International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology
Volume:1 Issue: 1, Spring - Summer 2014

Scented rose species are very important in the genus Rosa due to their use in highly-prized essential oil production and as garden roses. The fragrance of the rose flower (attar) captured by extraction is one of the most valuable flavor and fragrance products. A comprehensive study of the papers published in the field of in vitro culture and biotechnology of these species, particularly Damask rose, was performed. Then, in separate sections, the articles related to media preparation for callus culture, shoot regeneration and multiplication, rooting, and cell suspension culture were reviewed. In this paper, the stages of the in vitro culture of scented roses, including establishment, multiplication, in vitro rooting, acclimatization, and genetic variability are also considered. Subsequently, investigations on methods of in vitro culture of scented roses by callus, pollen, anther, cell suspension, and protoplast culture are described. Finally, technological improvements for micropropagation, biotechnology. pharmaceutical, and other properties of the Damask rose and other species of scented roses are discussed. Prospects of in vitro culture and biotechnological techniques of scented rose species are also discussed. Among scented roses, the focus of this paper is on four species, namely Rosa damascena Mill., R. gallica Linn., R. centifolia Linn., and R. moschata Herrm., which are highly prized for oil production.

An increasing world population and the competitive nature of the stone fruit market, particularly nectarines [(Prunus persica var. nectarine)], demand the selection of fruit with high quality attributes, flavor, and a wide range of maturity. Information on this subject is limited at the present time. In search of superior nectarines, a trial was conducted to study growing degree days (GDD), full bloom and harvest dates, fruit quality attributes, and yield of 11 yellow-fleshed nectarines under the high desert conditions of southwest Idaho in the northwestern region of the United States; these factors were studied over a span of 5 years. The average response analyses results over these years revealed that ‘Fantasia’ and ‘Honey Kist’ bloomed earlier, while A28.082 and ‘Summer Fire’ bloomed later than other cultivars. ‘Diamond June’ and ‘Honey Kist’ were the earliest cultivars to harvest and needed 110 and 114 days between full bloom and harvest, respectively. On average, ‘Sparkling Red’ and A28.082 were harvested after the second half of September, and the periods between bloom and harvest for these cultivars were 161 and 166 days, respectively. The difference between the earliest and latest cultivars for full bloom dates was only 4 days or 26.7oC GDD, while the range for harvest dates was 57 days or 943.7oC GDD. Considering all factors evaluated in this project, ‘Honey Kist’ is suitable as an early cultivar. ‘Summer Grand’ would be a good choice as a yellow-fleshed cultivar with moderately high soluble solids concentration (SSC), while ‘Fantasia’ would be an excellent choice for a yellow-fleshed cultivar if fruit appearance, large size, and high yield are the main objectives of nectarine production during the period of late-August to early-September. A28.082 was a good choice for planting as a very-late maturing yellow-fleshed cultivar. It had attractive fruit color, high fruit SSC, a high number of fruit per tree and large fruit size, and hence high yield.

In this study, an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method was developed for pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), a difficult-to-transform plant. In vitro shoot segments were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring the binary vector pBI121 carrying the neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII) gene as a selectable marker and β- glucuronidase (gus) gene as a reporter. After 28 d in WPM selection medium containing 50 mg L-1 kanamycin, 59 new shoots proliferated. gus analysis was performed on these putative transgenic shoots, of which 32 stained positive. Positive staining shoots were cut and cultured in selection medium for 2 subsequent subcultures until final gus analysis. After three months of the selection period, 6 putative transgenic shoots were obtained. Presence of the gus and nptII genes was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. Southern blot analysis confirmed that TDNA was stably integrated into the genome of three out of six PCR-positive plants. The transgenic plants were rooted and successfully acclimatized.

We examined the effectiveness of intermittent warming (IW), hot water (HW), salicylic acid (SA), and calcium chloride (CaCl2) on the postharvest life of pomegranate fruit cv. ‘Shishe-Kab’ and extending fruit shelf life during cold storage (3°C). Fruit were subjected to cycles of 1 d at 17 ± 1°C every 6 d of storage at 3°C under IW conditions. Pre-storage treatments were HW (50°C) for 3 min, SA (2mmol L-1), or a combination of SA (2 mmol L-1) and CaCl2 (2%) solutions for 3 min at 20°C. Weight loss was not affected by HW or chemical treatments, but firmness decreased significantly in HW-treated fruit when they were subjected to IW. The lowest quantity of unmarketable fruit was observed in fruit treated with a combination of SA and CaCl2, regardless of whether stored in cold storage (CS) or exposed to IW. Regardless of HW and chemical treatments, IW significantly albeit slightly increased shelf life and reduced fruit decay compared with the control. However, the longest fruit shelf life (19 wk) was obtained with a combination of HW, SA, and CaCl2 compared with the control (11 wk), especially under long-term cold storage.

Aril browning threatens production, consumption, and exports of pomegranates, because affected fruit cannot be externally distinguished from healthy fruit. This study compared the mineral, biochemical composition, and related enzyme activities in affected brown arils with healthy ones in ‘Malase Saveh’ pomegranates. The results indicated that concentrations of Cu in the aril and K, Mg, and Mn in the peel were higher in the healthy fruit than in the affected fruit. The total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total phenolics, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins, antioxidant activity, and color parameters (L*, a*, b*, hue, and chroma) decreased in the browned arils of pomegranates, whereas fruit respiration rate and acidity, peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme activity were higher in the browned arils. No difference was found for phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity. There were positive correlations between total anthocyanins and both color values and total phenols, and a negative correlation between PPO and POD activities was observed. Overall, the nutritional and functional value of the affected fruit is anticipated to be far less than that of the healthy fruit.

Tuberose (Polianthus tuberosa) is a commercially important cut flower; but its longevity and quality characteristics are compromised by stress during storage and transportation. Thus, it is important to determine the most appropriate preservative solution to best maintained cut flowers. Tests were done to examine the effects on of nano-silver (NS) (0, 15, 30 and 45 mg L-1) and sucrose (0, 4 and 8%) on the quality properties of fresh weight, relative water content, water uptake, total soluble solids, wilting percentage, flower opening and flower longevity. Results showed that averages of evaluations for flower longevity, open flower and stem diameter, fresh weight and relative water content increased under sucrose application and that those for while flower longevity, open flower and stem diameter, water uptake, fresh weight and relative water uptake were increased by NS application. However, applications of 4% sucrose or 45 mg L-1 NS treatments enhanced all measured parameters, with only a few exceptions. These parameters were further increased under the treatment of sucrose at 4% combined with 45 mg L-1 NS, suggesting that the quality of tuberose cut flowers can be improved by treatment with a combination of sucrose and NS.

This study was undertaken to identify morphological changes in young seedlings of 5 Iranian almond species (Prunus dulcis, P. eburnea, P. eleagnifolia, P. haussknechti, and P. scoparia) under polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress. Drought stress caused a significant reduction in plant growth parameters such as fresh and dry weights of plant organs, leaf number, total leaf area, and leaf relative water content in all almond species. Specific leaf weight also increased significantly in drought-treated plants compared to control. No significant changes in shoot length, individual leaf area, leaf dimension (length and width), or stomatal size and frequency were observed in response to drought treatments. P. eburnea had the highest relative water content among the species and showed the smallest decrease in fresh and dry weights of organs and greatest decrease in leaf number and total leaf area (the most reduction in transpiration area) as an adaptive mechanism to drought stress.