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More sustainable reduced application of water and N-P-K fertilizers does not adversely affect postharvest quality of cold-stored ‘Mollar de Elche’ pomegranate fruit
No full textSeveral combined strategies of irrigation and N-P-K fertilization were applied to ‘Mollar de Elche’ pomegranate orchards in the Elx area (Alacant, Spain). Irrigation treatments included a control, irrigated at 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), and a sustainable regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) with severe water restrictions (25% of control irrigation) during flowering to fruit set (RDIflow), or during the last part of fruit growth and the ripening period (RDIripe). These irrigation conditions were combined with two fertilization rates of 100 and 50% of the common dose used in the area: 170 N, 100 P2O5 and 205 K2O kg.ha-1 year-1. The influence of these strategies on the quality of ‘Mollar de Elche’ pomegranate fruit was determined at harvest and after 8 and 16 weeks of cold storage at 5ºC plus a shelf-life period of 7 days at 20ºC. Overall, few significant differences in fruit quality, both at harvest and during cold storage, were observed among the different treatments. The lowest weight loss was observed after 16 weeks plus shelf life in pomegranates treated with RDIripe and 50% N-P-K. High solid soluble content was obtained in pomegranates from both control and RDIripe treatments. Furthermore, pomegranates from RDI and reduced fertilization treatments had higher juice yield compared to the control samples. In general, a slight increase in total antioxidant activity, anthocyanins, and phenolic content was observed after 8 weeks plus shelf life compared to the measurements performed at the moment of harvest. No differences were observed among treatments at the end of the storage period. Overall, reducing water and nutritional resources in pomegranate orchards did not negatively affect fruit quality of ‘Mollar de Elche’ pomegranates compared to traditional strategies
PPP exposure models for 3-D orchards considering spraying technologies in Southern Europe
Full text linkTree orchards like citrus, olives, apricot, peach and nuts, also known as 3D orchards, are typical
crops of southern Europe (SEU) and present different vegetation characteristics (tree size, tree
shape, foliar density, etc) and distinctive training systems and row and tree spacing in
comparison with the ones used in apple and pear orchards in Central and Northern Europe, which
are 3D orchards more typical of these zones. Furthermore, plant protection products (PPP)
application techniques and their setting up are different as well. Moreover, the climatic conditions
between North and South of Europe are pretty dissimilar. This could result in very different PPP
exposure scenarios to those currently applied for risk assessment of pesticides where models
developed for agro-climatic conditions typical of northern Europe are used. The
multidisciplinarity and the specificity of the topic, in one hand related to registration but also to
pesticide application equipment and training system of crops, have been addressed by a
consortium with the appropriate expertise in the related fields. The present project characterised
distribution of 3-D crops in Europe, addressing the ones present just in SEU and gathered
information on equipment use, training system of crops and pesticide practices through
dedicated surveys to farmers, sprayer inspection stations and manufacturers. A literature search
was also performed to check whether studies specifically designed for 3-D orchards, in agroclimatic
conditions of Southern Europe about drift and exposure models, are available in the
public literature. From the few articles assessed as relevant to this project, some discrepancies
between what is currently used and what is measured in those 3-D orchards of Southern use
were identified, tackling the “worst-case” approach. The other key point raised by the literature
search, which can greatly impact risk assessment procedures, is the importance of measuring
not just sedimenting drift but also airborne spray drift: several studies report higher values for
airborne drift compared to those found at ground level for the same downwind sampling distance .Overall, the results of this project provide valuable information to better address risk assessment
of PPP in 3-D orchards, identifying major data gaps for exposure assessment that require further
work and areas that require harmonisatio
Incorporación de extractos naturales y aceites esenciales en recubrimientos de hidroxipropil metilcelulosa para el control de Monilinia fructicola en nectarina
Full text linkLa podredumbre marrón causada por Monilinia fructicola genera importantes pérdidas
económicas en postcosecha de fruta de hueso. La aplicación repetida de fungicidas sintéticos
conlleva problemas sanitarios y medioambientales. Por lo tanto, el objetivo del trabajo es la
búsqueda de alternativas naturales y no contaminantes. Para ello se seleccionaron por su
actividad antifúngica aceite esencial de citronela (LG), geraniol (GE) y extracto de Commiphora
myrrha (MY) como ingredientes de recubrimientos comestibles (RCs) compuestos formulados
con hidroxipropil metilcelulosa (HPMC) y cera de abeja. Los RCs se aplicaron en experimentos
curativos con nectarinas ‘Lucibella’ inoculadas 24 h antes con M. fructicola. El RC de HPMCGE
(0,2%) fue el más eficaz, con reducciones de la incidencia de la enfermedad del 80 y 55%
tras 3 y 4 semanas de frigoconservación a 1 °C y 90% HR respectivamente. Además, los RCs
de HPMC-GE y HPMC-LG (0,4%) redujeron la severidad de la podredumbre marrón hasta en
un 93 y 77%, respectivamente, después de 3 semanas. En cuanto a la calidad del fruto, todos
los RCs ensayados redujeron significativamente la pérdida de peso del fruto y mantuvieron
una mayor firmeza que las nectarinas control tras 4 semanas a 1 °C más 3 días a 20 °C,
sin afectar negativamente a la calidad fisicoquímica (acidez titulable, contenido en sólidos
solubles y contenido en volátiles) y sensorial del fruto (sabor global, malos sabores, firmeza y
aspecto externo). Además, el RC de HPMC-MY proporcionó mayor brillo que el resto de RCs.
En conclusión, estos resultados muestran el potencial del RC de HPMC-GE como posible
alternativa para controlar la podredumbre marrón y mantener la calidad de nectarinas durante
la frigoconservación. Este trabajo forma parte del proyecto StopMedWaste (Programa PRIMA;
NextGenerationEU/PRTR; Agencia Estatal de Investigación, PCI2020-112095)
Leaves and roots metabolomic signatures underlying rootstock-mediated water stress tolerance in grafted pepper plants
Full text linkGrafting onto pepper rootstock NIBER® is an effective strategy to mitigate water stress effects on the grafted
variety. In this work, we comparatively explored the metabolomic responses to water stress in the pepper variety
“Maestral F1” (V) grafted onto NIBER® (V/N) and self-grafted (V/V) by untargeted metabolomics on leaves and
roots. Leaf water status was also evaluated by relative water content (RWC) and gas exchange measurements.
Under water stress, the V/N water use efficiency (WUE) and leaf RWC were higher than V/V, in agreement with
major stomata closure and water retention in leaves. V/N showed a tolerance response, which was manifested in
the untargeted metabolomic analysis. NIBER® modulated the grafted variety response to water stress as reflected
in the differential metabolomic profiles in leaves and roots. The V/N-enriched metabolic pathways showed that
the NIBER® response to water stress involved cutin and suberin biosynthesis, which act as protection layers, and
jasmonic acid (JA) and jasmonates biosynthesis to favor signaling pathways. NIBER® did not induce flavonols
and chlorophyll b synthesis, but likely promoted anthocyanins biosynthesis and maintained an undisturbed
chlorophyll a:chlorophyll b ratio. Moreover, NIBER® increased vitamin B6, anthocyanins and stearic acid concentration
in the variety leaves, whereas siroheme content rose in roots to improve nitrogen assimilation. Further
studies are required to understand the contribution of secondary metabolites, such as phenylpropanoids, glycoalkaloids,
and nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites, to NIBER® water stress tolerance
New model for the automatic detection of anthracnose in mango fruits based on Vis/NIR hyperspectral imaging and discriminant analysis
Full text linkAnthracnose is one of the most relevant diseases of mango crops in producing regions, affecting 60% of production. Currently, its detection is carried out in late stages by human visual inspection. Hyperspectral imaging systems allow the development of non-destructive solutions to inspect and detect internal damage. This work aimed to develop a system for detecting anthracnose in mango fruits using Vis-NIR hyperspectral imaging and discriminant analysis. The usefulness of three-dimensionality reduction methods to minimise redundancy in the spectral data and to obtain a compact number of wavelengths that effectively allow the detection of anthracnose symptoms in mango fruits is also explored. As a result, a classification model based on discriminant analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient was obtained, showing the potential of hyperspectral data to robustly allow the detection of anthracnose symptoms with full or reduced spectra. The findings reported in this study can serve as the basis for developing an anthracnose detection system in mango fruits with multispectral camera
Antifungal edible coatings to reduce decay and maintain postharvest quality of citrus, plums, and pomegranates
No full textMost of the fresh fruits are highly perishable and fungal postharvest diseases are among the main causes that contribute to fruit waste. Synthetic chemical fungicides are currently the main tool to control postharvest decay, but different health and environmental alerts have raised the need to find safe and eco-friendly alternatives. Among them, the development of edible coatings with antifungal activity (AECs) has been addressed in the StopMedWaste project to control decay and maintain fruit quality of citrus fruits, plums, and pomegranates during cold storage and shelf life
Antifungal Activity of Edible Films and Coatings for Packaging of Fresh Horticultural Produce
No full textProtocols for in vitro and in vivo evaluation of the antifungal activity of edible films and coatings (ECs) used for postharvest treatment of fresh fruits and vegetables are described in this chapter. Antifungal ECs are typically prepared by incorporating particular antimicrobial ingredients into EC matrix formulations. Different methods and numerous variations can be adopted for both in vitro and in vivo evaluation, mostly depending on the specific purpose of the assay, the components and properties of the EC matrix and the antifungal agent(s), the nature of the target fungal pathogen, and the characteristics and usual postharvest handling of each horticultural product. In any case, however, the inoculum of the target fungi will be used in the experiments, and its preparation is also detailed in this chapter. In general, while EC solid dry films are used for in vitro tests, EC liquid emulsions are used for in vivo assays. We describe three of the most common and, in our opinion, useful antimicrobial in vitro tests specifically intended for use with fungal strains, i.e., agar diffusion or disk diameter tests, film surface inoculation tests, and plate counting germination tests. Coating of fresh produce artificially inoculated with the pathogen is commonly used in laboratory-scale in vivo experiments to assess the ability of ECs to control disease. Further larger-scale semicommercial or commercial trials conducted in pilot plants or packinghouse facilities with naturally infected, cold-stored produce can also be considered
Homobrassinolide Delays Huanglongbing Progression in Newly Planted Citrus (Citrus sinensis) Trees
Full text linkHuanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, is a devastating disease impacting citrus trees
worldwide, with severe effects particularly noted in Florida. Current strategies to combat HLB focus
on aggressive replanting, despite the high susceptibility of young trees to infection. In this context,
it is critical to explore agronomic practices that can enhance the health and resistance of young
citrus trees to HLB. Here, we demonstrate that treatment with homobrassinolide (HBr), a type of
brassinosteroid, in newly planted citrus (Citrus sinensis) trees can delay HLB infection and improve
tree health amidst the high psyllid pressure conditions endemic to Florida. Our study reveals a
significant reduction in HLB infection rates in HBr-treated trees compared to control trees, with only
25% of treated trees testing positive for HLB by six months, in contrast to 100% infection in untreated
trees. This delay in infection may be attributed to HBr inducing an immune response and negatively
impacting psyllid performance, as subsequently demonstrated in a greenhouse experiment. Our
findings suggest that HBr applications could serve as a viable strategy to enhance the resilience of
citrus production against HLB, underscoring the need for further investigation into their mechanisms
of action and potential role in a comprehensive pest and disease management strategy
Meta-QTL and Candidate Gene Analyses of Agronomic Salt Tolerance and Related Traits in an RIL Population Derived from Solanum pimpinellifolium
Full text linkBreeding salt-tolerant crops is necessary to reduce food insecurity. Prebreeding populations
are fundamental for uncovering tolerance alleles from wild germplasm. To obtain a physiological
interpretation of the agronomic salt tolerance and better criteria to identify candidate genes, quantitative
trait loci (QTLs) governing productivity-related traits in a population of recombinant inbred
lines (RIL) derived from S. pimpinellifolium were reanalyzed using an SNP-saturated linkage map and
clustered using QTL meta-analysis to synthesize QTL information. A total of 60 out of 85 QTLs were
grouped into 12 productivity MQTLs. Ten of them were found to overlap with other tomato yield
QTLs that were found using various mapping populations and cultivation conditions. The MQTL
compositions showed that fruit yield was genetically associated with leaf water content. Additionally,
leaf Cl− and K+ contents were related to tomato productivity under control and salinity conditions,
respectively. More than one functional candidate was frequently found, explaining most productivity
MQTLs, indicating that the co-regulation of more than one gene within those MQTLs might explain
the clustering of agronomic and physiological QTLs. Moreover, MQTL1.2, MQTL3 and MQTL6
point to the root as the main organ involved in increasing productivity under salinity through the
wild allele, suggesting that adequate rootstock/scion combinations could have a clear agronomic
advantage under salinity
Differential ovulation responses in nulliparous and multiparous rabbit females: A cannula-mediated study
Full text linkIn order to explore a less stressful and hormone-independent insemination method in rabbits, we aimed to evaluate the influence of a new insemination cannula on reproductive performance. Two assays were conducted. In the first, 136 nulliparous and multiparous females were treated with 12.5 IU of eCG to improve their receptivity and divided into four stimulation groups (aGnRHsingle bondControl, Extender, Seminal and Sperm) to test ovulation frequency and rate. The control group received 1 µg of buserelin acetate intramuscularly to induce ovulation. The other groups used a 3D printed cannula to introduce 0.5 ml of extender, undiluted seminal plasma or resuspended sperm into the vagina. After six days, laparoscopy was performed to assess ovulation frequency and rate. Results showed that nulliparous does exhibited higher ovulation frequencies compared to multiparous does, regardless of the stimulation group.
In the second assay, reproductive performance (delivery rate and litter size at birth) of 109 females treated with 12.5 IU of eCG to improve their receptivity was studied after insemination with a seminal dose using the 3D printed cannula. Forty-nine of them were induced to ovulate with buserelin acetate as a control. The results confirmed previous findings, as cannula stimulation allowed better delivery rates in receptive nulliparous than multiparous does. Differential response to multiparous does to the physical stimulus of the cannula could be supported by the histological changes and loss of contractile response that occur after multiple births. Litter sizes at birth were similar between experimental groups.
In conclusion, the 3D designed cannula showed promising results in nulliparous does in ovulating frequency, and further refinement is needed to enhance its effectiveness, particularly in multiparous rabbits