Metabolismo dei lipidi e composizione zuccherina in frutti di Avocado in pre e postraccolta

[EN] In a study of the maturity of avocado fruit it is important to elucidate the lipid metabolism in the fruit during growth and storage, since the avocado stores a large amount of lipids in the edible pulp. Meanwhile the fatty acids may then form fats by combining with glycerol, a sugar metabolism product, and sugar metabolism of the avocado fruit should be considered.[IT] Nello studio della maturazione dell¿avocado il metabolismo dei lipidi in pre e postraccolta assume un ruolo fondamentale poiché la parte edibile del frutto è caratterizzata quasi esclusivamente dall¿accumulo di grassi. Occorre comprendere anche le variazioni nella composizione zuccherina poiché la formazione degli acidi grassi è legata al glicerolo, un prodotto del metabolismo degli zuccheri.Farina, V.; Reig Valor, C. (2018). Fatty acids and sugar composition of avocado fruit during harvesting time and post-harvest ripening period: a review. Italus Hortus. 25(1):1-11. https://doi.org/10.26353/j.itahort/2018.1.111S11125

Fruit regulates bud sprouting and vegetative growth in field-grown loquat trees (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.): nutritional and hormonal changes

The effects of fruit on bud sprouting and vegetative growth were compared on fruiting and defruited loquat trees from fruit set onward. Carbohydrate and nitrogen content in leaves and bark tissues and hormone concentrations were studied during the fruit development and vegetative growth periods. On defruited trees, a significant proportion of buds sprouted in winter, whereas buds from fruiting trees sprouted only in the spring when fruit reached its final size. Furthermore, when panicles were completely removed in autumn, the buds also sprouted. In addition, fruit directly affected vegetative growth by reducing shoot length. An effect of sink removal ( flower or fruit) promoting bud sprouting, regardless of the season, was then demonstrated. Neither soluble sugar concentration nor nitrogen fraction concentration in leaves or bark tissues was related to bud sprouting, but a certain nutritional imbalance was observed during the most active period of fruit development. Moreover, fruit sink activity significantly modified hormone content by increasing indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and reducing zeatin concentrations, resulting in a higher IAA/zeatin ratio parallel to the lower bud sprouting intensity. Therefore, these changes caused by fruit removal are all related to vegetative growth, but there is no evidence that they are responsible for bud burst.This research was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (Project No. AGL2009-09718). The authors thank V. Martinez for his technical assistance, E. Soler and Cooperativa Agricola de Callosa d'En Sarria (Alicante, Spain) for providing the orchards and facilities, and D. Westall (Universitat Politecnica de Valencia) for revising the manuscript.Reig Valor, C.; Farina, V.; Mesejo Conejos, C.; Martínez Fuentes, A.; Barone, F.; Agustí Fonfría, M. (2014). Fruit regulates bud sprouting and vegetative growth in field-grown loquat trees (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.): nutritional and hormonal changes. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation. 33(2):222-232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-013-9364-2S22223233

Gibberellic acid and flower bud development in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)

The application of gibberellic acid (GA 3) to the whole loquat tree from mid-May to early June and from early August to the onset of flowering, significantly reduced the number of premature flowering shoots per current shoot and per m 3 of canopy, and so reduced the total number of panicles per m 3 of canopy. The number of vegetative shoots per m 3 of canopy was also significantly reduced by applying GA 3. The response depended on the concentration applied and produced optimal results at 50mgl -1. Differences in the number of flowers per panicle and leaves per shoot were not significantly modified by the treatment. Nevertheless, GA 3 applied directly to the developing apex near to flower differentiation reduced the number of flowers per panicle by 25-35% and without modifying the morphological characteristics of the panicle. Results suggest that less sprouting of lateral buds was largely responsible for the reduction in flowering intensity caused by GA 3. Best treatments reduced thinning costs (60%, approximately) of premature flowering shoots, slightly increased fruit diameter and significantly improved fruit colour and juice quality, thus advancing harvest date. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.Reig Valor, C.; Farina, V.; Volpe, G.; Mesejo Conejos, C.; Martinez Fuentes, A.; Barone, F.; Calabrese, F.... (2011). Gibberellic acid and flower bud development in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.). Scientia Horticulturae. 129(1):27-31. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2011.02.017S2731129

Position paper of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology on early palliative care in oncology practice (Simultaneous Care)

One of the priorities of personalized medicine regards the role of early integration of palliative care with cancer-directed treatments, called simultaneous care. This article, written by the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) Simultaneous and Continuous Care Task Force, represents the position of Italian medical oncologists about simultaneous care, and is the result of a 2-step project: a Web-based survey among medical oncologists and a consensus conference. We present the opinion of more than 600 oncologists who helped formulate these recommendations. This document covers 4 main aspects of simultaneous care: 1) ethical, cultural, and relational aspects of cancer and implications for patient communication; 2) training of medical oncologists in palliative medicine; 3) research on the integration between cancer treatments and palliative care; and 4) organizational and management models for the realization of simultaneous care. The resulting recommendations highlight the role of skills and competence in palliative care along with implementation of adequate organizational models to accomplish simultaneous care, which is considered a high priority of AIOM in order to grant the best quality of life for cancer patients and their families