Czasopisma Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczy w Lublinie
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Understanding the impact of cultivar characteristics and environmental conditions on grain protein content and yield in wheat
Full text linkIn the face of changing climatic conditions, there is a growing need to better understand the mechanisms influencing wheat yield and grain quality, particularly grain protein content (GPC). While genotype-by-environment interactions (GEI) have been widely studied, few investigations have focused on how specific environmental and varietal traits contribute to these interactions.
In this study, we applied the classification and regression tree (CART) method and a linear mixed model (LMM) to analyze field trial data across different wheat cultivars and varying environmental conditions. The analysis included factors such as soil nutrient content, rainfall distribution during the growing season, and varietal characteristics including plant height and growth duration. Our results revealed that GPC was primarily determined by rainfall during the grain-filling phase and the level of available nitrogen in the soil, while grain yield (GY) was strongly influenced by total rainfall during stem elongation and certain morphological traits. The variable “falling number” was included in the initial analysis but was excluded by the model due to its lack of predictive significance.
This study provides detailed insights into which environmental and varietal traits are most influential in shaping GEI effects on GPC and GY. The use of CART modelling enabled the identification of key predictors affecting cultivar responses under diverse growing conditions. These findings can support breeding and agronomic decision-making by offering predictive tools to select cultivars with improved stability in yield and grain quality under variable climatic conditions.
Our research fills a gap in existing studies by providing new insights into GEI interactions and their impact on yield and grain quality. CART-based models can serve as predictive tools, helping breeders forecast how varieties will respond to future climatic changes and environmental conditions. This approach can significantly contribute to optimizing breeding practices and improving yield stability and quality, supporting sustainable agricultural development.In the face of changing climatic conditions, there is a growing need to better understand the mechanisms influencing wheat yield and grain quality, particularly grain protein content (GPC). While genotype-by-environment interactions (GEI) have been widely studied, few investigations have focused on how specific environmental and varietal traits contribute to these interactions.
In this study, we applied the classification and regression tree (CART) method and a linear mixed model (LMM) to analyze field trial data across different wheat cultivars and varying environmental conditions. The analysis included factors such as soil nutrient content, rainfall distribution during the growing season, and varietal characteristics including plant height and growth duration. Our results revealed that GPC was primarily determined by rainfall during the grain-filling phase and the level of available nitrogen in the soil, while grain yield (GY) was strongly influenced by total rainfall during stem elongation and certain morphological traits. The variable “falling number” was included in the initial analysis but was excluded by the model due to its lack of predictive significance.
This study provides detailed insights into which environmental and varietal traits are most influential in shaping GEI effects on GPC and GY. The use of CART modelling enabled the identification of key predictors affecting cultivar responses under diverse growing conditions. These findings can support breeding and agronomic decision-making by offering predictive tools to select cultivars with improved stability in yield and grain quality under variable climatic conditions.
W naszym badaniu zastosowaliśmy metodę drzew klasyfikacyjnych i regresyjnych (CART) do analizy danych dotyczących upraw pszenicy i warunków jej wzrostu. Zbadaliśmy wpływ cech związanych z odmianą oraz czynników środowiskowych, takich jak zawartość składników pokarmowych w glebie i opady na zawartość białka w ziarnie (GPC) i plon ziarna (GY). Nasza analiza ujawnia złożone zależności między tymi zmiennymi, podkreślając znaczenie uwzględniania zarówno czynników genetycznych, jak i środowiskowych w zarządzaniu uprawami.
Nasze badania wypełniają lukę w dotychczasowych analizach, dostarczając nowych informacji na temat interakcji GEI i ich wpływu na plonowanie oraz jakość ziarna. Modele oparte na metodzie CART mogą służyć jako narzędzia predykcyjne, pomagając hodowcom prognozować, jak poszczególne odmiany będą reagować na przyszłe zmiany klimatyczne i warunki środowiskowe. Takie podejście może znacząco przyczynić się do optymalizacji praktyk hodowlanych, poprawy stabilności plonowania i jakości ziarna, wspierając tym samym zrównoważony rozwój rolnictwa
Advancing horticultural knowledge of Asparagus officinalis L. A comprehensive bibliometric and thematic analysis (1853–2025)
Full text linkBackground/Aim: Asparagus officinalis L. has attracted increasing scientific interest because of its agricultural, genetic, and pharmacological significance. This study aimed to systematically map intellectual and conceptual structures, growth patterns, and emerging trends in A. officinalis research from 1853 to 2025.Methods: A bibliometric and conceptual analysis was conducted using the Scopus database following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A total of 1,065 original research articles were retrieved and analyzed. Bibliometric indicators, keyword mapping, co-citation clustering, and citation burst analyses were performed using Bibliometrix (RStudio), VOSviewer and CiteSpace.Results: Scientific production exhibited a steady increase with notable surges after 2000. Japan, China, and the USA have emerged as leading contributors. Core journals were identified according to Bradford’s law and key scholars were ranked by their local H-index. Thematic evolution revealed two major shifts in knowledge around 2001 and 2017, highlighting a transition toward molecular biology, genomics, and health-related studies. Eleven conceptual clusters were detected, with high Silhouette values indicating strong clustering quality. Emerging research hotspots include metabolomics, transcriptomics, and medicine.Conclusion: This comprehensive bibliometric analysis revealed the dynamic growth and conceptual diversification of A. officinalis research, offering valuable insights into historical developments, current trends, and future research directions
Exploring the role of abiotic elicitors in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in peppermint (Mentha piperita L.)
Full text linkSecondary metabolites are a large group of organic compounds generally biosynthesized by medicinal and aromatic plants, which have a wide range of uses in human life today. Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) is widely used as a traditional medicinal plant worldwide due to its high content of secondary metabolites, including menthol, limonene, pulegone, rosmarinic acid, cinnamic acid, eriocitrin, narirutin and hesperidin. It has different medicinal and culinary uses, such as food flavoring and treating rheumatoid arthritis pain, sinusitis headache and breathing problems. Given the chemical synthesis of plant secondary metabolites under laboratory conditions is considerably expensive and complicated, some alternative methods have been developed. Applying abiotic elicitors such as UV-radiation, abiotic stresses, and phytohormones during peppermint cultivation is an effective strategy to modify secondary metabolite content and components. Therefore, in this review, the most important secondary metabolites of peppermint and their uses are first described, and the abiotic elicitors used to influence the secondary metabolites profile of peppermint and their reaction mechanisms are then explained
Evaluation of motivational factors in violin education in terms of student opinions
No full textBu çalışmada, keman eğitimi alan lisans müzik öğrencilerinin eğitim süreçlerinde karşılaştıkları motivasyonel faktörleri nasıl algıladıkları ve değerlendirdiklerine yönelik kapsamlı bir araştırma yapılmıştır. Müzik eğitimi bireyin sanatsal, bilişsel ve duyuşsal gelişimini destekleyen çok boyutlu bir süreçtir. Bu süreçte motivasyon, öğrencinin öğrenme sürecine aktif katılım göstermesi, karşılaştığı güçlüklerle başa çıkması ve uzun vadede müzikal becerilerini geliştirmesi açısından belirleyici bir rol oynamaktadır. Çalışmada veri toplama aşamalarında uzman görüşleri onayı alınarak oluşturulan anket formu, içsel motivasyon, öğretmen etkisi ile çevresel ve sosyal faktörler başlıklarına yönelik olmak üzere toplam 30 maddeden oluşmaktadır. Ayrıca çalışmanın nitel boyutunda yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu anket uygulamasıyla aynı şekilde görüşler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Elde edilen tüm veriler betimsel istatistikler ile çözümlenmiş ve nicel bulgular grafikler ve tablolar halinde sunulmuştur. Öğrenciler, keman çalmayı yalnızca bir teknik yeterlik kazanımı değil, aynı zamanda bir kendini ifade biçimi, psikolojik denge unsuru ve bireysel anlam üretim aracı olarak değerlendirmektedir. Öğrencilerin sadece sanatsal becerilerini değil, aynı zamanda kimlik inşası, duygusal dayanıklılık ve amaç yönelimi gibi alanlarda da önemli katkılar sunduğu ortaya konulan bu çalışmada, bireysel anlamlandırma süreçlerinin, öğrencilerin motivasyonlarını artırmada ve eğitsel sürece olan bağlılıklarını sürdürmede belirleyici rol oynadığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Bu bağlamda, müzik eğitiminin planlanmasında öğrencilerin içsel motivasyonlarını besleyen unsurların dikkate alınması, öğrenme sürecinin niteliği açısından önemli görülmektedir. Elde edilen veriler, keman eğitiminde motivasyonel faktörlerin çok boyutlu olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Hem öğrencilerin içsel psikolojisine (müzik sevgisi, başarı ve gelişim duygusu, öz-yeterlik) hem de dışsal etkenlere (öğretmen desteği, sosyal çevre, uygun öğrenme ortamı) bağlı faktörlerin motivasyonu şekillendirdiği görülmüştür. Enstrüman çalmaktan duyulan keyif, başarı hissi ve kendine güven artışı ile destekleyici öğretmen tutumu ve sosyal destek öğrencilerin motivasyonunu en çok besleyen unsurlar olmuştur.This study conducted a comprehensive investigation into how undergraduate music students receiving violin training perceive and evaluate the motivational factors they encounter throughout their education. Music education is a multidimensional process that supports an individual's artistic, cognitive, and affective development. In this process, motivation plays a decisive role in students' active participation in the learning process, their ability to cope with challenges, and their long-term development of musical skills. The survey form, developed with expert approval during the data collection phase of the study, consists of a total of 30 items addressing intrinsic motivation, teacher influence, and environmental and social factors. Furthermore, a semi-structured interview form was used in the qualitative aspect of the study to collect opinions in the same manner as the survey. All data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the quantitative findings are presented in graphs and tables. Students view violin playing not only as a means of acquiring technical proficiency but also as a form of self-expression, a means of psychological balance, and a means of generating individual meaning. This study demonstrates that students' artistic skills contribute significantly not only to their learning but also to identity construction, emotional resilience, and goal orientation. It concludes that individual meaning-making processes play a decisive role in increasing students' motivation and maintaining their commitment to the educational process. In this context, considering the factors that foster students' intrinsic motivation in planning music education is considered crucial for the quality of the learning process. The data obtained reveal that motivational factors in violin education are multidimensional. Motivation was determined by both students' internal psychology (love of music, sense of accomplishment and growth, self-efficacy) and external factors (teacher support, social environment, and a suitable learning environment). The joy of playing an instrument, a sense of accomplishment, and increased self-confidence, along with supportive teacher attitudes and social support, were the most significant factors that fostered student motivation
The effect of emergency department patients' pain beliefs and experiences on perceived nursing care and patient satisfaction
No full textAmaç: Bu araştırma, acil servise ağrı şikayetiyle başvuran hastaların ağrı inançları ve deneyimlerinin algılanan hemşirelik bakımı ve hasta memnuniyeti üzerine etkisini incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Materyal ve Metot: Tanımlayıcı tipteki araştırma, İnönü Üniversitesi Turgut Özal Tıp Merkezi Erişkin Acil Servisinde Aralık 2024-Aralık 2025 tarihleri arasında 475 hasta ile yürütülmüştür. Veriler "Hasta Tanıtım Formu", "Acil Servis Hasta Memnuniyeti Ölçeği", "Bakım Davranışları Ölçeği-24", "Kısa Ağrı Envanteri" ve "Ağrı İnançları Ölçeği" ile yüz yüze toplanmıştır. Bulgular: Katılımcıların %50.5'i kadın olup yaş ortalaması 46.95±18.61'dir. Acil Servis Hasta Memnuniyeti Ölçeği puan ortalaması 48.32±14.23 ve Bakım Davranışları Ölçeği-24 puan ortalaması 3.85±1.14'tür. Hastaların ağrı şiddeti ortalaması 5.32±1.80, ağrıya yönelik organik inanç puanı 2.70±0.94 ve psikolojik inanç puanı 2.20±0.82 olarak belirlenmiştir. Kısa Ağrı Envanteri ve Ağrı İnançları Ölçeği değişkenlerinin bakım davranışları puanındaki varyansın %24.7'sini açıkladığı (R²=0,266; F=13,935; p<0,001) ve son 24 saatte ağrı tedavisi ile ağrıdan kurtulma, psikolojik inançlar, şu anki ağrı, genel aktivite durumu ve yaşamdan zevk alma değişkenlerinin anlamlı yordayıcılar olduğu belirlenmiştir (p<0,05). Aynı değişkenlerin acil servis hasta memnuniyeti puanındaki varyansın %25,2'sini açıkladığı (R²=0,271; F=14,307; p<0,001) ve psikolojik inançlar ve ağrı nedeniyle etkilenen bazı aktivitelerin (uyuma, derin solunum-öksürük egzersizi, ağrı tedavisinden kurtulma, yaşamdan zevk alma) anlamlı yordayıcılar olduğu belirlendi.. Sonuç: Acil serviste ağrı yönetiminin etkililiği ve hastaların ağrıya ilişkin psikolojik inançlarının, hem bakım davranışları algısını hem de hasta memnuniyetini anlamlı düzeyde etkilediğini; özellikle ağrı kontrolünün sağlanmasının bakım kalitesi ve memnuniyetin artırılmasında önemli olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır. Acil serviste ağrı yönetiminin güçlendirilmesi ve hastaların ağrıya ilişkin inançlarını dikkate alan bütüncül yaklaşımların benimsenmesi önerilmektedir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Acil, Ağrı Deneyimi, Ağrı İnançları, Bakım Algısı, Bakım MemnuniyetiPurpose: This research was conducted to examine the impact of pain beliefs and experiences of patients presenting to the emergency department with pain complaints on perceived nursing care and patient satisfaction. Materials and Method: This descriptive study was conducted with 475 patients in the Adult Emergency Department of Turgut Özal Medical Center, İnönü University, between December 2024 and December 2025. Data were collected face-to-face using the "Patient Identification Form", "Emergency Department Patient Satisfaction Scale", "Care Behaviors Scale-24", "Brief Pain Inventory", and "Pain Beliefs Scale". Results: 50.5% of the participants were female, and the mean age was 46.95±18.61. The mean scores were 48.32±14.23 for the Emergency Department Patient Satisfaction Scale and 3.85±1.14 for the Care Behaviors Scale-24. The mean pain intensity was 5.32±1.80, with organic and psychological belief scores of 2.70±0.94 and 2.20±0.82, respectively. The Brief Pain Inventory and Pain Beliefs Scale variables explained 24.7% of the variance in care behavior scores (R²=0.266; F=13.935; p<0.001), and it was determined that pain relief with pain treatment, psychological beliefs, current pain, and some activities affected by pain (general activity status and enjoyment of life) were significant predictors (p<0.05).The same variables explained 25.2% of the variance in emergency department patient satisfaction scores (R²=0.271; F=14.307; p<0.001) and that psychological beliefs and some activities affected by pain (sleeping, deep breathing-coughing exercise, relief from pain treatment, enjoyment of life) were significant predictors. Conclusion: The study concluded that the effectiveness of pain management in the emergency department and patients' psychological beliefs about pain significantly affect both their perception of care behaviors and patient satisfaction; in particular, achieving pain control is important in improving the quality of care and satisfaction. It is recommended to strengthen pain management in the emergency department and adopt holistic approaches that take into account patients' beliefs about pain. Keywords: Emergency, Pain Experience, Pain Beliefs, Perception of Care, Care Satisfactio
Praktyki rolnictwa węglowego. Praca przeglądowa
Full text linkDynamically progressing climate changes and the need to ensure food security for a growing population prompt us to take intensive actions to reduce emissions and increase sequestration of CO2. New opportunities are seen in the implementation of carbon farming practices. The aim of the study was to present activities recommended within carbon farming that contribute to soil fertility and increased sequestration of organic carbon in the soil. The source of information were legal acts, reports and documents of international institutions and literature on the subject. It was indicated that carbon farming practices provide benefits in terms of productivity, environmental protection (biodiversity), water retention and stability in the soil, limiting soil erosion, and have a positive impact on the functioning of entire agroecosystems, thus increasing the resilience of agriculture to climate change. Implementing carbon farming practices can also provide an additional source of income for farmers through the sale of carbon credits.Dynamicznie postępujące zmiany klimatu oraz konieczność zapewnienia bezpieczeństwa żywnościowego dla rosnącej populacji ludności skłaniają do podejmowania intensywnych działań w zakresie redukcji emisji i pochłaniania CO2. Nowych możliwości upatruje się we wdrażaniu praktyk rolnictwa węglowego. Celem opracowania było przedstawienie rekomendowanych w ramach rolnictwa węglowego aktywności, które przyczyniają się do zwiększenia urodzajności gleby i sekwestracji węgla organicznego w glebie. Źródło informacji stanowiły akty prawne, raporty i dokumenty instytucji międzynarodowych oraz literatura przedmiotu. Wskazano, iż praktyki rolnictwa węglowego zapewniają korzyści w zakresie produktywności, ochrony środowiska (bioróżnorodność), zdolności zatrzymywania i stabilności wody w glebie, ograniczania erozji gleby oraz pozytywnie wpływają na funkcjonowanie całych agroekosystemów, a tym samym zwiększają odporność rolnictwa na zmiany klimatu. Wdrażanie praktyk rolnictwa węglowego może stanowić także dodatkowe źródło dochodów rolników poprzez sprzedaż kredytów węglowych
Effect of reduced tillage practices on yield, total protein content and weed infestation of winter barley
Full text linkA multi-year field experiment aimed to evaluate grain yield, yield structure elements, total protein content, and weed infestation indices of winter barley cultivated in a conventional tillage system (CT) and two no-tillage variants: (i) reduced without glyphosate (RT) and (ii) reduced with glyphosate (RT + G). Common peas served as the previous crop in each study year on all plots. Shallow ploughing and pre-sowing ploughing were applied in the CT system after previous crop harvest. In turn, cultivating instead of shallow ploughing and a cultivation unit (a cultivator + a string roller) instead of pre-sowing ploughing were used on RT plots. Finally, shallow ploughing was replaced by glyphosate treatment, whereas pre-sowing ploughing – by a cultivation unit in the RT + G system. A higher grain yield was determined on CT plots than RT and RT+G plots, i.e., by 18% and 23.3%, respectively. The grain yield was also observed to differ significantly between study years. Spike number and 1000 grain weight were differentiated by tillage practices, whereas plant number after emergence by study years. There were no differences in the protein content of winter barley grain as affected by the variants of tillage practices and study years. In contrast, the weeds produced a higher air-dry weight on RT plots than on CT and RT + G plots. Weed bio-diversity determined at the tillering stage was greater on RT than CT plots, whereas that assessed at the milk maturity stage on CT than RT + G plots. The weed diversity index was determined by study year in both terms of assessment.A multi-year field experiment aimed to evaluate grain yield, yield structure elements, total protein content, and weed infestation indices of winter barley cultivated in a conventional tillage system (CT) and two no-tillage variants: (i) reduced without glyphosate (RT) and (ii) reduced with glyphosate (RT + G). Common peas served as the previous crop in each study year on all plots. Shallow ploughing and pre-sowing ploughing were applied in the CT system after previous crop harvest. In turn, cultivating instead of shallow ploughing and a cultivation unit (a cultivator + a string roller) instead of pre-sowing ploughing were used on RT plots. Finally, shallow ploughing was replaced by glyphosate treatment, whereas pre-sowing ploughing – by a cultivation unit in the RT + G system. A higher grain yield was determined on CT plots than RT and RT+G plots, i.e., by 18% and 23.3%, respectively. The grain yield was also observed to differ significantly between study years. Spike number and 1000 grain weight were differentiated by tillage practices, whereas plant number after emergence by study years. There were no differences in the protein content of winter barley grain as affected by the variants of tillage practices and study years. In contrast, the weeds produced a higher air-dry weight on RT plots than on CT and RT + G plots. Weed bio-diversity determined at the tillering stage was greater on RT than CT plots, whereas that assessed at the milk maturity stage on CT than RT + G plots. The weed diversity index was determined by study year in both terms of assessment
Polish young adult consumers’ purchasing behaviours and preferences towards strawberries
Full text linkThis study surveyed 203 Polish consumers aged 18–25 to analyse their strawberry buying and consumption patterns and preferences. The research employed a quantitative survey (CAWI) and qualitative sensory assessment. The study found that strawberry consumption is highly seasonal, with higher intake in summer, particularly among women, while winter consumption was influenced by income level. Key purchase drivers included the appearance and aroma of strawberries; less important in choosing strawberries were price, type of packaging, place of purchase, and country of origin. Sensory evaluation of four strawberry cultivars – Lycia, Aprica, Giusy, and Klodia – revealed Klodia as the most favourable in sweetness and flavour, though Aprica was visually preferred. These findings suggest that visual preferences do not always align with sensory qualities when selecting strawberries.This study surveyed 203 Polish consumers aged 18–25 to analyse their strawberry buying and consumption patterns and preferences. The research employed a quantitative survey (CAWI) and qualitative sensory assessment. The study found that strawberry consumption is highly seasonal, with higher intake in summer, particularly among women, while winter consumption was influenced by income level. Key purchase drivers included the appearance and aroma of strawberries; less important in choosing strawberries were price, type of packaging, place of purchase, and country of origin. Sensory evaluation of four strawberry cultivars – Lycia, Aprica, Giusy, and Klodia – revealed Klodia as the most favourable in sweetness and flavour, though Aprica was visually preferred. These findings suggest that visual preferences do not always align with sensory qualities when selecting strawberries
Nondestructive discrimination of advanced clones and cultivars of strawberry using an innovative approach involving image analysis and machine learning
Full text linkDifferent clones and cultivars of strawberry can differ in morphological and chemical properties, as well as productivity, adaptation to cultivation conditions, and post-harvest quality during storage and processing. Due to differences in the quality of raw materials and final products depending on the strawberry clone/cultivar, correct distinguishing clones and cultivars is important for growers, consumers and processors. This study was aimed at distinguishing advanced clones and cultivars of strawberry using an innovative approach involving image processing and artificial intelligence. The raw material included the advanced clones and cultivars of strawberry, such as clone with the breeding code T-201457-16 (Grandarosa × Elsanta), clone T-201536-06 (Clery × Grandarosa), clone T-201567-01 (Patty × Panvik), as well as the cultivars Fibion, Grandarosa, and Markat. The fruit image acquisition was performed using a digital camera. As many as 2172 image parameters were extracted from the image of each fruit converted to different color channels R, G, B, L, a, b, X, Y, Z, U, V, and S and textures with the highest discriminative power were selected to develop models using various machine learning algorithms, such as Multilayer Perceptron, MultiClass Classifier, IBk, and LMT, Linear Discriminant, Quadratic SVM, Subspace Discriminant, and Wide Neural Network. The most accurate classifications were obtained for a model built using Subspace Discriminant (96.30%) and Multilayer Perceptron (95.83%). For the model developed using Subspace Discriminant, clone T-201567-01 and cultivar Markat were completely correctly classified with the highest accuracy of 100%. Whereas in the case of the model built using Multilayer Perceptron clone T-201567-01 was characterized by the highest classification metrics, such as Precision and F-measure equal to 0.983, MCC of 0.980, PRC Area and ROC Area of 1.000. The developed approach can be used in practice to discriminate advanced clones and cultivars of strawberry in an objective and nondestructive manner
Influence of several methods of flower and fruitlet thinning on the yield and quality of Gala Must apples
Full text linkApple trees of the Gala Must, grafted onto the dwarfing M.9 rootstock, planted in 2014 at a spacing of 3.5×1.8 m, were subjected to flower and fruitlet thinning in 2022–2024. Seven thinning combinations were used: 1 – (M) Mechanical thinning of flowers at the stage when the petals had emerged in 2 or 3 flowers in the inflorescence, using the German BAUM device; 2 – (C) Chemical thinning of fruitlets with Globaryll 100 SL containing cytokinin; 3 – (H) Hand thinning of fruitlets after June drop; 4 – (M+C) Mechanical thinning of flowers with the BAUM device supplemented by chemical thinning of fruitlets as in pt. 2; 5 – (M+H) Mechanical thinning of flowers with the BAUM device supplemented by hand thinning of fruitlets after June drop; 6 – (C+H) Chemical thinning of fruitlets with Globaryll 100 SL supplemented by hand thinning after June drop; 7 – (Control) Trees in which neither flowers nor fruitlets were thinned out.In most treatments, the thinning of flowers or fruitlets caused a significant decrease in fruit yield but improved fruit quality, compared with the control. The thinning treatments increased the weight and size of apples, as well as their soluble solids content. Most apples were of a favourable marketable size in the range of 7.0–7.5 cm. The combined thinning treatments (M+H, M+C, C+H) resulted in the production of too many overgrown apples, which are known to be more susceptible to bitter pit, which in turn may reduce their storage life. Most of the thinning treatments resulted in a higher soluble solids content in the fruit without a significant effect on their firmness