scholarly journals APPLE TREES YIELDING AND FRUIT QUALITY DEPENDING ON THE CROP LOAD, BRANCH TYPE AND POSITION IN THE CROWN

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iwona Szot ◽  
Tomasz Lipa

The study was conducted from 2013 to 2015 on 10–13-year-old apple trees cv. ‘Szampion’ (M.9. rootstock) in experimental orchard of Department of Pomology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin. On the trees intensively flowering in 2013, the thinning treatments were performed as follows: thinning at the pink bud stage to the 50% of flower clusters leaving only a king flower in the remaining flower clusters; thinning at the pink bud stage to the 50% of flower clusters leaving only one lateral flower in the remaining flower clusters, thinning 4 weeks after full bloom to the 50% of fruit clusters leaving only a fruit from king flower in the remaining fruit clusters, thinning 4 weeks after full bloom to the 50% of fruit clusters leaving only one fruit from lateral flower in the remaining fruit clusters. Intensively flowering control trees in 2013 and poorly flowering trees in 2013 were left unthinned. The best results in terms of regularity of yielding and high-quality fruits after thinning at pink bud stage to king flower, were obtained. The largest fluctuations in yields were observed with the control tree that flowered poorly in the beginning of the study. It was found that the cultivar ‘Szampion’ is characterized by equal distribution of fruits in lower and middle parts of crown, however in the top of crown, the amount of fruits is significantly lower. Apples with the largest mean fruit weight were from spurs on wood older than two years. However the best flesh firmness, soluble solids and dry matter content was detected in fruits from brindles.

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosana Rodrigues ◽  
Leandro SA Gonçalves ◽  
Cintia dos S Bento ◽  
Claudia P Sudré ◽  
Renata R Robaina ◽  
...  

The Capsicum breeding has been developed with emphasis in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) and few studies are available in other species, especially C. baccatum, which has potential use not only as disease resistance source but also in obtaining new genotypes suitable for farmers' production. In the present work, the combining ability of ten C. baccatum hybrids, along with their five parentals, were tested considering 12 agronomic traits. The hybrids were produced from a complete diallel without reciprocals and assessed in greenhouse conditions, in Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, during the period July to December 2009. The experimental design was a randomized block with three replications and the following agronomic traits evaluated: canopy diameter (CD), plant height (PH), days to fructification (DF), number of fruits per plant (NFP), mean fruit weight (FW), dry fruit matter weight (FDM), dry matter content (DM), fruit length (FL), fruit diameter (FD), pulp thickness (PT), total soluble solids (TSS) and yield per plant (PP). Significant differences were observed only for general combining ability (GCA) in regard to PH, FW, FDM, DM, PT and TSS, indicating that additive effects were involved on the control of these characters. For CD, DF, NFP, FL, FD and PP, there was significance not only for GCA but also for specific combining ability (SCA) indicating that non-additive and additive effects were important in genetic control of these traits. The hybrids UENF 1629 X UENF 1732, UENF 1616 X UENF 1732 and UENF 1624 X UENF 1639 were considered superior because they have favorable agronomic traits.


Author(s):  
P. Kumah ◽  
P. K. Tandoh ◽  
K. S. Konadu

Banana is a climacteric fruit with a short shelf life. As a result, huge losses are incurred during handling in the value chain. The need to develop means of extending the shelf life and concomitantly maintaining the quality of the fruit after harvest has become very important. This study was conducted to determine the effects of two different edible waxing materials (beeswax and cassava starch) used as coatings on the quality and shelf life of Mysore banana. The study was conducted in the laboratory at the Department of Horticulture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology–Kumasi. The experiment was laid out in a simple completely randomized design (CRD) and replicated three (3) times with three treatments (beeswax, cassava starch and a control). Parameters studied were: fruit weight loss, firmness, peel colour, pulp-to-peel ratio, moisture content (MC), dry matter content (DMC), total titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (TSS), pH, green life and shelf life. The results showed beeswax and cassava starch had no significant effect (P>0.01) on peel colour, fruit firmness, TTA, TSS, DMC, MC and green life. Beeswax, however, kept weight loss minimal, and reduced TSS and the pulp-to-peel ratio of the fruits during storage. We conclude that beeswax was the best treatment in terms of waxing Mysore banana fruits to maintained its quality and ultimately prolonged its shelf life by about four (4) days more than the control.


HortScience ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-148
Author(s):  
Abigail Attavar ◽  
Lydia Tymon ◽  
Penelope Perkins-Veazie ◽  
Carol A. Miles

Grafting is used in watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum and Nakai] production as a means to combat soilborne diseases. To support the development of new rootstock cultivars in the United States, we screened cucurbit germplasm accessions for resistance to verticillium wilt (caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb.) and for compatibility as watermelon rootstocks. Screening was done using a field naturally infested with V. dahliae [5 and 7.5 colony-forming units (cfu)·g−1 soil in 2017 and 2018, respectively], and plants were inoculated at transplanting (1.5 and 104 cfu of V. dahliae per plant in 2017 and 2018, respectively). In 2017, 56 germplasm accessions from three genera commonly used as rootstocks, Cucurbita, Lagenaria, and Benincasa, were sourced from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Plant Germplasm System and area under the verticillium wilt (disease) progress curve (AUDPC) values ranged from 16 to 397. The 14 accessions with the lowest AUDPC values and good germination (>40%) were used as rootstocks along with the commercial rootstock cv. Tetsukabuto (control), and all were grafted with watermelon cv. Secretariat as the scion in 2018. Grafted plant survival rate was greatest for ‘Tetsukabuto’ (90%) and the accession PI 381840 (L. siceraria) (89%), and ranged from 22% to 85% for all other accessions. All grafted treatments that produced mature fruit in 2018 tended to flower at the same time as nongrafted ‘Secretariat’, with first male and female flowers occurring in 45 to 50 days and 44 to 51 days after transplanting, respectively. There were no significant differences in AUDPC values due to grafting or when accessions were compared with ‘Tetsukabuto’. Only six accessions produced mature fruit when grafted with ‘Secretariat’, indicating they were compatible for watermelon grafting. Fruit weight and number as well as total soluble solids, pH, lycopene content, rind firmness and thickness, and dry matter content were similar for all accessions and ‘Tetsukabuto’ grafted on ‘Secretariat’. Only fruit flesh firmness differed and was highest for ‘Secretariat’ grafted on ‘PI 491316’ and lowest for ‘Secretariat’ grafted on ‘PI 49174’. The six verticillium wilt-tolerant accessions that were compatible with watermelon could potentially be used as rootstocks or as sources of genetic resistance in rootstock breeding programs.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Dagianta ◽  
Dimitrios Goumas ◽  
Thrassyvoulos Manios ◽  
Nikos Tzortzakis

The performance and suitability of tertiary treated wastewater (TW) and/or fertigation (F) in pepper plants were studied over a 4-month period in greenhouse conditions. Four treatments were used consisting of (1) water, (2) water + F, (3) TW, and (4) TW + F. The F and/or TW application increased plant height and plant biomass compared with the control plants (irrigated with water) while no differences were observed in the number of leaves produced. Plants grown with TW + F were thicker than control plants. The addition of F increased fruit number in both water and TW, which resulted in increased plant yield and fruit marketability for the water application but decreased mean fruit weight for TW application. The application of TW increased fruit total soluble solids but decreased fruit firmness whereas adding F, these changes were normalized. The F and/or TW application reduced fruit total phenolics, fruit acidity, and fruit length but not fruit diameter. No differences were observed in fruit dry matter content, fruit color/lightness (a, b, and L value). Bacteria (total coliform and Escherichia coli) units on the fruits did not differ among the treatments. The results indicate that wastewater may act as an alternative means of irrigation if following strict safety aspects while the fertigation acted beneficially.


2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 83-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Tzortzakis N ◽  
D. Economakis C

The performance and suitability of different substrates for the soilless culture of tomato plants (<I>Lycopersicum esculentum</I> Mill., cv. Belladona) were studied over a 5-month period in a closed soilless culture system employing five different substrates (perlite, pumice or maize and their mixtures with 50% shredded maize stems in an unheated glasshouse). Plants grown in a maize stem-containing medium produced earlier fruits, followed by pumice. Plants grown in pumice and perlite substrates obtained lower total yield; a higher yield was associated with the addition of maize shredded stems. Pumice + 50% maize and 100% maize produced higher total number of fruits per plant. Fruit quality parameters such as mean fruit weight, fruit firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid and carotenoids were influenced by the treatment, while EC, pH and dry matter content were not. The results suggest that the addition of maize in perlite and pumice could improve inorganic substrates properties for tomato soilless culture, leading to higher yields and better fruit quality.


2006 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Léchaudel ◽  
Jacques Joas

The effects of harvest date (5 dates, between 100 and 140 days after full bloom) and carbon supply (2 leaf-to-fruit ratios, 10 and 100) on mango fruit (cv. Cogshall) quality and maturity were studied to find reliable indicators that take fruit physiological maturity into account and to establish a compromised harvest date according to the market. Fruit size and density varied with regard to the harvest date and assimilate supply. Changes in total soluble solids and titratable acidity were well correlated with concentrations of major soluble sugars and organic acids. Potassium concentration was increased according to harvest date. Metabolic changes occurred at 126–133 and 133–140 days after full bloom in fruit subjected to non-limited and stress conditions of assimilate supply, respectively. During this stage, sucrose and malic acid concentrations strongly increased, whereas those of starch and citric acid decreased according to the leaf-to-fruit ratio treatment. Synthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and malonyl ACC, and a rapid increase in the respiration rate were observed during this period. The shortage of assimilate supply delayed the onset of maturation and reduced its intensity. Storage quality of mango cv. Cogshall may be influenced by assimilate supply since the K+ to Ca2+ ratio and the pulp dry matter content, in particular, were enhanced in fruit from the 100 leaf-to-fruit ratio treatment. Results for mango cv. Cogshall suggested that total soluble solids, sucrose, and malic/citric acid ratio can be used as physiological indices for mango fruit, whereas fruit fresh mass, density, and pulp dry matter content can be useful indicators for when to harvest fruit. It appeared that 133 days after full bloom was an optimal harvest date for fruit grown under non-limited conditions of assimilate supply, for a market where the time between harvest and consumption of fruit is short.


2016 ◽  
Vol 135 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Kaczmarska ◽  
Jacek Gawroński ◽  
Ewa Jabłońska-Ryś ◽  
Marta Zalewska-Korona ◽  
Wojciech Radzki ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neide Botrel ◽  
Raphael Augusto de Castro e Melo

Abstract Pepino dulce (Solanum muricatum Aiton) or Pepino has been growing to produce edible, juicy and attractive fruits. The imported fruits and national small scale of Pepino dulce production are currently stored and commercialized under the absence of postharvest handling recommendations. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the quality aspects of Pepino dulce fruits in distinct ripening stages, forms of packaging and conditions of storage. The trial was conducted in a 2x2x2 factorial scheme - 2 ripening stages (ripe and immature) x 2 forms of packaging (with and without wrapping in plastic film) x 2 conditions of storage (room: 25 °C ± 2 ºC and 57% ± 5% of relative humidity (RH); cold: under refrigeration 10 °C ± 2 °C and 85% ± 5% of RH) – in a complete randomized block design. Fruit quality attributes, such as vitamin C, chemical and phenolic content, fruit color (mesocarp), firmness, dry matter content, total titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids and pH, were evaluated. Fruits showed a centesimal composition with low calories and a significant content of potassium (K), phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg), which can contribute to the daily supply of these elements. For commercialization purposes, the association of packaging (plastic wrapping film) and refrigerated storage (cold: 10 °C ± 2 °C and 85% ± 5% of RH) to maintain the characteristics of fruit quality after a 15 days period is more important than its individual use.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-304
Author(s):  
Lucimeire Pilon ◽  
Jaqueline S Guedes ◽  
Bruna S Bitencourt ◽  
Raphael Augusto de C Melo ◽  
Larissa PC Vendrame ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) is a root crop grown in many countries. This tuberous root is a source of energy, nutrients, and phytochemicals. In this study, bioactive compounds and physical and physicochemical qualities of sweetpotato genotypes were evaluated. Eight new genotypes of sweetpotato produced by Embrapa Hortaliças (orange-fleshed: MD09026-OF and MD09024-OF; cream-fleshed: MD09011-CF, MD09004-CF, MD10039-CF, and MD10004-CF; yellow-fleshed: MD09017-YF and MD12002-YF) and two cultivars used as controls (Beauregard and Brazlândia Roxa) were evaluated for color, soluble solids, dry matter, phenolic compounds, total carotenoids and β-carotene. Hue angles differed even between those sweetpotatoes with the same flesh color. The orange-fleshed genotypes MD09024-OF, MD09026-OF, and Beauregard, had the lowest L*, showing to be darker than the others. These sweetpotatoes also had the brightest flesh colors with higher C*. The orange-fleshed genotypes MD09026-OF and MD09024-OF were sweeter (10.55oBrix and 9.23oBrix) than Beauregard (5.12oBrix). Brazlândia Roxa had the highest dry matter content (38.05%), followed by the genotypes MD10004-CF, MD09017-YF, MD09026-OF MD10039-CF, and MD09011-CF, which showed similarity, ranging from 32.33% to 29.12%. The highest contents of total carotenoids were found for the orange-fleshed genotypes MD09026-OF (80.06 mg g-1) and MD09024-OF (70.56 mg g-1) and Beauregard (73.12 mg g-1). These same genotypes showed the highest total phenolic compounds (0.815 mg g-1 and 0.686 mg g-1, respectively). MD09026-OF showed the highest content of β-carotene (46.47 mg g-1). MD09026-OF was the most prominent genotype among those evaluated, as it showed the highest total carotenoid, β-carotene, phenolic compounds, and soluble solids content, in addition to a high dry matter content.


2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 120-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Milić ◽  
N. Magazin ◽  
Z. Keserović ◽  
M. Dorić

Ammonium and potassium thiosulfate are used commercially or experimentally as flower thinners because they are considered user, environment and consumer safe. The thinning trials were conducted in 2009 and 2010, on three- and four-year-old Braeburn Mariri Red* trees. The chemicals were applied at 1%, 2% and 3% rates of ammonium and 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% of potassium thiosulfate. Both thinning agents reduced fruit set, but were more efficient in 2009, when applied at 20% full bloom, than in 2010, when they were applied at 80% full bloom. Flower thinning with ammonium and potassium thiosulfate increased the average fruit weight, but the highest chemical rates retarded fruit growth. Ammonium and potassium thiosulfate did not affect fruit shape and firmness, but they increased starch degradation, total soluble solids content and titratable acidity. The treatments increased the percentage of flower buds, except at the highest chemical rates, where leaf damage reduced flower bud formation. Ammonium or potassium thiosulfate application may be recommended as the first step in a chemical thinning program


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