We studied the pollination biology of Canna paniculata (Cannaceae), a plant species common in the Atlantic Rainforest of southeastern Brazil. The species presents specialized ornithophilous flowers, which in our study area are solely pollinated by the hermit hummingbird Phaethornis eurynome. Although C. paniculata is capable of bearing fruit after self-pollination, it requires pollinators for r...

This research aims to develop an automatic tubing-grafting robotic system using soft rubber tubes as the grafting material that is suitable for the rootstock and scion of fruit-bearing vegetables having similar stem diameter, such as tomato, bitter melon, sweet pepper, etc. The experimental results indicated that the average grafting success rate is over 93.8% and the system has a working capab...

The sandculture experiment with chloride as a variable has provided an excellent opportunity for detailed examination of the effects of excessive chloride on bearing avocado trees. Hass avocado trees have been under chloride treatment for the past four years. A summary of the more practical considerations of investigation such as leaf symptoms, mineral nutrition, growth and fruit characteristic...

Shallow bark canker incited by Brenneria nigrifluens is considered one of the most dangerous diseases which can cause a significant reduction in walnut and timber production.  During spring and summer of 2019, walnut gardens were surveyed for symptoms like leaf spot, fruit, and stem canker from four different regions of Golestan province located in Iran. A set of 11 Gram-negative bacteria were ...

Hedgerow fruits provide a food resource for several UK farmland bird species from late summer, through winter and into spring. This project aims to develop the understanding of the interactions between fruit-bearing hedgerow flowers, their pollinators, hedgerow fruits and frugivorous birds. Experiments revealed that flowers of blackthorn, hawthorn and ivy all benefited from insect visits in ord...

Among the different sources of genetic parthenocarpy described in tomato, the mutation referred to as parthenocarpic fruit (pat) is of particular interest because of its strong expressivity and because it confers earlier ripening, higher fruit set and enhanced fruit quality. As a pleiotropic effect, pat flowers have aberrantly developing androecia and reduced male and female fertility. In this ...

The unique aroma of melons (Cucumis melo L., Cucurbitaceae) is composed of many volatile compounds biosynthetically derived from fatty acids, carotenoids, amino acids, and terpenes. Although amino acids are known precursors of aroma compounds in the plant kingdom, the initial steps in the catabolism of amino acids into aroma volatiles have received little attention. Incubation of melon fruit cu...

Ayurveda, which is the oldest health system in the world, appreciates and uses amla to treat a host of diseases and promote positive health. Amla [Emblica officinalis, or emblic myrobalan], is called amalaki in Sanskrit. It is extensively used as a rejuvenator in ayurveda. It is also used widely in combination with other two [chebulic and belleric] myrobalans [fruit-bearing plant species] as tr...

Different species of Phytophthora cause serious and economically important soilborne diseases of citrus throughout the World. Tree and crop production losses occur from damping-off of seedlings in the seedbed, root and crown rot in nurseries, foot rot and fibrous root rot, and brown rot of fruit in groves. Foot rot results from infection of the bark near the ground level producing lesions on th...

Unraveling the genomic processes at play during variety diversification is of fundamental interest for understanding evolution, but also of applied interest in crop science. It can indeed provide knowledge on the genetic bases of traits for crop improvement and germplasm diversity management. Apple is one of the most important fruit crops in temperate regions, having both great economic and cul...