Pomology
Zohre Rohi Vishekaii; Ali Soleimani; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Akbar Hasani
Abstract
Introduction Olive tree, with a thousand years of cultivation history, is one of the most important horticultural crops in Iran and has always played an important economical role for orchardists. In olive orchards traits such as an increased formation of incomplete flowers, low yield of fruits and ...
Read More
Introduction Olive tree, with a thousand years of cultivation history, is one of the most important horticultural crops in Iran and has always played an important economical role for orchardists. In olive orchards traits such as an increased formation of incomplete flowers, low yield of fruits and oil are often found as major problems. It should be noted that these traits are affected by numerous environmental and management factors from which the nutrition status is one of the most important ones. Proper nutrition plays an important role in both olive fruit and oil yield. There is a wide range of fertilizer compounds with different formulas and efficiencies available in the world market, among which nano-products are becoming increasingly popular. However, there is limited information on their efficacy in different plant species. Materials and MethodsIn order to evaluate the impact of fertilizers on olive cultivation, a research was conducted during two successive years from 2019 to 2020 in a commercial orchard on 15 year old olive tree cv. ‘Zard’, in Manjil city of Guilan province. Foliar application included five treatments using two types of fertilizers; nano (nano-chelated nitrogen and potassium: nano-NK) and chemical fertilizers (urea and potassium nitrate; NK). Treatments involved application of two concentrations from each fertilizers sources; 1.02g and 0.81g (nano-N1K1 and N1K1), 1.36 g and 1.08 g (nano-N2K2 and N2K2) of pure nitrogen and potassium, respectively. Foliar application was conducted in four stages bud-swelling, before blooming, pit hardening and shortly after harvest of table olive. Spraying with water was considered as the control. The nano-chelated fertilizers were obtained from Khazra Company, Teheran, Iran (http://en.khazra.ir). Spraying with water was considered as control. The experiment was performed in a randomized block design with three replications. The measurement of leaf nutrient status and its chlorophyll and carbohydrate contents were carried out at two times each growing season; in August (during pit hardening stage) and October (shortly after the harvest of table olive). At the green ripening stage, fruits were collected and weighted to determine fruit yield. At the end of the experiment quantity and quality traits of oil were measured. Results and Discussion The results showed that the trees under N2K2 treatment had the highest yield. In terms of mineral content, both forms of fertilizers increased the concentration of nitrogen and potassium leaf elements compared to the control trees. Chlorophyll content was affected by nano-N1K1 foliar application and carbohydrate content was affected by nano-N1K1 in the pit hardening stage and nano-N2K2 in shortly after the harvest of table olive. Nano-N1K1 treatment with the lower crop load not only increased oil content but also improved quality characteristics of olive oil (free fatty acids, peroxide value, specific ultraviolet absorbance K232, K270 and contents of pigments), total phenol content, antioxidant capacity and fatty acid composition. Generally, the results showed that olive trees responded well to fertilizer feeding. These trees produced better crop and higher quality oil in comparison with control trees. According to the results, fruit yield is better under urea and potassium nitrate treatment, and the quality of olive oil is more stable after nano-chelated nitrogen and potassium foliar application. It seems that the reason for the high amount of fruit yield with N2K2 in comparison to the slow-release property of nano-fertilizers is that using nitrogen and potassium in the form of ordinary chemical fertilizer regulates the biosynthesis, conversion and rapid translocation of assimilates and mineral elements into reproductive structures, which resulted in soaring yield. We assumed that nano-N1K1 foliar spray in the pit hardening stage and shortly after the fruit harvest for table olive might export the assimilation into the fruit to fulfill cell metabolism requirements for oil synthesis. Conclusion The current findings indicated that two of four treatments, i.e. nano-N1K1 and N2K2, could be more effective on olive trees in terms of general fruit and oil attributes. It was remarkable that nano treatment with a lower concentration could provide adequate beneficial effects on quality characteristics of olive oil and is in line with good management strategies regarding the preservation of the environment. To the best of our knowledge, the current work is the first report considering the application of nano-chelated nitrogen and potassium and their is use as a foliar application on olive trees. Additional studies would be necessary to further optimize the concentration and timing of the applications with these new formulations.
Maisam Ahmadi; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Hossein Meighani; Masoud Kavoosi
Abstract
Introduction: Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), belonging to Punicaceae family, is a tropical and subtropical attractive deciduous or evergreen shrub and is one of the native fruits of Iran. With total production of 941804 tons in 2013, Iran is one of the most important pomegranate producers in the ...
Read More
Introduction: Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), belonging to Punicaceae family, is a tropical and subtropical attractive deciduous or evergreen shrub and is one of the native fruits of Iran. With total production of 941804 tons in 2013, Iran is one of the most important pomegranate producers in the world. Pomegranate is an important source of bioactive compounds. Despite the high nutritional values of pomegranate fruits, the overuse of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in conventional systems reduces nutritional and functional quality of pomegranate fruits. On the other hand, world demand for organic products is growing rapidly in developed countries, especially in Europe, USA, Japan and Australia. Previous studies showed that organic fruits contain higher minerals, vitamins and oxidant activity than conventional crops. Therefore, the aim of the present paper was to compare organic, integrated and conventional management systems in pomegranate orchard on mineral contents and qualitative attributes of pomegranate fruit.
Materials and methods: Pomegranate (cv. Rabbab-e-Shiraz) grown under organic, conventional and integrated management systems in a commercial orchard, in Nourabad Mamsani, Fars province, was used for this study. Pomegranate fruits were harvested at commercial harvest stage and transported in an air-conditioned vehicle to the laboratory of Horticultural Science Department, University of Guilan, Rasht. Some factors like fruit, aril and peel weight, aril length, weight ratio of peel to aril, peel to fruit and aril to fruit, and seed firmness (Penetrometer, with the diameter of 11 mm) were assessed. In addition, qualitative properties (Total Soluble Solids (TSS), TA (Titratable Acidity), TSS/TA and pH), antioxidant compounds (total phenol, flavonoids and anthocyanin content) in pomegranate juice and mineral nutrients (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) in peel and arils were measured. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 4 replications.
Results and discussion: The results showed that fruit, arils and peel weight and fresh weight of peel were significantly higher in conventional system than organic management system. Fruit weight depends on plant nutrition, which, in turn, significantly influences postharvest quality. It is possibly due to smaller cells and less intercellular spaces in organic fruits. In this study, fruit size in organic management system was significantly lower than conventional system; our results in this regard are in accordance with the previous studies reported on kiwifruit, apple and grape . Fruit taste is determined mainly by juice TSS and the ratios between TSS and TA. In this study, juice TSS in conventional and integrated management systems was higher than organic fruits at harvest time. Our findings are in agreement with Beng et al. (6), who reported higher amount of TSS in kiwifruit obtained from conventional system than organic system due to more mature fruit and greater use of nitrogen fertilizers.
No difference was found for pH, TA, TSS/TA, seed firmness, total anthocyanin and flavonoid content among the three management systems. The antioxidant activity properties of pomegranate juice were attributed to polyphenols, sugar-containing polyphenolic tannins and anthocyanins. In this study, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in fruits obtained from organic management system were greater than conventional management system. These results are in agreement with the findings reported in blueberry, peach and grape, apple, kiwifruit and strawberry fruits. Mineral nutrient analysis showed that the concentrations of P, Ca and Mg in peel, and N, P, K, Ca and Mg in aril of organic fruits were lower than fruits of conventional system, but the ratio of Ca to other elements in the arils of organic fruits was significantly higher than conventional system fruits. In apple, N concentration of conventionally grown fruits was higher, while K, Ca, Na and Mg concentrations of organic fruits were higher than conventional fruits. There were positive correlations between total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in pomegranate juice, which was in agreement with the results reported in kiwifruit and grape fruits.
Conclusion: The results of the current study indicated that fruit quality of pomegranate cv. Rabbab-e-Shiraz was affected by the type of orchard management system. Although fruits obtained from organic system had smaller size in comparison with the fruits of other systems, the amount of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity was higher in organic system compared with conventional system, representing a higher nutritional value of organically grown fruits than conventionally grown fruits. Furthermore, organic fruits had higher Ca to N, Mg and K ratio, which can affect the shelf life and postharvest quality of pomegranate fruits.
Fatemeh Jafarpour; Davoud Bakhshi; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Reza Hassan Sajedi
Abstract
In this study, effect of exogenous putrescine on maintaining postharvest quality and antioxidant compounds of two broccoli cultivars, ‘General’ and ‘Liberty’ during cool storage were investigated. Broccoli branchlets were treated with 0.5, 1 and 1.5 mM Putrescine. Distilled water was used as ...
Read More
In this study, effect of exogenous putrescine on maintaining postharvest quality and antioxidant compounds of two broccoli cultivars, ‘General’ and ‘Liberty’ during cool storage were investigated. Broccoli branchlets were treated with 0.5, 1 and 1.5 mM Putrescine. Distilled water was used as control. Treated florets were put into polyethylene bag and transferred to storage with 0°C and 90% RH. Weight loss, total chlorophyll, total phenols and catechin and chlorogenic acid were determined after 40 days of cool storage and kept 2 additional days in room temperature. Results showed that 1.5 mM putrescine treatment prevented weight loss, delayed chlorophyll degradation and senescence and improved florets quality in General and Liberty cultivars. Total phenols and flavenoids content declined at the end of storage and also two additional days in room temperature, but putrescine treatments prevented its significant decreasing. Catechin and chlorogenic acid content decreased in untreated florets was decreased when transferred to room temperature after long-term storage in low temperature; but 1.5 mM putrescine increased them in both studied cultivars. Overall, application of 1.5 mM putrescine with preventing chlorophyll degradation and maintaining antioxidant compounds, delayed broccoli florets senescence.
Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Ali Momenpour; Ali Reza Abdolahpour; Ali Reza Sheiykh Eshkevari
Abstract
In this research, the effect of irrigation duration on growth characteristics of Thomson navel orange grafted on three rootstocks was evaluated in Complete Randomized Block Design in Iran Citrus Research Institute. Factors included rootstock in three levels (Poncirus (Poncitus trifoliate), citrange (Citrus ...
Read More
In this research, the effect of irrigation duration on growth characteristics of Thomson navel orange grafted on three rootstocks was evaluated in Complete Randomized Block Design in Iran Citrus Research Institute. Factors included rootstock in three levels (Poncirus (Poncitus trifoliate), citrange (Citrus sinensis Poncitus trifoliata) and sour orange (Citrus aurantium)) duration of irrigation in four levels (2, 4, 6 and 8 once days) and time in six levels (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6). In the during irrigation, vegetative traits such as scion height, leaf number, diameter of rootstock and scion, leaf water content and chlorophyll value were measured. Also, at the end of the experimental period, amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in soils mixtures were determined. The results showed that time of sampling, type of rootstock and duration of irrigation can affect on growth characteristics of studied rootstock and scion. Height of scion, leaf number, diameter of rootstock and scion were increased so that the increase for all traits to time T3 was significant, but from time T3 to T6 was not. The difference among different rootstocks in the absorption of nutritional elements in short time (two days) was more. Poncirus rootstock in uptake of nutritional elements in drought stress was more efficient than other rootstocks and with increase in intervals of irrigation, amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in soil mixture of Poncirus rootstock, was less. Overall, studied rootstocks in this research which are common citrus rootstocks in north of Iran, in drought stress conditions, did not show superiority over others in growth characteristics.
Majid Amani Beni; Abdollah Hatamzadeh; Ali Nikbakht; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Sara Nikkhah Bahrami; Sohrab Davarpanah
Abstract
Tuberose flower (Polianthes tuberosa L.) is an important commercial cut flower in the world, however the short vase life is one of its major problems. So, an experiment was carried out by using five different levels of humic acid (HA) mixed with sucrose and seven different levels of silver nanoparticles ...
Read More
Tuberose flower (Polianthes tuberosa L.) is an important commercial cut flower in the world, however the short vase life is one of its major problems. So, an experiment was carried out by using five different levels of humic acid (HA) mixed with sucrose and seven different levels of silver nanoparticles (SNP) mixed with sucrose in vase solution on tuberose cut flowers cv." Single". The results indicated that there were significant differences between treatments. The decline of fresh weight in flowers treated with 25, 50 and 75 mg L-1 HA was fewer compared to other levels. Also, the effect of HA on vase life and water uptake index was significantly higher in 25 mg L-1 HA (2.25 days more than control). SNP treatments increased the water uptake, fresh weight, total protein and declined lipid peroxidation amount compared to the control flowers. The results also showed that flowers which were treated with 1 mg L-1 SNP had 2.87 days vase life more than the control flowers. To sum up it can be demonstrated that suitable levels of HA and SNP improved better morphological and physiological properties and eventually increases the vase life of cut tuberose flowers.
Fatemeh Abri; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Reza Hassan Sajedi; Davoud Bakhshi; Mohammad Ali Shiri
Abstract
In this study, effect of different concentration of ascorbic acid (AsA, 0, 2, 4 and 6 mM) on delaying senescence in cut rose flowers cv. Royall Class was investigated based on factorial design. The results showed that the greatest delay in senescence was obtained with 4 mM AsA as compared to control ...
Read More
In this study, effect of different concentration of ascorbic acid (AsA, 0, 2, 4 and 6 mM) on delaying senescence in cut rose flowers cv. Royall Class was investigated based on factorial design. The results showed that the greatest delay in senescence was obtained with 4 mM AsA as compared to control (distilled water). Therefore, fresh weight and diameter of flowers treated with 4 mM AsA was more than others treatments. Biochemical attributes such as protein, proline, anthocyanin content and lipid per oxidation levels were determined only in DW and 4 mM AsA. Application of 4 mM AsA treatments was shown to retard degradation of protein over 8 days vase life. Proline content in AsA treated flowers was slightly lower than DW flowers but no significant differences were found in treated flowers with AsA. Anthocyanin content declined gradually with onset of senescence, while AsA treatments suppressed decreasing its content. Therefore, treatment with 4 mM AsA suppressed malondialdehyde accumulation and delayed flowers senescence.
Soheila Kamari; Gholamali Peyvast; Mahmood Ghasemnejad
Abstract
Humic acid, which has hormone- like activity , not only enhances plant growth and nutrients uptake but also improve stress tolerance. To determine the effect of humic acid on the yield and vegetative characteristics of tomato an experiment was conducted with tomato cv. `Isabela` in 2008 in a plastic ...
Read More
Humic acid, which has hormone- like activity , not only enhances plant growth and nutrients uptake but also improve stress tolerance. To determine the effect of humic acid on the yield and vegetative characteristics of tomato an experiment was conducted with tomato cv. `Isabela` in 2008 in a plastic tunnel at the Agriculture Faculty, Guilan University using randomized completely design with four treatments (0, 1, 2, 3 mg l-1 humic acid) and three replications. Humic acid was sprayed four times during the vegetation period with 10- day intervals after three weeks of planting. Results showed that humic acid could affect significantly (P
Azadeh Shojah; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Seyyed Najmmoddin Mortazavi
Abstract
Abstract
Antioxidant capacity and quality of fruits usually changed during storage. In the current study, the changes of antioxidant capacity and postharvest quality of two blood (pigmented) orange cultivars (‘Tarocco’ and ‘Morro’) and ‘Thompson navel’ orange, after 60 days storage at 7ºC ...
Read More
Abstract
Antioxidant capacity and quality of fruits usually changed during storage. In the current study, the changes of antioxidant capacity and postharvest quality of two blood (pigmented) orange cultivars (‘Tarocco’ and ‘Morro’) and ‘Thompson navel’ orange, after 60 days storage at 7ºC and 90 RH% was investigated. During fruit storage weight loss, TSS, TA, TSS/TA, vitamin C, total phenol, anthocyanins and also juice antioxidant capacity by DPPH scavenging activity test were determined. Fruit weight loss in blood oranges was more than ‘Thompson navel’ orange and increased gradually during cold storage. Fruit TSS declined in blood orange significantly but was constant in ‘Thompson navel’ orange. In contrast, TA decreased the most in ‘Thompson navel’ orange. Vitamin C slightly increased during storage time but total phenolics increased only in ‘Taracco’. The results showed that antioxidant capacity in oranges fruits decreased with storage time and ‘Morro’ fruits with the anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation during postharvest time had shown the highest antioxidant capacity. Finally, the results showed that quality of oranges decrease during long term storage except to blood orange that increase antocyanin and phenolic contents.
Keywords: Blood oranges; Anthocyanins; Total phenolics, Antioxidant capacity
Javad Fattahi Moghadam; Yousef Hamidoghli; Reza Fotouhi; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Davoud Bakhshi
Abstract
Abstract
In this study, the physicochemical quality and antioxidant activities of fruits peel from 6 citrus varieties which commonly consumed in the North of Iran were determined. Some parameters were measurement such fruit size, peel thickness, residue percentage, peel color indices, total phenolics, ...
Read More
Abstract
In this study, the physicochemical quality and antioxidant activities of fruits peel from 6 citrus varieties which commonly consumed in the North of Iran were determined. Some parameters were measurement such fruit size, peel thickness, residue percentage, peel color indices, total phenolics, total flavonoid, total anthocyanins, total carotenoids, total chlorophyll, ascorbic acid content and antioxidant capacity by DPPH● assay and ABTS +● scavenging activity. Results showed that there were a positive relationship between fruit size, peel thickness and residue percentage. Thamson variety was largest among all varieties. Generally, all varieties had standard peel color at harvesting time. The total content of phenolic was superior in peel of ‘Siavaraz’ (0.49 mg/ml) and ‘Page’ (0.43 mg/g) varieties. The peel of ‘Moro’ with 7.68 mg/g and 13.29 mg/l had highest total flavonoid and anthocyanin respectively. The highest of total carotenoid and chlorophyll accumulation with 0.84 and 3.5 mg/ml were observed in ‘Tarocco’. Perfectly, peel carotenoid concentration ranged from 0.12 to 0.84 and also from 0.87 to 3.5 mg/g to total chlorophyll. The quantity of ascorbic acid content ranged from 18.17 (Siavaraz) to 23.56 mg/100g FW (Thamson). Also, results showed ‘Sanguinello’ peel had the lowest IC50 values (0.2 mg) of DPPH radical scavenging activities. Base of AE results, significant differences only observed between ‘Sanguinello’ and other varieties. According to the ABTS assay, the antioxidant activity was at least 68.58% in ‘page’ variety. Finally, this peel of citrus varieties possessed relatively high antioxidant activity and might be rich sources of natural antioxidants.
Keywords: Citrus, Peel, Color, Antioxidant activity, Carotenoid, Flavonoid, Ascorbic acid
Mostafa Ashour Nezhad; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Somaye Gerailoo; Seyyed Kamran Mirhosini
Abstract
Abstract
Having no exact knowledge of most appropriate harvesting time in kiwifruit grown in different regions of Guilan province, as well as the low storage longevity of the fruits are the most important factors causing considerable reduction in both marketability and export affairs. In this study, ...
Read More
Abstract
Having no exact knowledge of most appropriate harvesting time in kiwifruit grown in different regions of Guilan province, as well as the low storage longevity of the fruits are the most important factors causing considerable reduction in both marketability and export affairs. In this study, the influence of fruit quality in term of harvesting time on the postharvest quality and food values of kiwifruit (Actinidia delicious cv. Hayward) was investigated. Based on the farmer’s experiences for each region, the harvesting time is chosen and fruits are harvested. Fruits are sorted and healthy ones are promptly stored at 0.5° C and relative humidity of 85-90% for two months. Results showed that the harvested fruits in most regions had no minimum maturity index at harvest time and usually are much more precociously harvested. Only those fruits with high total soluble solid (TSS) at harvest time could reach to an acceptable amount (more than 12.5 percent) of TSS after two months storage and also had less loss weight (P
Mohammad Ahmadi Dahaj; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Mohsen Zavareh; Gholam Ali Peyvast
Abstract
Abstract
Many preharvest and postharvest factors and conditions influence the nutritional value and storage life of horticultural commodities. The present study, the response of tomato fruits produced from different growing media, tea waste, tea waste + zeolite (1:1), tea waste + zeolite (3:1), tea ...
Read More
Abstract
Many preharvest and postharvest factors and conditions influence the nutritional value and storage life of horticultural commodities. The present study, the response of tomato fruits produced from different growing media, tea waste, tea waste + zeolite (1:1), tea waste + zeolite (3:1), tea waste + zeolite (1:3), zeolite + perlite (1:2) (V/V) in soilless culture to two different storage temperature were investigated. The results showed that keeping quality of fruits such as antioxidant capacity and total phenolic compounds affected by storage temperature. The response to storage temperature was different among the fruits that produced on different growing media. Fruits weight loss was affected by storage temperature and growing media could not change it. The declining antioxidant capacity and phenolic losses were accelerated at higher temperatures (20°C) and longer storage durations. Fruits produced on tea waste have been showed the highest antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds after two weeks storage.
Keywords: Tomato, Soilless culture, Quality & antioxidant capacity
Ensiyeh Ghorbani; Davoud Bakhshi; Hassan Hajnajari; Mahmood Ghasemnejad; Parvaneh Taghidoost
Abstract
Abstract
In this study, total phenolics content and antioxidant activity of peel and pulp and main phenolic compounds of fruit including chlorogenic acid, catechin, phloridzin, quercetin 3-galactoside, cyanidin 3-galactoside (Anthocyanin) and total flavonoids of peel of native cultivars ‘Ghandak’, ...
Read More
Abstract
In this study, total phenolics content and antioxidant activity of peel and pulp and main phenolic compounds of fruit including chlorogenic acid, catechin, phloridzin, quercetin 3-galactoside, cyanidin 3-galactoside (Anthocyanin) and total flavonoids of peel of native cultivars ‘Ghandak’, ‘Heidarzade’ and imported cultivars ‘Golden Spur’, ‘Red Spur’ and ‘Red Delicious’ were quantified. Results showed that the selected cultivars have a significant variation regarding all factors except for cyaniding 3-galactoside. ‘Red Spur’, a red cultivar, had the highest catechin and phloridzin content. ‘Heidarzade’, a red cultivar, indicated the highest quercetin 3-galactoside and cyaniding 3-galactoside and total flavonoids. There was a positive relation between total phenol content and antioxidant activity. The peel of studied cultivars had higher content of total phenol and antioxidant activity compared with pulp. Among the experimental cultivars, the peel of ‘Red Spur’ and the pulp of ‘Heidarzade’ had the highest total phenol content and antioxidant activity.
Keywords: Total phenol, Chlorogenic acid, Anthocyanin, Quercetin 3-galactoside, Catechin
