malus pumila, Juglans regia, Zanthoxylum bungeanum, Prunus persica, and Prunus armeniaca) in Gangu County, Gansu Province, and wasteland was used as a control to investigate the changes of soil organic carbon content in 0–100 cm of different economic forests in Gangu County. The results showed that the soil organic carbon content of different economic forests in Gangu County ranged from 12.65 ± 0.09...7.20 ± 0.13 g/kg in layer 0–10 cm. The soil organic carbon content at 0–100 cm depth ranged from high to low: apple (Malus pumila), pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum), walnut (Juglans regia), apricot (Prunus armeniaca), peach (Prunus persica) and wasteland. The SOC content of the five forest types and the wasteland showed apparent surface aggregation, with the highest SOC content of 17.20 g/kg for Malus pumila and the lowest SOC content of 12.65 g/kg for the wasteland in the 0–10 cm surface layer; in the 80–100 cm deep layer, the highest SOC content of 14.90 g/kg for Juglans regia and the lowest SOC content of 9.17 g/kg for the wasteland. SOC content was positively correlated (p < 0.05, n = 126) with soil water content, soil enzyme activity and soil microbial population, and significantly negatively correlated (p < 0.05, n = 126) with pH and soil bulk density. Overall, the mean value of SOC content in 0–100 cm soils of Malus pumila and Zanthoxylum bungeanum is higher among the five economic forest species in Gangu County. The mean SOC content of Malus pumila and Zanthoxylum bungeanum in 100 cm soil is relatively high among the five economic forest species, therefore Malus pumila is the preferred choice for economic forest planting in Gangu County, and in the future economic development and ecological restoration practice of Gangu County, it is recommended to plant a mixed forest planting pattern of Malus pumila and Zanthoxylum bungeanum, which is conducive to improving the potential carbon sink function of economic forests in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) is a popular fruit tree in Japan. However, the genetic factors associated with fruit trait variations are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated nine fruit-associated traits, including harvesting time, fruit diameter, fruit shape, fruit weight, stone (endocarp) weight, ratio of stone weight to fruit weight, and rate of fruit gumming, using 110 Japanese apricot accessions over four years. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed for these traits and strong signals were detected on chromosome 6 for harvesting time and fruit diameters. These peaks were shown to undergo strong artificial selection during the differentiation of small-fruit cultivars. The genomic region defined by the GWAS and XP-nSL analyses harbored several candidate genes associated with plant hormone regulation. Furthermore, the alleles of small-fruit cultivars in this region were shown to have genetic proximity to some Chinese cultivars of P. mume. These results indicate that the small-fruit trait originated in China; after being introduced into Japan, it was preferred and selected by the Japanese people, resulting in the differentiation of small-fruit cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frost stress is a major environmental factor that limits apricot growth in the warm temperate zone (WTZ) of China, and is always triggered by extreme low temperature weather processes. In this study, the characteristics of the apricot frost processes f(D, Tcum), which were identified from historical disaster representation, were analyzed and apricot frost evaluation indicators were developed, thus facilitating the process-based assessment and spatiotemporal analysis of apricot frost processes. Periods of low temperature that persist for 1~2, 3, and ≥4 days (i.e., duration days, D) provide the initial identification indicator for light, moderate, and severe apricot frost. The threshold ranges for Tcum are 0~3.9, 9.2~12.0, and >16.2 for D values of 1~2, 3, and ≥4, respectively. The northwest of the WTZ is dominated by apricot frost, with approximately 80% of apricot frost being light, followed by moderate and severe. Regional apricot frost exhibited a significant decreasing trend over the last four decades. A total of 29.65% of stations, which were mainly located in the northwest and middle parts of the study region, detected an increasing trend in apricot frost. The results provide technical support for targeted apricot frost level detection, and the process-based spatiotemporal characteristics of apricot frost can provide basic information for the prevention and mitigation of apricot frost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted during February to July, 2020 and 2021 at the Horticultural Research Station Seobagh, Himachal Pradesh, India to evaluate various attributes of plum under the mid-hill temperate zone. Ten plum cultivars Red Beaut, Au Rosa, Au Amber, Satluj Purple, Kala Amritsari, Shiro, Frontier, Mariposa, Black Amber, Queen Rosa, and Angeleno grafted on wild apricot were evaluated alongside with numerous standards in a high-density experimental orchard, and these types were compared with the "Santa Rosa" variety as a control. According to the findings, Red Beaut ripened first whereas the cultivar Mariposa took 150 days from flowering to harvest, making it the last to be picked. The cv. Au Rosa had the largest trunk girth (44 cm), cv. Mariposa likewise had the longest shoots, measuring 180 cm, cv. Frontier had the highest fruit output per tree (145 kg), closely followed by the cv. Black Amber (140 kg) which also has maximum fruit size (5.4 cm), and weight (130 g). The cv. Frontier (14.1°B) showed the highest TSS, followed by the cv. Mariposa (14.0°B), while the cv. Kala Amritsari showed the lowest TSS. The plum cultivar Kala Amritsari displayed the highest fruit acidity, at 2.3%. Due to their ability to extend the repining period from May through August, the plum cultivars Red Beaut, Frointer, Mariposa, and Black Amber were found to be appropriate for commercial cultivation in Himachal Pradesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orchard thinning can avoid biennial bearing and improve fruit quality, which is a necessary agronomic section in orchard management. The existing methods of artificial fruit thinning and chemical spraying are no longer suitable for the development of modern agriculture. With the continuous acceleration of the construction process of modern orchards, blossom thinning mechanization has become an inevitable trend in the development of the orchard flower and fruit management. Based on relevant reports in the past 20 years, the paper discusses the current level of development of mechanized blossom thinning technologies and equipment in orchards from three aspects: mechanism research, machine development, and intelligent upgrading. Firstly, for thinning mechanism research, three directions were investigated: the rope flexible hitting force, thinning agronomic requirements, and the fruit tree growth model between thinning and fruit yields. Secondly, for marketable machine developments, two types of machines were investigated: the hand-held thinner and tractor-mounted thinner. The hand-held thinner is mainly suitable for traditional old orchards with a messy canopy structure, especially in the interior and top of the canopy. The tractor-mounted thinner is mainly suitable for orchards with the same crown structure, such as the hedge type, trunk type, and V-type. Thirdly, for equipment intelligent upgrading, the research of the intelligent detection algorithm for inflorescence on the fruit tree was investigated, for species including the apple, pear, citrus, grape, litchi, mango, and apricot. Finally, combining the advantages and disadvantages of the research, the authors propose thoughts and prospects, which can provide a reference for the design and applications of orchard mechanized blossom thinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prunus fruit seeds are one of the main types of agri-food waste generated worldwide during the processing of fruits to produce jams, juices and preserves. To valorize this by-product, the aim of this work was the nutritional analysis of peach, apricot, plum and cherry seeds using the official AOAC methods, together with the extraction and characterization of the lipid profile of seed oils using GC-FID, as well as the measurement of the antioxidant activity and oxidative stability using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging method. Chemometric tools were required for data evaluation and the obtained results indicated that the main component of seeds were oils (30–38%, w). All seed oils were rich in oleic (C18:1n9c) and linoleic (C18:2n6c) acids and presented heart-healthy lipid indexes. Oil antioxidant activity was estimated in the range IC50 = 20–35 mg·mL−1, and high oxidative stability was observed for all evaluated oils during 1–22 storage days, with the plum seed oil being the most antioxidant and stable over time. Oxidative stability was also positively correlated with oleic acid content and negatively correlated with linoleic acid content. Therefore, this research showed that the four Prunus seed oils present interesting healthy characteristics for their use and potential application in the cosmetic and nutraceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b b evelopment of higher plants and in response to abiotic stress. Previous works has demonstrated that that Lhcb genes were involved in the phytochrome regulation and responded to the different light and temperature conditions in Poaceae (such as maize). However, the evolution and functions of Lhcb genes remains poorly characterized in important Rosaceae species. Results: In this investigation, we conducted a genome-wide analysis and identified a total of 212 Lhcb genes across nine Rosaceae species. Specifically, we found 23 Lhcb genes in Fragaria vesca, 20 in Prunus armeniaca, 33 in Malus domestica 'Gala', 21 in Prunus persica, 33 in Rosa chinensis, 29 in Pyrus bretschneideri, 18 in Rubus occidentalis, 20 in Prunus mume, and 15 in Prunus salicina. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Lhcb gene family could be classified into seven major subfamilies, with members of each subfamily sharing similar conserved motifs. And, the functions of each subfamily was predicted based on the previous reports from other species. The Lhcb proteins were highly conserved within their respective subfamilies, suggesting similar functions. Interestingly, we observed similar peaks in Ks values (0.1–0.2) for Lhcb genes in apple and pear, indicating a recent whole genome duplication event (about 30 to 45 million years ago). Additionally, a few Lhcb genes underwent tandem duplication and were located across all chromosomes of nine species of Rosaceae. Furthermore, the analysis of the cis-acting elements in the 2000 bp promoter region upstream of the pear Lhcb gene revealed four main categories: light response correlation, stress response correlation, hormone response correlation, and plant growth. Quantitative expression analysis demonstrated that Lhcb genes exhibited tissue-specific expression patterns and responded differently to low-temperature stress in Rosaceae species. Conclusions: These findings shed light on the evolution and phylogeny of Lhcb genes in Rosaceae and highlight the critical role of Lhcb in pear's response to low temperatures. The results obtained provide valuable insights for further investigations into the functions of Lhcb genes in Rosaceae, and these functional genes will be used for further fruit tree breeding and improvement to cope with the current climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, based on the analysis of technological process of drying apricots in a tunnel-type dehydrator, the main mode parameters, control variables of the object and disturbing factors were determined. With the heat-mass exchange equations and control charts of the dried product, with established distribution of the temperature and moisture content of the drying agent, taking into account certain assumptions and initial conditions, a system of ordinary differential equations with distributed parameters for convective drying of fruits in a tunnel-type dehydrator was established. In the system of process heat-mass exchange equations, the drying coefficient in the first and second periods and heat exchange coefficient were determined as a result of identification. The solution of the problem of determining these parameters was reduced to the solution of the minimization problem of the criterion for evaluating the quality of the mean square deviation between the solutions of experimental and heat-mass exchange equations results of the apricot drying process. The dependence curves between the equilibrium moisture content of apricots and relative moisture content of the working agent as well as the temperature obtained as in experimental and theoretical studies of the drying process allowed us to judge the adequacy of the developed mathematical model at 95-98 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]