International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology
Volume:8 Issue: 1, Winter 2021

The experiment was aimed to investigate the effect of different concentrations of chitosan on shelf life and quality of banana fruit. The single factor experiments were laid out in a completely randomized design with three replications. Experimental treatments included Control, 0.50%, 0.75%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% chitosan. Sabri Banana cultivar is one of the most popular commercial cultivars of banana in Bangladesh. Chitosan treatment caused highly significant variation in respect of the physico-chemical parameters such as color changes, firmness, weight loss, disease severity and shelf life of banana during storage. Considering the effects of different concentrations of chitosan, 0.75% and 2.0% chitosan were found to be the best in respect of all the parameters investigated. Fruits treated with the above concentrations of chitosan, had the longest shelf life (9 days), whereas fruits under control had the shortest shelf life (8 days). The application of chitosan treatment in fresh crops is safe for consumers and for the environment. It can be used to improve postharvest quality and to extend shelf life of banana.

Evaluation of genetic diversity and identification of superior genotypes is a fundamental stepin walnut breeding programs. In addition, information on biochemical properties of superiorgenotypes can help walnut breeders to release commercial varieties with high kernel quality.To gain more information on superior genotypes, a walnut population located in southwest ofIran was morphologically evaluated from 2010 to 2016. Based on important walnut breedingtraits, nine superior walnut genotypes were selected from a total of 612 tested genotypes.These genotypes were characterized by high yield, moderate to late-leafing, lateral bearing,thin shell and large nuts with light and extra-light kernel color. Biochemical traits of theselected superior genotypes were evaluated for two consecutive years (2017 and 2018) and ahigh variation was observed among genotypes in respect of oil, protein and total phenolcontents. Oil, protein and phenol contents of walnut kernels ranged between 57.9 to 69.6%,13.0 to18.1% and 46.6 to 61.5 mg GAE g-1, respectively. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA),monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and saturated fatty acids (SFA) constituted on average63.8%, 26.7% and 9.7% of fatty acid content, respectively. There was a negative correlationbetween some phenological traits and oil and protein contents. Lateral bearing genotypes haddarker kernels with higher amounts of saturated fatty acids. In general, the selected walnutgenotypes not only are superior in various aspects of phenotypic characteristics, but also havehigh kernel quality and nutritional value which can be used as a source of desirable genes forfuture walnut breeding programs.

To establish a dynamic and fine suspension culture, four different methods of tomato cell suspension culture were compared. Hypocotyl explants of the tomato cultivar Jina were used for callus induction on Murashige and Skoog (MS) Medium supplemented with three different phytohormone combinations. Then, one gram of each type of calli was transferred to 50 mL of liquid MS medium with four combinations of auxins and cytokinins to produce cell suspensions. The growth rate, judged by cell turbidity, cell fresh weight, and cell viability was evaluated. The best suspension culture was obtained by using friable calli formed on MS medium containing 1 mg L-1 NAA and 0.1 mg L-1 kinetin, transferred to the liquid MS supplemented with 2 mg L-1 NAA, 0.2 mg L-1 2, 4-D and 0.2 mg L-1 zeatin.

Light spectrum is one of the environmental cues that influence plant growth and development. Light is a stimulating factor for induction of somatic embryos during tissue culture practices. To accelerate the direct embryogenesis, six different light spectra including: white (W), red (R), blue (B), green (G), red + blue (R+B) and red + far red (R+FR) together with dark condition (D), in combination with thidiazuron (TDZ) in four concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.5 and 3 mg L-1) were used. Inter-simple sequence repeat was used for identification and genetic stability analysis of somatic regenerated plantlets. Intact protocorm explants showed higher potential for direct somatic embryogenesis (DSE) than the other explants. The rate of DSE was highly dependent on the concentration of TDZ and its interaction with light spectra. R and R + FR spectra with 3 mg L-1 TDZ on intact protocorms and R+FR with 3 mg L-1 TDZ were efficient treatments to induce DSE without somaclonal variation. G light spectrum has also significant effects on DSE of protocorm explants. The amplified products showed 26 scorable bands and regenerates were completely identical to the mother plant. In conclusion, this protocol provides way to regenerate plants through embryogenesis, and is a reliable protocol to obtain proper development and genetic stable Phalaenopsis embryos.

Cadaman Avimag rootstock is widely used for almonds and peaches. The purpose of this studywas to investigate the effect of light quality on micropropagation, and some morphological andphysiological properties of this rootstock. Single node explants were cultured on WPM and MSmedia containing three levels of BA (0, 1 and 2 mg L-1) and three levels of NAA (0, 0.05 and0.1 mg L-1). WPM medium containing 2 mg L-1 BA and 0.1 mg L-1 NAA was selected fordifferent light quality treatments including fluorescent, red, and red+blue lights. Results showedthat light quality had a significant effect on shoot proliferation, length and diameter, nodenumber, shoot fresh and dry weights, leaf thickness, stomata number, and chlorophyllconcentration. Red light resulted in higher shoot diameter, but crunchiness and lack of propershoot growth. Moreover, red light produced the lowest amount of chlorophyll in the explants.Leaf thickness and its structural layers under the red light were the lowest among differenttreatments. Combined red+blue light in many factors resembled fluorescent light but inducedmore chlorophyll and a larger stomata size. The quality of light influenced the growth of thisrootstock in vitro, and affected the stem and leaf vegetative traits.

Regardless of the low respiration rate in pomegranate fruits, it is a greatly perishable product. An alternative to maintain quality and prolong the shelf life of pomegranate fruits could be edible coatings. In the present study, three different edible coatings including: 1% chitosan, 1000 mg L-1 thymol, and their combined were investigated on the postharvest quality of pomegranate fruits. Changes in weight loss, fruit firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), juice pH, anthocyanin, total phenolic, and flavonoids content, sensory characteristics and fungal decay incidence of fruits were evaluated during 30, 60, 90 and 120 days storage at 6 °C. The results showed that coated fruits with 1% chitosan + 1000 mg L-1 thymol significantly decreased weight loss and firmness than uncoated fruits. Furthermore, the coated fruits with 1% chitosan + 1000 mg L-1 thymol exhibited significantly higher anthocyanin, total phenolic, flavonoids content, and sensory characteristics than the control treatment. The minimum shelf-life (83.33 days) was observed in uncoated fruits, while the maximum shelf-life (108.33 days) was recorded in fruits coated with 1 % chitosan + 1000 mg L-1 thymol. Duration of storage had a significant effect on weight loss, firmness, juice pH, anthocyanin content, total phenolic content, flavonoids content, sensory characteristics, and decay, whereas there was no significant effect on TSS, TA, and TSS/TA. In conclusion, the combined application of chitosan and thymol can provide a useful alternative for shelf life extension of pomegranate fruits.

Anethum graveolens L. is a vegetable-aromatic medicinal herb of Apiaceae family and cultivated in different parts of the world including Iran. The aim of this study was to study the chemical composition of essential oils in four Iranian dill ecotypes. The extracted essential oils compositions were different in the ecotypes so that 38, 27, 25, and 24 volatile constituents were identified in Ardabil, Isfahan, Mashhad, and Kerman ecotypes, respectively. Eighteen compounds such as Toluene, α-thujene, camphene, sabinene, β-pinene, β-myrcene, α-phellandrene, α-terpinene, β-phellandrene, undecane, sabinol, dill ether, carvacrol, germacrene D, dill apiole, neophytadiene, hexahydrofarnesyl acetone, and phytol were recognized in all ecotypes but in different amounts. Analysis of variance showed the significancy of α-thujene, β-pinene, β-myrcene, α-phellandrene, β-phellandrene, undecane, dill ether, sabinol, germacrene D, dill apiole, neophytadiene, and hexahydrofarnesyl acetone at 0.001 probability levels. Means comparison of significant compounds showed highest mean values for β-pinene, undecane, germacrene D, neophytadiene, hexahydrofarnesyl acetone, and phytol in Ardabil ecotype; α-thujene, β-myrcene, β-phellandrene, and dill ether in Mashhad ecotype; and α-phellandrene, sabinol, and dill apiole in Kerman ecotype. Factor analysis indicated that three main and independent factors accounted for 100% of the total variance. The first, second, and third factors with 47.5, 31.9, and 20.63 % of variance included 9, 6, and 4 compounds, respectively. The knowledge of essential oil compositions of the studied ecotypes could be useful to choose the appropriate for breeding purposes based on phytochemical diversity or for use in pharmaceutical and food industries for extraction of special compounds.

This study aimed to determine the amount of flavonoids, anthocyanins, total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity of the peel and pulp of the quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) in the polar and nonpolar sub-fractions of methanol extracts with two extraction methods, Soxhlet and microwave. The antioxidant properties were assessed by the ability to quench the stable free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and β-carotene bleaching assays. The results showed that the Soxhlet method extracted higher amount of the phytochemicals. In the DPPH system, the highest radical scavenging activity was seen by the polar sub-fraction of the methanol extract in the peel of quince fruit (IC50=52±7.3 μg/mL). Among all the extracts analyzed, the polar sub-fraction of the peel extract exhibited a significantly higher total flavonoid (62.33±3.1 mg CTE/100 g), anthocyanin (1.54±0.24 μg C-3-GE/100 mg fresh weight), phenolic content (108.14 μg GAE/mg) and antioxidant activity than other samples with Soxhlet extraction method. Fruit has a number of bioactive ingredients and many of them were concentrated in the peel of the fruit rather than the flesh. Therefore, enjoy the benefits that unpeeled fruit offers! The present study revealed that the peel of quince fruit has higher phytochemicals and antioxidant properties when compared to the pulp.