Journal of Horticulture and Postharvest Research
Volume:6 Issue: 3, Sep 2023

Cucumbers play an immediate and crucial role in fighting against micronutrient deficiency and are often consumed crudely. This study aimed to assess the nutritional and phytochemical values of these three whole fruits of cucumber and the share of their different parts such as the epicarp, the mesocarp, and the endocarp.

Fresh cucumber fruits were collected and their different parts were separated and crushed. Samples were analyzed to determine the proximate, the phytochemicals, the vitamins, and the minerals.

The results show significant variation in nutritional and phytochemical content. White Cucumis sativus contained more sugars (704.57±124.79 mg/100g), total polyphenols (133.05±21.26 mg/100g), flavonoids (1.07±0.46 mg/100g), tannins (43.26±5.18 mg/100g), Sodium (28.52±1.37 mg/100g) and Potassium (286.58±25.40 mg/100g). Green C. sativus concentrated more protein (35.65±5.12 mg/100g) and Iron (4.22±5.44 mg/100g) while, non-bitter wild C. metuliferus was richer in acidity (6.5±1.45 meq/100g), vitamin C (275.07±44.23), Magnesium (47.87±10.53 mg/100g) and Calcium (21.25±25.40 mg/100g). According to the different parts, the endocarp concentrates more acidity (7.25±2.21 meq/100g), proteins (39.76±5.07 mg/100g), nitrogen (6.36±0.81 mg/100g), total polyphenol (104.12±28.67 mg/100g) and flavonoids (1.10±0.45 mg/100g). The Mesocarp has more sugars (663.50±12.10 mg/100g) while Epicarp concentrates more Tannin (40.19±1.99 mg/100g), Magnesium (56.51±2.94 mg/100g), Calcium (28.21±20.72 mg/100g), Sodium (25.05±5.28 mg/100g), Potassium (312.66±13.84 mg/100g) and Iron (4.79±4.98 mg/100g). Cucumbers are recognized as fruits and vegetables with multiple nutritional values.

Research limitations: 

 Further genotypic characterizations were required for a better understanding of the difference between cucumbers.

Originality/Value: 

The knowledge of the nutritional value of each part of the fruit was necessary for better valorization and maximizing the nutrient supplies.

Ferula assafoetida (L.) is one of the most important medicinal plants with many applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.  It has been endangered due to overharvesting from natural habitat and long period of seed dormancy. Knowledge of seed germination behavior leads to the development of its conservation and cultivation.

We conducted this research as a factorial experiment in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) to evaluate seed germination in response to low temperature, plant growth regulators (kinetin, gibberellin, carrageenan as plant bio-stimulant) and TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs). The germination percentage and rate, mean germination time, and radicle elongation were measured.

The results showed that the cold (4 °C), GA3, carrageenan, kinetin and TiO2 NPs increased seeds germination rate and percentage. Maximum seed germination percentage (86% or 23% more than control) and minimum mean germination time (26 days or 12.6 days shorter than control) obtained with seeds pretreated by kinetin soaking and TiO2 NPs treatment at 4 °C. Furthermore, most treatments produced healthier and stronger radicles compared to the control which is vital for better establishment and growth.

Research limitations: 

No limitations were found.

Originality/Value: 

The price and demand of asafoetida products have been increased dramatically. The most important constrain to hinder reliable supply of the products is the shortage of plant or difficulty to access its products. Here, we showed the cost effective and environmentally friendly methods to provide high seeds germination with vigorous roots.

This work was designed to assess the physiological response of three potatoes cultivars to saline water irrigation, and the role of the electromagnetic treatment on alleviating salinity impacts on potatoes crops.

The experiment was conducted under factorial RCBD with potato varieties Spunta, Bellini and Alaska under three irrigation treatments; ground water (C), saline water (SW) and electromagnetic saline water (EMSW). We analyzed soil proprieties, minerals and water usage efficiency, plant water status, chlorophyll pigments, absiscic acid (ABA) content, and expression of StNCED gene.

Data showed that EMSW promote salt leaching from soil, decrease soil salinity and improve the efficiency of water and minerals use. Leaf area, leaf dry weight, stem thickness, tuber weight, water potential, water content and water use efficiency were more disturbed under SW. The ABA content in Alaska leaves was associated with StNCED expression level. The cultivar Alaska displayed highest leaf size, SPAD and minerals use efficiency. Spunta had upmost correlation between LA and WCap and highest water use efficiency. Contrarily, Bellini manifested less water potential and ABA content.

Research limitations: 

No limitations were found.

Originality/value: 

Thus, Spunta and Alaska revealed better physiological and metabolic capacity to tackle salinity. The results advance knowledge on potatoes response to salinity and could improve management of saline water.

Irrigation with saline water and poor quality and fertility of the soil are the most important factors limiting the growth, establishment, and yield of pistachio trees in many pistachio farming areas of Iran. In addition, phosphorus plays an important role in plant growth, especially under environmental stress conditions. Thus, the purpose of this experiment is to investigate the role of P use in improving the growth of pistachio seedlings at different levels of irrigation water salinity.

A greenhouse study was conducted as a factorial combination based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The treatments include two levels of P [Control (P0) and 30 mg kg-1 soil (P1) as triple superphosphate] and three levels of irrigation water salinity (0, 5, and 10 dS m-1).

Irrigation with saline water (10 dS.m-1) significantly decreased the shoot dry weight (94%), root dry weight (64%), leaf area (62%), plant height (35%), shoot and root P content (41% and 52%), shoot K content (40%) and shoot and root K/Na (85% and 28%) of pistachio seedlings. However, P application increased the growth parameters and the concentration of P and K elements in the pistachio seedlings shoot and root under water salinity stress.

Research limitations: 

No limitations were encountered.

Originality/Value: 

According to the results of this experiment, phosphorus application increased the growth of pistachio seedlings in saline condition. Therefore, according to soil and water salinity in pistachio farming areas of Iran, optimal nutrition with nutrients such as P can increase the tolerance of pistachio seedlings to salinity stress and their establishment.

Water irrigation regimes strongly influence the agrophysiological parameters in pistachio. This study aims to investigate the impact of the partial root drying on the yield, vegetative growth, physiological parameters, water status and biochemical traits of the pistachio cv. Mateur budded on P. atlantica rootstocks during the growing season (2021).

 The agro-physiological responses of the pistachio trees located in the experimental orchard of the Regional Center of Agriculture Research (CRRA, Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia), were studied. Three water treatments were applied; T0: 100% Partial root drying (PRD) during all the season, T1; 75% PRD during all the season and T2; 50% PRD during all the growing season. The leaf gas exchange parameters were determined using a portable photosynthesis system (CI-340 handheld photosynthesis system, USA).

Results showed the stomatal conductance (gS) of pistachio leaves ranged from 320 to 760 mmol H2O m-2s-1 in the 100% PRD treatment whereas the water regimes 75% PRD and 50% PRD presented a clear decrease in this parameter. The proline and the soluble sugar content reached its maximum value (2.10 μmol g−1 FW and 275.60 μg g−1 FW, respectively) under the 50 % PRD treatment during the month of August.

Research limitations:

 No limitations were found.

Originality/Value: 

The 75% PRD treatment was the most efficient as it did not show significant differences with the 100% PRD treatment while 25% of the irrigation water was saved. The partial root drying strategy can be used in pistachio orchards under semi-arid conditions.

In order to assay the impact of silicon (Si) and nano-Si on morphological and physiological traits of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) under salt stress conditions, an experiment was conducted under greenhouse and field conditions.

The experiment was based on a completely randomized design including two levels of saline water (1.1 (control) and 6.1 dS m-1) and three levels of foliar spray (0, 2.5 mM Si and nano-Si) with 4 replications.

Salinity stress decreased the vegetative and flowering parameters of pot marigold in the both conditions. Supplemental Si and nano-Si increased the dry weight of flowers under salt stress in the greenhouse (47 and 71%) and field (86 and 94%) conditions, respectively. Foliar application of nano-Si enhanced the flower total phenols of salt-stressed plants by 76% (greenhouse) and 50% (field), respectively. Under saline conditions, the use of nano-Si increased the flower antioxidant activity in the field by 17% in comparison to the control. Supplemental Si and nano-Si could reduce the negative impacts of salinity through increasing enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, accumulating soluble sugars, improving water relations, and enhancing chlorophyll content.

Research limitations:

 No limitations were found.

Originality/value: 

Based on the results of present study, the use of Si and nano-Si improved the growth and physiological characteristics of pot marigold under saline conditions.

This study investigated the effect of harvest time, postharvest dehydration + waxing and storage temperature on rind- free and conjugated phenolics and their ability to alleviate chilling injury and pitting of ‘Benny’ Valencia oranges during cold storage. 

Research method:

Fruit were harvested at early, mid- and late season, and thereafter, divided into control, dehydrated, waxed + dehydrated portions. After treatment, fruit were stored at -0.6 and 4.5°C for 28 days, thereafter, 7 days at ambient temperature (25°C).

In general, peel pitting index (PPI) was significantly higher for late season fruit, while, CI was higher for early season fruit, especially at -0.6°C storage. Furthermore, dehydration stress without waxing resulted in significantly higher PPI and CI at -0.6°C when compared with 4.5°C storage. With respect to both free and soluble conjugated phenolics, the control fruit showed higher levels of rind phenolics, especially at late harvest across all the storage temperatures. Therefore, untreated fruit appeared to tolerate cold stress by up-regulating endogenous systems of total rind phenolics. Postharvest dehydration repressed endogenous phenolics synthesis. In conclusion, susceptibility to pitting disorder increases with harvest time, dehydration stress, while fruit harvested early were highly susceptible to CI.

Research limitations: 

The main limitation of this study is the lack of specific phenolics.

Originality/Value:

 The study found that dehydration plus waxing has a significant effect on chilling and non-chilling citrus ‘Benny’ Valencia fruit. Furthermore, these treatments induced an increase in rind total phenolics to mitigate rind physiological disorders during extended cold storage.

The use of supplementary light in regions with low natural sunlight is necessary to fulfill the increasing consumer requests for fresh vegetables. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different combinations of red and blue LEDs on yield and quality of greenhouse-grown sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruits during the growth period.

The experiments were conducted in Rasht, Iran as split plots in the form of a completely randomized design in three repetitions (four plants per plot) on two cultivars of sweet pepper (Padra and Shadlin). With the appearance of the first flower buds, plants were exposed to different light treatments including: three combinations of red (R) and blue (B) LEDs (T1:R8B1, T2:R7B2, and T3:R6B3), with a same intensity of 200 μmolm-2s-1 as supplement light to the natural light, together with natural light as control treatment (CT). Sweet pepper fruits were harvested weekly over 27 weeks and fruit yield and quality were assessed.

Supplemental light using LEDs significantly increased yield and fruit quality parameters (except titratable acidity and maturity index) compared to the control. Marketable yield was differed among the light treatments and plants exposed to T3 showed the highest marketable yield (14.58 kg/m2). The effect of supplemental light on total yield was more detectable when the average daily light integral was the lowest (for example, the difference between T3 and the control treatment in January was 1.27 kg/m2, while this difference was 0.68 kg/m2 in June). No significant difference was observed between cultivars and T3 was the best treatment in most parameters.

Research limitations: 

No limitations were found.

Originality/Value: 

In the northern regions of Iran, even in the months that do not seem to have light limitations, the use of supplementary light is recommended to increase the yield of sweet peppers in the greenhouse.