Qualitative traits and chemical properties of 32 peach cultivars (yellow flesh and white flesh fruits) and 52 nectarine cultivars (yellow flesh and white flesh fruits) of different pomological ...characteristics is performed, and the correlation between cultivars and chemical characteristics is analyzed. Yellow nectarines have a higher variability in soluble solids concentration (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA) values. Evaluation of color parameters (a*, b*, L*) shows a significant interaction between pulp color (white vs. yellow) and types (peaches vs. nectarines) of fruit. The difference between yellow and white fruits is stronger in nectarines than in peaches. Sucrose is the main sugar detected in peach fruits, with a percentage content of 78.37% and 76.70% of the total sugar content in yellow and white peaches, respectively, and 78.29% and 78.12% in yellow and white nectarines, respectively. Variability is found among cultivars for the chemical compounds analyzed. The yellow flesh has higher amounts of total carotenoids and TPC, while white-flesh fruits present an average antioxidant value higher than yellow-flesh fruits. No significant correlation is found for polyphenol content and DPPH, while an interaction (
< 0.005) between neochlorogenic acid content and peaches and nectarines is evidenced, with a neochlorogenic acid content higher in nectarines than in peaches.
In the present study, we have characterized for the first time the volatile fraction of 20 pomegranate juices from fruits harvested in Northern Italy and southern Montenegro, by means of headspace ...solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry technique (GC–MS). The volatile profile accounted for 57 compounds belonging mainly to three chemical classes: alcohols, aldehydes and terpenes. Thanks to advance chemometric analysis, the samples were clusterized according to the geographical origin, and the volatiles responsible for differentiation were identified, indicating that the use of volatile profile for discriminating between pomegranate ecotypes grown in different geographical areas is a promising approach.
Overall, the chemical information acquired represents a very relevant tool for the retrieval and exploitation of minor varieties and in support of biodiversity of these promising geographical areas for pomegranate cultivation.
Olive (
L.) is an evergreen xerophytic tree characterizing vegetative landscape and historical-cultural identity of the Mediterranean Basin. More than 2600 cultivars constitute the rich genetic ...patrimony of the species cultivated in approximately 60 countries. As a subtropical species, the olive tree is quite sensitive to low temperatures, and air temperature is the most critical environmental factor limiting olive tree growth and production. In this present review, we explored the detrimental effects caused of low temperatures on olive cultivars, and analyzed the most frequently experimental procedures used to evaluate cold stress. Then, current findings freezing stress physiology and gene are summarized in olive tree, with an emphasis on adaptive mechanisms for cold tolerance. This review might clear the way for new research on adaptive mechanisms for cold acclimation and for improvement of olive growing management.
The olive is a long-lived evergreen tree, capable of regenerating itself from any part of the plant (pollard tree). This characteristic has allowed the olive trees to survive across the centuries ...until they become real natural monuments. The aim of this work has been to study the monumental “Olivo della Strega” (“Witch’s Olive tree”) olive tree, located in the olive orchard of Santissima Annunziata church, in Magliano (Grosseto, Italy), a tree with a special place in local history and folklore and with estimated age over 700 years. The morphometric data of leaf, fruit, stone and pollen were used to characterize the phenotype, while genetic diversity was assessed on the basis of microsatellite markers. The morphological and genetic analysis pointed to two clearly distinguishable parts in the “Olivo della Strega” tree, called sample left (SL) and sample right (SR). This ancient plant consists of two different genotypes: one part (SL) was identified as cv Frantoio and the other (SR) as an unknown genotype. Moreover, traditional (in vivo conservation) and advanced techniques (cryopreservation) have made conservation achievable to preserve its genetic heritage. In particular “Olivo della Strega” pollen was stored for 1 year in liquid nitrogen. The morphology of pollen grains, viability and germinability of fresh and long term cryopreserved pollen were observed at different times during preservation, without revealing significant differences.
Exposing fruits and vegetables to UVB radiation post-harvest is a technique used to modify secondary metabolites and prolong their shelf life. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects ...of UVB irradiation on the chemical and physical characteristics of fig cv. Dottato fruits. The UVB irradiation was 2.26 Wm−2. Two exposure times were carried out: 10 and 60 min resulting in a UVB dose of 1.4 and 8.1 kJm−2, respectively. In the control, the UVB was eliminated by a polyester film (control −UVB). After treatment, the fig fruits were stored and analyzed at different times until decay. Quality parameters (decay, weight loss, color, chlorophyll, and firmness) and physicochemical parameters (soluble solids content, pH parameters, and titratable acidity) were positively influenced by irradiation. Total and individual sugars increased gradually during the storage period in both the skin and the flesh, with glucose being higher after 10 days in the UVB treated samples. Total carotenoid content increased gradually during the storage period, with a marked increase in the +UVB fruit. The content of total and individual polyphenols was positively influenced by UVB treatment, with the UVB treated samples showing the highest values at both 7 and 10 days. The study showed an increase in by-products in both the skin and the flesh. This research confirms the effectiveness of UVB radiation in improving the nutritional qualities and shelf life of Ficus carica fruits.
Biochar has been reported to improve soil fertility and growing medium performance. However, the role that biochar plays in plant nutrition is not completely understood, especially in plants grown ...under nutritional stress. Recent research indicates that the addition of biochar increases produce yield of tomato grown under salinity stress and drought; however, little information is available about the effects of biochar on fruit quality parameters. The use of biochar as a growth substrate in an intensive greenhouse cropping system may have the capacity of replacing non-renewable and less sustainable growing media like peat and in addition being a strategy to optimize chemical fertilisation. This work aimed to investigate the effects of biochar, as a potential candidate to replace peat, on tomato growing in soilless conditions under nutritional stress. Plant biomass accumulation, leaf fluorescence and chlorophyll, fruit yield and fruit quality parameters were measured as performance indicators. Biochar increased the green biomass, but it did not significantly affect yield or most quality parameters, apart from potassium content in ripe fruits. These results suggest that biochar has great potential as a peat alternative material and plant growth promoter, but no ability to improve tomato yield, under nutritional stress.
The use of biostimulants and/or biofertilizers has acquired considerable importance and can contribute to the sustainable management agriculture, reducing the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, ...and water. This study aims to assess the effects of Effective Microorganisms (EM) and Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW) on the growth, photosynthetic performance and polyphenols content of the medicinal plant Tanacetum balsamita. The EM and OMW were used at two dilution rates. The EM was added to 5% v/v and 10% v/v, while OMW was added to 2.5% v/v and 5% v/v in plants at the early growth stage. After 75 days of treatment, all the treated plants had a leaf number and leaf area almost 2-fold higher than in the Control plants. Moreover, the treatments, at all the concentrations applied had a positive effect on the photosynthetic activity, with an improvement both in terms of the quantum yield of photosynthesis and electrons transport efficiency. The best photosynthetic and growth performances in the treated plants coincided with the higher production of phenolic compounds; indeed, after 75 days, the content of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and isochlorogenic acid was even 2-fold of the Control plants. Also, rutin content was 1.28–1.50-fold respect to the Control extracts. The highest phenolic compound content was reflected by the highest antiradical activity, found in the extracts of the treated plants. The effectiveness of EM to increase the growth and quality of plants and in particular, the potential use of OMW on the cultivated crop was confirmed to this study.
(1) Background: The fig tree (
L.) is widely cultivated in the Mediterranean area and it produces fruits largely consumed in the Mediterranean diet. Previous studies have shown that this fruit ...represents a rich source of (poly)phenols, which are mainly located in the peel rather than the pulp. In our study, fig peel derived from twelve different cultivars located in Tuscany was assessed for its (poly)phenol profile. (2) Methods: The (poly)phenol characterization was performed through ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to multiple-stage mass spectrometry. (3) Results: Twenty-eight (poly)phenolic compounds were quantified in the investigated fig peel. It was possible to observe an interesting variability in the (poly)phenol content among the twelve cultivars of fig peel. Rutin and 5-caffeoylquinic acid were the main compounds in the greenish fig peel, while cyanidin-3-
-rutinoside was the main component in the dark-violet fig peel. (4) Conclusions: fig peel could be used as a (poly)phenol-rich ingredient in several food products to increase the bioactive compound content of foods. Moreover, dark-violet peel could be considered potentially suitable as a natural food colorant.
The phenotypic and genotypic variability of olive tree Leccino cv ('Olea europaea' L.), an ancient cultivar from North-Central Italy, was investigated using 44 quantitative and qualitative ...agro-morphological traits, SDS-PAGE of seed proteins (storage proteins and tegument proteins) and molecular markers such as RAPDs (30 primers) and SSRs (8 primers). Fifteen accessions of Olea europaea catalogued as "Leccino" and one certified tree of "Leccino" (LESt) were examined. The plants were clonally propagated and the measuring of all morphological characteristics was conducted over a period of seven years. The ANOVA analysis showed that all accessions were homogenous for many traits while very few variations were recorded for length of one year old shoots, leaf width, leaf length/leaf width ratio, fruit length, fruit fresh weight, fruit length/fruit width ratio, pit length and pit fresh weight. The PCA analysis and similarity coefficients confirmed a low level of variability of Leccino cultivar. SDS-PAGE analysis of seed proteins showed monomorphic patterns of storage proteins. Protein subunits of teguments revealed a generally high level of similarity as evidenced by Nei-Li coefficient. SSRs and RAPDs markers showed molecular monomorphism among Leccino accessions. The results of agro-morphological, biochemical and molecular nature, taken as a whole, seem to indicate a weakly differentiated/homogeneity of the accessions tested belonging to the Leccino cultivar. The limited morphological and genetic variation could support the assumptions of a monophyletic origin of Leccino cultivar with a genetically restricted base.
Cryopreservation is a useful tool for the long-term storage of plant genetic resources, and different cryogenic procedures have recently been developed. The present study focused on the use of the ...Droplet-vitrification (DV) and V cryo-plate protocol for the cryopreservation of
in vitro-derived apical shoot tips and axillary shoot tips. A preliminary test showed that 90 and 120 min PVS2 (Plant Vitrification Solution 2) treatment significantly reduced the regrowth of the explants before immersion in liquid nitrogen (LN). For both procedures tested, the best osmoprotective condition for obtaining a higher regrowth of cryopreserved explants occurred when explants were PVS2 treated for 60 min. After direct immersion in LN, thawing and plating, the highest regrowth recorded was 80% with DV and 93% with V cryo-plate. Moreover, shoot tips proved to be a more suitable material for Stevia cryopreservation. A satisfactory vegetative regrowth was observed in the subcultures following cryopreservation by DV and V cryo-plate cryogenic procedures.
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