Early season foliar fertilization with different nutrients is a promising tool in pomegranate grown in poor, high pH soils. The effects of foliar fertilization with FeSO4 and the synthetic chelate ...Fe(III)-EDDHA (Fe(III)-ethylendiaminedi(o-hydroxyphenylacetate)) on fruit yield and physicochemical characteristics were assessed in a two-season field trial. Fertilizers were sprayed at full bloom and one month later, using Fe concentrations of 1.3 and 2.6 mM for FeSO4 and 1.1 and 2.1 mM for the Fe-chelate. Both doses of FeSO4 and the higher chelate dose increased leaf Fe concentrations and fruit yield, with the best results being observed with 2.6 mM FeSO4 (20–31% increases in yield). On the other hand, leaf N, P, K, Ca, and Mn concentrations were not affected by foliar Fe fertilization. The only treatment that increased the number of fruits per tree, aril juice content and juice total soluble solids and decreased juice total acidity in both seasons was 2.6 mM FeSO4. Both FeSO4 doses caused consistent increases in the maturity index and total sugars in juice, along with minor decreases in juice total phenolic compounds. The antioxidant activity in juice was slightly decreased by 2.6 mM FeSO4. In conclusion, early season foliar Fe fertilization had positive effects on pomegranate yield and quality, with FeSO4 being better than Fe(III)-EDDHA.
In this study, rosemary essential oil was encapsulated in zein‐electrospun fibers at different concentrations of loading (0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10% v/v). The chemical composition of rosemary essential ...oil was determined by GC‐MS. The resultant zein‐electrospun fibers were characterized by SEM, AFM, XRD, DSC, FTIR, and NMR. After being loaded with the essential oil, the fibers were evaluated for antimicrobial properties by the disc diffusion method against S. aureus (ATCC 1112) and E. coli (ATCC 1330). The release test was studied at pH values of 3 and 7.2 in phosphate buffer for 180 min. The GC‐MS indicated that α‐pinene occurred as a major compound in rosemary essential oil. Diameters of the zein‐electrospun fibers increased in response to higher concentrations of rosemary essential oil. The AFM assay attributed a tubular morphology to the fibers. The physical status of rosemary essential oil in zein‐electrospun fibers was determined by X‐ray diffraction (XRD). DSC thermograms and FTIR spectra confirmed the existence of the rosemary essential oil in zein‐electrospun fibers. FTIR spectra also indicated that adding rosemary essential oil to the fibers affected the secondary structure of zein protein. The NMR study showed that the electrospinning process did not change the secondary structure of zein. Disc diffusion indicated that zein‐electrospun mats generated inhibition zones against S. aureus and E. coli. The release test revealed that pH values significantly affect the release of rosemary essential oil from fibers. The results demonstrated how loading zein‐electrospun fibers with rosemary essential oil can benefit food packaging.
Practical Application
In this study, electrospun fibers were produced from food‐grade biopolymer to encapsulate rosemary essential oil. This product can be produced at industrial scale as an active food packaging/coating, controlled release, and delivery of the rosemary essential oil to food products and gastrointestinal. Also, it can be considered as a functional food to increase health.
Using electrospun fibers from edible and biodegradable polymers has been a dynamic approach to postharvest technology in the past decade. The current research aimed at making zein electrospun fibers ...with savory essential oil (SEO) at several concentrations (0 %, 5 %, 10 %, and 20 % w/v) to study the effect of the fibers on the shelf life of tangerine and banana fruits. SEM results indicated that zein electrospun fibers had flat, consistent, and tubular morphology. It is demonstrated that the mean diameter of zein electrospun fibers increased parallel to the increase in SEO concentration. FTIR spectroscopy revealed hydrophobic interactions between SEO and zein. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that at higher concentrations of the SEO, the crystallinity of zein electrospun fibers increased from 67 % to 69 %. Calorimetric findings of differential scanning demonstrated that the Tg of zein electrospun fibers increased from 85.9 ºC to 238.8 ºC. Through the Bernauer-Emmitte-Teller application, the mesoporous condition of electrospun fibers were described. Tensile strength analysis demonstrated that a higher concentration of SEO in the zein mat caused a significant increase in TS, YM, and EB values (p < 0.05). SEO loaded zein electrospun fibers effectively inhibited the growth of E. coli (Gram-negative) and S. aureus (Gram-positive). The SEO loaded zein electrospun fibers affected the storage of banana and tangerine through a storage period of 7 and 28 days, respectively. The results suggested that SEO loaded zein electrospun fibers are suitable for the preservation of tangerine, but are unsuitable for banana. These findings indicated that edible and biodegradable electrospun fibers are effective biopackages for non-climacteric fruits.
•Savory essential oil (SEO) was encapsulated by electrospinning for the first time.•FTIR-spectra revealed that SEO affected the zein protein structure.•Incorporation of SEO increased the thermal stability of zein electrospun fibers.•SEO loaded fibers were effective against S. aureus and E. coli.•Results indicated the use of SEO loaded fibers for tangerine fruits packaging.
One of the most important products grown in Iran is walnut (Juglans regia L.), but it can be threatened by storage pests such as insects. Ozonation is an environmentally friendly method for killing ...pest insects; accordingly, ozone efficacy in the control of a pest species of walnut, Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella (Hübner)), was assessed in this research. The selected walnut samples were infested with larvae of Indian meal moth and then subjected to various combinations of ozone concentration (3, 4.5, and 6 ppm) and exposure time (20, 30, 40, and 50 min). After exposure to the treatment combinations, larval mortality rates and changes to the sensory properties (color, taste, smell, crispness, stiffness, and overall acceptability), indicating consumer preference, of the walnuts were evaluated. Our results revealed enhanced mortality rates of P. interpunctella with an increase in both ozone concentration and exposure time: 99% mortality was recorded at the concentration and exposure time of 6 ppm and 50 min, respectively. Sensory assessments of the samples showed that ozone treatments had no significant impacts on the color, taste, crispness, stiffness, and overall acceptability of the product. Also, few changes were recorded for its smell, which could be improved over time after being exposed to the air. We conclude that application of higher ozone concentrations might provide acceptable levels of insect pest control for stored walnuts with no associated reduced trade-off for their quality attributes.
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•Few studies have examined the effects of Ca nano-fertilizers on pomegranate fruit yield and quality.•Fruit yield and quality of pomegranate trees have been assessed after two sprays ...with different Ca formulations, including a nano-fertilizer and CaCl2.•Ca foliar fertilization had no effects on pomegranate yield and only small effects on fruit quality.•A positive effect of Ca fertilizers in decrease pomegranate fruit cracking was found.•Low doses of a Ca nano-fertilizer were better than high doses of CaCl2 in reducing pomegranate fruit cracking.
An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of foliar sprays of a calcium fertilizer containing nanoparticles (nano-Ca) and calcium chloride (CaCl2.2H2O) on the yield and quality of pomegranate fruits cv. Ardestani, during two consecutive years, 2014 and 2015. The nano-Ca fertilizer was sprayed at concentrations of 0.25 and 0.50g Ca L−1, and CaCl2.2H2O was used at concentrations of 1 and 2% (2.73 and 5.45g Ca L−1), with treatments being applied twice, first at full blooming and then one month later. Calcium foliar fertilization did not have significant effects on yield, number of fruits per tree and average fruit weight, whereas it increased fruit length only in the case of the CaCl2 1% treatment in the first season. The untreated trees in the orchard were moderately affected by fruit cracking, with 6–7% of the fruits being affected. Calcium foliar treatment with the nano-Ca fertilizer at 0.50g Ca L−1 and 1% CaCl2 (in the both seasons) and also 2% CaCl2 (only in the second season) decreased significantly fruit cracking when compared with the control treatment, resulting in increases in marketable fruit yield. Foliar sprays with CaCl2 1% increased TSS by 7.6% only in the second season. Moreover, foliar nano-Ca fertilization at 0.50g Ca L−1 led to minor decreases (approximately 1%) in total phenolics only in the first season. Other chemical properties, including titratable acidity, fruit maturity, total sugar, antioxidant activity and total anthocyanin contents were not affected by Ca foliar fertilization. Leaf analyses show that Ca foliar treatments increased leaf Ca concentrations in the first season, with the exception of the low dose of nano-fertilizer, whereas the leaf concentrations of N, P, K, Fe, Zn and Mn were unaffected. In summary, fertilization with a low (0.50g Ca L−1) Ca concentration in the form of a nano-Ca formulation resulted in similar decreases in pomegranate fruit cracking than those obtained with higher doses of CaCl2 (2.73 and 5.45g Ca L−1).
Verticillium wilt is a major disease of olive (Olea europaea) orchards worldwide. To control the disease, use of a reliable method for pre-planting screening of new planting stocks for infection by ...V. dahliae is essential. In this study, 20 symptomatic and asymptomatic olive trees, sampled from Zahak region of Sistan in Iran, were analyzed with real-time and nested PCR for in planta detection of V. dahliae. We could confirm the presence of V. dahliae in 12 out of 20 (60%) sampled trees using real-time PCR, whereas nested PCR produced amplicons for all tested symptomatic and asymptomatic samples (100% of tested trees), indicating that nested PCR was more efficient method than real-time PCR for in planta detection of V. dahliae. We used the designed nested PCR to determine also the pathotype of V. dahliae using Vdf2/Vdr2 primer set at the second round, which could produce the 297-bp amplicon for all tested samples infected with non-defoliating pathotype of V. dahliae. We showed that although the Verticillium wilt is spread in the olive cultivation areas in Zahak region of Sistan, nested PCR can be deployed for the timely detection and thereby prevention of the further spread of V. dahliae in the olive cultivation areas.
•Verticillium wilt disease has been spread in olive plantations in Zahak region of Sistan.•Nested PCR is more efficient than real-time PCR for in planta detection of V. dahliae.•Nested PCR is a robust method for in planta detection of V. dahliae not only in symptomatic but also in asymptomatic trees.
In this study, Ajowan essential oil was encapsulated in electrospun zein fibers at different amounts of loading (0, 22, 44, and 88 mg/ml). The resulting electrospun zein fibers containing Ajowan ...essential oil were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Antimicrobial properties of fibers against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were also determined by the disc diffusion method. GC/MS analysis was employed to identify the constituents of the Ajowan essential oil. The diameters of electrospun zein fibers increased with increasing concentration of Ajowan essential oil. Physical status of Ajowan essential oil in electrospun zein fibers was determined by XRD. Thermal properties of loaded electrospun fibers were studied by DSC. FTIR approved the encapsulation of essential oil in electrospun zein fibers. The encapsulation efficiency of Ajowan essential oil in electrospun zein fibers was about 100%. Antimicrobial results showed that the Ajowan essential oil loaded electrospun fibers were effective against S. aureus and E. coli. This could be due to the major constituents of Ajowan essential oil. Ajowan essential oil was successfully encapsulated in electrospun fibers for the first time.
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