Comparison Of Nutritional And Sensory Qualities Between Hydroponic And Soil-Grown Strawberries And Raspberries

Hydroponic means of food production represent a possible opportunity towards sustainable crop production. Hydroponics can be defined as growing plants in soilless conditions with nutrients, water and an inert medium. Hydroponics has the potential to supply food in non-arable regions of the world, such as arid or urban areas. Along with this, hydroponics could be a means to provide food to those living in food deserts. Hydroponic food production currently has a positive connotation because of the abundant proposed environmental benefits associated with the growing method. Some of these environmental benefits include: less use of water, less pesticide usage, higher yields, increased nutritional content and better taste. For the hydroponic product to be successful, it must be equal or better than the soil-grown product in terms of environmental benefits, nutritional quality and taste. The majority of recent studies have investigated hydroponic leafy greens, peppers and tomato fruit. Limited research has been conducted for hydroponic strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) and raspberries (Rubus Idaeus). Strawberries and raspberries contain high amounts of health promoting bioactive compounds. Consumption of these nutritious fruits is associated with decreased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and prevention of certain types of oxidative stress mediated diseases. This research consists of two review papers, and four experimental studies. The objectives of the review papers were to evaluate the current literature and provide an understanding whereby future research can move forward in the quest for global sustainable food production. The objectives of the studies for both strawberries and raspberries were to examine the crop compared to their soil-grown counterpart for viability, nutritional quality, and sensory attributes. In the review papers, it was concluded that many factors could contribute to the successes of a hydroponic crop. Currently, research on hydroponic methods is limited but preliminary research shows beneficial results in areas of ecological, economical, nutritional and sensory quality of the product. Evidence based research indicates a wide variety of study methods and designs, all which will contribute to the viability, nutrition, and sensory attributes of the hydroponic product. The results from our experimental studies support the hypotheses that hydroponics may be able to contribute to a sustainable food production while providing food that is equal in nutrition and taste. The hydroponic strawberry and raspberries results indicated a higher yield, equal or better nutritional quality, and equal or better in taste preferences compared to soil-grown strawberries and raspberries. The results from the experimental studies suggest hydroponic food production offers numerous advantages and may be conceivable to grow nutritious and flavorsome food in non-arable regions in the world

The role of environmental stress in fruit pigmentation

For many fruit crops, the colour of the fruit outwardly defines its eating quality. Fruit pigments provide reproductive advantage for the plant as well as providing protection against unfavourable environmental conditions and pathogens. For consumers these colours are considered attractive and provide many of the dietary benefits derived from fruits. In the majority of species, the main pigments are either carotenoids and/or anthocyanins. They are produced in the fruit as part of the ripening process, orchestrated by phytohormones and an ensuing transcriptional cascade, culminating in pigment biosynthesis. Whilst this is a controlled developmental process, the production of pigments is also attuned to environmental conditions such as light quantity and quality, availability of water and ambient temperature. If these factors intensify to stress levels, fruit tissues respond by increasing (or ceasing) pigment production. In many cases, if the stress is not severe, this can have a positive outcome for fruit quality. Here, we focus on the principal environmental factors (light, temperature and water) that can influence fruit colour.publishedVersio

The spatial epidemiology of jackfruit pest and diseases: a review

Jackfruit is identified as targeted produced for premium fruit and vegetable (EPP 7). Meanwhile in Johor, jackfruit is the third biggest fruit produced in 2016. Jackfruit contains a lot of benefits which certainly good for living things and have been used in various sector such as medicine, food, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant, antifungal effect, immunomodulatory effect and else. However, the existence of pests and diseases have threatened the productivity of jackfruit plant particularly in tropical countries including Malaysia. There are many factors that can affect the occurrence of pests and plant diseases of jackfruit such as shoot borers, bark borers, mealy bug and scale insects, blossoms and fruit rots and bacterial die-back. Several studies have been devoted to model the plant pests and diseases epidemiology, though the contexts that focus in tropical environment and jackfruit plant are limited. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss abiotic factors and spatial methods that have been used to define dispersal pattern and relationship between abiotic factors including major climatic variables with plant pests and diseases occurrence data, particularly in tropical climate. This paper could be used as a basis to understand the epidemiological models in combating pest and plant disease and to support towards the effective management of jackfruit pests and diseases in tropical countries, particularly Malaysia

Changes in the Content, Composition and Localization of Foliar Phenolic Compounds of Strawberries as Influenced by Nitrogen Regimen

To meet the increasing food demand, conventional agriculture practices emphasizes on quantitative yield and often involves intensification of nitrogen fertilizers. However, owing to the high mobility in the soil, nitrogen leaching imposes serious consequences on environment and subsequently on human health. Although the quantitative yield is predominantly determined by primary metabolism, the secondary metabolism in the plant not only function as response molecules against biotic and abiotic stress but also determines the qualitative composition of the crop. Nitrogen deficiency limits growth more than photosynthesis, leading to accumulation of the carbon based secondary precursors. Nitrogen deficiency or excess is also associated with increase in the reactive oxygen species (ROS) further driving the biosynthesis of secondary metabolism and utilization of the carbon precursors. Furthermore, the leaves are documented to accumulate a higher proportion of phenolics and exhibit translocation across the plants based on the environmental trigger and developmental stage. Polyphenols constitute one such class of carbon based secondary metabolites biosynthesized throughout the plant’s life and have key role as signaling molecules, free radical scavengers etc. Although, the presence of an aromatic carbon ring structure is the characteristic of phenolics, there exist vast structural diversity based on the addition and modification to the core ring structure and location of one or more hydroxyl groups. These distinctions both within and between the different classes of phenolics further dictates their biological activity and efficiency. However, variation in the quantitative and qualitative metabolic pool of phenolics in the plant could not only be driven by the stress stimuli but also by the extent of the stress. Thus, the present study investigated the content, composition and localization of foliar phenolics from two cultivars of Fragaria ananassa (cv. Camarosa and cv. Albion) exposed to four different nitrogen (N) fertilization treatments (control, 8mM N, 16mM N and 30mM N). Using a non-targeted metabolomics approach, present study not only exhibited a non-linear response in the content between foliar phenolic classes but also emphasizes the compositional variation and preferential localization of the biosynthesized phenolics. The tentatively identified metabolites encompassed different groups of non-anthocyanic phenolics namely, hydrolysable tannins (simple galloyl glucoses, ellagic acid derivatives and ellagitannins), hydroxycinnamate derivatives, flavones, flavonols, flavan-3-ols and oligomeric proanthocyanidins. For both the cultivars, the content of different phenolic classes showed the general trend of increase with decrease in N concentration, however, the magnitude of response varied between both the cultivars and the different classes. Primary metabolites viz. sugars, organic acids and the key amino acid glutamine, did not exhibit a significant response to the applied N treatments, across both the cultivars. Total hydrolysable tannin (HTs) decreased by 70% as N concentration increased from 8mM N to 16mM N in cv. Camarosa and no variation across the treatments in cv. Albion. However the total phenylpropanoids decreased (P From the study, we concluded that along with the increase in carbon based secondary compounds under nitrogen deficiency; the variation within the class of phenolics is linked to the biosynthetic origin and physiological role of the phenolic class

Pest categorisation of Colletotrichum fructicola

The EFSA Plant Health Panel performed a pest categorisation of Colletotrichum fructicola Prihast., a well‐defined polyphagous fungus of the C. gloeosporioides complex which has been reported from all the five continents to cause anthracnose, bitter rot and leaf spotting diseases on over 90 cultivated and non‐cultivated woody or herbaceous plant species. The pathogen is not included in EU Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/2072. Because of the very wide host range, this pest categorisation focused on Camellia sinensis, Citrus sinensis, C. reticulata, Fragaria × ananassa, Malus domestica, M. pumila, Persea americana, Prunus persica, Pyrus pyrifolia and P. bretschneideri for which there was robust evidence that C. fructicola was formally identified by morphology and multilocus gene sequencing analysis. Host plants for planting and fresh fruits are the main pathways for the entry of the pathogen into the EU. There are no reports of interceptions of C. fructicola in the EU. The pathogen has been reported from Italy and France. The host availability and climate suitability factors occurring in some parts of the EU are favourable for the establishment of the pathogen. Economic impact on the production of the main hosts is expected if establishment occurs. Phytosanitary measures are available to prevent the re‐introduction of the pathogen into the EU. Although the pathogen is present in the EU, there is a high uncertainty on its actual distribution in the territory because of the re‐evaluation of Colletotrichum taxonomy and the lack of systematic surveys. Therefore, the Panel cannot conclude with certainty on whether C. fructicola satisfies the criterium of being present but not widely distributed in the EU to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest unless systematic surveys for C. fructicola are conducted and Colletotrichum isolates from the EU in culture collections are re‐evaluated

Pre-harvest factors affecting quality and shelf-life in raspberries and blackberries (Rubus spp. L.)

Fruit including berries have been demonstrated to exhibit a broad spectrum of benefits including protection against cardiovascular, neurological, and lung diseases, as well as having antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti- diabetic and anti-aging properties. These protective effects are reported to be due to their high content of bioactive compounds, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, phenolic acids, ellagitannins, flavonoids and carotenoids. This thesis investigated the effect of pre- and postharvest factors on the concentrations of bioactive compounds in raspberries and blackberries. The factors studied included genetic variability, organic and synthetic fertilizers, seasonal variation (harvest-to-harvest and annual variation) in greenhouse, high tunnel and open field production, and post-harvest storage. Concentrations of bioactive compounds (anthocyanins, vitamin C, ellagic acid, carotenoids) in the berries, or in the leaves, were quantitatively analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography, and total phenolics were analysed by a spectrophotometric method. Generative parameters (yield, fruit size) investigated for the cultivar difference and organic nitrogen, responded differently to the nitrogen level within cultivars and varied significantly in primocane raspberries. Taste compounds, such as total acidity and different sugars, varied during the season and with nutrient regimes. Time of harvest also affected the ellagic acid content, which was high in early season, and the vitamin C content, which was high in late season in primocane raspberries. Significant changes were also found between different years. Vitamin C decreased significantly with high synthetic N and with low K application, but the application of high N with high K showed positive influence in the level of nutrients and bioactive compounds in blackberries except for ellagic acid. Increased level of organic fertilization (12-17 g N/plant) in primocane raspberries caused only minor changes in the analysed compounds. The post-harvest performance of raspberries regarding the levels of bioactive compounds was less dynamic than in blackberries. In addition, raspberries harvested in late season showed comparatively less changes in sugar content during storage as compared to early harvest, indicating less enzymatic activity in the late season

THE OVIPOSITION BEHAVIOUR OF THE BLACK VINE WEEVIL Otiorhynchus sulcatus (FABR)

Merged with duplicate record 10026.1/2798 on 14.02.2017 by CS (TIS)Within the constraints of the experiments conducted vine weevil were found to exhibit a strategy of volume of indiscriminate oviposition rather than a strategy of definitives it eselection characteristic of a true oviposition behaviour. A series of experiments was conducted to determine oviposition and host plant interactions under conditions of choice and absence of choice of host plant. It was found that oviposition was greatest for Yew, followed by polyanthus, fushcia, strawberry and (despite the name) was found to be least on vine plants. Variation was attributed to a combination mainly of ground cover and partially quality of host. Oviposition was found to be much lower under conditions of absence of choice. Variation was attributed to the observation that not all vine weevil oviposit all the time and that feeding and oviposition upon a plant are independent. A further experiment conducted using strawberry plants with variable leaf N reinforced the interpretation that feeding and oviposition are independent functions. Under conditions of choice of host plant it was found that feeding occurred upon plants that were not capable of generating ova. Passive transponders attached to individual vine weevil adults were Utilised in order to relate oviposition and feeding to specific actions of individual vine weevil. If was found that a greaterv olume of leaf matter was consumed from leaves of high N that was not associated with an increase in plant visitation. It was also found that the presence of surface refuge increases the volume of oviposition and feeding- possibly as a function of increasing the number of vine weevil that remain in association with the host plant. Direct measurement of leaf area consumed reinforced the observation that feeding and oviposition are not correlated. Transponder signals that indicate that more than one weevil is present at 4 an oviposition site suggests that vine weevil do not have the need to be alone when ovipositing. The distribution of oviposition is highly influenced by locomotion. Traditional arena based studies suggested the high level of incidence of directional bias. In order to determine the angle of rotation and the path length an item of apparatus was designed a nd created. The AVOID apparatus enabled the measurement of path and angle without the detrimental effect of an arena wall. The avoid apparatus was used to determine the variables related to locomotion for a comparison of pre-oviposition weevil locomotion with post oviposition locomotion, the effect of nutritional state upon locomotion and the effect of crowding. Observations uggests that vine weevils that have oviposited have a greater tendency to remain inactive than pre-oviposition vine weevils,which may result in an increased level of dispersal of pre-oviposition vine weevils. The contribution to dispersably larval stage0 . sulcatus was determined.It was found that third instar vine weevil larvae are highly mobile. It is theorised that the artificial barrier created by a plant pot prevent dispersal and,thus, exacerbate the larval status as a pest. An attempt was made to develop a molecular biology technique to differentiate the ova produced by multiple vine weevils at an oviposition site. It was determined that sufficient DNA could be extracted from a single ovum to enable several PCR reactions. A theoretical model of the inheritance of mtDNA molecules was created to test the feasibility of mtDNA mutation as a differentiation method

Aromas and Flavours of Fruits

Aromas and flavours play an important role in horticultural crops’ quality, namely in fruits. Plant breeders have made considerable advances producing cultivars with higher yields, resistant to pests and diseases, or with high nutritional quality, without paying enough attention to flavour quality. Indeed, consumers have the perception that fruit aromas and flavours have declined in the last years. Attention is given nowadays not only to flavoured compounds but also to compounds with antioxidant activity such as phenolic compounds. Fruit flavour is a combination of aroma and taste sensations. Conjugation of sugars, acids, phenolics, and hundreds of volatile compounds contribute to the fruit flavour. However, flavour and aroma depend on the variety, edaphoclimatic conditions, agronomical practices and postharvest handling. This chapter reviews the aromas and flavours of the most important fruits and discusses the most recent advances in the genomics, biochemistry and biotechnology of aromas and flavours

Production technologies for low-chill temperate fruits; Reports from the Second International Workshop, 19–23 April 2004, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Crop Production/Industries,