Phytochemical Attributes of Some Dried Fig (Ficus carica L.) Fruit Cultivars Grown in Iran

In the present study, total phenolic, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins, total antioxidant capacity, total soluble solids, colour parameters (such as L*, a*, b*, C*, and H°) and phenolic compounds, including catechin, total catechin, quercetin-3- glucoside, total quercetin, and chlorogenic acid of nine dried fig fruit cultivars in Fars province, Iran, were studied since only limited information on that topic is available in the literature. Results showed that the total phenolic content in ‘Khafrak’ cultivar was significantly higher than other examined cultivars. Regarding to the values of total antioxidant capacity, there were no statistically significant differences among the majority of cultivars except between ‘Khafrak’ and ‘Rowno’. Except for ‘Khafrak’ and ‘Rowno’, TF content in ‘Sigoto’ was significantly higher than the other examined cultivars. Anthocyanin content in all cultivars was negligible and it was not detected in some cultivars. Based on colorimetric results, the lightest skin color was observed in ‘Shahanjir’, while the darker color was in ‘Seyah’. Significant differences were determined among the cultivars with respect to the distribution of phenolic compounds. Catechin and total quercetin contents in ‘Matti’ were significantly higher than the other examined cultivars. Results suggest that chlorogenic acid played a trifling role in determination of antioxidant capacity of the fruits. In addition, the cluster analysis based on Euclidean distance with Unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic average (UPGMA) method separated the cultivars into three main groups

Role of Natural Volatiles and Essential Oils in Extending Shelf Life and Controlling Postharvest Microorganisms of Small Fruits

Small fruits are a multi-billion dollar industry in the US, and are economically important in many other countries. However, they are perishable and susceptible to physiological disorders and biological damage. Food safety and fruit quality are the major concerns of the food chain from farm to consumer, especially with increasing regulations in recent years. At present, the industry depends on pesticides and fungicides to control food spoilage organisms. However, due to consumer concerns and increasing demand for safer produce, efforts are being made to identify eco-friendly compounds that can extend the shelf life of small fruits. Most volatiles and essential oils produced by plants are safe for humans and the environment, and lots of research has been conducted to test the in vitro efficacy of single-compound volatiles or multi-compound essential oils on various microorganisms. However, there are not many reports on their in vivo (in storage) and In situ (in the field) applications. In this review, we discuss the efficacy, minimum inhibitory concentrations, and mechanisms of action of volatiles and essential oils that control microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) on small fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and grapes under the three conditions

Effect of Harvest Management on Biomass Yield, Forage Quality, and Nutrient Removal by Bioenergy Grasses in Mid-Central Virginia

The increasing cost of fossil-based energy sources has driven research in bio-based alternatives, such as perennial grasses for feedstock. The mid-Atlantic receives appreciable summer rainfall that may support a two-cut-per-year−1 harvest. At Virginia State University, a study on annual forage sorghum and two one-year stand perennials, miscanthus, and selected switchgrass ecotypes was carried out. The experimental design was a split-plot with harvest systems and feedstock grass species randomly assigned to the main and sub-plots, respectively. Only perennial grasses were assigned to the two-cut-per-year−1 system. The first cut occurred in early summer, and the second and single cut occurred after the frost-kill. Under the two-cut system, in 2022, the first-cut dry matter (DM) yield ranged from 8.9 Mg ha−1 in Blackwell to 14.7 Mg ha−1 in BoMaster. Additionally, except for BoMaster, the regrowth DM yields were within 10% of the first-cut DM yield. Under the one-cut system, the yield ranged from 10.8 Mg ha−1 in Blackwell to 23.2 Mg ha−1 in sorghum. Under the two-cut system, in 2023, miscanthus produced the greatest first-cut DM yield of 18.4 Mg ha−1, while other perennials averaged 10.1 Mg ha−1. Compared to the first cut, the hot and dry summer significantly reduced regrowth for all feedstock species, with the miscanthus DM yield dropping by 64%. While forage attributes differ among feedstock species, in general, both the first cut and regrowth showed greater crude protein and mineral elements, as well as lower ADF contents compared to a single cut following a killing freeze. Sorghum had better forage quality for the one-cut-per-year−1 feedstock material, and, along with the first cut and regrowth, it may have the potential for use as forage for maintenance energy in animal systems. For perennials, the two-cut-per-year−1 system removed the greatest quantities of nutrients during both years, with the first-cut harvest contributing about 65% of all removed N and K. Sorghum removed the greatest quantities of nutrients compared to the perennial under a one-cut-per-year−1 system. Therefore, while a two-cut-per-year−1 system can result in the greatest DM yields for dual-purpose use, its adoption calls for a critical analysis of economic benefits that considers feedstock bioenergy processing approaches, stand persistence, and fertilizer management strategies to address potential soil fertility depletion due to mineral element mining

Performance of hazelnut cultivars and selections in southern Ontario

The global demand for hazelnuts is increasing steadily, driven by increasing use by chocolate companies, pharmaceuticals, health products, and others. North America only produces 5% of the world crop, of which 99% is produced in Oregon (OR, USA). Most available cultivars are adapted to areas with mild winters and thus do not perform well in Ontario (ON, Canada). Our objective was to identify genotypes capable of supporting the newly formed hazelnut industry in southern Ontario. In the last several decades, selections have been identified in ON, New York (NY, USA), and Michigan (MI, USA) that may be better adapted in ON than cultivars from Europe and OR. To test our hypothesis that these new selections would outperform cultivars from Europe and OR in southern Ontario, two trials were performed to evaluate yield, nut quality, and winter hardiness. As hypothesized, selections from ON and NY such as ‘Gene’, ‘Alex’, and ‘Slate’ were winter hardy and highest yielding, followed by ‘Butler’ and ‘Gamma’ from OR; however, these selections did not perform well in other assessed parameters such as nut quality and catkin survivability. Possible explanations for the poor performance of the European and OR cultivars include (i) longer time needed to acclimatize and enter production phase relative to selections from ON, NY, and MI, and (ii) cold susceptibility during the initial establishment phase. The need to allocate resources towards survival probably delays the ability of the European and OR cultivars to enter the production phase. In conclusion, hazelnut cultivars brought from regions with a different climate need to be tested for cold hardiness.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Performance of Different-Use Type Industrial Hemp Cultivars under Mid-Atlantic Region Conditions

Due to recent classification as a commodity crop in North America, producer interest in industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has increased. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is a need to evaluate foreign-developed industrial hemp for its adaptability and to develop new cultivars suited to local climatic conditions. Eight cultivars (‘Bialobrzeskie’, ‘Canda’, ‘Fedora 17’, ‘Felina 32’, ‘Joey’, ‘Tygra’, ‘USO 31’, and ‘Wojko’) were evaluated for grain and five (‘Bialobrzeskie’, ‘Carmagnola’, ‘Fedora 17’, ‘Futura 75’, and ‘Wojko’) for vegetative biomass. An experiment carried out at the Virginia State Research and Demonstration (Randolph) farm was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results show that cultivars differed in the cumulative growing degree days (CGDD) needed for growth phase transitions, with ‘USO 31’ having an early transition to the reproductive phase. In addition, ‘Fedora 17’ produced greater grain yield and may have the potential for greater performance with better management to improve its adaptability to local conditions. Across cultivars and years, the grain protein content averaged 241 g kg−1 and the mineral elements were at sufficient levels for animal and human nutrition. ‘Carmagnola’ produced greater biomass yield and has the potential for adoption as local fiber cultivar