Changes in sugars,acids, and volatiles during ripening of koubo [Cereus peruvianus (L.) Miller] fruits

The columnar cactus Cereus peruvianus (L.) Miller, Cactaceae (koubo), is grown commercially in Israel. The unripe fruits are green, and the color changes to violet and then to red when the fruit is fully ripe. The content of soluble sugars was found to increase 5-fold during ripening. Glucose and fructose were the main sugars accumulated in the fruit pulp, and each increased from 0.5 to 5.5 g/100 g fresh weight during ripening. The polysaccharides content decreased during ripening from 1.4 to 0.4 g/100 g fresh weight. The titratable acidity decreased and the pH increased during ripening. The major organic acid found in the fruit was malic acid, which decreased from 0.75 g/100 g fresh weight at the mature green stage to 0.355 g/100 g fresh weight in ripe fruits. Citric, succinic, and oxalic acids were found in concentrations lower than 0.07 g/100 g fresh weight. Prominent accumulation of aroma volatiles occurred toward the end of the ripening process. The main volatile found in the ripe fruit was linalool, reaching concentrations of 1.5-3.5 microg/g fresh weight.     

Edible coatings influence fruit ripening, quality, and aroma biosynthesis in mango fruit

The effects of different edible coatings on mango fruit ripening and ripe fruit quality parameters including color, firmness, soluble solids concentrations, total acidity, ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, fatty acids, and aroma volatiles were investigated. Hard mature green mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. Kensigton Pride) fruits were coated with aqueous mango carnauba (1:1 v/v), Semperfresh (0.6%), Aloe vera gel (1:1, v/v), or A. vera gel (100%). Untreated fruit served as the control. Following the coating, fruits were allowed to dry at room temperature and packed in soft-board trays to ripen at 21+/-1 degrees C and 55.2+/-11.1% relative humidity until the eating soft stage. Mango carnauba was effective in retarding fruit ripening, retaining fruit firmness, and improving fruit quality attributes including levels of fatty acids and aroma volatiles. Semperfresh and A. vera gel (1:1 or 100%) slightly delayed fruit ripening but reduced fruit aroma volatile development. A. vera gel coating did not exceed the commercial mango carnauba and Semperfresh in retarding fruit ripening and improving aroma volatile biosynthesis.     

Characterization of monkey orange (Strychnos spinosa Lam.), a potential new crop for arid regions

The green monkey orange (Strychnos spinosa Lam., Loganiaceae), a tree indigenous to tropical and subtropical Africa, produces juicy, sweet-sour, yellow fruits containing numerous hard brown seeds. The species has recently been introduced into Israel as a potential new commercial crop. However, little is known about its agronomical performance, fruit development and ripening, or postharvest physiology. The current study shows that during ripening in storage, the peel color changes from green to yellow, accompanied by a climacteric burst of ethylene and carbon dioxide emission. Total soluble solids slightly increased during storage, whereas total titratable acidity and pH did not change significantly. The major sugars that accumulated during ripening in storage were sucrose, glucose, and fructose, and the main acids, citric and malic acids. The main volatiles present in the peel of ripe fruits were phenylpropanoids, trans-isoeugenol being the major compound.     

Temporal sequence of cell wall disassembly events in developing fruits. 1. Analysis of raspberry (Rubus idaeus)

Raspberry fruits were harvested at five developmental stages, from green to red ripe, and the changes in cell wall composition, pectin and hemicellulose solubilization, and depolymerization were analyzed. Fruit softening at intermediate stages of ripening was associated with increased pectin solubilization, which occurred without depolymerization. Arabinose was found to be the most abundant noncellulosic neutral sugar in the cell wall and showed dramatic solubilization late in ripening. No changes in pectin molecular size were observed even at the 100% red stage. Subsequently, as fruit became fully ripe a dramatic depolymerization occurred. In contrast, the hemicellulosic fractions showed no significant changes in content or polymer size during ripening. The paper discusses the sequence of events leading to cell wall disassembly in raspberry fruit.     

Antioxidant systems and their relationship with the response of pepper fruits to storage at 20 degrees C

Fresh peppers (Capsicum annuum L., variety California) in their green and red ripe stages were stored at 20 degrees C for 7 and 19 days to determine the effects of storage on whole fruit antioxidant capacity (TAA) and ascorbate (ASC) content, as well as on some antioxidant enzyme activities, such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and those of the ASC-glutathione cycle. At least one Mn-SOD, two Fe-SODs, and three CuZn-SODs were detected in the fruit extract after native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. All of the SOD isozymes and glutathione reductase had higher activity levels in the red control fruits than in the green fruits, whereas the activities of monodehydroascorbate and dehydroascorbate reductase were higher in green fruits. Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) was found to be similar in both fruits. SODs, CAT, and APX seem to be involved in pepper fruit ripening and senescence during storage at 20 degrees C, perhaps influencing the active oxygen species levels in the fruit. TAA, as well as the ASC content, was higher in red peppers than in green, and storage increased the ASC in both green and red fruits.     

Phenolic composition of strawberry genotypes at different maturation stages

The effects of maturation (green, pink, and ripe) on phenolic composition of strawberry cultivars Camarosa, Dorit, Chandler, and Osmanli and their hybrids were investigated using a high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. p-Hydroxybenzoic acid, p-coumaric acid, ellagic acid, cyanidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-glucoside, kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin were individually quantified for each stage. The highest amounts of anthocyanins were obtained from ripe fruits whereas ellagic acid was found as the main phenolic in the green fruits. Phenolic concentrations were found statistically different in green and ripe fruits. One hybrid was found to have higher phenolic contents than the other genotypes. The p-hydroxybenzoic and p-coumaric acid levels changed during maturation, but no differences in contents of flavonoids in green and ripe fruit were detected.     

线辣椒新品种天椒17号选育报告

为了保障甘谷辣椒产业健康发展,选育出适宜当地栽培的辣椒新品种,天水市农业科学研究所对甘谷线辣椒生产田发现的制干优良单株采用网室选育和日光温室加代选育相结合的系谱选育方法,育成了制干线辣椒新品种天椒17号。在2015 — 2016年进行的甘肃省线辣椒新品种多点区域试验中,天椒17号2 a 12点(次)干椒平均折合产量为5 011.80 kg/hm2,较对照品种甘谷线椒增产14.71%。天椒17号为早中熟制干线辣椒,定植到红果成熟历时100 d左右。株高84.5 cm,生长势较强。果线型,果顶尖,果面皱,果长20.40 cm,果粗1.20 cm,果肉厚0.12 cm,单果重7.4 g,单株结果51个左右,青熟果深绿色,红熟果深红色,辣味强。椒果辣椒素含量为0.091 g/kg,二氢辣椒素含量为0.063 g/kg,可溶性固形物含量为148.300 g/kg,抗坏血酸含量为744 mg/kg,斯科维尔指数(SHU)为2 650,辣度为18度。中抗烟草花叶病毒病、疫病,高抗黄瓜花叶病毒病。适宜在甘肃省河西、陇中、陇东南地区及气候条件相近地区栽培。     

Papaya fruit ripening: response to ethylene and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP)

Ripening affects the quality and nutritional contents of fleshy fruits, and papayas are climacteric fruits very susceptible to postharvest losses due to the fast softening caused by ethylene. This paper reports the changes in respiration, ethylene production, and pulp color and firmness, along with the contents of soluble sugars and major carotenoids, during ripening of 'Golden' papaya, an important Brazilian cultivar that has been exported to North American and European markets. The results obtained for nontreated and ethylene- or 1-MCP-treated papaya suggest that 1-MCP can decrease the quality of treated fruit and that even the use of ethylene for triggering or inducing homogeneous ripening can result in lower quality when compared to that of fruit allowed to ripe naturally.     

Ochratoxin A on green coffee: influence of harvest and drying processing procedures

Ochratoxin A is a metabolite produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium species that is nephrotoxic and possibly carcinogenic to humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate ochratoxin A contamination in green coffee obtained by different harvesting and drying operations and from fruits of different ripening stages in order to identify hazards. The research was directed to coffees from the highland area of Rio de Janeiro state (Brazil), which is traded in the domestic market. Twenty-two out of 54 samples contained ochratoxin A at levels ranging from 0.3 to 160 microg/kg. Ochatoxin A contamination levels between different ripe stage fruits were not significant (P > 0.05). "Varri??o" coffee, consisting of fruits that fell from the tree spontaneously and stayed longer on the ground before being harvested, was the most contaminated. Eleven out of 14 samples of varri??o coffee were contaminated. Three out of 10 samples from the northwestern region of the state were positive for ochratoxin at levels ranging from 10.1 to 592 microg/kg. The contaminated samples had in common the fact that they were harvested directly from the soil.     

Kohlehydratfraktionen im reifenden Weizenkorn unter dem Einfluß von Stickstoff und Chlorcholinchlorid

Components of carbohydrates in wheat kernels during the ripening process influenced by nitrogen fertilization and chlorcholinchloride The variability of carbohydrates was analysed in ripening kernels of wheat treated with nitrogen and chlorcholinchloride. 1. Proceeding ripening in wheat kernels (green, yellow, matured kernels) shows an important decrease of monosaccharides and total sugar. A distinct Influence of CCC — just as a possible postponement of ripening — marked with usually higher contents of monosaccharides and total sugar could be ascertained in green kernels only. 2. The synthesis of starch is not influenced by high nitrogen fertilization and essentially finished till the grain is yellow. By CCC-treatment, compared with untreated plants, a much lower content of starch is caused in green and yellow grains, in matured such differences are detectable scarcely. The decrease of starch content with high nitrogen fertilization is more important than that caused by CCC.     

Micronutrients in the fruits and leaves of irrigated and non-irrigated coffee plants

The growing requirement for micronutrients by increasingly more productive Robusta coffee genotypes and for the expansion of coffee plantations into low fertility soils has led to the need for better understanding of the micronutrient dynamics in Robusta coffee plants. The aim of the present study was to investigate micronutrient concentrations and their accumulation from flowering to fruit ripening, as well as micronutrient leaf concentrations throughout the year, in irrigated and non-irrigated Coffea canephora plants. Three-year-old Robusta coffee plants of genotype 02 were used. The fruit micronutrient accumulation curves for irrigated and non-irrigated Robusta coffee plants were best fitted by sigmoid functions. Irrigation resulted in higher micronutrient accumulation in fruits. Iron and boron were the micronutrients found in the highest amounts in fruits and leaves.     

How does tomato quality (sugar, acid, and nutritional quality) vary with ripening stage, temperature, and irradiance?

The objective of this study was to understand the respective impact of ripening stage, temperature, and irradiance on seasonal variations of tomato fruit quality. During ripening, concentrations in reducing sugars, carotenes, ascorbate, rutin, and caffeic acid derivates increased, whereas those in titratable acidity, chlorophylls, and chlorogenic acid content decreased. Fruit temperature and irradiance affected final fruit composition. Sugars and acids (linked to fruit gustative quality) were not considerably modified, but secondary metabolites with antioxidant properties were very sensitive to fruit environment. Increased fruit irradiance enhanced ascorbate, lycopene, beta-carotene, rutin, and caffeic acid derivate concentrations and the disappearance of oxidized ascorbate and chlorophylls. Increasing the temperature from 21 to 26 degrees C reduced total carotene content without affecting lycopene content. A further temperature increase from 27 to 32 degrees C reduced ascorbate, lycopene, and its precursor's content, but enhanced rutin, caffeic acid derivates, and glucoside contents. The regulation by light and temperature of the biosynthesis pathways of secondary metabolites is discussed.     

Application of FTIR spectroscopy for the quantification of sugars in mango juice as a function of ripening

FTIR-ATR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis were used for quantification of sugars in mango juices as a function of ripening. Calibration was based on sucrose/glucose/fructose mixtures, with six concentration levels and following a triangular experimental design. PLS1 regression of the spectra first derivatives gave the best results, enabling quantification of fructose, sucrose, and glucose with 1.4, 1.4, and 4.9% prediction errors, respectively. Throughout ripening, sucrose and fructose were accurately quantified by PLS-FTIR, whereas the accuracy of glucose determination decreased at later stages, when concentrations fell to 0.6-1.5 g/L. These results enabled a correlation with fruit ripening stage to be established. This may be particularly useful to detect over-ripening in fresh fruits, a period when other indicators (pH and % soluble solids (SS)) do not change significantly; this knowledge may help in predicting fruit stability to transport and storage. Similar information obtained for nonfresh juices (in which pH and %SS may be masked by additives), may help determine whether the source fruits had suitable ripening stages.     

Effect of top-dressed potassium fertilization on the yield and quality of cucumber

The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of top-dressed potassium (K) application on the production of hybrid cucumber “Sapphire.” The experimental design was a randomized complete block, with five blocks of 0.80 × 0.40 m² each and eight replicate plants per block. The five fertilization rates of K used were 0, 45, 90, 135, and 180 kg K₂O ha^?1. Data collection consisted of the estimation of fruit diameter, fruits length, fruit fresh and dry weights, the number of fruits per plant, and the weight of fruits per plant. The number of fruits per hectare and the fruit fresh weight per hectare were calculated. Fruit tissue was analyzed for determination of macronutrient concentrations, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, sugar contents, and protein content. The data were statistically analyzed using regression analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA). There was a significant effect of the fertilization rate of K on fruit diameter, fruit fresh and dry weights, macronutrients concentrations in fruits, titratable acidity, soluble solids, and reducing sugars. A quadratic equation was adjusted for the number of fruits per plant and per hectare; fruit yield per plant and per hectare, with maximum top-dressing doses, was estimated to be between 60 and 95 kg K₂O ha^?1. A linear increase was obtained in the pH. An increase in the K fertilization rate caused a linear decrease in the fruit length.     

Macronutrient Accumulation in Coffee Fruits at Brazilian Zona Da Mata Conditions

Macronutrient accumulation in fruits and concentrations of these nutrients in leaves of fruit-bearing branches of arabica coffee were studied between anthesis and maturation. The experiment was carried out in a 2.0 × 1.0 m spacing of an arabica coffee orchard, collecting fruits and leaves of 18 randomized parcels at 12 sampling times, using a split-plot design. The largest accumulation rates of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S) were observed at the rapid expansion fruit stage, among 79 to 85 DAA (Days after the anthesis). Compared to the other nutrients, Ca and Mg accumulation occurred quickly in the 1st suspended growth stadium.     

生长调节剂处理对高州矮香蕉贮藏品质的影响

以高州矮香蕉为试材,研究了1-甲基环丙烯(1-MCP)和外源乙烯处理对香蕉贮藏品质的影响。结果表明,200nl/L 1-MCP处理可显著抑制香蕉可溶性糖和可溶性固形物含量上升,延缓果实硬度下降,从而延缓香蕉后熟进程;20μl/L外源乙烯对1-MCP处理果实的后熟进程影响不明显。     

设施栽培条件下桃树果实不同发育时期~(14)C-同化物的运转及分配特性

利用放射性同位素14C-示踪方法研究了设施桃树果实不同发育时期14C-同化物的运转分配特性。结果表明:在果实膨大期和果实成熟期,分配到果实中的14C-同化物均最多,且随着果实生长,分配到果实中的14C-同化物增加。叶片的自留量小于果实获得的14C-同化物量,且随果实生长,叶片的自留量越少。在各器官中果实的竞争势最强,其次叶片与根系也具有较强的竞争势。14C-同化物在各器官的分配状况与各器官积累的可溶性总糖和淀粉含量相对应。     

ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF PEPPER PLANTS FERTILIZED WITH PELLETIZED POULTRY MANURE

Poultry manure (PM) has been traditionally applied to crops for decades as an organic fertilizer, because it is a good and balanced source of plant nutrients. Its effect on plant growth and yield has been widely investigated and is well known. However, there has been little effort to relate elemental compositions of the manure applied to their concentrations in the plants. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of PM on the growth, and essential and non-essential element composition of pepper (Capsicum annuum) leaves and also fruits. Pepper plants were grown in soil with 0, 10, 20, and 40 g kg^?1 PM under greenhouse conditions. Concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), chloride (Cl), nickel (Ni), bromine (Br), rubidium (Rb), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), lanthanum (La), and cerium (Ce) in leaves at the flowering stage and in fruits were determined by polarized energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (PEDXRF). Poultry manure fertilization significantly improved pepper shoot growth and also fruit yield, and increased leaf and fruit P concentrations but not N, K, Mg, Si, Al, Ni, and Fe. Leaf Ca was significantly reduced by increased rate of PM application. Applied PM increased the concentrations of leaf and fruit Zn and Cl. Poultry manure applications had a positive effect on the concentrations of leaf Cu, and fruit Mn. The concentrations of Rb and Ce in fruits and Br in fruit and leaves were increased by PM treatments. Applied PM levels had no clear effect on the concentrations of Ba and La in pepper leaves. The leaf Ba was the highest with 10 g kg^?1 PM, and leaf La was higher in 20 and 40 g kg^?1 PM treatments than in the control.     

施氮水平对富士苹果果实钙形态及品质的影响

  【目的】   钙是影响苹果果实品质最重要的元素之一,施氮量影响树体对钙的吸收。探究不同施氮量对果实品质、钙形态以及二者之间的关系的影响,以期为通过科学施肥改善苹果果实品质提供参考。   【方法】   本研究选择5年生盆栽富士 (基砧为组培山定子,中间砧为SH38) 为试材,共设6个施氮水平:0 (N₀)、50 (N₅₀)、100 (N₁₀₀)、200 (N₂₀₀)、300 (N₃₀₀) 和400 (N₄₀₀) kg/hm2,各处理施钙量相同,均施Ca 200 kg/hm2。从花后7天开始,每7天施1次肥,共施3次。于果实成熟期采样,测定果实横纵径、果皮色泽、果实硬度、可溶性固形物、可滴定酸、可溶性糖、维生素C含量等果实品质指标,以及果实总钙含量和不同形态钙含量。   【结果】   施氮可增加果实总钙含量,N₂₀₀处理总钙含量显著高于其它处理,比N₀处理增加了73.47%。随施氮量的增加,果实中不同形态钙的组成比例发生了变化,水溶性钙比例整体呈上升趋势,果胶酸钙比例变化趋势不明显,磷酸钙比例呈先下降后升高趋势。N₂₀₀处理的果形指数、果皮亮度、红绿色差、可溶性固形物、可溶性糖和维生素C含量比N₀处理分别增加了4.46%、41.07%、67.12%、27.02%、26.71%和38.08%,可滴定酸含量降低了22.49%。总钙含量与果形指数、果皮亮度、红绿色差、果实硬度、可溶性固形物、可溶性糖、维生素C含量等果实品质指标之间呈高度相关。通过广义线性模型 (GLM),建立了不同形态钙 (响应变量) 与果实品质指标 (预测变量) 之间的关系,经矫正的AIC模型检验,选出最佳拟合模型,并通过MuMIn程序包的dredge函数评估各形态钙对果实品质指标的影响程度及方式 (促进或抑制),发现各形态钙对不同果实品质指标影响程度不同。果胶酸钙对果形指数、黄蓝色差、果实硬度、可滴定酸、可溶性糖、维生素C的影响位居首位,水溶性钙对果皮亮度、红绿色差和可溶性固形物的影响位居首位;果胶酸钙对各项品质指标均起促进作用,水溶性钙、磷酸钙和草酸钙对不同品质指标影响方式不一。   【结论】   施氮可增加果实中总钙含量,改变各形态钙的组成比例。施氮量为200 kg/hm2时,果实中总钙含量最高,对果实品质指标影响最大的钙形态是果胶酸钙和水溶性钙,果胶酸钙对果实各项品质指标均起促进作用。     

Antioxidant Metabolism during Fruit Development of Different Acerola ( Malpighia emarginata D.C) Clones

The present research work describes the major changes in the antioxidant properties during development of acerola from five different clones. Ripening improved fruit physicochemical quality parameters; however, total vitamin C and total soluble phenols (TSP) contents declined during development, which resulted in a lower total antioxidant activity (TAA). Despite the decline in TSP, at ripening, the anthocyanin and yellow flavonoid content increased and was mainly constituted of cyanidin 3-rhamnoside and quercetin 3-rhamnoside, respectively. The activities of oxygen-scavenging enzymes also decreased with ripening; furthermore, the reduction in vitamin C was inversely correlated to membrane lipid peroxidation, indicating that acerola ripening is characterized by a progressive oxidative stress. Among the studied clones, II47/1, BRS 237, and BRS 236 presented outstanding results for vitamin C, phenols, and antioxidant enzyme activity. If antioxidants were to be used in the food supplement industry, immature green would be the most suitable harvest stage; for the consumer's market, fruit should be eaten ripe.