The aim of this study was to determine the composition and content of phenolic compounds in the ethanol extracts of apple leaves and to evaluate the antioxidant activity of these extracts. The total phenolic content was determined spectrophotometrically, as well as the total flavonoid content in the ethanol extracts of apple leaves and the antioxidant activity of these extracts, by the ABTS, DP...

The increasing fragmentation of forest habitats and the omnipresence of cultivars potentially threaten the genetic integrity of the European wild apple (Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill). However, the conservation status of this species remains unclear in Europe, other than in Belgium and the Czech Republic, where it has been declared an endangered species. The population density of M. sylvestris is ...

Deciphering the genetic control of flowering and ripening periods in apple is essential for breeding cultivars adapted to their growing environments. We implemented a large Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) at the European level using an association panel of 1,168 different apple genotypes distributed over six locations and phenotyped for these phenological traits. The panel was genotyped at...

BACKGROUND Neonectria ditissima is one of the most important fungal pathogens of apple trees, where it causes fruit tree canker. Information about the amount and partitioning of genetic variation of this fungus could be helpful for improving orchard management strategies and for breeding apple cultivars with high levels of genetically determined resistance. In this study single-spore Neonectria...

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are products of the flavonoid pathway, which also leads to the production of anthocyanins and flavonols. Many flavonoids have antioxidant properties and may have beneficial effects for human health. PAs are found in the seeds and fruits of many plants. In apple fruit (Malus × domestica Borkh.), the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway is most active in the skin, with the flava...

Apple is a fruit crop of significant economic importance, and breeders world wide continue to develop novel cultivars with improved characteristics. The lengthy juvenile period and the large field space required to grow apple populations have imposed major limitations on breeding. Various molecular biological techniques have been employed to make apple breeding easier. Transgenic technology has...

The intercellular washing fluid (IWF) of Malus domestica cv. Holsteiner Cox before and after application of the non-pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens Bk3 to the leaves was investigated in a comparative manner. SDS-PAGE in combination with ESI Q-ToF mass spectrometry, and homology search in relevant data bases revealed the highly up-regulated expression of several pathogenesis-related...

Hyperspectral reflectance images of two cultivars of apples were acquired after fecal treatments at three different concentrations to explore the potential for the detection of fecal contaminants on apple surfaces. Region of interest (ROI) spectral features of fecal contaminated areas showed a reduction in reflectance intensity compared to those of uncontaminated skins. Large spectral differenc...

Studies conducted during 2009-2013 at the Experimental Orchard located in the central region of Poland showed that the highest number of V. inaequalis pseudothecia occurred on ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Cortland’ leaves. A smaller number of pseudothecia was found on the leaves of the Alwa and Jonagold cultivars, but there were no statistical differences. The first discharges of ascospores were noted at a ...

Different methods for the isolation of soluble proteins were applied to cell cultures of three apple cultivars (Malus sylvestris Mill.), best results being obtained with a rapid technique based on freezing and thawing. Ultrathin-layer isoelectric focusing followed by an improved silver staining method has shown that proteins from apple callus cultures consist of some 60 to 80 zones, with isoele...