Enhancing Pseudomonas syringae pv. Actinidiae sensitivity in kiwifruit by repressing the NBS-LRR genes through miRNA-215-3p and miRNA-29-3p identification.

Kiwifruit bacterial canker, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (PSA), poses a grave threat to the global kiwifruit industry. In this study, we examined the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in kiwifruit's response to PSA. Kiwifruit seedlings subjected to PSA treatment showed significant changes in both miRNA and gene expression compared to the control group. We identified 364 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and 7170 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Further analysis revealed 180 miRNAs negatively regulating 641 mRNAs. Notably, two miRNAs from the miRNA482 family, miRNA-215-3p and miRNA-29-3p, were found to increase kiwifruit's sensitivity to PSA when overexpressed. These miRNAs were linked to the regulation of NBS-LRR target genes, shedding light on their role in kiwifruit's defence against PSA. This study offers insights into the miRNA482-NBS-LRR network as a crucial component in enhancing kiwifruit bioresistance to PSA infestation and provides promising candidate genes for further research.

Hydrogen sulfide enhances kiwifruit resistance to soft rot by regulating jasmonic acid signaling pathway.

As the third active gas signal molecule in plants, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) plays important roles in physiological metabolisms and biological process of fruits and vegetables during postharvest storage. In the present study, the effects of H2S on enhancing resistance against soft rot caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea and the involvement of jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway in kiwifruit during the storage were investigated. The results showed that 20 µL L-1 H2S fumigation restrained the disease incidence of B. dothidea-inoculated kiwifruit during storage, and delayed the decrease of firmness and the increase of soluble solids (SSC) content. H2S treatment increased the transcription levels of genes related to JA biosynthesis (AcLOX3, AcAOS, AcAOC2, and AcOPR) and signaling pathway (AcCOI1, AcJAZ5, AcMYC2, and AcERF1), as well as the JA accumulation. Meanwhile, H2S promoted the expression of defense-related genes (AcPPO, AcSOD, AcGLU, AcCHI, AcAPX, and AcCAT). Correlation analysis revealed that JA content was positively correlated with the expression levels of JA biosynthesis and defense-related genes. Overall, the results indicated that H2S could promote the increase of endogenous JA content and expression of defense-related genes by regulating the transcription levels of JA pathway-related genes, which contributed to the inhibition on the soft rot occurrence of kiwifruit.

Kiwifruit-Agaricus blazei intercropping effectively improved yield productivity, nutrient uptake, and rhizospheric bacterial community.

Intercropping systems have garnered attention as a sustainable agricultural approach for efficient land use, increased ecological diversity in farmland, and enhanced crop yields. This study examined the effect of intercropping on the kiwifruit rhizosphere to gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between cover plants and kiwifruit in this sustainable agricultural system. Soil physicochemical properties and bacterial communities were analyzed using the Kiwifruit-Agaricus blazei intercropping System. Moreover, a combined analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomic sequencing was used to identify differential microbes and metabolites in the rhizosphere. Intercropping led to an increase in soil physicochemical and enzyme activity, as well as re-shaping the bacterial community and increasing microbial diversity. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Myxococcota, and Patescibacteria were the most abundant and diverse phyla in the intercropping system. Expression analysis further revealed that the bacterial genera BIrii41, Acidibacter, and Altererythrobacter were significantly upregulated in the intercropping system. Moreover, 358 differential metabolites (DMs) were identified between the monocropping and intercropping cultivation patterns, with fatty acyls, carboxylic acids and derivatives, and organooxygen compounds being significantly upregulated in the intercropping system. The KEGG metabolic pathways further revealed considerable enrichment of DMs in ABC transporters, histidine metabolism, and pyrimidine metabolism. This study identified a significant correlation between 95 bacterial genera and 79 soil metabolites, and an interactive network was constructed to explore the relationships between these differential microbes and metabolites in the rhizosphere. This study demonstrated that Kiwifruit-Agaricus blazei intercropping can be an effective, labor-saving, economic, and sustainable practice for reshaping bacterial communities and promoting the accumulation and metabolism of beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere.

Dynamic m6A mRNA methylation reveals the involvement of AcALKBH10 in ripening-related quality regulation in kiwifruit.

Kiwifruit ripening is a complex and highly coordinated process that occurs in conjunction with the formation of fruit edible quality. The significance of epigenetic changes, particularly the impact of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification on fruit ripening and quality formation, has been largely overlooked. We monitored m6A levels and gene expression changes in kiwifruit at four different stages using LC-MS/MS, MeRIP, RNA-seq, and validated the function of AcALKBH10 through heterologous transgenic expression in tomato. Notable m6A modifications occurred predominantly at the stop codons and the 3' UTRs and exhibited a gradual reduction in m6A levels during the fruit ripening process. Moreover, these m6A modifications in the aforementioned sites demonstrated a discernible inverse relationship with the levels of mRNA abundance throughout the ripening process, suggesting a repression effect of m6A modification in the modulation of kiwifruit ripening. We further demonstrated that AcALKBH10 rather than AcECT9 predominantly regulates m6A levels in ripening-related genes, thereby exerting the regulatory control over the ripening process and the accumulation of soluble sugars and organic acids, ultimately influencing fruit ripening and quality formation. In conclusion, our findings illuminate the epi-regulatory mechanism involving m6A in kiwifruit ripening, offering a fresh perspective for cultivating high-quality kiwifruit with enhanced nutritional attributes.

Simultaneous inoculation of non-Saccharomyces yeast and lactic acid bacteria for aromatic kiwifruit wine production.

To further explore strain potential and develop an aromatic kiwifruit wine fermentation technique, the feasibility of simultaneous inoculation by non-Saccharomyces yeast and lactic acid bacteria was investigated. Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Limosilactobacillus fermentum, which have robust ß-glucosidase activity as well as good acid and ethanol tolerance, were inoculated for simultaneous fermentation with Zygosaccharomyces rouxii and Meyerozyma guilliermondii, respectively. Subsequently, the chemical compositions and sensory characteristics of the wines were comprehensively evaluated. The results showed that the majority of the simultaneous protocols effectively improved the quality of kiwifruit wines, increasing the content of polyphenols and volatile compounds, thereby enhancing sensory acceptability compared to the fermentation protocols inoculated with non-Saccharomyces yeast individually. Particularly, the collaboration between Lacp. plantarum and Z. rouxii significantly increased the diversity and content of esters, alcohols, and ketones, intensifying floral and seeded fruit odors, and achieving the highest overall acceptability. This study highlights the potential significance of simultaneous inoculation in kiwifruit wine production.

Functional characterization of AcWRKY94 in response to Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae in kiwifruit.

WRKY transcription factors are essential for coping with various biotic stresses. Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa)-induced kiwifruit canker is a major problem restricting kiwifruit yield. Nevertheless, it's unclear how the kiwifruit WRKY genes respond to Psa. Through genome-wide identification, 112 WRKY members were found in 'Hongyang' genome in this work. Promoter analysis revealed that there were many cis-acting elements associated with stress responses in the AcWRKY gene's promoter region. According to transcriptomic analysis, 90 of the AcWRKY genes were differently expressed following Psa, salicylic acid (SA), or methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments. Almost all group III WRKYs were responsive to at least one of these treatments, with tissue-specific expression patterns. Quantitative RT-PCR study provided more evidence that Psa and SA treatments significantly induced the expression of the group III WRKY gene AcWRKY94, whereas MeJA treatment repressed it. AcWRKY94 was a transcriptionally active protein localized in the nucleus. Transient overexpression of AcWRKY94 in the leaves of 'Hongyang' enhanced the resistance of kiwifruit to Psa. Overexpression of AcWRKY94 in kiwifruit callus remarkably promoted the expression of PR and JAZ genes associated with SA and JA signals, respectively. These data imply that AcWRKY94 controls the signaling pathway dependent on SA and JA, thereby enhancing resistance to Psa. Taken together, this study establishes the basis for functional research on WRKY genes and provides important information for elucidating the resistance mechanism of kiwifruit canker disease.

Transcriptome analysis reveals ozone treatment maintains ascorbic acid content in fresh-cut kiwifruit by regulating phytohormone signalling pathways.

Ascorbic acid (AsA) is an indicator of the nutritional value of freshly cut kiwifruit during storage at 4℃, and its degradation can be inhibited after ozone treatment (1 mg/L, 10 min). The aim of this study was to elucidate the regulatory mechanism affecting AsA metabolism in fresh-cut kiwifruit after ozone treatment. In this study, ozone treatment not only prevented the decrease in AsA/dehydroascorbic acid and delayed the accumulation of total soluble solids/titratable acidity, but also altered phytohormone levels differently. Transcriptomic profiling combined with cis-acting element and correlation analysis were performed to reveal that abscisic acid and salicylic acid synergistically delay AsA degradation under ozone-treatment conditions. Actinidia03760, encoding ascorbate peroxidase, could be specifically recognized by the bZIP transcription factor and is considered a key candidate gene for further research. Collectively, ozone treatment is a promising method for preserving AsA content and improving the nutrition of fresh-cut kiwifruit.

Dataset on effect of biostimulants on growth and rooting of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) cuttings: from morphological and gene regulation approach.

Actinidia chinensis Planch. and A. deliciosa (A. Chev.) C.F. Liang et A.R. Ferguson are the botanical names for the two main closely related kiwifruit species that are cultivated worldwide [1]. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nation, kiwifruit is produced on 268,788 hectares of land worldwide, yielding 4,348,011 metric tonnes of fruit per year. China is the world's top producer, followed by Italy, New Zealand, Chile, and Greece, with a cumulative valuation of 2,907,580 thousand US dollars for export (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC). Several research using nutrient medium and other inorganic treatments on softwood cuttings for micro-propagation techniques have shown promising outcomes [2,3]. Several agricultural and horticultural crops have demonstrated significantly improved crop growth, quality, and reproduction when treated with seaweed extracts [4]. It is possible to utilise seaweed extracts to encourage cuttings from perennial fruit species, such as kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa), to root and flourish. Absence of a growth regulator permitted by organic methods is one of the main obstacles in kiwifruit production. Hardwood cuttings are the most popular technique of clonally reproducing kiwifruit, and the cuttings' ability to root depends on the application of synthetic auxins, which is not allowed in organic agriculture. Therefore, alternative biostimulants have been used to promote the rooting of kiwifruit cuttings in this study. For six hours, the cuttings in this investigation were submerged in base dipping solutions containing 1, 5, 10, and 50 % of G Sap (Gracilaria edulis), K Sap (Kappaphycus alvarezii), AN (Ascophyllum nodosum), EM (Ecklonia maxima), HA (Humic acid), and control (water). After that, for a period of six months, the treatments of G Sap, K Sap, AN, EM, HA, and control were applied (at the rate of 50 ml of solutions) to the potted cuttings at intervals of fifteen days. The dataset provided the data of the rooting percent in all the kiwifruit cultivars, namely 'Monty', 'Abott', 'Hayward', 'Allison' and 'Bruno' (P ≤ 0.01), shoot and root growth parameters including leaf number per cutting, number of roots per cutting, number of branches, plant height, shoot diameter, root length, root diameter and root weight with the application of seaweed extracts. Also data of pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total carotenoids), metabolites (total carbohydrates and soluble phenols) and electrolyte leakage were collected after the treatments. Data of four root promoting candidate genes (GH3-3, LBD16, LBD29 and LRP1) were also described which indicated the influence of the biostimulants on the cuttings. The application of seaweed extracts resulted in a positive increase in all shoot and root growth parameters, including the number of leaves per cutting, the number of roots per cutting, the number of branches, plant height, shoot diameter, root length, root diameter, and root weight (P ≤ 0.05). In comparison to the control cuttings, the seaweed extract-treated cuttings showed significantly greater levels of pigments (such as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total carotenoids), metabolites (such as total carbohydrates and soluble phenols), and reduced electrolyte leakage. Various treatments (1, 5 and 10% solutions of G Sap, K Sap, AN, EM, HA and control) gave positive impact on nutrient parameters of kiwifruit cultivar 'Hayward'. Moreover, the relative positive expressions of root inducing genes (GH3-3, LBD16, LBD29 and LRP1) was observed in leaves and roots of cultivar 'Hayward' by qRT-PCR after treatment with G Sap, K Sap, AN, EM, HA @ 10 % and control. Thus, it can be said that seaweed extract and humic acid are good substitutes for synthetic hormones in encouraging kiwifruit cuttings to root and flourish.

Combining thermotherapy with shoot tip culture or cryotherapy for improved virus eradication from in vitro Actinidia macrosperma.

In recent years, kiwifruit viral diseases have become increasingly prevalent in kiwifruit producing regions of China, significantly impacting both the yield and quality of kiwifruit. This has emerged as a significant constraint on the healthy and sustainable development of the kiwifruit industry. The use of virus-free propagation materials has been proven to be an effective strategy for controlling plant viral diseases. In the present study, shoot tip culture (STC), shoot tip cryotherapy (Cryo), and their combinations with thermotherapy were established to eradicate AcVA, AcVB and AcCRaV from Actinidia macrosperma. Additionally, the impact of shoot tip size on virus eradication was evaluated. Among the three confirmed viruses, AcVB was the easiest to eradicate, followed by AcVA and AcCRaV. Combining thermotherapy with shoot tip culture or cryotherapy resulted in higher virus elimination rates than shoot tip culture or cryotherapy alone. Notably, the combination of thermotherapy and 0.5-1 mm shoot tip cryotherapy was shown to be the most effective protocol which produced 50% of regenerated shoots free from all the tested viruses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on virus elimination from kiwifruit infected with multiple viruses based on conventional shoot tip culture and shoot tip cryotherapy.

The impact of internet use and cognitive conflict on farmer IPM technology adoption: evidence from China.

BACKGROUND: Integrated pest management (IPM) plays a crucial role in protecting agricultural environments and enhancing the quality of agricultural products. However, a major challenge in China is the conflicting understanding of IPM among farmers, leading to low adoption rates. This undermines farmers' ability to control pests and diseases while increasing risks to agricultural quality and safety. This study aimed to investigate the impact of cognitive conflicts on farmers' adoption of IPM in kiwifruit farms in Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces. Additionally, the study explored the moderating role of internet use in the relationship between cognitive conflicts and farmer adoption of IPM. Data were collected from 686 kiwifruit farms through field surveys in 2018. The binary Probit model and moderating effect models were used to assess the influence of internet use and cognitive conflict on farmer adoption of IPM. RESULTS: The study found that cognitive conflicts significantly hindered farmers' adoption of IPM. Higher levels of cognitive conflict were associated with lower likelihoods of adopting IPM. Internet use and frequency had positive effects on farmer adoption of IPM, promoting its implementation. Moreover, internet use and frequency helped alleviate the inhibitory effect of cognitive conflicts on farmer adoption IPM. CONCLUSION: This research enhances our understanding of cognitive conflicts among farmers when promoting IPM and provides viable strategies to improve the effectiveness of public sector promotion and stimulate farmers' willingness to adopt IPM. It emphasizes the importance of addressing cognitive conflicts and utilizing internet resources to enhance IPM adoption among kiwifruit growers in China. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

First Report of Fusarium fujikuroi Causing Postharvest Rot of Kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) in Jiangxi Province, China.

Kiwifruits (Actinidia chinensis) are among the most widely planted fruit in Jiangxi Province, China. Infected kiwifruits of the cultivars 'Hongyang' and 'Jinyan' were obtained from a commercial orchard in Fengxin county, Jiangxi Province (28°67' N; 115°42' E) from September to November 2022. The 1200 kiwifruits were collected from cold storage (cold stored for 3 months at 2°C), and moved to room temperatures (15 to 20°C), approximately 20% had symptoms of postharvest soft rot 7 days later. The infected fruits had brown or dark gray spots on the peel. Most were round or oval, with a diameter of approximately 1~3 cm. The pulp was milky white, and there was a waterlogged ring at the junction of decay. The pathogen was isolated by removing several small pieces (3×3 mm) of infected tissue from the diseased kiwifruits, which were sterilized with 75% ethanol for 30 s, dipped in 1% NaClO for 1 min, and rinsed three times with sterile distilled water. These pieces were transferred onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated for 5 days at 28°C, 75% relative humidity (RH), separated, and repurified. Eight unidentified isolates with similar morphology were obtained on PDA (D3-1 to D3-8). These isolates had abundant aerial fluffy mycelia. The colonies were white during the early stage of culture and turned light purple in the later stage. The mycelia grew 5.8 mm day-1 (n=5) on average and produced abundant conidia 10 days later. The microconidia were solitary, transparent, ovoid, with 0 to 1 septa, and 3.6 to 11.2 × 1.6 to 3.5 µm (average 6.5 × 2.9 µm, n = 50). The macroconidia were sickle-shaped, slender and slightly curved, with 3 to 5 septa, and 22.3 to 53.9 × 2.6 to 5.4 µm (average 39.5 × 4.3 µm, n = 50). Chlamydospores were absent. The morphological characteristics enabled the identification of the pathogen as Fusarium spp. (Leslie and Summerell, 2006). Isolate D3-2 was further confirmed, and the primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), 5F2/7CR and EF1/EF2 (O'Donnell et al. 2022) were used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB2) gene and translation elongation factor-1 alpha regions (TEF-1α). The ITS (accession no. PP077075), RPB2 (PP566653) and TEF-1α (PP566654) sequences shared 99.62 to 100% identities with ITS (ON564593.1), RPB2 (ON734380.1) and TEF-1α (ON697186.1) of F. fujikuroi from NCBI, respectively. Thus, the pathogen was identified as F. fujikuroi based on morphological and molecular characteristics. Each of the three isolates was inoculated on surface-disinfected (75% ethanol, 5 min) disease-free kiwifruits of cv. 'Jinyan' and 'Hongyang'. The six kiwifruits were pierced by a sterile inoculation needle and inoculated with 20 µl spore suspension (1×106 spores/ml), and six kiwifruits were treated with spore suspension without any wounds, four control fruits were inoculated with sterile distilled water. All the fruits were sealed in a storage box, kept at an RH of 90%-95%, and incubated at a constant temperature of 28°C for 5 days. After 3 days, the fruit rotted at the inoculation site, and after 5 days, the lesions gradually increased, and the symptoms were the same as those of the original sample. The control fruits remained disease-free. The pathogenicity tests were repeated three times. Koch's postulates were completed by reisolating the fungus from infected kiwifruits, which was identified as F. fujikuroi by sequencing. Although F. solani (Yang et al. 2018) and F. acuminatum (Wang et al. 2015) have been previously reported to rot kiwifruits in China, this is the first report of F. fujikuroi causing postharvest rot on kiwifruits in China. This discovery can alert agronomists to prevent and control this pathogen.

In-vitro and in-silico analyses of the thrombolytic potential of green kiwifruit.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), mainly caused by thrombosis complications, are the leading cause of mortality worldwide, making the development of alternative treatments highly desirable. In this study, the thrombolytic potential of green kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa cultivar Hayward) was assessed using in-vitro and in-silico approaches. The crude green kiwifruit extract demonstrated the ability to reduce blood clots significantly by 73.0 ± 1.12% (P < 0.01) within 6 h, with rapid degradation of Aα and Bß fibrin chains followed by the γ chain in fibrinolytic assays. Molecular docking revealed six favorable conformations for the kiwifruit enzyme actinidin (ADHact) and fibrin chains, supported by spontaneous binding energies and distances. Moreover, molecular dynamics simulation confirmed the binding stability of the complexes of these conformations, as indicated by the stable binding affinity, high number of hydrogen bonds, and consistent distances between the catalytic residue Cys25 of ADHact and the peptide bond. The better overall binding affinity of ADHact to fibrin chains Aα and Bß may contribute to their faster degradation, supporting the fibrinolytic results. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the thrombolytic potential of the green kiwifruit-derived enzyme and highlighted its potential role as a natural plant-based prophylactic and therapeutic agent for CVDs.

Comparison of Aroma and Taste Profiles of Kiwi Wine Fermented with/without Peel by Combining Intelligent Sensory, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.

Kiwi wine (KW) is tipically made by fermenting juice from peeled kiwifruit, resulting in the disposal of peel and pomace as by-products. However, the peel contains various beneficial compounds, like phenols and flavonoids. Since the peel is edible and rich in these compounds, incorporating it into the fermentation process of KW presents a potential solution to minimize by-product waste. This study compared the aroma and taste profiles of KW from peeled (PKW) and unpeeled (UKW) kiwifruits by combining intelligent sensory technology, GC-MS, and 1H-NMR. Focusing on aroma profiles, 75 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified in KW fermented with peel, and 73 VOCs in KW without peel, with 62 VOCs common to both. Among these compounds, rose oxide, D-citronellol, and bornylene were more abundant in UKW, while hexyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, and 2,4,5-trichlorobenzene were significantly higher in PKW. For taste profiles, E-tongue analysis revealed differences in the taste profiles of KW from the two sources. A total of 74 molecules were characterized using 1H-NMR. UKW exhibited significantly higher levels of tartrate, galactarate, N-acetylserotonin, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelate, fumarate, and N-acetylglycine, along with a significantly lower level of oxypurinol compared to PKW. This study seeks to develop the theoretical understanding of the fermentation of kiwifruit with peel in sight of the utilization of the whole fruit for KW production, to increase the economic value of kiwifruit production.

Physicochemical and Volatile Compounds Analysis of Fruit Wines Fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae: FTIR and Microscopy Study with Focus on Anti-Inflammatory Potential.

The growing trend in fruit wine production reflects consumers' interest in novel, diverse drinking experiences and the increasing demand for healthier beverage options. Fruit wines made from kiwi, pomegranates, and persimmons fermented using S. bayanus Lalvin strain EC1118 demonstrate the versatility of winemaking techniques. Kiwifruit, persimmon, and pomegranate wines were analyzed using HPLC and GC-TOFMS analyses to determine their concentrations of phenolic acids and volatile compounds. These results were supported by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to characterize and compare chemical shifts in the polyphenol regions of these wines. The wines' characterization included an anti-inflammatory assay based on NO, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 production in the RAW 264.7 macrophage model. FTIR spectroscopy predicted the antioxidant and phenolic contents in the wines. In terms of polyphenols, predominantly represented by chlorogenic, caffeic, and gallic acids, pomegranate and kiwifruit wines showed greater benefits. However, kiwifruit wines exhibited a highly diverse profile of volatile compounds. Further analysis is necessary, particularly regarding the use of other microorganisms in the fermentation process and non-Saccharomyces strains methods. These wines exhibit high biological antioxidant potential and health properties, providing valuable insights for future endeavors focused on designing healthy functional food products.

Utilizing the Banana S-Adenosyl-L-Homocysteine Hydrolase Allergen to Identify Cross-Reactive IgE in Ryegrass-, Latex-, and Kiwifruit-Allergic Individuals.

Food allergies mediated by specific IgE (sIgE) have a significant socioeconomic impact on society. Evaluating the IgE cross-reactivity between allergens from different allergen sources can enable the better management of these potentially life-threatening adverse reactions to food proteins and enhance food safety. A novel banana fruit allergen, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase (SAHH), has been recently identified and its recombinant homolog was heterologously overproduced in E. coli. In this study, we performed a search in the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) for SAHH homologs in ryegrass, latex, and kiwifruit, all of which are commonly associated with pollen-latex-fruit syndrome. In addition, Western immunoblot analysis was utilized to identify the cross-reactive IgE to banana SAHH in the sera of patients with a latex allergy, kiwifruit allergy, and ryegrass allergy. ClustalOmega analysis showed more than 92% amino acid sequence identity among the banana SAHH homologs in ryegrass, latex, and kiwifruit. In addition to five B-cell epitopes, in silico analysis predicted eleven T-cell epitopes in banana SAHH, seventeen in kiwifruit SAHH, twelve in ryegrass SAHH, and eight in latex SAHH, which were related to the seven-allele HLA reference set (HLA-DRB1*03:01, HLA-DRB1*07:01, HLA-DRB1*15:01, HLA-DRB3*01:01, HLA-DRB3*02:02, HLA-DRB4*01:01, HLA-DRB5*01:01). Four T-cell epitopes were identical in banana and kiwifruit SAHH (positions 328, 278, 142, 341), as well as banana and ryegrass SAHH (positions 278, 142, 96, and 341). All four SAHHs shared two T-cell epitopes (positions 278 and 341). In line with the high amino acid sequence identity and B-cell epitope homology among the analyzed proteins, the cross-reactive IgE to banana SAHH was detected in three of three latex-allergic patients, five of six ryegrass-allergic patients, and two of three kiwifruit-allergic patients. Although banana SAHH has only been studied in a small group of allergic individuals, it is a novel cross-reactive food allergen that should be considered when testing for pollen-latex-fruit syndrome.

Synergistic Fermentation of Pichia kluyveri and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Integrated with Two-Step Sugar-Supplement for Preparing High-Alcohol Kiwifruit Wine.

Wild yeast suitable for kiwifruit wine fermentation was isolated and purified, and the fermentation process was optimized to increase the alcohol content of the kiwifruit wine. Pichia kluyveri was isolated from kiwifruit pulp by lineation separating, screened by morphological characteristics in Wallerstein Laboratory Nutrient Agar (WL) medium and microscope observation, and further identified by 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain sequence analysis. Taking alcohol content and sensory evaluation as two indexes, the fermentation condition for kiwifruit wine was optimized by single factor and response surface experiment. The optimal fermentation conditions were optimized as follows: the fermentation temperature was at 24 °C, the initial pH was 3.8, the sugar dosage in second step was 8% (w/w), and the inoculating quantity of Pichia kluyveri and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was 0.15 g/L at equal proportion. Under these optimal conditions, the maximum estimated alcohol content was 15.6 vol%, and the kiwifruit wine was light green in color with strong kiwifruit aroma and mellow taste.

Integrating Image Analysis and Machine Learning for Moisture Prediction and Appearance Quality Evaluation: A Case Study of Kiwifruit Drying Pretreatment.

The appearance of dried fruit clearly influences the consumer's perception of the quality of the product but is a subtle and nuanced characteristic that is difficult to quantitatively measure, especially online. This paper describes a method that combines several simple strategies to assess a suitable surrogate for the elusive quality using imaging, combined with multivariate statistics and machine learning. With such a convenient tool, this study also shows how one can vary the pretreatments and drying conditions to optimize the resultant product quality. Specifically, an image batch processing method was developed to extract color (hue, saturation, and value) and morphological (area, perimeter, and compactness) features. The accuracy of this method was verified using data from a case study experiment on the pretreatment of hot-air-dried kiwifruit slices. Based on the extracted image features, partial least squares and random forest models were developed to satisfactorily predict the moisture ratio (MR) during drying process. The MR of kiwifruit slices during drying could be accurately predicted from changes in appearance without using any weighing device. This study also explored determining the optimal drying strategy based on appearance quality using principal component analysis. Optimal drying was achieved at 60 °C with 4 mm thick slices under ultrasonic pretreatment. For the 70 °C, 6 mm sample groups, citric acid showed decent performance.

Macrogenomics reveal the effects of inter-cropping perilla on kiwifruit: impact on inter-root soil microbiota and gene expression of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles in kiwifruit.

Intercropping systems can improve soil fertility and health, however, soil microbial communities and functional genes related to carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling under the intercropping system of mesquite and perilla have not been studied. Therefore, in the present study, different planting densities and varieties of Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt and kiwifruit were used for intercropping, and changes in soil microbial communities and carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling genes in kiwifruit inter-roots under inter-cropping conditions were investigated by macro-genome sequencing technology. The results showed that intercropping with Perill caused a decrease in most soil nutrients, soil enzyme activities, and had a significant impact on the microbial (bacteria and fungi) diversity. Inter-cropping increased the relative abundance of the dominant bacterial phylum "Proteobacteria" and "Actinobacteria" by 47 and 57%, respectively, but decreased the relative abundance of the dominant fungal phylum "Chordata" and "Streptophyta" by 11 and 20%, respectively, in the inter-root soil of kiwifruit, and had a significant impact on the microbial (bacteria and fungi) diversity. In addition, inter-cropping could greatly increase the inter-root soil carbon sequestration (PccA, korA/B/C/D, fhs, and rbcl/s), carbon degradation (abfD), organic nitrogen mineralization (GDH2), denitrification (napA/B, nirB, norB), organic phosphorus mineralization (phop, phn), and inorganic phosphorus solubilization (gcd, ppk) gene abundance. The gene co-occurrence network indicated that soil korB, nirB, and gnd key functional genes for carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling in kiwifruit inter-root soils and their expression was up-regulated in the inter-cropping group. Structural equation (SEM) further showed that soil total nitrogen, organic matter, total carbon and acid phosphatase had significant effects on microbial diversity (p < 0.05) and soil carbon cycling gene korB and phosphorus cycling gene purH (p < 0.001), while korB and purH had positive effects on kiwifruit quality. In conclusion, intercropping perilla in kiwifruit orchards changed the structure of bacterial and fungal communities in the inter-root soil of kiwifruit, but I believe that intercropping perilla stimulates carbon degradation, leading to carbon emission and serious loss of soil nutrients, and that prolonged intercropping may adversely affect the quality of kiwifruit, and thus its limitations should be noted in future studies.

A dual-branch selective attention capsule network for classifying kiwifruit soft rot with hyperspectral images.

Kiwifruit soft rot is highly contagious and causes serious economic loss. Therefore, early detection and elimination of soft rot are important for postharvest treatment and storage of kiwifruit. This study aims to accurately detect kiwifruit soft rot based on hyperspectral images by using a deep learning approach for image classification. A dual-branch selective attention capsule network (DBSACaps) was proposed to improve the classification accuracy. The network uses two branches to separately extract the spectral and spatial features so as to reduce their mutual interference, followed by fusion of the two features through the attention mechanism. Capsule network was used instead of convolutional neural networks to extract the features and complete the classification. Compared with existing methods, the proposed method exhibited the best classification performance on the kiwifruit soft rot dataset, with an overall accuracy of 97.08% and a 97.83% accuracy for soft rot. Our results confirm that potential soft rot of kiwifruit can be detected using hyperspectral images, which may contribute to the construction of smart agriculture.

Kiwifruit resistance to gray mold is enhanced by yeast-induced modulation of the endophytic microbiome.

The influence of endophytic microbial community on plant growth and disease resistance is of considerable importance. Prior research indicates that pre-treatment of kiwifruit with the biocontrol yeast Debaryomyces hansenii suppresses gray mold disease induced by Botrytis cinerea. However, the specific underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, Metagenomic sequencing was utilized to analyze the composition of the endophytic microbiome of kiwifruit under three distinct conditions: the healthy state, kiwifruit inoculated with B. cinerea, and kiwifruit treated with D. hansenii prior to inoculation with B. cinerea. Results revealed a dominance of Proteobacteria in all treatment groups, accompanied by a notable increase in the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Ascomycota emerged as the major dominant group within the fungal community. Treatment with D. hansenii induced significant alterations in microbial community diversity, specifically enhancing the relative abundance of yeast and exerting an inhibitory effect on B. cinerea. The introduction of D. hansenii also enriched genes associated with energy metabolism and signal transduction, positively influencing the overall structure and function of the microbial community. Our findings highlight the potential of D. hansenii to modulate microbial dynamics, inhibit pathogenic organisms, and positively influence functional attributes of the microbial community.