Sensory and descriptor attributes of some walnut cultivars and types

The study presents an extensive assessment of sensory and descriptor attributes of 27 walnut (Juglans Regia L.) cultivars and types. Descriptive analyses were used for a total of 15 cultivars and 12 types, harvested from a collection walnut orchard located in city of Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, by a panel of 14 consisting of horticultural students and staff. The assessment enclosed three main descriptors, and sensory attributes which were nut structure, kernel structure, and flavor and texture. The nut shape of the cultivars/types was mainly rated broad to ovate. ‘Sütyemez-2’ and ’77-H-1’ types were recorded to have the whitest shell color whereas ‘Chandler’ cultivar was recorded to have the whitest kernel color. Most of the cultivars/types had a moderate kernel fill and shriveling score. The highest score of aroma, flavor and sweetness intensity was noted in ‘Kaman-3’ while bitterness, puckeriness and sweetness assessments greatly changing among cultivars/types. Crispness rating of the cultivars/types was almost the same, with the exception ‘KSU-5’being crispier than others

Suitability of some mid-season table grape cultivars and types for minimally processed produce

Aims: The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether some midseason table grape cultivars and types can be used as minimally processed produce and to investigate the negative effects of minimal processing on the quality of the table grapes. Methods and results: Changes in quality losses as defects, weight loss, soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH by minimally processed 13 cultivars and 4 types were recorded during a 10-day storage period at 4 °C. Browning on the stem end was the major defect followed by collapse on the stem end, decay both on the stem end and on the berry surface, and splitting on the berry surface. Big Perlon, Hatun Parmagi and Ribol among the cultivars/types were found be less prone to defects after minimal processing and storing at 4 °C. Conclusion: The defects or problems which minimally processed table grapes most likely to face are collapse, browning and decay on the stem end, and splitting and decay on the berry surface. The quality losses in Big Perlon, Hatun Parmagi and Ribol cultivars with a very large berry size were lower than other 14 cultivars/types after 10 days, suggesting that berry size is very important attribute for choosing table grape cultivars as minimally processed produce. Significance and impact of study: The study involving 13 cultivars and 4 types with different colored skin, berry sizes and types presents reliable information of suitability of the grapes for fresh-cut produce. Furthermore, the quality assessment used for this study provides a very detailed clarification what kind of problems minimally processed table grapes might face

Use of hydrogen peroxide, citric acid and sodium hypochlorite as sanitizer for minimally processed table grapes

The objective of this study was to explore two local table grape cultivars, one is white and the other one red colored, as a minimally processed produce, and to identify the most effective sanitizers (hydrogen peroxide, citric acid or sodium hypochlorite) to control microbial growth. The table grape cultivars indigenous to Elazig province of Turkey ‘Agin Beyazi’ and ‘Agin Kirmizisi’ were tested in the present experiment. Grape clusters were washed by dipping in tap water as control, in citric acid (20 g/L), with sodium hypochlorite (50 mg/L), or with hydrogen peroxide (20 g/L), solutions for 1 minute. Grape berries were then placed into PET clamshells and kept at 4 °C for 10 days. The berries were subject to quality assessments during the storage, and to total aerobic microbial and fungal count at the end. Washing with hydrogen peroxide- or sodium hypochlorite-diluted water was very effective controlling both aerobic microbial and fungal growth. Citric acid treatment however represented no significant effect on microbial growth. It is concluded that both hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite are strong sanitizers for table grapes tested, with no detection of undesirable effects

Evaluation of the Potency of Aqueous 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) Application in Carrots

The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of aqueous 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on postharvest quality of carrots and to compare with/to gaseous 1-MCP and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) treatments. Carrots initially washed with tap water were distributed into 4 batches the first of which was subject to aqueous 1-MCP application, the second to the gaseous 1-MCP application, the third to MAP and the fourth left non-treated as a control. Carrots were placed in clamshell polyethene terephthalate (PET) boxes except MAP-treated ones and stored 23 ± 1°C for 10 days. During the 10-day period, carrots were evaluated by tracking weight loss, firmness, color, headspace gas composition, total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, carotenoid content and decays. The results showed that gaseous 1-MCP application may have the potential for delaying postharvest quality losses by restricting decay ratios for carrots held at room temperature. Aqueous 1-MCP and MAP applications were however found to be inefficient suppressing or delaying postharvest quality losses

Responses of Cucumber Fruit to Aqueous 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) Application

Aims: The objectives of the present study were to evaluate effects of aqueous 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on quality of cucumber fruit, and to compare with/to gaseous 1-MCP and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) applications. Study Design: A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was set up for the experiment. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Horticulture, Bingol University, Turkey; between September - December 2017.  Methodology: Cucumber fruits (ErdemliF1) were either treated with aqueous or gaseous 1-MCP (1 ppm), or left untreated for MAP storage or controls. The fruits were afterwards put into PET clamshell containers except for MAP application and stored 23 ± 1°C for 10 days for simulating retail shelf-life conditions. Samples of cucumbers were then tested periodically to record changes in quality as determined by weight loss, firmness, color, gas composition (O2, CO2 and N2), total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, chlorophyll content, and decay during the storage time. Results: Neither aqueous nor gaseous 1-MCP application had a significant effect on weight or firmness loss. According to peel color values recording during the storage period, there were no significant differences among the treatments. Total soluble solids, pH or titratable acidity did not show a significant change or variation among treatments during the storage. Fruits stored in modified atmosphere packages showed higher chlorophyll a amount than fruit treated with 1-MCP.   Conclusion: The study revealed that neither aqueous 1-MCP application nor gaseous 1-MCP application is effective for retaining quality loses and consequently for extending shelf life of the cucumbers kept at 23°C

Barbados Cherry (MalpighiaemarginataD.C.)

Barbados kirazı (Malpighiaemarginata D.C.)Orta Amerika, Karayibler (özellikle Barbados, Trinidad, Tobago ve Haiti) ve Brezilya’da oldukça fazla talep görenkiraz görünümlü tropikal bir bitki türüdür. Kırmızı renk tercih edilmesi ile beraber, olgunlaştığında kırmızı, pembe veya sarı renkli olan meyvesi, daha çok oranı yaş ağırlıkta %4’e kadar çıkabilen C vitamini içeriği ile ön plana çıkmaktadır. Ayrıca birçok çalışma meyvenin antosyaninler, fenolik maddeler ve diyetsel karotenoidler gibi fitokimyasallar tarafından da zengin bir içeriğe sahip olduğunu rapor etmektedir. Özellikle yüksek C vitamin değeri ile hazır besin ürünlerineaskorbik asit ve antikoksidankatkı maddesi olarak kullanılması, meyveye olan talebisürekli artırmaktadır. Brezilya en fazla üreten ülke konumunda olup bunu Karayibler takip etmektedir. Taze tüketim pazarı meyvenin raf ömrünün çok kısa olması nedeni ile oldukça kısıtlı olsa da meyveden elde edilen ürünlerdünya genelinde iyi fiyatlara satılmaktadır. Ülkemizde bugün itibarı ile sadece örtü altında yetiştirilebilme potansiyeli vardır. Şimdiye kadar Barbados kirazı ile ilgili Türkçe akademik bir yayına rastlanılmamıştır; bu yüzden, bu derleme meyveyi akademisyenlere ve ilgilenenlere tanıtmak amacıyla hazırlanmıştır

Testing the Effects of Moisture on Seedcoat Color of Pinto Dry Beans

Seedcoat color is an important trait, as it affects marketing and consumer acceptance of pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Pinto breeding line NE 94-4 showed seedcoat yellowing in on-farm field trials in Nebraska in 1996 and 1997. Hail, sprinkler irrigation, and fall rainfall appeared to be involved in increasing seedcoat yellowing, based on analysis of field and weather data of on-farm trial sites. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of moisture on seedcoat yellowing of pinto line NE 94-4 (susceptible) and pinto ‘UI-114’ (highly resistant). Two greenhouse experiments were conducted involving misting of bean plants near maturity and injecting water into maturing bean pods. Another experiment evaluated the response of seeds of these two bean entries to moisture by placing them on moist filter paper in petri dishes in the laboratory. Results showed that both genotype and moisture content are involved in seedcoat yellowing. This simple, cheap, and effective filter paper test was then used to evaluate seedcoat yellowing of nine pinto genotypes in response to moisture. Pinto NE 94-4 and ‘Kodiak’ showed the greatest change, while ‘Bill Z’ showed the least change, in seedcoat color