Tropical Fruits
Younes Abbasi Bastami; Davood Bakhshi; Aziz Torahi; Mohammadreza Pourghayoumi; Omid Khalifezadeh Koureh
Abstract
Purpose: The main aim of the present research was to determine the qualitative and quantitative properties of some commercial cultivars of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruit from Iran. Research method: Mature fruits of uniform size, without of physical damage or injury from insects and fungal infection ...
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Purpose: The main aim of the present research was to determine the qualitative and quantitative properties of some commercial cultivars of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruit from Iran. Research method: Mature fruits of uniform size, without of physical damage or injury from insects and fungal infection were used for all biochemical and physicochemical properties. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined using the modified Folin–Ciocalteu colorimetric and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. The antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH scavenging assay method. Findings: Among the evaluated cultivars, ‘Kabkab’ had the highest fruit length and diameter, seed length, flesh weight, flesh to seed ratio, total weight and moisture percentage. The mount of antioxidant activity (AA) was in the range 57.29 ± 2.91 to 70.04 ± 0.91 in the ‘Hamrawi’ and ‘Barhee’ cultivars, respectively. ‘Khadrawi-Ahwaz’ and ‘Deiry’ showed the highest (1103.76 ± 100.89 mg gallic acid/100 g fresh weight) and the lowest (261.86 ± 44.48 mg/100 g FW) content of total phenolic compounds (TPC), respectively. Besides, the highest soluble solid content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA) were observed in ‘Berim’ (82.5%) and ‘Hamrawi’ (0.086%), respectively. Research limitations: No limitations were founded. Originality/Value: Selected date cultivars in this study had relatively high levels of TPC, TFC and AA. The highest content of AA, TPC and TFC were observed in ‘Barhee’, ‘Khadrawi-Ahwaz’, and ‘Hamrawi’ cultivars, respectively.
Tropical Fruits
Fabrice Afloukou; Laurence Dossou; Valerien Zinsou
Abstract
Purpose: In sub-Sahara Africa, citrus is mainly cultivated in the coastal countries. It plays important nutritional and socio-economical roles by providing vitamins and minerals to consumers and cash to farmers. The crop is being challenged by many constraints. The purpose of this review is to inventory ...
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Purpose: In sub-Sahara Africa, citrus is mainly cultivated in the coastal countries. It plays important nutritional and socio-economical roles by providing vitamins and minerals to consumers and cash to farmers. The crop is being challenged by many constraints. The purpose of this review is to inventory the virus and virus-like diseases known to infect citrus in the West-Africa up today. Findings: Less attention is given to citrus in West African countries while the crop is imperiled by biotics as well as abiotic constraints. Then, it is threatened by several diseases. Among them, the updated reported virus and virus-like diseases are tristeza, exocortis, citrus psorosis complex, cachexia, stubborn and greening. There is no recent update regarding the incidence, severity, and distribution of those diseases as well as their impact on yield. The biological or molecular characterization of the diseases' causal agents also still lack. Research limitations: There is no effective national or regional plant protection policy; leading to the persistence of citrus diseases and wide-spreading infections. Climate change is enhancing the dilemma. Directions for future research: The sustainable production of citrus in the region requires new plant protection policies and investigations regarding citrus diseases and their vectors. Furthermore, rootstocks screening is required in every single agro-ecological zones where citrus is grown for the simultaneous management of citrus viroids, viruses, and soil-born fungi.
Tropical Fruits
Rihab Taha; Ben Maachia Sihem; Sindic Marianne; Sahli Ali; Namsi Ahmed; Messaoud Mars
Abstract
Purpose: Quality and physical characteristics of date palm changes during growth and maturation stages of fruits in main production areas in the south of Tunisia. Research Method: The effect of season, ripening date and climatic conditions (temperature and relative humidity) on physicochemical characteristics ...
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Purpose: Quality and physical characteristics of date palm changes during growth and maturation stages of fruits in main production areas in the south of Tunisia. Research Method: The effect of season, ripening date and climatic conditions (temperature and relative humidity) on physicochemical characteristics of fresh dates “Deglet Nour” grown at four different oases were evaluated using multivariate analysis. Main findings: Dates from Traditional Mountain Oases (TMO) had the highest values of length, width, weight, moisture content for the two seasons. Those from Modern Palm Plantation (MPP) had the highest values of fiber content, water activity, glucose and fructose in 2014. In 2014 and 2015, date palm fruits of Modern Continental Oases (MCO) had the highest values of sucrose. The lower values of the different parameters were registered for dates from Traditional Continental Oases (TCO). Meteorological data from the experimental station recorded higher temperature and relative humidity during fruit maturation (July, August and September) in 2014 compared to 2015. Results showed that the good quality of dates was obtained in oases TMO that had higher relative humidity and lower temperature compared to other oases (MPP, MCO, and TCO). Such changes may have resulted from earlier pollination and higher temperatures during the maturation period. Considering the two seasons 2014 and 2015, the highest thermal coefficients were observed in MCO (3726 and 3704, respectively) and the lower ones in TCO (3083 and 3025, respectively). Research limitation: No limitations were founded. Originality/Value: Seasons and oases climate significantly affected the physical and biochemical quality characteristics of date palm fruits. This engendered in the longest maturity period recorded in TCO. MPP where we recorded the highest spring temperatures, showed the shorted development cycle.
Tropical Fruits
Aurelice Oliveira; Monica Maria Lopes; Kellina Oliveira de Souza; Luciana de Siqueira Oliveira; Carlos Farley Moura; Maria Raquel de Miranda
Abstract
Purpose: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of two systems of cultivation on the banana crop (Musa spp.) in the postharvest quality, bioactive compounds and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase during ripening process. Research method: Changes in physicochemical parameters, non-antioxidant, ...
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Purpose: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of two systems of cultivation on the banana crop (Musa spp.) in the postharvest quality, bioactive compounds and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase during ripening process. Research method: Changes in physicochemical parameters, non-antioxidant, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity and oxidative markers were evaluated in banana cv. Prata-Anã from organic and conventional systems at three ripening stages: unripe, breaker and ripe. Main findings: The weight of conventional fruit was 48% greater at the ripe stage. The fruit size was reduced in fruits from organic farming while titratable acidity and the soluble solids content were respectively 82% and 58% higher at breaker stage in conventional bananas. The organic bananas have an increase of 58% in the phenolics at the unripe stage. The PAL activity was observed throughout banana development from organic farming, however the same was not observed for the conventional farming. Dismutase superoxide activity was also dramatically higher in matures and ripe fruits from organic farming. The lipid peroxidation degree of the cell membrane was 40% higher in ripe bananas for both systems. Research limitations: No limitations were founded, since the methods were well established. Originality/Value: Our observations suggest that banana fruits presented little changes in the function of farming conditions with an accumulation of specific compounds in determined stages of ripening without remarkable difference among systems of cultivation.
