This study investigated the composition of sugars, organic acids, individual and total phenolic compounds in the pulp, peel, leaves, and bark of a red-fleshed ‘Baya Marisa’ apple cultivar. As the fruit is known for its red pulp color, the study focused on comparing the profiles of primary and selected secondary metabolites in three sections along the equatorial fruit plane. The analyses were carried out using HPLC–MS system, and compositional differences were compared among fruit segments. Inner fruit segments accumulated higher levels of sorbitol and the sum of sugars and lower levels of citric acid. However, no differences in the sum of organic acids could be determined among segments. The phenolic composition differed among pulp (hydroxycinnamic acids > dihydrochalcones ≈ anthocyanins ≈ flavanols > flavonols), peel (flavanols > anthocyanins > dihydrochalcones > flavonols > hydroxycinnamic acids), leaves (flavonols > dihydrochalcones > hydroxycinnamic acids > anthocyanins), and bark (dihydrochalcones > flavonols > flavanols > anthocyanins > hydroxycinnamic acids). The greatest phenolic diversity was detected in bark (25), followed by leaves (18), peel (17) and finally, pulp (11). Three anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-O-galactoside > cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside > peonidin-3-O-galactoside) were determined in all ‘Baya Marisa’ tissues with their content highest in the peel. The innermost sections of the fruit were characterized by higher levels of dihydrochalcones and lower levels of most flavanols, flavonols and anthocyanins. These were predominant in the apple pulp nearest to the peel, with cyanidin-3-O-galactoside being the prevalent representative. Accumulation of anthocyanins in pulp is a rare trait in apples, and therefore, the distinct distribution and diversity of metabolites in this cultivar highlights its potential for high-nutrient products such as juices, apple chips or purees.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of a combination of several mycorrhizal and bacterial biostimulants, applied before and after planting, on the 'Clery' strawberry's performance. Vegetative and reproductive parameters (the number of crowns per plant, root/canopy weight and dimensions, the number of fruits per plant, individual fruit weight, and fruit yield per plant) were monitored on nine harvest dates. Additionally, external and internal fruit quality (firmness, color, soluble solids content, and primary and secondary metabolites) was determined. The application of product combinations resulted in significantly improved vegetative growth, fruit dimensions, and fruit weight. Consequently, more than 30% higher yields were determined for the treated plants. A minor decrease in vitamin C (approx. 6%), total individual sugars (approx. 10%), organic acids (approx. 9%), and total phenolics (approx. 7%) was detected in the treated plants, but the differences were not uniform during the harvest. The accumulation of anthocyanins was least affected by product application, and the fruit exhibited comparable color characteristics, which is important for the consumers. The use of biostimulants in intense strawberry production is justified as the products improve the vegetative development of strawberry plants, which produce significantly more marketable fruit.

Landscape architecture students at the University of Ljubljana were encouraged to prepare temporal series of landscape and plant drawings to sharpen their sensitivity to changes in the perception of a land motive and vegetation morphology. Students chose a particular motive, defined the frame of the drawing, and identified characteristic plants on site. The motives were sketched several times during the year to portray seasonal changes. Specific environmental conditions (fog, rain, sunny day) were captured in drawings, and in the case of plants, drawings revealed the transitions of selected physiological events (budding, flowering, fruiting). These transformations were discussed in connection with landscape perception and as a tool in the design process.

EDITORIAL article Front. Plant Sci., 05 September 2022Sec. Plant Metabolism and Chemodiversity https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1016968

Altered conditions in fruit markets of the eastern borders (Russian embargo on European goods) drastically promoted the onset of fruit growing in the broader region of the Silk Road. A five-year overlook on the development of fruit growing in the Caucasian Mountain region will be presented - focusing on Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia. Large enterprises cultivating between 100 and 400 ha fruit orchards have recently been established in these countries. High-capacity cold storage rooms with modern sorting lines were also built and numerous new structures are in progress. The knowledge behind the setting of new densely planted orchards and their maintenance is primarily imported from European countries. Fruit plants are imported from Italy, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Poland and Serbia and cultivar selection is comparable to these countries. The latest know-how on site selection, soil preparation, orchard wire infrastructure, hail-nets, irrigation systems and fertilization is implemented in these new orchards. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis) of this explosive development of fruit production in Caucasian Mountain region will be discussed along with future technological challenges.

The polyphagous brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys Stål.) is an important pest in many countries. Recently it was noticed that it can feed on and cause damage to strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.). The metabolic response of strawberries to brown marmorated stink bug attacks was studied. Brown marmorated stink bugs attacked strawberry fruit which had 18% lower total sugar content compared to that of the control treatment. However, organic acid content had no significant difference among the three treatments, with the exception of shikimic acid, which had the highest content in the attacked fruit. Thirty-one phenolic compounds were identified. Results showed a strong effect on secondary metabolites due to H. halys attacks. Halyomorpha halys treatment had 27% higher total analyzed phenolic content compared to the indirect Halyomorpha halys treatment. The brown marmorated stink bug significantly increased total ellagic acid derivatives (33.1% to 37% higher), hydroxycinnamic acids (22.3% higher) and anthocyanins’ (39% higher) contents. Fruit attacked by Halyomorpha halys also had higher catechin and epicatechin content than that of the control treatments. This pest had a significant influence on the plant’s secondary metabolism, and this improved our understanding of how a strawberry plant reacts to the attacks of this very important pest. H. halys-infested fruit are not suitable for commercial production, due to the production of off-flavors.

Roses have an indisputable leading role in private gardens. They also appear in public areas. They are very interesting plants for public urban areas because they represent aesthetic, ecological, tehnical and sociological potential. In public areas varietes are selected according to various criteria such as resistance to heat, low temperatures an drought, repetitive flowering and ease of maintenance. The aim of our study is to present preferences in the selection of groups of roses, their colors, types of plantings, the abudance of roses in planting and the height of individual roses on difrent subtypes of public ans semi-public green areas of the Bežigrad community, Ljubljana. The results of the study showed that the most comomn roses in urban public areas are floribundas. Dominated type of planting is a few plants together in a group. In neighborhoods and block settlements are dominated individual plants. The most common color of roses is red. In urban public areas are planted only roses up to 1 m height. In semi-public areas are also higher roses. The abudance of roses in semi-urban areas varies from 1 to over 30 roses in planting. In urban public areas are most common planting with 10 to 20 roses and those with more than 30 roses.

Nitrogen is an integral element of foliar sprays during apple fruit formation. However, in red cultivars, the application may have adverse effects on color in the second stage of fruit development. The effect of a low-dose foliar application of urea was monitored on ‘Topaz’ apple pomometric (fruit mass, firmness, total solids, starch content, skin color) and biochemical traits (primary metabolites, phenolic compounds, and assimilatory pigments). Three applications (17 July, 27 July, and 18 August) of two different urea doses (N1 = 1.4 kg N ha−1; N4 = 4 kg N ha−1) and control (N0, only sprayed with water) were used. Low doses of urea did not affect flesh firmness, total soluble, solid, and starch content, but individual fruit mass was significantly higher in N1 treatment compared to the other two treatments. Significantly lower a* parameters and a lower content of anthocyanins were measured on apples subject to N4 treatment. Many secondary metabolites (phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, and chalcones) were also negatively affected by low-dose urea application. Conversely, urea treatments significantly increased total assimilatory pigments in apple skin. Even minor levels of nitrogen, applied directly on the leaf at later stages of red apple fruit development, negatively altered color traits and the composition of metabolites.

Lamb's lettuce is a popular winter salad, often grown in private vegetable plots, small local farms or in intensive vegetable production. It is usually marketed as a ready-to-eat produce in supermarkets. The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes in biochemical composition and degradation of bioactive compounds during consumer-relevant time of home-grown and store-bought Valerianella locusta “Vit” salad. Primary metabolites, assimilatory pigments as well as secondary metabolites were monitored during 1 week of refrigerated storage. Home-grown lamb's lettuce exhibited highest levels of total sugars, total organic acids, vitamin C, and total phenolic content as well as enhanced levels of most individual phenolic compounds and chloroplast pigments. Locally produced samples of lamb's lettuce also contained high levels of analyzed bioactive components. All samples retained most bioactive components during the entire period of refrigerated storage. The results underline the instability of vitamin C during refrigerated storage of lamb's lettuce and pinpoint this parameter as being the most affected by storage.

Roses have an indisputable leading role in private gardens. They also appear in public areas. They are very interesting plants for public urban areas because they represent aesthetic, ecological, tehnical and sociological potential. In public areas varietes are selected according to various criteria such as resistance to heat, low temperatures an drought, repetitive flowering and ease of maintenance. The aim of our study is to present preferences in the selection of groups of roses, their colors, types of plantings, the abudance of roses in planting and the height of individual roses on difrent subtypes of public ans semi-public green areas of the Bežigrad community, Ljubljana. The results of the study showed that the most comomn roses in urban public areas are floribundas. Dominated type of planting is a few plants together in a group. In neighborhoods and block settlements are dominated individual plants. The most common color of roses is red. In urban public areas are planted only roses up to 1 m height. In semi-public areas are also higher roses. The abudance of roses in semi-urban areas varies from 1 to over 30 roses in planting. In urban public areas are most common planting with 10 to 20 roses and those with more than 30 roses.

BACKGROUND Japanese dogwood (Cornus kousaBurg.) is a popular ornamental plant which develops edible compound fruit utilized in traditional Asian medicine. Previous compositional studies have focused on a small fraction of secondary metabolites at a single maturity stage. In order to address the question of optimal ripeness of Japanese dogwood fruit for consumption the study provides a comprehensive insight into its primary and secondary metabolic profile. RESULTS The aim of the study was to investigate biochemical composition and morphological traits of Japanese dogwood (Cornus kousaBurg.) fruit at four maturity stages: GF, green fruit; BF, fruit with a defined red blush; RF, ripe fruit; OF, over-ripe fruit. Fruit was characterized by a nearly spherical shape, decreased water content in later stages of ripeness and highesta* values at RF and OF stages. Total sugars increased significantly from GF to OF stage and total organic acids and vitamin C decreased with maturation. Japanese dogwood fruit was characterized by four major phenolic groups: anthocyanins (three), flavonols (eight) hydroxycinnamic acids (three) and flavonoids (one) as well as by four lipophilic antioxidants: tocopherols (two), xanthophylls (five), carotenes (two) and chlorophylls (two). The progression of fruit ripening caused faster accumulation of individual phenolic compounds and lipophilic antioxidants which resulted in significantly higher total phenolic content at the RF and OF stages. CONCLUSION Japanese dogwood fruit is a rich alternative source of ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, flavonols and anthocyanins and should be consumed fresh at fully developed red colour of compound berries when their composition is optimal. (c) 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

Environmentally-conscious organic strawberry fruit producers are mostly cultivating plants in non-heated greenhouses and striving to produce fruit early in season. Several strategies have been proposed to advance strawberry fruit formation, among them the use of seaweed extract in combination with silicon. The aim of the present research was to evaluate the potential of Ascophylium nodosum seaweed extract and silicon for early cropping of organic strawberry cv. 'Clery' grown in a non-heated greenhouse. Strawberry reproductive performance (the number of fruits per plant, individual fruit mass and fruit yield per plant) was monitored on six harvest dates. Additionally, internal fruit quality (primary and secondary metabolites) was assessed with the aid of high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) on the first four samplings. Foliar application of biostimulants resulted in a significant increase of early fruit yield, total fruit yield and total number of fruit in season with ca. 20% less sugar and a lesser content of phenolics BA and HA at the first harvest date. Differences in sugars, organic acids and most phenolic compounds were less uniform during the season but early-fruit was characterized by higher levels of anthocyanins. The use of biostimulants in strawberry production is justified as the products stimulate generative development of strawberries, which produce 10% more marketable yields earlier in season.

In apple trees, natural fruitlet shedding is often insufficient to achieve optimal fruit size and yields. Natural fruitlet abscission can be stimulated by several technological measures and its knowledge is crucial for the implementation of adequate measures. The natural phenomenon of fruitlet shedding was monitored in apple trees in two consecutive years. Abscission started 4 weeks after full bloom and lasted for 6 weeks. During this time, more than 70% of all fruitlets shed in one or more peaks, depending on the year. The ‘Golden Delicious’ cultivar predominantly developed clusters with 5 flowers (39%), followed by clusters with 4 flowers (34%) and 6 flowers (24%); clusters with three or seven flowers were rare. Each flower/fruitlet position in the cluster was separately monitored and the link between specific position and abscission was determined. Fruitlets rarely abscised from the central position (less than 40% incidence), while the lowest positions (positions 5 and 6) shed more than 70% of fruitlets. Interestingly, high abscission potential was also observed at the 2nd position (nearest to the central position), from which fruitlets abscised more frequently than from lower positions. Results confirm at least partly the carbohydrate theory of apple fruitlet shedding and describe the shedding process as a type of stress. However, sugar and/or phenolic contents are not the only reasons for the initiation of the shedding process.

Chemical composition and colorimetric parameters of alcoholic liqueurs prepared from rose petals were evaluated by comparing the potential of three cultivars ('Amadeus', 'Colossal Meidiland' and 'Rosanna') and three traditional methods of preparation (fresh/air-dried petals extracted in 50% ethanol or aqueous sucrose syrup). Extraction was performed at room temperature for 2 weeks. High performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to confirm the presence of 6 anthocyanins, 4 flavanols, 4 phenolic acids, 2 hydrolysable tannins and 31 flavonols in petal liqueurs. The highest concentrations of anthocyanins were determined in extracts from 'Amadeus' petals, followed by 'Colossal Meidiland' and finally, 'Rosanna'. The best extraction yields and optimal colour characteristics were achieved by ethanolic extraction of dry petals followed by fresh petal extraction in ethanol and, finally, extraction in sucrose syrup. Air-dehydration of 'Amadeus' petals prior to extraction in 50% ethanol yielded rose liqueur with the best all round characteristics.

Detailed anthocyanin and flavonol profiles were investigated in three flower segments of four different hybrid primrose ( Primula × polyantha ) cultivars, and individual compounds were identified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/mass spectrometry system. Chlorophyll a and b and total carotenoids were evaluated spectrophotometrically in the corolla tube (CT), and distal and proximal flower segments, and the color of each segment was assessed with a colorimeter. Chlorophyll b predominated over chlorophyll a in all flower segments, and the highest total chlorophyll levels were found in the CTs. Sixteen different anthocyanins (glycosides of cyanidin, delphinidin, peonidin, petunidin, malvidin, and rosinidin) were identified in red, pink, and blue flower extracts. Distal segments of the red hybrid and proximal segments of the pink hybrid accumulated highest levels of total anthocyanins, and no red pigments were detected in yellow-flowered hybrid primrose. Six groups of flavonols (40 individual compounds in total) were detected in different flower segments of four hybrid primrose cultivars. Yellow primrose was characterized by the greatest diversity of flavonols as it contained four isorhamnetin, five kaempferol, six laricitrin, three myricetin, six quercetin, and six syringetin glycosides. On the other hand, the smallest variety of flavonols was detected in pink hybrids. Total phenolic content (TPC) was lowest in the CT (yellow > red > pink), significantly higher in the proximal flower segment (yellow > red > pink), and highest in the distal part of the primrose petal (yellow > pink > red).

Morphological parameters (size, weight, color), the content of sugars, organic acids, lycopene, -carotene, and phenolics were determined in hips of Rosa canina (RCA), Rosa sweginzowii (RSW), Rosa rugosa (RUG), and selected ornamental Rosa cultivars Fru Dagmar Hastrup (FDH), Repandia (REP), Veilchenblau (RVB), Aloha (RAL), Bonica (BON), and Golden Gate (RGG). Although traditionally used RCA hips contained the highest amount of cyanidin-3-glucoside (83 g/g DW) and were the reddest (h degrees = 17.5), they did not stand out in other analyzed parameters. RGG climber had the biggest hips (8.86 g), which also contained highest sugar levels (50.9 g/100 g DW). RAL stood out as the cultivar rich in organic acids (33.9 g/100 g DW), mainly because of high quinic acid content (17.6 g/100g DW). FDH and RSW hips were characterized by particularly high ascorbic acid levels (4325 mg/100 g DW and 4711 mg/100 g DW). Other ornamental cultivars contained low amounts of ascorbic acid compared to the analyzed species. The phenolic profile was species/cultivars-specific. The greatest diversity of phenolic compounds was detected in RUG and FDH hips (55 and 54 different tentatively identified compounds with HPLC/MS). Flavanols represented the main phenolic class in most of the investigated species/cultivars and RGG hips contained the highest amount of catechin and proanthocyandin derivatives (15855 g/g DW). Altogether RAL hips contained the highest quantity of phenolics (44746 g/g DW) mainly due to high levels of hydrolysable tannins compared to other species/cultivars. Although small, hips of BON and REP were most abundant regarding -carotene and lycopene content, respectively.

Differences in the content of sugars, organic acids, total phenolics and antioxidative activity have been evaluated among three different elderberry species (Sambucus nigra, Sambucus cerulea, Sambucus javanica) and seven interspecific hybrids. The highest content of sugars has been determined in the fruits of JA×CER hybrid and the lowest in fruits of (JA×NI)×cv. Black Beauty hybrid. S. nigra berries contained highest levels of total organic acids. S. nigra and (JA×NI)×CER flower extracts were characterized by 1.3- to 2.8-fold higher content of total sugars compared to other species/hybrids analyzed. Total phenolic content (TPC) in berries ranged from 3687 to 6831mg GAE per kg FW. The highest TPC has been determined in S. nigra fruits and flowers. The ABTS scavenging activity differed significantly among species and hybrids and ranged from 3.2 to 39.59mMtrolox/kgFW in fruits and 44.87–118.26mMtrolox/kgDW in flowers.

The abscission process and the modifications in the levels of selected metabolites were monitored on 'Golden Delicious' apples in a two-year study. Individual sugars were analyzed using HPLC-RI and individual phenolics by UHPLC-PDA-MS. Fruitlets from lowest positions were most likely to shed. Moreover, fruits from the position nearest to the king fruitlet often dropped. The experiment initially focused on the comparison of sugar and phenolic contents among fruitlets within individual apple clusters. Central (king) fruitlets are bigger in comparison to lateral fruitlets and differ to a certain degree in the contents of metabolites. In general, the results indicate that phenolic contents are higher in fruitlets more susceptible to abscission but the level of sugars does not differ. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

There are no defined maturity parameters for berry fruit which often results in harvesting and marketing of inedible, immature or over ripe berries. In the present study the changes in quality characteristics of different white-, red-, and black-currant cultivars as well as gooseberry and jostaberry fruit were investigated at three maturity stages. Colour parameters, berry juice pH level and the content of sugars, organic acids and phenolic compounds have been evaluated. A total of 65 different phenolic compounds were detected by HPLC–PDA/MS. The results indicate that, during the last 2–4weeks of fruit ripening, significant changes occur in colour parameters, primary and secondary metabolites and radical scavenging activity. The results suggest that the average content of specific phenolic groups and sugars/acids ratio can be used as a simple and reliable maturity index for optimisation of harvest time.