The influence of the farming system on harvest of apple trees orchard and chemical composition of apples

Research of apple productivity and quality was carried out in organic and intensive farming in northern and central Lithuania gardens. Standard analysis and several new methods were used to analyse apple productivity and quality. Apples grown in the same climate and soil conditions using organic farming technologies were characterised by better taste and transport features and better electrochemical parameters, but the yield is less and fruits have an inferior marketable look

Biochemical Composition of Japanese Quince (<em>Chaenomeles japonica</em>) and Its Promising Value for Food, Cosmetic, and Pharmaceutical Industries

Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) is one of the most underutilized plant species that have high nutrient value and a positive impact on human health. Due to the high content of bio-compounds, such as phenols, vitamin C, triterpenes, fibers, essential amino acids, and microelements, the fruits, leaves, and seeds are excellent raw materials for functional food production. In addition, their biochemical composition and anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antibacterial properties expanded their uses in the pharmaceutical field. Moreover, it was demonstrated that quince waste after industrial processing is still valuable and suitable for remanufacturing and developing innovative high value-added products, which can provide economic and ecological benefits. This chapter presents the biochemical composition and possible application of C. japonica cultivars Rasa, Darius, and Rondo. The optimization of processing and extraction parameters was evaluated to increase the extraction efficiency of biologically active compounds and to reduce the extraction time and cost of electricity and environmentally harmful solvents. Moreover, the detailed nutritional and pharmacological value of Japanese quince can help for more selective plant organs application. Our study revealed that cultivars Rasa, Darius, and Rondo are very valuable with many new options for utilization, including food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries

Tomatoes By-Products Extracts Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Application as Antimicrobial Agent

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized using by-products of tomatoes extracts as reducing and capping agents show multiple possibilities for solving various biological problems. The aim of this study was to expand the boundaries on AgNPs using novel low toxicity and production cost phytochemical method for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles from tomatoes aqueous extracts. Biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized by various methods (SEM, EDS). Determined antioxidative and antimicrobial activity of plant extracts was compared with the activity of the AgNPs. TEM results show mainly spherical-shaped AgNPs, size distribution of which depends on the plant leaf extract type; the smaller AgNPs were obtained with tomatoes extract (6–45 nm AgNPs). Besides, AgNPs show strong antimicrobial activity against broad spectrum of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria strains and fungi

THE EFFECT OF SPICE EXTRACTS ON STRAWBERRY PATHOGEN BOTRYTIS CINEREA

Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of strawberry grey mold, has become a severe problem of horticultural farms due to its genetic variability and growing resistance to frequently used fungicides. Plant disease could induce significant losses of yields and plants thus it is necessary to discover and apply novel approaches to control strawberry pathogens. In addition, chemical plant protection products can leave undesirable residues in fruits and the environment. Plant protection should be more friendly to the environment and human than already used chemical measures. One of the alternatives could be plant-based extracts, produced from aromatic and medicinal herbs, spices, fruits. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the in vitro effect of cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum cassia L.) and clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum L.) extracts on B. cinerea colony growth. Experiments were carried out at LAMMC Institute of Horticulture, Lithuania. Both extracts were obtained from dried material by extraction with CO2. For in vitro assay, extracts were separately mixed with potato dextrose agar in concentrations from 200 to 1000 μl/l, poured into Petri dishes, then each dish was inoculated with 6 mm diameter B. cinerea disc and incubated at 22±2 oC in the dark for 7 days. The diameter of the pathogen colony was measured 2, 4 and 7 days after inoculation. Concentrations of the extracts, which demonstrated reduced growth of the pathogen, were considered to have an antifungal effect. The results showed that extracts of cinnamon bark and clove bud had a similar antifungal effect on B. cinerea and suppressed the growth of 100% from 600 μl/l concentrations 4 days after inoculation. At 600-1000 μl/l, no growth of the pathogen was detected for both extracts 7 days after inoculation. However, clove bud extract considered to be more effective, as the diameter of B. cinerea colonies was smaller compared to cinnamon bark extract at 200-400 μl/l concentrations. To conclude, spice extracts of cinnamon bark and clove bud demonstrated antifungal effect on B. cinerea in vitro and could possibly be applied for control of strawberry grey mold

Efficacy of proanthocyanidins from Pelargonium sidoides root extract in reducing P. gingivalis viability while preserving oral commensal S. salivarius

Funding Information: Funding: This research is a part of the project PELARGODONT (“Engineering and functionalization of delivery system with Pelargonium sidoides biologically active substance on inflamed periodontal surface area”) funded by a grant (No. S-M-ERA.NET-17-2) from the Research Council of Lithuania, the State Education Development Agency of Latvia, and Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 by the authors.Bacterial resistance to antibiotics and the disruption of beneficial microbiota are key problems in contemporary medicine and make the search for new, more efficient infection treatment strategies among the most important tasks in medicine. Multicomponent plant-derived preparations with mild antibacterial activity created by many simultaneous mechanisms together with anti-inflammatory, innate immune and regenerative capacity-stimulating properties are good candidates for this therapy, and proanthocyanidins are among the most promising compounds of this sort. In this study, we have isolated proanthocyanidins from Pelargonium sidoides DC root extract and characterized and compared the composition, antioxidant properties and antibacterial activity of the proanthocyanidin fraction with those of the whole extract. The results revealed that proanthocyanidins had significantly stronger antioxidant capacity compared to the root extract and exhibited a unique antibacterial action profile that selectively targets Gram-negative keystone periodontal and peri-implant pathogenic strains, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, while preserving the viability of beneficial oral commensal Streptococcus salivarius. The finding suggests that proanthocyanidins from Pelargonium sidoides root extract are good candidates for the prolonged and harmless treatment of infectious diseases.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) Seed Oil: A Review

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) seed oil (RSO) is considered as a source of high value bioactive compounds as fatty acids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, carotenoids, flavonoids, phytosterols, antioxidants, monoterpenes and many other chemical constituents. These compounds are appreciated as a source of nutrition for humans, as additives in cosmetic production, has immense therapeutic potential. Raspberry seed oil exerts many pharmacological effects included antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activity and many other effects. The various databases like PubMed and Science Direct were used to identify, analyze and summarize the research literature on raspberries. This review will highlight recent developments of the chemical constituents and nutraceutical and cosmetical effects of RSO. Practical application: analyzed recent researches and international patents containing raspberry seed oil can help practitioners of various industries create new high-value products

Fruit and berry natural mass losses

The aim of the study was to establish natural mass losses of shortly stored fresh fruits and berries and to evaluate the influence of temperature and carbon dioxide concentration on the natural mass losses when storing apples of various cultivars. There were investigated natural mass losses of apricots, pineapples, oranges, avocados, bananas, persimmons, lemons, figs, pomegranates, grapefruits, carambolas, horned melons, kiwi, pears, sweet kinkanus, lychee, mandarins, mangoes, nectarines, apples, papajas, peaches, plums, sweet cherries, cherries, grapes, red and black currants, when storing for short period in wholesale enterprises and modeling var-ious storage conditions at the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture. The investigations were carried out in 1997–2007

Azoto, fosforo, kalio, kalcio ir magnio kiekiai įvairiomis azoto normomis tręštų pekinių kopūstų gūžėse ir augalų liekanose

2000-2002 m. Lietuvos sodininkystės ir daržininkystės institute tirti makroelementų – azoto, fosforo, kalio, kalcio ir magnio – kiekiai įvairiomis azoto normomis tręštų pekininių kopūstų gūžėse ir augalų liekanose. Nustatyta, jog pekininių kopūstų sausojoje medžiagoje vidutiniškai yra 3,87% azoto (N), 0,67% fosforo (P), 4,40% kalio (K), 0,82% kalcio (Ca), 0,20% magnio (Mg). Maisto medžiagų kiekiui augaluose klimato sąlygos ir azoto trąšos turėjo nevienodą įtaką: azoto kiekiui didesnės įtakos turėjo azoto trąšos, o fosforo, kalio, kalcio, magnio kiekiui – klimato sąlygos. 135 kg ha-1 (v.m.) azoto norma pekininiams kopūstams buvo optimali, nes nuo didesnių normų gūžių derlius nedidėjo. Patręšus šia norma gauta, 76,6 t ha-1 augalų masės, iš kurios 44 t ha-1 sudarė gūžių derlius. Šiai masei išauginti augalai sunaudojo 170 kg ha-1 azoto (N), 70 kg ha-1 fosforo (P2O5), 240 kg ha-1 kalio (K2O), 37 kg ha-1 kalcio (Ca) ir 9,5 kg ha-1 magnio (Mg)Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij