Differences in fruit colour development,anthocyanin content,fruit quality and consumer acceptability of eight ‘Gala’ apple strains

The effect of strain on fruit colour development, chromaticity values and anthocyanin content, fruit quality and consumer acceptance was evaluated on eight ‘Gala’ apple strains (Malus domestica Borkh.) at the IRTA (Spain), during a period from 4 weeks before to 1 week after commercial harvest. Based on fruit colour, measured with a Minolta CR-200 portable tristimulus colorimeter, and anthocyanin content, the most coloured strains were ‘Royal Beaut’, ‘Buckeye Gala’ (both semistriped) and ‘Ruby Gala’ (blushed). ‘Brookfield’ and ‘Schniga’ (both striped) provided an intermediate level of colour, while ‘Galaxy’ and ‘Mondial Gala’ (both striped) were the least coloured ones. The most important increase in colour development was recorded from 2 weeks before the commercial harvest and continued also increasing after harvest. Highly coloured strains developed a red colour on both fruit sides with greater average of fruit surface coloured, while the less coloured strains exhibited different colouration between sides, more bicolour fruits and lower average of fruit coloured.     

Effect of high temperature stress on the reproductive growth of strawberry cvs. ‘Nyoho’ and ‘Toyonoka’

High temperatures are known to reduce fruit size and fruit weight in strawberry, but cultivar differences in the response to high temperature stress during the reproductive stage up to the second inflorescence have not been sufficiently reported. We examined the effect of two day/night temperature regimes on fruit set and fruit growth in two cultivars, ‘Nyoho’ and ‘Toyonoka’. A high day/night temperature of 30/25 °C reduced the number of inflorescences, flowers, and fruits in both cultivars compared with plants grown at 23/18 °C. The percentage of fruit set in ‘Nyoho’ was not significantly different between the two temperature treatments, while that in ‘Toyonoka’ was much lower at 30/25 °C than at 23/18 °C. Days to ripening was shorter at 30/25 °C than at 23/18 °C, and no cultivar differences were observed. Fresh weight of primary, secondary, and tertiary fruits was greater at 23/18 °C than at 30/25 °C in both cultivars, and no cultivar differences were observed, except in tertiary fruits. The diameter of fruits from all positions was also reduced at 30/25 °C in both cultivars. Relative growth rates of fruits showed two peaks in both cultivars and in both temperature treatments. Both peaks appeared earlier at 30/25 °C than at 23/18 °C. Percentage of fruit set at 30/25 °C in the second inflorescence was also significantly lower in ‘Toyonoka’ than in ‘Nyoho’. These results indicate that high temperature stress negatively affects the reproductive process in strawberry and that plant response to high temperature stress is cultivar-related in such responses.     

Effect of distance from early flowering pollinizers ‘Maypole’ and ‘Dolgo’ on ‘Fiji’ fruit set

An apple orchard consisting of a single cultivar under the condition of natural pollination must have suitable pollinizers such as Crab apples to ensure stable fruit production. We selected ‘Maypole’ and ‘Dolgo’ as pollinizers for the cultivar ‘Fuji’, and investigated the rate of fruit and seeds in ‘Fuji’ fruits produced by pollen of the pollinizers. We developed a method for tracing pollen flow based on the leaf color of progeny and S-RNase allele of ‘Maypole’, and on Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) analyses of ‘Maypole’ and ‘Dolgo’. These were powerful tools for determining the distance insects (mainly Osmia cornifrons) carry pollen from the pollinizers to ‘Fuji’. Although the fruit set of ‘Fuji’ apples was not reduced with increasing distance between ‘Fuji’ apple trees and pollinizers (probably due to pollen flow from other commercial cultivars planted outside the area), the rate of ‘Fuji’ apple fruit produced by the pollen of the pollinizers decreased with increasing distance. The rate of fruit produced by the pollinizers was 84% and 77% when ‘Fuji’ was 2.5 m from ‘Maypole’ and ‘Dolgo’, respectively, and 71% and 64% when ‘Fuji’ was 5 m from ‘Maypole’ and ‘Dolgo’, respectively, but was reduced to 47% and 39% when ‘Fuji’ was 10 m from ‘Maypole’ and ‘Dolgo’, respectively. However, the spacing could cause reduced fruit size, and require extra fruit thinning for producing large fruits. It could also cause reduction of the yield for increasing the planting area of pollinizers. We recommend that pollinizers should be planted not more than 10 m from ‘Fuji’.     

Effect of Glomus mosseae and Entrophospora colombiana on plant growth,production, and fruit quality of ‘Maradol’ papaya (Carica papaya L.)

The effect of inoculating ‘Maradol’ papaya plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Glomus mosseae (GM) and Entrophospora colombiana (EC) was assessed. The results showed that both mycorrhizae species increased the number of fruits and yield in papaya plants by 41.9 and 105.2% for GM and 22.1 and 44.1% for EC, respectively, with respect to control plants. GM significantly increased plant height. Sugar content, firmness, color (°Hue), and ripening process of mycorrhized plant fruits were similar to those of the control. Weight loss of mycorrhized plant fruits was considerably less than that of the control. Inoculation of papaya with AMF is recommended, particularly with GM since it increases yield, and fruit weight (45.1%), furthermore, it reduced fruit weight loss during ripening.     

Field performance characterization of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) plants derived from cryopreserved apices

This study compares agronomic traits of two cultivars of strawberry in plants derived from conventional propagation, micropropagation and cryopreserved apices. The agronomic traits evaluated were fruit production and fruit quality. Differences were found in some of the fruit production traits studied in the plants post-micropropagation and post-cryopreservation when compared to conventionally propagated plants of the cultivar ‘Andana’; showing the first two groups higher second class yield and smaller fruits. Plants of the cultivar ‘Camarosa’ post-cryopreservation showed differences in traits related to fruit quality when compared to the other two groups of plants (internal colour, firmness and soluble solids). No adverse effect on agronomic traits could be associated with the use of cryopreservation. Plants from in vitro and cryopreservation origin were phenotypically similar to the conventional propagated plants in production field.     

观赏南瓜新品种‘鑫球’

 观赏南瓜‘鑫球’是由自交系‘38’和‘45’杂交选育而成的新品种。果实橙黄色,近圆 球形,直径9 ~ 10 cm,平均单瓜质量349 g。早熟、坐果力强,主、侧蔓均可结果,但以主蔓结果为主, 生育期100 ~ 115 d,适应性强,抗逆、抗病性强,适合用作盆栽及保护地和露地栽培。     

Differential effect of cultivar and harvest date on nectarine colour,quality and consumer acceptance

The influence of nectarine cultivar and the harvest date on fruit colour, fruit size, fruit quality parameters, and consumer acceptance were assessed. The analyses were carried on cultivars with different fruit taste (acidity and sweetness), from 5-years-old trees at the IRTA-Experimental Station of Lleida (Spain). The six cultivars were grouped in three pairs in which each had a similar commercial harvest date. Each pair comprised by a non-acid cultivar and an acid cultivar, except the pair of ‘Big Top^®’ and ‘Mesembrine^®’, which included two non-acid cultivars. The nectarines were harvested at 8 days intervals on five harvest dates, three of which were before the commercial harvest date, one at commercial harvest and another 1 week after commercial harvest.     

Partitioning of C-photosynthates from different current shoots neighboring with fruiting spur in later-maturing Japanese pear during the period of rapid fruit growth

To elucidate the fate of photosynthates from different current shoots and their influence on fruit growth and bud differentiation in neighboring spur complex during the period of rapid fruit growth in two late-maturing Japanese pear cultivars: ‘Atago’ and ‘Shinkou’ with contrasting fruit size, ¹³C labeling of single shoot was done to investigate of C-relations in fruit branches of eight shoot-combinations. The results showed that all of the current shoots investigated (bourse shoots of nonfruiting spur, bourse shoots of fruiting spur, extension shoot, nonfruiting spur, vegetative shoot, and water sprout) could export photosynthates to the neighboring fruit and buds. Water sprouts together with vegetative shoots, bourse shoots, and extension shoots are important source for fruit growth after shoot growth termination during the period of rapid fruit growth in production of late-maturing pears. The carbon transfer rate from the neighboring to the fruit bearing spur is depent (i) on the types of shoot which acts as C source, (ii) on the position of the fruiting spur and (iii) on the source-sink distance. Furthermore, the cultivar difference in carbon partitioning from different current shoot-combinations confirmed that the movement of photosynthates into the fruit was determined by sink strength of the fruit, and ‘Atago’ exhibited a greater relative sink strength of fruit than ‘Shinkou’. In addition, vegetative shoots are very important C sources for fruit growth in ‘Atago’ and the growth pattern of bourse shoot seriously affects C allocated to fruit in ‘Shinkou’.     

早熟桃新品种‘锦玉’

 ‘Jinyu’is a early-ripening peach cultivar derived from the cross of‘Zhaohui’בOkayama Wase’. Its average fruit weight is 167 g,and the biggest one is 210 g. The fruit is oblong with red blush. The flesh is white,melting,sweet and semi-freestone. The soluble solids content is 13.2%. The average fruit development period is 72 days.     

Production of intraspecific hybrids between wild-type and petaloid-sepal cultivars in Habenaria radiata

Orchids are commercially important plants with flowers that are unique and very specialized in shape and color. The flowers consist mostly of sepals, lateral petals, lip (labellum) and column, and are zygomorphic and resupinate. Whereas most orchid species have petaloid tepals in the first and second whorls, Habenaria radiata has a flower with greenish sepals and white lateral petals and lip. ‘Hishou’, one of the cultivars of H. radiata, is a floral homeotic mutant and has a petaloid median sepal and lip-like lateral sepals in the first whorl. Additionally, this cultivar often has non-resupinate flowers whereas wild-type H. radiata flowers are resupinate. In the present study, we investigated the genetic inheritance of these characters in the ‘Hishou’ cultivar by crossing it with wild-type plants. Some intraspecific hybrids, which were confirmed by PCR-RFLP analysis, had flowers with a petaloid median sepal and lip-like lateral sepals in the first whorl, indicating that these were dominant characters. Since the remainder of the intraspecific hybrids had wild-type flowers, these characters must be heterozygous in ‘Hishou’ plants. Although ‘Hishou’ plants had non-resupinate flowers, intraspecific hybrid flowers were resupinate, even though they had the petaloid median sepal and lip-like lateral sepals. This result indicates that non-resupination must be a recessive character. Since sepal-petalization and triple lip characters of ‘Hishou’ inherited dominantly, these characters can be utilized for the breeding of Habenaria species by intra- and interspecific crosses.     

Changes in organic acids and acid metabolism enzymes in melon fruit during development

A novel melon cultivar (‘Flavor No. 3’) containing high acid concentration as well as high sugar content in the mature fruit was successfully bred out. The aim of this study is to determine the main organic acids present in this novel melon and to clarify the mechanisms of acid accumulation. Fruit development and acid accumulation patterns in ‘Flavor No. 3’ were compared with those of a conventional low-acid melon, ‘Xuelihong’. The titratable acidity (TA) and organic acids in fruits were measured at different developmental stages. There is a positive correlation between TA and citric acid content in ‘Flavor No. 3’, indicating that citric acid is the predominant organic acid present throughout the fruit development. The activities of the enzymes involved in citric acid metabolism, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), citrate synthase (CS), aconitase (ACO), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), and malic enzyme (ME), were determined. Although no single enzyme was responsible for citric acid accumulation throughout the fruit development, the activities of ACO and ME were positively correlated with citric acid concentration in the two cultivars from 5 to 25 days after pollination (DAP). Moreover, ACO and ME activities in ‘Flavor No. 3’ increased over time and were higher than those in ‘Xuelihong’, resulting in citric acid accumulation in the fruits of ‘Flavor No. 3’. Although a sharp decrease in ACO activity took place after 25 DAP in the fruits of ‘Flavor No. 3’, the earlier accumulation of citric acid was sufficient enough to maintain the high acid concentration until the melon fruits became mature.     

抗裂与易裂枣内源激素含量和细胞壁代谢相关酶活性比较

 以枣抗裂果品种‘圆铃枣’和易裂果品种‘俊枣’为材料,测定了果实生长发育曲线、果 形指数及种子败育率,并对果皮、果肉、种子中内源激素含量及果皮、果肉中细胞壁代谢相关酶的活性 进行了检测。结果表明,‘俊枣’果形指数和种子败育率均显著高于‘圆铃枣’。果实发育后期‘俊枣’ 果皮中的GA3 含量、果肉中的IAA 含量明显高于‘圆铃枣’,而‘圆铃枣’果肉及种子中的ABA 含量高 于‘俊枣’;‘俊枣’果肉及种子中（GA3 + IAA + ZT）/ABA 的比值在整个果实生长发育期均高于‘圆铃 枣’。果实生长发育后期‘俊枣’果皮中的果胶酶及纤维素酶活性高于‘圆铃枣’,且‘俊枣’果肉中的 POD 及PPO 活性也较高。以上结果显示,枣果实生长发育后期易裂品种‘俊枣’果肉中的IAA 积累较多, 而抗裂品种‘圆铃枣’果肉及种子中ABA 含量显著高于易裂品种;易裂品种‘俊枣’果肉及种子中（GA3 + IAA + ZT）/ABA 的比值较高,果皮中的果胶酶、纤维素酶活性影响裂果的发生,其POD 及PPO 活性相 对较高。     

月季新品种‘多俏’

 月季新品种‘多俏’,藤本,茎干纤长,叶色中绿,生长势较强;花重瓣,深玫红色,花径5.1 cm;花序伞房状;花期4-11 月;花后基本不结实。     

Fruit set and embryo rescue in crosses using parthenocarpic ‘Mopanshi’ persimmon

The ‘Mopanshi’ persimmon is a seedless, astringent parthenocarpic cultivar that does not produce male flowers. After pollination using four non-astringent cultivars (‘Zenjimaru’, ‘Nishimurawase’, ‘Okugosho’ and ‘Hanagosho’), seeds were produced to different degrees. ‘Mopanshi’ fruits pollinated with ‘Zenjimaru’ produced far more seeds than those pollinated with the other three cultivars. The ratio of abnormal seeds obtained from the fruits pollinated with ‘Hanagosho’ was higher than that obtained from the fruits pollinated with the other three cultivars. Most embryos degenerated in the early to late stages of seed development. Immature embryos were cultured in a modified MS medium (half of NO₃ in MS medium + 0.4 μM BA + 0.1 μM IBA) with the greatest success (52–80%) from embryos taken from fruits 60–80 days after pollination. Seedlings failed to initiate radicles so they were transferred to dark culture conditions for 8 days or to a rooting media that contained 3% sucrose and 1% Chinese ink. The seedlings on the medium darkened with ink rooted at greater than 90.83% compared to 75.83% for dark cultured seedlings. This study demonstrated that ‘Mopanshi’ persimmon could be used as a female parent in crosses, but embryos needed to be moved to tissue culture conditions to continue to develop and form plantlets.     

甜瓜CmACOⅠ启动子组织特异性表达研究

 为进一步明确甜瓜果实软化的分子机理,构建了ACC氧化酶Ⅰ基因（CmACOⅠ）启动子与GUS基因融合的植物表达载体,采用根癌农杆菌介导法转化甜瓜‘甘甜一号’。通过卡那霉素抗性和 PCR检测筛选呈阳性的转化植株,取不同组织进行X-Gluc染色。结果表明,转化植株的根、茎、叶、花、果实等器官组织经X-Gluc染色后,只在花药组织和成熟果果皮中出现蓝色斑点,其余组织均未检出,表明甜瓜CmACOⅠ启动子能够驱动GUS基因在转基因甜瓜花药和成熟果果皮中特异表达。     

Selection of potential pollinizers for ‘Hass’ avocado based on flowering time and male–female overlapping

Avocado production is dependent on the singular synchronous protogynous dichogamy of the species that promotes outcrossing. With the objective of selecting potential pollinizer avocado genotypes for ‘Hass’, the most important avocado cultivar worldwide, we have monitored during two consecutive years the flowering phenology of 27 avocado genotypes in South-eastern Spain. The average length of the flowering season was 45 days ranging from 18 days for ‘Harvest’ to 50 days for ‘Fuerte’. The earliest genotypes to flower were ‘Fuerte’ and ‘Shepard’ that started blooming during the third week of March. The latest genotypes to flower were ‘Colin V-33’, ‘Adi’, ‘OA184’ and ‘Harvest’, which started blooming in the second week of April. ‘Hass’ blooming lasted 30 days, from the first week of April until the second week of May. Since a good pollinizer must present not only an overlapping in the flowering season but also an overlapping in sexual stages with the pollinated cultivar, a group of 12 genotypes (‘Hass’, ‘Fuerte’ and 10 genotypes producing ‘Hass-like’ fruit with good overlapping in the flowering season with ‘Hass’) was studied with more detail determining daily the stages of male and female overlapping every 2 h. Results herein indicate that ‘Marvel’ and ‘Nobel’ showed a high sexual overlapping with ‘Hass’. Taking into account the flowering phenology, the overlapping in sexual stages and the fruit set obtained with hand-pollinated flowers in the field, those two genotypes could be an interesting alternative to the current use of ‘Fuerte’ as pollinizer for ‘Hass’ in South-eastern Spain.     

Growth characteristic and sink strength of fruit at different CO2 concentrations in a Japanese and a Dutch tomato cultivar

The aim of the present study was to elucidate how fruit growth was limited by the source and sink capacities in a Japanese (‘Momotaro York’) and a Dutch (‘Dundee’) tomato cultivar. The two cultivars were grown hydroponically with a high-wire system in greenhouses for 25 weeks, and the growth characteristics and sink strength of fruit were determined. Fruits were pruned to four (4F) or one (1F) per truss. The latter were used to determine potential fruit growth, an indicator of fruit sink strength. Growth was also determined under normal (LC) and enriched (HC, 700 μmol mol⁻¹) CO₂ concentrations to examine the effect of source enhancement on fruit production. In both cultivars under normal CO₂, the growth rate of fruit pruned to 4F per truss was lower than that in 1F, indicating that maximum potential fruit growth was not achieved. Under HC conditions, fruit growth rate of ‘Dundee’ achieved in 4F trusses was lower than that in 1F. In ‘Momotaro York’ in HC, fruit growth in 4F trusses was close to potential. This implies that fruit growth was source-limited irrespective of CO₂ concentrations in ‘Dundee’ cultivar while fruit growth in ‘Momotaro York’ under normal and enriched CO₂ conditions was limited by source and sink strengths, respectively. Adjustments of cultural practices including increasing fruit number per truss and/or genetic approaches to enhancing fruit sink strength by breeding may improve fruit yields of Japanese cultivars under high source/sink conditions.     

木耳新品种‘吉黑 1 号’

 木耳新品种‘吉黑1 号’,菌丝体洁白浓密,菌落边缘整齐,气生菌丝发达呈绒毛状。子实 体单片簇生,单个耳片直径3.2 ~ 5.8 cm,厚0.11 ~ 0.13 cm,“小孔”栽培单片耳率最高可达90%以上。 为中晚熟品种,从接种到采收118 ~ 130 d。每100 kg 干料产鲜木耳79.8 kg。对绿色木霉等杂菌抗性较强。     

苹果无融合生殖砧木‘青砧 1 号’

 苹果无融合生殖砧木‘青砧1 号’是1999 年通过杂交育种获得,母本为平邑甜茶（Malus hupehensis Rehd.）,父本为柱型苹果株系CO（Malus × domestica Borkh.）。该砧木树体柱形,无融合生殖坐果率97.0% ~ 98.1%,种子繁殖,实生苗整齐,可以直接作为基砧嫁接‘嘎拉’、‘乔纳金’、‘烟富3’ 和‘烟富6’等主栽品种,表现亲和性好,成苗率高;嫁接树抗重茬病能力强,并且成花早,产量高,果实品质优,适于在环渤海湾、黄土高原等中国苹果主产区应用。     

5-Aminolevulinc acid increases tree yield and improves fruit quality of ‘Rabia’ and ‘Sukkariat-Yanbo’ date palm cultivars under hot arid climate

Date palms growing in hot arid regions are generally facing several kinds of environmental stresses which limit tree growth and productivity and negatively affect fruit quality. During 2009 and 2010 seasons, the effects of 5-aminolevulininc acid (5-ALA) application at different rates on yield, fruit quality, pigment contents and nutrient uptake of ‘Rabia’ and ‘Sukkariat-Yanbo’ date palm cultivars were studied. In both cultivars, the application of 5-ALA significantly increased bunch weight and yield per tree compared to control. The highest bunch weight and yield per tree was achieved by 5-ALA at 200 ppm followed by 250 ppm applied on both fruit bunches and leaves. These were reflected on higher fruit and flesh weight and fruit length, at the bisir and rutab stages. However, the application of 5-ALA at 250 ppm only on fruit bunches without leaves significantly increased bunch weight and yield per tree compared to control only in ‘Sukkariat-Yanbo’ but not in ‘Rabia’ cultivar. There were significant interaction effects between treatments and seasons on bunch weight and yield in ‘Rabia’ but not in ‘Sukkariat-Yanbo’ cultivar. The rutab % was not significantly affected by any of the applied treatments and it was higher in 2009 than in 2010 season in ‘Rabia’, however, the opposite was true in ‘Sukkariat-Yanbo’ cultivar. Most of the physical parameters of fruit quality at both the bisir and rutab stages were significantly improved in both cultivars by 5-ALA application compared to control, in contrast to the biochemical parameters that were not affected. In both cultivars, chlorophyll a concentration significantly increased by 5-ALA application especially at 200 and 250 ppm on both leaves and fruits compared to control. While chlorophyll b concentration was not significantly affected by the 5-ALA application, total chlorophyll concentration was significantly higher at 250 ppm 5-ALA application than control in both cultivars. There were no significant differences among the different rates of 5-ALA application. Chlorophyll a/b ratio was not significantly affected by 5-ALA application compared to control. The concentrations of N, P and K in the leaves of both cultivars were not significantly affected by the 5-ALA application compared to control. It was concluded that 5-ALA application has promotive effects on yield, fruit quality and chlorophyll concentration of both ‘Rabia’ and ‘Sukkariat-Yanbo’ date palms under hot arid climate.