جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « fruit quality » در نشریات گروه « کشاورزی »

Ziziphus mauritiana, also known as Ber fruit, is a tropical fruit from the Rhamnaceae family with high nutritional value and a short shelf life. Edible coatings the surface of the fruit can play a positive role in increasing its shelf life. The application of alginate (Al), a linear polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed (Macrocystis pyrifera), which has the advantage of moisture retention, and also Shirazi thyme (Zataria multiflora) essential oil (ZEO), which contains antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds, can improve the fruit's characteristics and preserve its quality for a longer period. In recent years, the application of ZEO together with organic coatings in order to enhance the quality characteristics of different fruits during storage has been the focus of researchers. This study aims to investigate the effect of alginate coating and ZEO on the post-harvest and physicochemical characteristics of Ber fruit during storage at 6±1 C˚ and a relative humidity of 90-95%.

This study was conducted to enhance the shelf life of Ber fruits by treating them with alginate (Al) and Shirazi thyme essential oil (ZEO). Ber fruits at their mature green stage were harvested in 2022 from a commercial orchard in Minab, Hormozgan province. After harvesting, the fruits were transported to the Horticulture Laboratory University of Hormozgan, to apply the treatments. Factors include six treatments (control, Shirazi thyme essential oil 0.5%, Shirazi thyme essential oil 1%, alginate, alginate + Shirazi thyme essential oil 0.5% and alginate + Shirazi thyme essential oil 1%) and five storage periods(zero, 7, 14, 21, 28 days). The treated fruits were then stored at 6±1 C˚, and relative humidity of 90-95% for 28 days. The factorial experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with four replications, and ten fruits were used in each replication. Fruit parameters such as fruit weight loss, respiration rate, total soluble solids (TSS), organic acid, ascorbic acid, fruit firmness, carotenoids, and chlorophyll content were evaluated. Statistical analysis of data was done using SAS software. Figures were drawn using Excel software.

Based on the results of the analysis of variance, the main effects of time and treatment were significant (P<0.01) for all characteristics. Additionally, the interaction effect of treatment and time was significant (P<0.01) for all traits except for ascorbic acid. Comparisons of means showed that all treatments, maintained fruit quality compared to the control. The Al + ZEO treatment had a significant effect on reducing respiration rate. This combined treatment reduced weight loss, decay percentage, and fruit softening while slowing down the increase in TSS. The alginate coating and Shirazi thyme essential oil delayed ripening and subsequent fruit softening by reducing ethylene activity. Furthermore, the coated fruits had higher levels of ascorbic acid compared to the untreated fruits. These coatings are impermeable to water vapor and create a saturated atmosphere, preventing fruit evaporation and wrinkling, thus delaying ripening. The use of essential oils in the form of a semi-permeable layer also reduces respiration and surface transpiration by inhibiting the movement of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and moisture, playing a positive role in preserving fruit quality.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of alginate coating and Shirazi thyme essential oil on the post-harvest and physicochemical characteristics, as well as the shelf life of Ber fruit. The results clearly indicated the enhancement of fruit quality using edible coatings compared to the control. The combination of Al + ZEO (0.5%) had significantly positive effects on preserving the postharvest quality of Ber fruit. In fact, by creating a semi-permeable coating on the surface of the fruit, thyme essential oil and alginate lead to limiting the fruit respiration and metabolism and fungi growth, thus delaying the ripening process, increasing TSS and ascorbic acid and total acidity. According to these results, to reduce post- harvest losses and increase productivity of fruit, the use of 0.5% Shirazi thyme essential oil in combination with alginate coating is recommended due to its beneficial effects on the appearance and physicochemical characteristics of Ber fruit during storage.

Pomegranate is a native fruit tree to Iran and has the best growth and performance in subtropical climate conditions. In recent years, due to environmental stresses conditions such as high temperature, high light intensity and low irrigation water a large number of orchards have faced to physiological problems such as fruit cracking, sunburn and a decrease in fruit quality. The high temperature along with high evaporation and transpiration can be considered as the main cause of these abnormalities, which causes disturbances in the process of plant metabolism and finally causes physiological disorders. Sunburn of the fruit is caused by high temperature and high sunlight intensity and has a negative effect on all the quality characteristics of the pomegranate fruit. Using net shade is one of the recommended ways to reduce the impact of climate change. Application of net shading in areas with high radiation levels has led to a decrease in the intensity of light radiation received by the canopy of the trees, which causes a decrease in the temperature of the leaf surface, and decrease the level of evaporation and transpiration in the trees.

This research was conducted during 2019-2020 for 2 years in a private orchard in the Kohmar area of Kazeron city of Iran. ́Rabab̕ pomegranate trees that were planted at a distance of 5 x 5 m and 15 years old were used. In this research, the effect of different types of net shading was investigated. The experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with 9 treatments and three replications in two years. The experimental treatments included the use of net shading in white and green colors with two different shading (30% and 50%) and two implementation methods (on the base and on the canopy of the tree) which were compared with control trees (without cover). During the growing season, measurements were made in relation to leaf temperature, sunlight intensity, soil moisture, relative water content of leaves, fresh and dry matter of leaves, and prolin content, and at the time of harvest, the percentage of sunburn, cracking and aril paleness of the fruit, thickness of fruit peel and anthocyanin content of fruit juice in all treatments were measured.

Results and Discusions:

The use of net shading increased the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of pomegranate fruits. The results of this research showed that the use of white and green nets 50% and green net 30% on the base had the best results. By using the appropriate type of net shading, the temperature of the pomegranate tree was reduced by about 6 degrees Celsius. Net shading also reduced the light intensity by at least 50%; the reduction of light intensity in green nets was more than in white nets.The highest relative water content was 85% in the green net shade (50% with base) treatment. Net shading significantly increased the water content of the leaves compared to the control.The use of net shading significantly reduced the percentage of sunburn on fruits compared to the control. Sunburn was about 14% in the control treatment and less than 5% in the net shading treatments. Net shading reduced the percentage of fruit cracking from 15 percent in the control treatment to about 7 percent in all shading treatments.

The use of net shading as a cover for pomegranate trees reduces the temperature of the canopy of the plant by reducing the radiation of the sun, and by better maintaining the moisture of the soil of the pomegranate tree. It reduces the heat and drought stress condition and has a positive effect on the quantity and quality of the fruit produced. Among the treatments used, the use 3 types of net including 50% white nets on the base, and 30% and 50% green nets on the base had the best results. These treatments better than others in terms of shading percentage, temperature reduction, and improving the quantity and quality of pomegranate fruits . Net shading should be installed when the fruits are about 5 to 7 cm in diameter and will remain on the tree until mid-September. This type of tree shading did not leave any side effects on the quantity and quality of the fruits.

Ber fruit (Zizyphus mauritiana Lamk) contains abundant polyphenols and is highly susceptible to enzymatic browning after harvest. In order to reduce browning and maintain fruit quality of ber fruit, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications. Experimental treatments included Aloe vera gel-based (20%) edible coating enriched with sesame oil 1%, honey 1% (ASH) and Zataria multiflora Boiss essential oil (ZEO) (0, 0.5 and 1%) and storage time (0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days) at 6 ± 1°C and relative humidity of 90±5%. The results showed that edible coating application had significant effect on the quality characteristics of the ber fruit during storage. The combination of ASH with ZEO (0.5%), as an edible coating, significantly alleviated enzymatic browning by reducing PPO and POD activities on fruit during 28 days of storage. Fruits treated with ASH with ZEO (0.5%) reduced browning index (70%) compared to the control; while increased total phenol content and antioxidant activity (18.14%, and 31.16%, respectively) compared to the control after 28 days of storage. Also, ASH in combination with ZEO (0.5%) treatment decreased electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (19.7%, and 17.8%, respectively) compared to the control after 28 days of storage. These results indicated that ASH edible coating in combination with ZEO (0.5%) can be a useful method for delaying ripening and senescence, extending the storage life of ber fruit.

Strawberry is known as one of the most important temperate small fruits which is cultivated in the field, greenhouse and high tunnels in the most regions of the world. The role of gibberellin and auxin in increasing fruit size of strawberries have been reported. One of the major problems of strawberry production in greenhouse is the fruits malformation which has reduced the market value of the fruit. Gibberellin and auxin have been different effects in vegetative and reproductive of growth stages. The purpose of this research was to improve the vegetative and reproductive indices of the fruit and to control the malformation problem by stimulating the development of seeds on the fruit and stimulating the growth of the fruit receptacle by gibberellin GA3.

Experiments were conducted in a commercial greenhouse in Karaj, Hashtgerd New City, Phase 7 during 2017-2019. Two separate experiments (spraying hormones on whole plant or immersing individual fruitlets on hormone solution) were designed and implemented in a commercial greenhouse unit. In the first experiment: GA3 was at concentrations of 50, 100 and 150 ppm and IBA at concentrations of 20, 40 and 60 ppm in growth stages of 60 and 65 according to BBCH worldwide model. In the second experiment, fruits were immersed in NAA with concentrations of 20, 40 and 60 ppm and GA3 with concentrations of 25, 50 and 100 ppm at fruit growth stages 70 and 73 according to BBCH procedure. After reaching the red stage, the fruits were manually harvested and transferred to the laboratories for additional tests. Vegetative and reproductive traits were evaluated including leaf area, number of leaves, crown circumference, plant height, number of flowers and fruit dimensions. Fruit biochemical characteristics include: total soluble solids, titratable acid content of fruit, anthocyanin and antioxidant capacity, total phenolics, catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes activities and content of vitamin C were evaluated. The experiments were designed and implemented in the frame of a randomized complete block design. The data were analyzed by SAS ver.9.4 and SPSS ver. 22 software, the mean data were compared based on Duncan's multi-range test, and the graphs were drawn by Excel 2013 software.

Foliar spraying with gibberellin had a significant effect on several characteristics, including leaf area, crown circumference, number of flowers, and plant height at the 1% level of significance. However, it did not yield a significant impact on the attribute of leaf number. The increase in vegetative growth could be due to the synthesis of more amino acids in the stimulation of gibberellin treatment. Gibberellin treatments increased the vegetative growth of the plant and increased the number of flowers, but their growth was stopped after fruit formation and no fruits were formed in gibberellin spraying. This can be due to the existence of an antagonistic relationship between vegetative parts and fruit developments. Auxin hormone treatments had a significant effect on increasing fruit size and reducing the percentage of malformed fruits. GA3 at concentration of 50 ppm improved plant vegetative characteristics such as: plant leaf area, plant crown circumference, plant height and number of flowers, while IBA reduced fruit deformity by 40% and also increased the amount of total soluble solids, the titratable acid content of the fruit and the antioxidant content of the fruit. In general, gibberellin at a concentration of 50 ppm in order to increase plant vegetative indices and auxin at a concentration of 60 ppm were statistically effective. In second experiment, it seems that three levels of gibberellin treatment have increased all traits related to fruit compared to auxin and control. GA3 at a concentration of 100 ppm, causing an increase in fruit size, fruit weight and the biochemical properties of the fruit and the deformity decreased by 37/5% while NAA at a concentration of 60 ppm increased the amount of fruit anthocyanin as well as total fruit phenolics and vitamin C content.

In the first experiment, gibberellin foliar application at a concentration of 50 ppm had the greatest effect on vegetative growth indicators. Also, in the same experiment, it was found that the use of GA3 in high concentrations has the negative effects on flowering and fruit growth., while it increases the amount of runner production. Also, IBA at a concentration of 60 ppm was the most effective treatment in fruit indices. In the second experiment, gibberellin at a concentration of 100 ppm was the most effective treatment in fruit and its biochemical traits, while NAA auxin in the second experiment showed a lower response to fruit than IBA auxin in the first experiment.

Bell pepper is a popular agricultural product, not only for its economic value but also for the nutritional value of its fruits, which are enriched source of natural colors and antioxidant compounds. During developmental stages, the pepper fruit serves as a significant carbon sink, exerting a notable influence on the growth and carbon levels of adjacent organs including buds, flowers, and immature fruits. The occurrence of abortion and the abscission of flowers and immature fruits can lead to substantial alterations in crop output during the growth cycle. The fruiting patterns are influenced by both environmental conditions and the quantity of fruits. When specific fruits attain ripeness, their rate of sink power decelerates. Consequently, a novel fruit set initiates its growth, thereby initiating a fresh cycle of fruit production. Consequently, the presence of unpruned plants leads to flash fruiting, characterized by periodic variations in fruit output, thereby constituting a significant challenge in greenhouse cultivation of bell pepper. The purpose of the current experiment was to investigate the effect of fruit pruning and harvest sequence on the yield and qualitative characteristics of two common bell pepper cultivars grown under greenhouse condition.

This study was conducted in a greenhouse located in the east of Isfahan during 2019. A factorial experiment was carried out based on completely randomized design with four replications. The experiment factors included a) fruit pruning at four levels: Non-pruning (control), and 10%, 20% and 30% pruning, b) pepper cultivar at two levels: Lumos yellow cultivar (from Syngenta company) and Lorka red cultivar (from Seminis company) and c) harvest sequence at four levels: first, second, third and fourth. Seeds sowing was done on October 23, 2019. Seeds were sown in transplant trays filled with a mixture of peat moss and perlite. Subsequently, on December 1, 2019, seedlings were transferred to the primary substrate, when they had developed four to six true leaves. The individuals were relocated to the greenhouse. During this period, the pepper plants were pruned and secured to the taut wires of the trellis. Furthermore, the greenhouse temperature was adjusted on 26-28 °C as day temperature and 16-18 °C as night temperature. Irrigation was implemented in a strip-wise manner. During this research, the effect of fruit pruning and cultivar on morpho-physiological traits and also, the effect of fruit pruning and harvest sequence on performance characteristics of pepper plant were investigated.

Results indicated that pruning 10 % led to an increase in seed weight, flesh thickness and L* color index of yellow cultivar. The effect of pruning on fruit weight of yellow cultivar during successive harvests revealed that unpruned plants had relatively acceptable fruit weight on first harvest, but the weight of the fruits decreased over the time during subsequent harvests, indicating when fruit pruning is not done the number of fruits increases, and as a result, the weight of each fruit decreases. While, pruning 30% was able to maintain the fruit weight from the first harvest to the fourth harvest. Maintaining the fruit weight during successive harvests is highly important for pepper farmers. Reduction of fruit number through the pruning leads to prevention of fruit weight loss during successive harvests followed by higher fruits marketability. The effect of pruning on fruit weight of red cultivar during different harvests revealed that unpruned and pruned plants at 10 % level did not produce any fruits at first harvest, and fruit production initiated at second harvest leading to lower yield performance. The highest fruit diameter of yellow cultivar during successive harvests was recorded at pruning 30 %. Also, the highest fruit length of red cultivar was measured at first harvest and pruning 30 %. All pruning levels increased the total weight of first grade fruits of red cultivar, so that the lowest value of this trait was recorded in unpruned plants.  

Fruit pruning appears to improve the source/sink relationship in pepper by increasing fruit yield and weight as well as fruit qualitative characteristics so that the red cultivar outperformed the yellow cultivar in most growth and qualitative traits, and pruning 10 and 20 % were more positively effective on fruit firmness and size (diameter and length) comparing to other levels. Based on results, it is recommendable to conduct pruning at levels of 10 and 20 % on two bell pepper cultivars, namely yellow (Lumos) and red (Lorka), in order to enhance the fruit yield and qualitative characteristics.

Medicinal plants and their products have gained a special value and position in recent years due to factors such as high economic value and low cost of their production. This research was conducted in a complete randomized block design with 8 treatments (Golder 5 and 10%, Kalpura 5 and 10%, Dermene 5 and 10%, Golder 5% + Kalpore 5% + Dermene 5% and custom of the region (control). It was performed in Kahnuj, Kerman province. The results showed that the maximum fresh and dry weight of the plant was observed in the control treatment (1150 and 200 grams). The highest yield and marketable yield per hectare (53.8 and 44.7 tons), firmness (4.40 kg/cm2), chlorophyll a, b and total and leaf carotenoids (25.3, 95. 4, 30.2 and 4.36 mg) as well as chlorophyll a and chlorophyll of the whole fruit (0.208 and 0.210 mg) were related to Golder 5 + Calpore 5 + Dermene 5 treatment. The maximum number of fruits per plant (35.7) was observed in Dermene 5% treatment, fruit length (5.84 cm) in Dermene 10% treatment and fruit diameter (5.84 cm) in Golder 10% treatment. According to the obtained results, the combined treatment of the extracts of the medicinal plants Goldar, Calpura, and Dermena resulted in the highest yield, yield components, and fruit quality at the time of harvest.

Water is one of the most important restrictive factors in the production of agricultural products worldwide. The aim of this research is to study the effects of different levels of irrigation and organic mulch on yield, water productivity, fresh weight, dry matter percentage, hardness, soluble solid content, titratable acid, and chlorophyll index of Granny Smith apple fruit at harvest. For this purpose, factorial experiment was performed in a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2019. Irrigation treatment were applied at supply levels of 100, 75 and 50 percents of tree water requirement (ETc) and organic mulch to thicknesses of zero, 4, 8 and 12 cm. The results showed that the highest average of fresh weights of fruit were allocated to 75 and 100 percent water supply levels and organic mulch treatment at thicknesses of 8, 4 and 12 cm had a significant positive difference in fresh weight of fruit compared to the control, respectively. The average yield of mulched trees was 11.52 percent more than control trees, the highest yield was obtained in treated trees with 8 cm of mulch. Fruit SSC and the firmness of fruit were improved at 50 percent irrigation. The interaction of 8 cm mulch treatment with 75 percent irrigation had the most amount of fruit acid. Both chlorophyll a, b and total decreased with increasing drought stress and improved with the application of mulch treatments .In addition, interaction of both experimental treatments, increased water productivity and benefit per drop unit area.

 Strawberries with the scientific name Fragaria × ananassa Dutch. It belongs to the Rosaceae family. Strawberry is one of the fruits that has found many fans around the world due to its aroma, taste and nutritional value. The main characteristics of strawberry fruit quality are flavor (ratio of sugar to acid and volatile compounds) and color. Excellent plants need nitrogen in addition to carbon to meet their growth and food needs. The most vital compounds in plant living cells are proteins, which are made up of amino acid building blocks. Different amino acid sequences cause variation in the resulting proteins. Arginine is a multifunctional amino acid found in living cells and is an important storage and transport form for organic nitrogen in plants. In addition to its function as a major component of protein, it is an essential metabolite for many cellular and growth processes. Studies have shown that arginine increases the synthesis of flowering hormones related to flowering and fruiting. This amino acid is also involved in the activity of various plant enzymes. This amino acid binds to membrane nucleic acids and phospholipids and increases the activity of enzymes such as catalase. Due to the importance of producing organic products and also due to the fact that so far no study has been done on the effect of arginine on the growth and physiological characteristics of strawberry cultivar Albion. Therefore, in this study, the role of arginine on some quantitative and qualitative characteristics of albumin strawberry fruit in hydroponic conditions was investigated.
 The present study was conducted in the greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Iran. In this study, the effect of arginine with three levels (0, 100 and 200 mg / l) on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Albion strawberry fruit under deficit fertigation conditions with two levels (140 and 180 ml) in a completely randomized design with 4 replications. In this study, traits such as fruit flavor, titratable acidity, soluble solids, fruit firmness, vitamin C, total phenol, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins and total antioxidant capacity were investigated. XTPlus-TA tissue analysis device was used to measure the firmness of fruit texture. Vitamin C content of fruit extract was measured by ascorbic acid based on dye reduction of 2,6 dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP). The Titration method was used to measure titratable acidity (TA). ATAGO manual refractometer was used to measure the amount of soluble solids. Also for measuring the taste of fruit by Voca et al. used. The Absorption difference method at different pHs was used to measure total anthocyanin. Total antioxidant capacity was assessed using the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) method. Folin-ciocalteau method was used to measure the total phenol content. Shin et al. Method was used to measure the total flavonoid content of fruit.
 The results obtained from the analysis of variance of the data showed that the measured indices were affected by different treatments of arginine and deficit fertigation. Based on the results, arginine treatment on fruit flavor, titratable acidity, soluble solids, fruit firmness, total anthocyanin, vitamin C, phenol, flavonoids and total antioxidant capacity showed a significant difference. The highest amount of soluble solids, fruit flavor and firmness of fruit texture were recorded in arginine treatment with a concentration of 100 mg / l under normal fertigation conditions (180 ml). Also, the highest amount of phenol and total flavonoids was observed at the same level of fertigation, albeit with arginine treatment at a concentration of 200 mg / l. Also, the highest amount of anthocyanin, vitamin C and total antioxidant capacity were recorded in arginine treatment with a concentration of 200 mg / l, in conditions of mild deficit fertigation (140 ml).
 
Excessive use of chemical fertilizers in agricultural production, especially in hydroponic cultivation in greenhouses, causes fertilizer wastage and as a result increases production costs as well as increases greenhouse drainage. Therefore, it has destructive effects on the environment, so reducing the amount of nutrient solution can be a management option to reduce the harmful effects on the environment and save water. Also, due to the importance of producing organic products and increasing demand, the use of healthy and organic compounds such as amino acids (arginine) to increase the quality and quality of the product, is very necessary. In the present study, arginine treatment increased the quality of strawberry fruit by affecting its photochemical content such as total antioxidant activity, vitamin C, total phenol, anthocyanin, etc. in low solubility conditions. Also, by increasing the firmness of the fruit texture, it improved the appearance quality of the fruit, which is important for attracting the consumer's attention. In general, the results showed that arginine spraying (200 mg / l) in normal solution and mild dissolution conditions can be effective in improving the quality of strawberries cultivated in hydroponic conditions.

Plant growth regulators has been recently attracted considerable attention as a one of the main important methods to induce natural resistance of agricultural crops. In this study, the effect of foliar application with methyl jasmonate at four levels (0, 1, 10 and 100 μM) with three replications on some quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Physalis fruit was investigated. Fruits length and diameter, fresh and dry weight of fruits, fruits firmness, pH of fruit extract, total soluble solid, titratable acidity, fruits flavor and total phenol and flavonoids were evaluated. The results showed that foliar application of methyl jasmonate had a significant effect on the evaluated parameters. The highest total phenol and flavonoids content were recorded in 100 μM methyl jasmonate treatment, while lower concentrations of methyl jasmonate had a greater effect on soluble solids, fruit flavor and titratable acidity. Also, application of different concentrations of methyl jasmonate had a significant positive effect on fruit length and diameter compared to the control, but different concentrations of methyl jasmonate did not show significant differences on fruit length and diameter. Based on the results of the present study, it was found that methyl jasmonate treatment can be used as a healthy and safe treatment in the production of Physalis peruviana fruit in greenhouse conditions by affecting phenolic compounds and improving quantitative and qualitative properties.

Codling moth, Cydia pomonella Linnaeus (Lep.: Tortricidae), is the most important pest of apple orchards, feeding on fruits, resulting to reduce the quantity and quality of product. In order to reduce the use of chemical insecticides, the application of kaolin particle film was tested in the fields of tree regions of Iran (Tehran, Razavi Khorasan, & Zanjan regions). The different concentrations, 3, 4 and 5%, of kaolin clay (Sepidan® WP95%), and diazinon (Diazinon® EC60%) and fozalone (Zolon® EC35%) insecticides were sprayed over the whole canopy, three times from early June to late August. Based on the field studies, kaolin-5% had a similar efficacy to chemical insecticides. The mean of codling moth infestation in fozalone, diazinon and kaolin-5% treatments were 14, 16 and 16.4%, respectively, compared to the control (44.6%). The use of kaolin increased the weight and diameter of the fruits and the chlorophyll index and photosynthesis amount of the apple trees. In the kaolin-5% and control treatments, the mean fruit weight were 247 and 146 g, and the mean fruit diameter were 78.6 and 75 mm, respectively. Also, the chlorophyll index was 53.8 and 51.5, and the photosynthesis rate was 5.91 and 4.93 μmol/m2/s, respectively. Therefore, due to the high effect of kaolin in reducing of pest damage and also no adverse effect on trees, spraying kaolin (Sepidan® WP) at the concentration 5% over the whole canopy, before the peak of moth oviposition, can be used successfully to reduce codling moth on apple.

Pre-harvest citrus fruit splitting is a physiological disorder that causes significant damage to producers of susceptible cultivars by reducing the amount of crop available on the market. Proper management of tree nutrition and paying special attention to the three key elements of potassium, calcium, and boron, which are involved in the strength of cell walls and fruit peel flexibility, can be effective in reducing the fruit splitting severity. Therefore, an experiment has been carried out in the Ramsar (Citrus and Subtropical Fruits Research Center) during 2018 and 2019 to investigate the effects of foliar application of 1.0% potassium nitrate, 1.0% calcium nitrate, and 0.5% boric acid at the end of June drop on reducing the severity of splitting and some fruit traits of Page mandarin. This study is performed according to a combined analysis in time with two factors including years of experimentation and different treatments of foliar application of nutrients, based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The results show that the treatments especially 1.0% potassium nitrate have reduced pre-harvest fruit splitting, increased the yield, and improved the quantitative and qualitative fruit traits. However, they have had no significant effect on the activity of polygalacturonase enzyme, cell density of blossom-end, and navel diameter. Overall, foliar application of nutrients, especially 1.0% potassium nitrate, could be suggested as an effective approach to control pre-harvest fruit splitting and boost the quantity and quality of page mandarin fruit.

Chilling injury (CI) is one of the main factors involved in reducing pomegranate quality during cold storage. In the present study, the interaction between 1-MCP and three different coatings (cellophane, confectionery waxy paper and 1%, 2% sodium alginate) on maintenance of postharvest quality of pomegranate fruits were investigated during 120 days of cold storage .The results showed that uncoated fruits had higher weight loss and total soluble solids (TSS) than coated fruits during storage. The results also showed that untreated (control) fruits showed higher weight loss, decay and total soluble solids (TSS) than 1-MCP treated fruits during cold storage. Cellophane had a significant effect on delaying ion leakage and preventing weight loss of pomegranate fruit.The 1-MCP+cellophane and 1-MCP+confectionery wax paper could reduce chilling injury by delaying the reduction of bioactive compounds such as total phenolics and antioxidant activity. The lowest decay severity was also observed in fruits treated with 1-MCP. In general, it can be concluded that postharvest application of 1-MCP+cellophane was the most effective treatment to induce chilling tolerance and extend the storage life of pomegranate.

Occurance of recent droughts and expanding cultivation area of rain-fed fig orchards in Fars province requires the supplemental irrigation for increasing the economic productivity of fig crop cv. Sabz. Thus, the present study was conducted to improve water use efficiency of this crop. Three supplemental irrigation methods included surface, subsurface drip, and microjet were used. Control trees received no supplemental irrigation. Irrigation water volume for each tree was 1500 liters that was given to the trees in three times and equal amounts in March, May, and August. The results showed that supplemental irrigation significantly increased the yield of dried fig fruits compared to control. Microjet method increased leaf width, shoot growth length, node number, content of chlorophylls and carotenoids, and number of AA fruits (fruit diameter > 22 mm) and light yellow color fruits. Teherefore, microjet method is introduced as the superior irrigation method to improve vegetative and reproductive traits of fig cv. Sabz.