Fruit quality of two apricot cultivars

Effects of partial rootzone drying and rootstock vigour on growth and fruit quality of 'Pink Lady' apple trees in Mediterranean environments

We investigated the effects of partial rootzone drying (PRD) and rootstock vigour on water relations, and vegetative and productive performance of ‘Pink Lady’ apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) trees in central Sicily. In a first field trial, trees on MM.106 rootstock were subjected to: Conventional irrigation (CI), maintaining soil moisture above 80% of field capacity; PRD irrigation, where only one alternated side of the rootzone received 50% of the CI irrigation water; and continuous deficit irrigation (DI), where 50% of the CI water was equally applied to both sides of the rootzone. In a second trial, trees on M.9 or MM.106 were subjected to CI and PRD irrigation. PRD reduced stomatal condu…

Transport and partitioning of 13C-photoassimilate between peach fruiting shoots

We used a non-intrusive method (13CO2 feeding) and a manipulative approach to see whether fruiting shoots in peach trees are autonomous or may import carbon from neighboring shoots under forced conditions, and whether the degree of autonomy is influenced by the source-sink relationship on the shoot. In three experiments, leaf to fruit ratio (L:F) of selected fruiting shoots was moderately (2005 and 2006) or strongly (extreme enforcing 2006) altered to either encourage or discourage movement of carbon from 13C-labeled sending shoots (SFS) to receiving fruiting shoots (RFS), both located on the same main scaffold of V-shaped peach trees. At stage I and III of fruit growth, fruit and shoot tip…

Qualità e profilo aromatico dei frutti di Annurca sottoposti ad arrossamento in melaio

Evaluation of quality parameters of strawberry fruits in modified atmosphere packaging during storage

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) during storage on some quality parameters of strawberries. Strawberries (cv. Camarosa) were harvested when mature, forced air cooled and divided into two groups as fruits in MAP and control. After packaging, fruits were stored at 0°C, 90 - 95% RH for 10 days plus 1 day at 20°C and 50 - 55% RH for the evaluation of shelf life. Changes in fruit quality, mass loss, decay, color, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), acidity, glucose, fructose, saccharose and color were investigated. The mass loss and decay were lower in MAP than observed in the control whereas firmness, TSS, acidity and color di…

Efecto del ácido giberélico en la inibicíon de la floración del níspero japonés.

Study of green Sicilian table olive fermentations through microbiological, chemical and sensory analyses.

The production of five different green table olive cultivars was studied by a combined strategy consisting of chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses. Cultivable microflora of samples collected during processing was monitored by plate counts on seven synthetic culture media. In all samples Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonaceae, staphylococci, lactic acid bacteria and spore-forming bacteria were undetectable. Yeasts and moulds were countable from the day 42 (2 log CFU/ml) till the end of fermentation (6 log CFU/ml). The use of three different approaches for microorganism detection, including a culture-independent methodology, revealed the presence of barely three yeast species during the…

Gibberellic acid and flower bud development in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)

The application of gibberellic acid (GA 3) to the whole loquat tree from mid-May to early June and from early August to the onset of flowering, significantly reduced the number of premature flowering shoots per current shoot and per m 3 of canopy, and so reduced the total number of panicles per m 3 of canopy. The number of vegetative shoots per m 3 of canopy was also significantly reduced by applying GA 3. The response depended on the concentration applied and produced optimal results at 50mgl -1. Differences in the number of flowers per panicle and leaves per shoot were not significantly modified by the treatment. Nevertheless, GA 3 applied directly to the developing apex near to flower di…

Novità introdotte dagli ultimi riferimenti normativi in materia di agro-energie

L'uso congiunto dell'analisi strumentale e sensoriale per la valutazione di pesche, nettarine e albicocche

Productive and vegetative responses of 'Gala' and 'Fuji' apple trees under controlled irrigation strategies

We investigated the productive and vegetative responses of ‘Gala’ and 'Fuji' apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) trees to deficit irrigation and partial rootzone drying under the dry climate of central Sicily. Soil water tension (SWT), stomatal conductance, yield, fruit quality, fruit growth, and shoot extension of conventionally irrigated trees (CI), where drip emitters on both sides of each tree were left open, were compared to that of partial rootzone drying (PRD) trees, where only one side of the rootzone was irrigated for the entire season (receiving 50% of the CI irrigation water), and to that of deficit irrigated (DI) trees, where drip emitters on both sides of the rootzone were deliverin…

Valutazione di cv di pesco, nettarine ed albicocco mediante parametri strumentali e sensoriali.

The influence of climatic sprout and shoot characteristics in loquat

Sprout and shoot characteristics of loquat tree were studied in four growing areas of Spain and Italy differing in climate. Differences in shoot characteristics sprouting and flowering due to growing area will be discussed and related to temperature, RH and light.

Seasonal changes of calcium content in early and late peach cultivars

Performance vegeto-produttiva di alberi di melo 'Pink Lady' innestati su M.9 e MM.106 e sottoposti ad irrigazione di una porzione dell'apparato radicale

Effect of foliar nutrition on olive oil characteristics in cv 'Nocellara del Belice'

Effects of Gibberellic Acid on flowering in loquat

In this work we studied the best concentration of gibberellic acid and period of tree sensitivity to reduce flowering in order to diminish hand thinning costs and improve fruit quality.

Valutazione qualitativa di pesche e nettarine a maturazione tardiva in Sicilia

Influenze del portinnesto di pompelmo sulla qualità dei frutti di mandarino tardivo di ciaculli.

Fruit quality traits of six ancient apple Sicilian cultivars.

Carbon autonomy of peach shoots determined by 13C-photoassimilate transport

We used (13)CO(2) tracing and source-sink manipulation to determine if fruiting shoots of peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) trees are autonomous or if they import carbon from neighboring shoots, and if the degree of shoot autonomy is influenced by the source-sink relationship of the shoot. In three experiments, leaf to fruit ratio (L:F) of selected fruiting shoots was moderately (2005 and 2006) or strongly (complete sink removal, 2006) altered to either enhance or inhibit movement of carbon from (13)C-labeled fruiting shoots (LFS) to adjacent non-labeled shoots (NLFS), both located within 10 cm on the same main scaffold of V-shaped peach trees. At Stages I and III of fruit growth, fruit an…

Antioxidant activity in solution and biological membranes of seven cultivars of Sicilian peach (Prunus Persica, L. Mill).

Fruit quality evolution of different olive table cultivars during fermentation.

Fruit Quality Traits of Two Apricot Cultivars

In this trial we evaluated physical and chemical fruit quality traits and sensory profile of two late-ripening apricot cultivars ‘Vitillo’ and ‘Pellecchiella’. Fruits were harvested at full maturation in three different pickings, at 4 day intervals, to ensure the same fruit quality. To verify quality among different pickings, weight, diameter, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, pH, colour were recorded. To describe and quantify the sensory characteristics of apricot fruits a panel of 10 judges generated 16 descriptors. For each of these attributes judges assigned a score from 1 to 9. Qualitative and sensory data for each attribute were submitted to one way Analysis of Variance (ANOV…

Fruit quality and aroma of tree ripe and detached, sun-exposed ‘Annurca’ apples