Preharvest Elicitors as a Tool to Enhance Bioactive Compounds and Quality of Both Peel and Pulp of Yellow Pitahaya (Selenicereus megalanthus Haw.) at Harvest and during Postharvest Storage.

Yellow pitahaya is a tropical fruit that has gained popularity in recent years. Natural elicitors are compounds that can stimulate the resistance and quality of fruits. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of natural elicitors, methyl salicylate (MeSa), methyl jasmonate (JaMe), salicylic acid (SA) and oxalic acid (OA) at concentrations of 0.1 mM (MeSa and JaMe) and 5 mM (SA and OA), applied to the yellow pitahaya fruits under greenhouse conditions. After full blossom, four applications were made with a frequency of 15 days. At the time of harvest and after storage, the following variables were evaluated: firmness (whole fruit), total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity (TA), phenolics and carotenoids (in the pulp), while phenolics, carotenoids, macronutrients and micronutrients were determined in the peel. The results showed MeSa advanced the fruit maturation, according to higher TSS, lower TA and firmness than MeJa-treated fruits, for which a delayed ripening process was shown. All treatments induced a higher polyphenolic concentration during storage. Regarding the alternative use of the peel as a by-product, the application of natural elicitors significantly increased the content of polyphenols, carotenoids, macronutrients and micronutrients in the peel, especially MeSa, which can be used as a bioactive compound in the food industry. In conclusion, the results indicate that natural elicitors can be an alternative to improve the quality and shelf life of yellow pitahaya fruits.

Melatonin Postharvest Treatment in Leafy 'Fino' Lemon Maintains Quality and Bioactive Compounds.

Spain is a great producer of organic lemon; however, it is necessary to reduce the losses caused by post-harvest diseases. Melatonin (MEL) is a naturally occurring compound with physiological functions in fruit growth and ripening and is able to modulate postharvest ripening and senescence, most of it being concentrated in climacteric fruit. Thus, the aim of this study was to apply MEL to organic lemon fruit with stems and leaves (LEAF) and to organic lemon without those components (LEAFLESS) after harvesting and storage during 21 days at 2 °C to understand the effects of this treatment on the fruit quality. For this purpose, two experiments were carried out. First, MEL was applied at 0.01 mM, 0.1 mM and 1.0 mM by immersion for 15 min on lemon fruits, and the quality parameters and bioactive compounds of the fruit were analysed. Subsequently, a second experiment was carried out where the best concentration (1 mM) was selected and another time (15 and 30 min) was added, with the same quality parameters being analysed. As a result, we observed that all MEL treatments showed positive effects on weight loss reduction, softening (higher fruit firmness), total acidity and lower colour changes. Total phenols increased in MEL-treated lemons, both in peel and juice. For the three concentrations tested, the best efficiency was obtained with MEL at 1.0 mM, while LEAF lemons were the most effective. In conclusion, lemons containing stems and leaves (LEAF) improved preservability by using MEL at 1.0 mM with better organoleptic quality and enhanced phenolic compounds.

Anthocyanin in blood oranges: a review on postharvest approaches for its enhancement and preservation.

Anthocyanin concentration is considered an important fruit quality index of blood oranges and has gained popularity among consumers due to its antioxidant capacity, therapeutic properties, and prevention of some human diseases. Anthocyanin biosynthesis occurs in the cytoplasmic face of the endoplasmic reticulum by multi-enzymes complexes through the flavonoid pathway. Polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and ß-glucosidase (anthocyanase) are the enzymes responsible for anthocyanin degradation. Blood oranges are cold-dependent for anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulation, and thus, the low temperature of storage can enhance anthocyanin concentration and improve internal fruit quality. In addition, anthocyanin accumulation can be accelerated by postharvest technologies, either physical treatments or chemical elicitors. However, low temperatures can induce chilling injury (CI) incidence in blood oranges. Postharvest chemical elicitors treatments can enhance anthocyanin accumulation and prevent CI. This review provides the most updated information about postharvest tools modulating the anthocyanin content, and the role of enhancing and preserving pigmentation to produce blood orange with the highest quality standards.

Oxalic Acid Preharvest Treatment Improves Colour and Quality of Seedless Table Grape 'Magenta' Upregulating on-Vine Abscisic Acid Metabolism, Relative VvNCED1 Gene Expression, and the Antioxidant System in Berries.

The effect of oxalic acid (OA) in determining poorly coloured table grape quality remains relatively unknown. Some red cultivars, such as seedless table grape 'Magenta' are characterised by a poor berry colour, an attribute highly demanded by the consumer. The aim of this research was to elucidate the effect of a preharvest OA treatment (5 mM) on berry colour and quality of table grape by investigating its role in berry development, on-vine ripening, and postharvest senescence. We found that OA significantly increased abscisic acid (ABA) and ABA glucose ester (ABA-GE) content in treated berries. This increase was mediated by changes in the ABA biosynthetic pathway, specifically by the upregulation of the 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (VvNCED1) gene. The accumulation of ABA in treated berries resulted in colour improvement and a higher individual and total anthocyanins content at harvest compared with control; whereas at harvest, OA-treated table grapes showed a significantly lower glucose and fructose content and a higher content of tartaric, ascorbic, and succinic acids. Furthermore, antioxidant enzyme activity was increased during berry development in OA-treated berries. On the other hand, those berries treated with OA showed a delay in loss of firmness and colour during cold storage, as well as less susceptibility to postharvest decay incidence. This effect of OA delaying the senescence process was also related to enzymatic antioxidant system stimulation. For the first time, the role of OA on increasing quality, mainly colour, in table grapes was elucidated, highlighting that this treatment upregulated ABA metabolism, relative VvNCED1 gene expression and antioxidant system, delaying postharvest berry senescence.

The Influence of Flower Head Order and Gibberellic Acid Treatment on the Hydroxycinnamic Acid and Luteolin Derivatives Content in Globe Artichoke Cultivars.

Flower head orders and the use of GA3 (gibberellic acid) treatment could be two influencing factors determining the bioactive compound levels in artichoke, but little to no information is available about their effects. In this study, we have therefore evaluated the influence of these factors on the hydroxycinnamic acid and luteolin derivative levels in three categories of artichoke: Seed-propagated open-pollinated cultivars; vegetatively propagated cultivars; and seed-propagated hybrids. The hydroxycinnamic acids and luteolin derivatives were quantified by RP-HPLC-DAD. The average flower head weight was the lowest in tertiary heads and GA3-treated artichokes, followed by secondary and main heads. Moreover, the hydroxycinnamic acid and luteolin derivatives levels were significantly higher in tertiary heads than in secondary or main heads. In addition, the GA3 treatment significantly reduced the hydroxycinnamic acid content and, in contrast, improved luteolin derivatives levels. These effects depended on the flower head order and cultivar. Knowledge of the effects of flower head order and GA3 treatment is therefore key in order to achieve the greatest health-benefits from artichoke consumption.

Fatty acid composition in relation to chilling susceptibility of blood orange cultivars at different storage temperatures.

Fatty acid composition in the peel of four blood orange cultivars ('Moro', 'Tarocco', 'Sanguinello', and 'Sanguine') was identified and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), in order to find its correlation with chilling susceptibility at harvest time and after 180 days of storage at 2 and 5 °C (2 days at 20 °C for shelf life). Twelve fatty acids were detected including 6 saturated (SFA) and 6 unsaturated (UFA), from which 4 monounsaturated (MUFA) and 2 polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids occurred. The major fatty acids were palmitic, linoleic, and linolenic acids. The chilling injury (CI) index was significantly higher at 2 than 5 °C for all cultivars, with 'Sanguinello' being the more tolerant cultivar. The multivariate statistical analyses showed that 'Sanguinello' had the highest UFA, UFA/SFA ratio, and the lowest SFA, while 'Moro' as a cold sensitive cultivar had the highest SFA, the lowest UFA, and UFA/SFA ratio. Our findings revealed that the higher level of PUFAs (linoleic and linolenic acids) and enhancement of the UFA/SFA ratio are considered the most main adaptive mechanism under low temperatures of storage.

Influence of the Phenological Stage and Harvest Date on the Bioactive Compounds Content of Green Pepper Fruit.

Green pepper fruit is often consumed before it is completely ripe. However, the influence of the phenological stage in which the green pepper is consumed as a potential influencing factor in its bioactive compounds content and antioxidant capacity remains unknown. In addition, no literature is available concerning the bioactive compounds changes in 'Lamuyo' green peppers along its developmental and growth cycle. For this, two different approaches have been carried out, one using twelve different phenological stages (S1 to S12), and in the other, seven different harvest dates (from 27 February to 20 April). Moreover, bioactive compounds changes during 21 days of postharvest storage at 8 °C were investigated. In this study, bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid, and total phenolic content) and the total hydrophilic and lipophilic (TAA-H and TAA-L) antioxidant activity were analysed. In addition, total soluble solids, total acidity, individual sugars, and organic acids were determined. Vitamin C levels increased along the phenological stages and harvest dates due to significant increases in ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acid levels. Our results show that the total phenol content decreases as vegetables develop and subsequently increases both as ripening begins and by the last harvest date. Furthermore, TAA-H was also greater by the phenological stage S12 and the 20 April harvest date. In conclusion, the phenological stage and harvest date are key factors that significantly influence the bioactive compounds of green peppers, and those that appear by S12 and 20 April could be more beneficial to health.

Preharvest Salicylate Treatments Enhance Antioxidant Compounds, Color and Crop Yield in Low Pigmented-Table Grape Cultivars and Preserve Quality Traits during Storage.

Previous reports reported on the effectiveness of preharvest salicylic acid (SA) treatment on increasing fruit quality properties although no information is available about acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) and methyl salicylate (MeSa) treatments. Thus, SA, ASA and MeSa were applied at 1, 5, and 10 mM in 2016 and at 1, 0.1 and 0.01 mM in 2017 to vines of 'Magenta' and 'Crimson' table grapes. Preharvest salicylate treatments at high concentration, 5 and 10 mM, delayed berry ripening and reduced crop yield, while ripening was accelerated and yield increased at lower concentrations. In addition, SA, ASA, and MeSa treatments, at 1, 0.1, and 0.01 mM, improved berry color due to increased concentration of total and individual anthocyanins, for both cultivars. Quality parameters, and especially, antioxidant bioactive compounds, such as total phenolics and total and individual anthocyanins, were found at higher levels in treated berries at harvest and during prolonged cold storage, the highest effects being found in 0.1 mM MeSa treated table grapes. Overall, it could be concluded that MeSa treatment at 0.1 mM could be the most useful tool to increase bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties in table grape and in turn, their health beneficial properties, with additional effects on increasing crop yield, accelerating on-vine ripening process and maintaining quality traits during prolonged storage.

Preharvest application of methyl salicylate, acetyl salicylic acid and salicylic acid alleviated disease caused by Botrytis cinerea through stimulation of antioxidant system in table grapes.

The main goal of this study was to describe impact of preharvest application of methyl salicylate (MeSA), acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) and salicylic acid (SA) on the reduction of disease caused by Botrytis cinerea in two table grape cultivars ('Crimson' and 'Magenta'). Based on previous studies, MeSA and SA were applied at 0.1 and 0.01 mM for both cultivars, while ASA was applied at 1 mM in 'Crimson' and 0.1 mM in 'Magenta'. At time of harvest, berry maturity-quality attributes, bioactive compounds and antioxidant enzymes were determined. In addition, grapes were artificially inoculated with B. cinerea spores, and the berries were ranked for visual decay incidence after 5 days of inoculation. Salicylates preharvest treatments led to higher total acidity, content of bioactive compounds and activity of antioxidant enzymes in treated than in control berries. The application of salicylate derivatives induced resistance to B. cinerea spoilage, since higher percentage of berries with no symptoms was observed and on the contrary, the highest percentages of berries were obtained in control grapes. All preharvest treatments with SA, ASA and MeSA alleviated postharvest disease caused by B. cinerea probably due to increasing levels of phenolic compounds and activity of antioxidant enzymes, although the best results were obtained with MeSA at 0.1 mM. Also, for this treatment and dose, higher quality properties, such as higher concentrations of ascorbic, succinic and fumaric acids, were observed compared with no treated-grapes.

The Effects of Salicylic Acid and Its Derivatives on Increasing Pomegranate Fruit Quality and Bioactive Compounds at Harvest and During Storage.

In the present research two experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of pre-harvest salicylic acid (SA), acetyl salicylic acid (ASA), and methyl salicylate (MeSa), applied as a foliar spray to pomegranate "Mollar de Elche," on crop yield, fruit quality parameters, and bioactive compounds at harvest and during storage. In the 2017 experiment, trees were treated with SA, ASA, and MeSa at 1, 5, and 10 mM and a higher crop yield (kg tree-1 and number of harvested fruit tree-1) and quality parameters (firmness, aril color, and individual sugars and organic acids) at harvest were obtained, as well as a higher concentration of phenolics, anthocyanins, and ascorbic acid. The best results were achieved with 10 mM dose of the three assayed compounds, which was chosen for the 2018 experiment, and results for crop yield and fruit quality attributes were confirmed. These quality traits and the concentration of phenolics, anthocyanins, and ascorbic acid were maintained at higher levels in pomegranate fruit from treated trees than in controls during prolonged storage at 10°C. In addition, the effects of salicylate treatments on increasing total and individual anthocyanin concentration in pomegranate arils led to arils with a deeper red color (Graphical Abstract) and, in turn, fruit that would be more appreciated in the international market. This fact, together with the increased crop yield, would contribute to the increased profit of this crop. Thus, pre-harvest treatment with salicylates, and especially SA at 10 mM concentration, could be a safe, natural, and new tool to improve fruit quality and its content on antioxidant compounds with health beneficial effects (namely, ascorbic acid, phenolics, and anthocyanins) at harvest and during storage.

Preharvest application of methyl jasmonate increases crop yield, fruit quality and bioactive compounds in pomegranate 'Mollar de Elche' at harvest and during postharvest storage.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports have addressed the effectiveness of postharvest methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments on maintaining quality properties of pomegranate fruit during storage. However, there is no literature regarding the effects of preharvest MeJA treatments on pomegranate 'Mollar de Elche' crop yield, fruit ripening, quality attributes and bioactive compounds content (at harvest or after long-term storage), which were evaluated in this research. RESULTS: Preharvest MeJA treatments (1, 5, and 10 mmol L-1 ) increased pomegranate crop yield. MeJA at 1 and 5 mmol L-1 accelerated the on-tree ripening process, while it was delayed with 10 mmol L-1 . Losses in fruit weight, firmness and organic acids during storage at 10 °C were delayed in MeJA treated fruit, leading to quality maintenance. In addition, MeJA treatments improved arils colour due to increased concentration of total and individual anthocyanins, at harvest and during storage. Total phenolic and ascorbic acid contents and total antioxidant activity [hydrophilic (H-TAA) and lipophilic (L-TAA) fractions] were also higher in arils from treated pomegranate fruits than in controls. CONCLUSION: Preharvest treatments with MeJA could be a promising tool to improve pomegranate crop yield, fruit quality and its content in bioactive compounds at harvest and during storage. The higher effects were obtained with MeJA at 5 mmol L-1 dose, which could be the selected treatment for practical application purposes. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pre-harvest methyl jasmonate treatments increase antioxidant systems in lemon fruit without affecting yield or other fruit quality parameters.

BACKGROUND: Jasmonic acid (JA) and its volatile derivative methyl jasmonate (MeJA) are hormones involved in the regulation of many processes in plants and act (when applied as a post- or pre-harvest treatment) to increase fruit bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential. However, there is no literature available regarding the effect of pre-harvest MeJA treatment on lemon fruit antioxidant systems, which was the aim of the present study. RESULTS: MeJA treatment (0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mmol L-1 ) increased antioxidant compounds, such as phenolics, in the juice and flavedo of 'Fino' and 'Verna' lemons at harvest, with the most effective concentration being 0.1 mmol L-1 in both cultivars. In addition, catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities were also increased by MeJA treatment, with the highest increases being also found with 0.1 mmol L-1 . The increases in APX and CAT were maintained from one treatment to another during fruit development on the tree, whereas the increase on POD disappeared after 8-10 days of each treatment. For both antioxidant systems, the highest increases were found in lemon harvested at the commercial ripening stage. By contrast, crop yield, fruit ripening process and quality parameters were generally not affected by MeJA treatment. CONCLUSION: Preharvest MeJA treatment could be a useful tool for increasing antioxidant potential and the health beneficial effects of lemon fruit consumption, given the relationship between these properties and phenolic content. Moreover, the increased concentration of phenolics and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the flavedo of MeJA treated fruit could increase lemon tolerance to chilling injury and decay during postharvest storage. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preharvest Application of Methyl Jasmonate as an Elicitor Improves the Yield and Phenolic Content of Artichoke.

The effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJa) treatment as an elicitor of artichoke plants [Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus (L.) Fiori] on the yield and quality attributes of artichokes, especially those related to individual phenolic content and antioxidant activity, at two harvest dates and along storage were analyzed in this research. Plants treated gave a higher yield of artichokes in comparison to control plants, with 0.55 kg more per plant. MeJa treatment also increased artichoke quality and phenolic content in the edible fraction at harvest and during storage at 2 °C for 28 days as a result of the accumulation of hydroxycinnamic acids and luteolin derivatives. In addition, antioxidant activity was enhanced by MeJa treatment and correlated with the total phenolic content. Results suggest that MeJa foliar application could be a simple and practical tool to improve the yield and phytochemical content on artichokes, with elicitation being a cheap and environmentally friendly procedure to improve the health-beneficial effects of artichoke consumption.

Preharvest application of oxalic acid improves quality and phytochemical content of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) at harvest and during storage.

In this study the effect of oxalic acid (OA) treatment of artichoke plants (Cynara scolymus L.) on head artichoke development and on artichokes quality parameters (weight loss, firmness, and color), respiration rate, antioxidant activity and phenolics (measured by Folin Ciocalteu and HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn) at harvest and during storage for 21days at 2°C was evaluated. OA treatment increased the percentage of the first class artichokes although no significant effect was found in artichoke developmental process. OA-treatment reduced the respiration rate of artichokes and led to higher total hydrosoluble antioxidant activity and total phenolics and hydroxycinnamics and luteolins concentration both at harvest and during cold storage. In addition, luteolin 7-O-glucuronide 3-O-glucoside was identified for the first time in artichoke. Thus, it can be concluded that OA preharvest treatment could be a natural and useful tool to delay the artichoke postharvest senescence and improve the reported health-beneficial properties of artichokes consumption.

Dissipation of Fungicide Residues during Winemaking and Their Effects on Fermentation and the Volatile Composition of Wines.

The effects of four fungicides commonly used for the control of fungal diseases in vines and grapes in the course of winemaking were tested. The concentration of fungicide residues was monitored throughout the process to establish their kinetics of dissipation. In all cases the percentages of dissipation were >68%, which shows the detoxificant effect of the winemaking process. On the other hand, the effect of the fungicide residues on the aroma composition of Tempranillo red wines was tested. To evaluate possible modifications on the aroma profile of wines, seven odorant series (ripe fruits, fresh fruits, lactic, floral, spicy, vinous, and herbaceous) were built from the odor activity values (OAVs) obtained for each volatile compound. Ripe fruits and fresh fruits were the major aromatic attributes in all Tempranillo red wines. These two odorant series registered the highest variations in their total OAVs with respect to the control wine, especially with the application of boscalid + kresoxim-methyl into vines, leading to a decrease in the ripe fruit and fresh fruit nuances of the resulting wines. Moreover, when the effect of these fungicides on the aroma of Tempranillo red wines was compared throughout two years (2012 and 2013), wines elaborated from grapes treated in the field with boscalid + kresoxim-methyl in 2013 displayed the highest variation in aroma profile with respect to control wine.

The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database.

The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/embl/), maintained at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI), incorporates, organizes and distributes nucleotide sequences from public sources. The database is a part of an international collaboration with DDBJ (Japan) and GenBank (USA). Data are exchanged between the collaborating databases on a daily basis to achieve optimal synchrony. The web-based tool, Webin, is the preferred system for individual submission of nucleotide sequences, including Third Party Annotation (TPA) and alignment data. Automatic submission procedures are used for submission of data from large-scale genome sequencing centres and from the European Patent Office. Database releases are produced quarterly. The latest data collection can be accessed via FTP, email and WWW interfaces. The EBI's Sequence Retrieval System (SRS) integrates and links the main nucleotide and protein databases as well as many other specialist molecular biology databases. For sequence similarity searching, a variety of tools (e.g. FASTA and BLAST) are available that allow external users to compare their own sequences against the data in the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database, the complete genomic component subsection of the database, the WGS data sets and other databases. All available resources can be accessed via the EBI home page at http://www.ebi.ac.uk.

The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database: major new developments.

The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/embl/) incorporates, organizes and distributes nucleotide sequences from all available public sources. The database is located and maintained at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) near Cambridge, UK. In an international collaboration with DDBJ (Japan) and GenBank (USA), data are exchanged amongst the collaborating databases on a daily basis to achieve optimal synchronization. Webin is the preferred web-based submission system for individual submitters, while automatic procedures allow incorporation of sequence data from large-scale genome sequencing centres and from the European Patent Office (EPO). Database releases are produced quarterly. Network services allow free access to the most up-to-date data collection via FTP, Email and World Wide Web interfaces. EBI's Sequence Retrieval System (SRS) integrates and links the main nucleotide and protein databases plus many other specialized molecular biology databases. For sequence similarity searching, a variety of tools (e.g. Fasta, BLAST) are available which allow external users to compare their own sequences against the latest data in the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database and SWISS-PROT. All resources can be accessed via the EBI home page at http://www.ebi.ac.uk.

The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database.

The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database (aka EMBL-Bank; http://www.ebi.ac.uk/embl/) incorporates, organises and distributes nucleotide sequences from all available public sources. EMBL-Bank is located and maintained at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) near Cambridge, UK. In an international collaboration with DDBJ (Japan) and GenBank (USA), data are exchanged amongst the collaborating databases on a daily basis. Major contributors to the EMBL database are individual scientists and genome project groups. Webin is the preferred web-based submission system for individual submitters, whilst automatic procedures allow incorporation of sequence data from large-scale genome sequencing centres and from the European Patent Office (EPO). Database releases are produced quarterly. Network services allow free access to the most up-to-date data collection via FTP, email and World Wide Web interfaces. EBI's Sequence Retrieval System (SRS), a network browser for databanks in molecular biology, integrates and links the main nucleotide and protein databases plus many other specialized databases. For sequence similarity searching, a variety of tools (e.g. Blitz, Fasta, BLAST) are available which allow external users to compare their own sequences against the latest data in the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database and SWISS-PROT. All resources can be accessed via the EBI home page at http://www.ebi.ac.uk.