Cuticle deposition ceases during strawberry fruit development.

BACKGROUND: Ideally, the barrier properties of a fruit's cuticle persist throughout its development. This presents a challenge for strawberry fruit, with their rapid development and thin cuticles. The objective was to establish the developmental time course of cuticle deposition in strawberry fruit. RESULTS: Fruit mass and surface area increase rapidly, with peak growth rate coinciding with the onset of ripening. On a whole-fruit basis, the masses of cutin and wax increase but on a unit surface-area basis, they decrease. The decrease is associated with marked increases in elastic strain. The expressions of cuticle-associated genes involved in transcriptional regulation (FaSHN1, FaSHN2, FaSHN3), synthesis of cutin (FaLACS2, FaGPAT3) and wax (FaCER1, FaKCS10, FaKCR1), and those involved in transport of cutin monomers and wax constituents (FaABCG11, FaABCG32) decreased until maturity. The only exceptions were FaLACS6 and FaGPAT6 that are presumably involved in cutin synthesis, and FaCER1 involved in wax synthesis. This result was consistent across five strawberry cultivars. Strawberry cutin consists mainly of C16 and C18 monomers, plus minor amounts of C19, C20, C22 and C24 monomers, ω-hydroxy acids, dihydroxy acids, epoxy acids, primary alcohols, carboxylic acids and dicarboxylic acids. The most abundant monomer is 10,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid. Waxes comprise mainly long-chain fatty acids C29 to C46, with smaller amounts of C16 to C28. Wax constituents are carboxylic acids, primary alcohols, alkanes, aldehydes, sterols and esters. CONCLUSION: The downregulation of cuticle deposition during development accounts for the marked cuticular strain, for the associated microcracking, and for their high susceptibility to the disorders of water soaking and cracking.

Membrane protein Bcsdr2 mediates biofilm integrity, hyphal growth and virulence of Botrytis cinerea.

Grey mould caused by Botrytis cinerea is a devastating disease responsible for large losses to agricultural production, and B. cinerea is a necrotrophic model fungal plant pathogen. Membrane proteins are important targets of fungicides and hotspots in the research and development of fungicide products. Wuyiencin affects the permeability and pathogenicity of B. cinerea, parallel reaction monitoring revealed the association of membrane protein Bcsdr2, and the bacteriostatic mechanism of wuyiencin was elucidated. In the present work, we generated and characterised ΔBcsdr2 deletion and complemented mutant B. cinerea strains. The ΔBcsdr2 deletion mutants exhibited biofilm loss and dissolution, and their functional activity was illustrated by reduced necrotic colonisation on strawberry and grape fruits. Targeted deletion of Bcsdr2 also blocked several phenotypic defects in aspects of mycelial growth, conidiation and virulence. All phenotypic defects were restored by targeted gene complementation. The roles of Bcsdr2 in biofilms and pathogenicity were also supported by quantitative real-time RT-PCR results showing that phosphatidylserine decarboxylase synthesis gene Bcpsd and chitin synthase gene BcCHSV II were downregulated in the early stages of infection for the ΔBcsdr2 strain. The results suggest that Bcsdr2 plays important roles in regulating various cellular processes in B. cinerea. KEY POINTS: • The mechanism of wuyiencin inhibits B. cinerea is closely associated with membrane proteins. • Wuyiencin can downregulate the expression of the membrane protein Bcsdr2 in B. cinerea. • Bcsdr2 is involved in regulating B. cinerea virulence, growth and development.

Exploring the genetic basis of resistance to Neopestalotiopsis species in strawberry.

Aggressive strains of Neopestalotiopsis sp. have recently emerged as devastating pathogens of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier), infecting nearly all plant parts and causing severe outbreaks of leaf spot and fruit rot in Florida and globally. The development of host resistance is imperative due to the absence of fungicides that effectively inhibit Neopestalotiopsis sp. growth on an infected strawberry crop. Here, we analyzed 1578 individuals from the University of Florida's (UF) strawberry breeding program to identify and dissect genetic variation for resistance to Neopestalotiopsis sp. and to explore the feasibility of genomic selection. We found that less than 12% of elite UF germplasm exhibited resistance, with narrow-sense heritability estimates ranging from 0.28 to 0.69. Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we identified two loci accounting for 7%-16% of phenotypic variance across four trials and 3 years. Several candidate genes encoding pattern recognition receptors, intra-cellular nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeats, and downstream components of plant defense pathways co-localized with the Neopestalotiopsis sp. resistance loci. Interestingly, favorable alleles at the largest-effect locus were rare in elite UF material and had previously been unintentionally introduced from an exotic cultivar. The array-based markers and candidate genes described herein provide the foundation for targeting this locus through marker-assisted selection. The predictive abilities of genomic selection models, with and without explicitly modeling peak GWAS markers as fixed effects, ranged between 0.25 and 0.59, suggesting that genomic selection holds promise for enhancing resistance to Neopestalotiopsis sp. in strawberry.

Herbivore and pollinator body size effects on strawberry fruit quality.

Land use change affects both pollinator and herbivore populations with consequences for crop production. Recent evidence also shows that land use change affects insect traits, with intraspecific body size of pollinators changing across landscape gradients. However, the consequences on crop production of trait changes in different plant interactors have not been well-studied. We hypothesized that changes in body size of key species can be enough to affect crop productivity, and therefore looked at how the field-realistic variation in body size of both an important pollinator, Bombus impatiens (Cresson), and a key pest herbivore, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot), can affect fruit size and damage in strawberry. First, we determined if pests vary in body size along land use gradients as prior studies have documented for pollinators; and second, we tested under controlled conditions how the individual and combined changes in size of an important pollinator and a key herbivore pest affect strawberry fruit production. The key herbivore pest was smaller in landscapes with more natural and semi-natural habitat, confirming that herbivore functional traits can vary along a land use gradient. Additionally, herbivore size, and not pollinator size, marginally affected fruit production-with plants exposed to larger pests producing smaller fruits. Our findings suggest that land use changes at the landscape level affect crop production not just through changes in the species diversity of insect communities that interact with the plant, but also through changes in body size traits.

FvUVI4 inhibits cell division and cell expansion to modulate fruit development in Fragaria vesca.

Fruit development is mainly regulated by cell division and expansion. As a negative regulator of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome, UVI4 plays important roles in plant growth and development via coordinating cell cycle. However, currently there is no report on UVI4's functions in regulating fruit development in strawberry. Here, Fragaria vesca homolog FvUVI4 is identified and localizes in the nucleus. FvUVI4 has high gene expression in roots, leaves, flower, buds and green fruits, and low expression in petiole, stem, white and yellow fruit. Fruit development of F. vesca 'Hawaii4' is regulated by endoreduplication, and the expression of FvUVI4 is negatively correlated with fruit cell size. Overexpression of FvUVI4 inhibits endoreduplication of leaves, flowers and fruits in both Arabidopsis and F. vesca 'Hawaii4', thereby limiting cell expansion and decreasing cell area. Overexpression of FvUVI4 also inhibits mitotic cell cycle leading to decreased cell number, and ultimately affects the growth of leaves, petals and seeds or fruits. Arabidopsis uvi4 mutants obtained via CRISPR-Cas9 technology display opposite growth phenotypes to Arabidopsis and F. vesca 'Hawaii4' overexpression lines, which can be restored by overexpression of FvUVI4 in Arabidopsis uvi4 mutants. In conclusion, our study indicates that FvUVI4 inhibits cell expansion and cell division to modulate receptacle development in woodland strawberry.

Physiological and molecular responses of strawberry plants to Cd stress.

Cadmium (Cd), a toxic metal element, can be absorbed by plants via divalent metal ion transporters, thereby retarding plant growth and posing a threat to human health. Strawberries are popular and economically valuable berry species that are sensitive to soil pollutants, especially Cd. However, the mechanisms underlying Cd stress responses in strawberry plants remain largely unclear. Here, we investigated the physiological and molecular basis of Cd stress responses in strawberry plants using the diploid strawberry 'Yellow Wonder' as a material. The results indicated that Cd stress induced oxidative damage, repressed photosynthetic efficiency, and interfered with the accumulation and redistribution of trace elements. Furthermore, Cd stress reduced the concentrations of indoleacetic acid, trans-zeatin riboside and gibberellic acid while increasing the concentration of abscisic acid, thus altering the phytohormone signaling pathway in strawberry plants. Cd stress also inhibited the expression of genes involved in nitrogen uptake and assimilation while promoting the energy supply for plant survival under Cd toxicity. Moreover, the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway was induced, and the anthocyanin concentration increased, thereby improving the free radical scavenging capacity of strawberry plants under Cd toxicity. Additionally, we identified several transcription factors and functional genes as hub genes based on a weighted gene coexpression network analysis. These results collectively provide a theoretical foundation for strawberry breeding and ensuring agriculture and food safety.

Preparation of the double cross-linking carbon dots-polyvinyl alcohol-carboxymethyl cellulose composite film for food active packaging application.

This paper prepared a new kind of carbon dots-polyvinyl alcohol-carboxymethyl cellulose composite film with antibacterial properties. Carbon dots and citric acid were used as cross-linking agents, and polyvinyl alcohol and carboxymethyl cellulose were used as matrices respectively. The mechanical properties, UV shielding performance, thermal stability, antioxidant capability, and antibacterial activities of the carbon dots-polyvinyl alcohol-carboxymethyl cellulose composite film were researched. The prepared carbon dots-polyvinyl alcohol-carboxymethyl cellulose composite film was applied in the strawberry freshness preservation test. And test results indicated that the carbon dots-polyvinyl alcohol-carboxymethyl cellulose composite film could prevent rotting and extend the shelf life of strawberries. This carbon dots-polyvinyl alcohol-carboxymethyl cellulose composite film could be applied in the food active packaging field.

Development of apple pectin/soy protein isolate-based edible films containing punicalagin for strawberry preservation.

In this study, we developed punicalagin-loaded antimicrobial films based on soy protein isolate (SPI) and apple pectin (AP). The AP was derived from apple pomace waste while the punicalagin was obtained from pomegranate peel. Punicalagin was identified to exist in both α- and ß-isomers, with the ß-type being predominant. The composite films were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. Our results demonstrated that the incorporation of AP significantly enhanced the mechanical strength, heat resistance, and barrier properties of the films. Moreover, the composite films integrated with punicalagin exhibited excellent antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus (with a minimum bactericidal concentration value of 0.25 %), Escherichia coli (with a minimum bactericidal concentration value of 0.50 %), and Aspergillus niger. Finally, these antimicrobial film solutions were tested as coatings on strawberries and found to have significantly better effects on reducing weight loss, improving shelf-life, and maintaining the freshness of strawberries compared to coatings without punicalagin. The results indicate that antimicrobial coatings loaded with punicalagin hold great promise as multifunctional active packaging materials for fruit preservation.

Emulsion-based edible chitosan film containing propolis extract to extend the shelf life of strawberries.

In this study, propolis was first loaded into a conventional oil-in-water emulsion, which was combined with a chitosan film-forming solution to produce propolis emulsion-loaded film (PEF). Strawberries inoculated with Botrytis cinerea coated with PEF and blank emulsion-loaded films (BEF) were stored for 14 days at 4 °C. Compared to BEF, PEF showed superior mechanical and oxygen barrier properties, as well as antioxidant activities, but higher moisture permeability. PEF showed less oil agglomeration on the film surface after drying, as demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Compared to uncoated strawberries, coatings did not have a significant effect on weight loss or firmness during storage. In contrast, coated strawberries showed elevated total phenolics, anthocyanins, and ascorbic acid retention; however, PEF-coating yielded higher values. Moreover, the PEF coating resulted in a significantly lower reduction of organic acid and total soluble solids. Mold growth was visible in both uncoated and BEF-coated strawberries after 7 days of storage, while PEF-coated fruits showed no visible mold until the end of storage. Starting from day 4, PEF-coated fruits showed lower mold counts (~2 log CFU/g) than other samples. Therefore, the PEF prepared in this study has application potential for the preservation of fresh fruits.

A transparent p-coumaric acid-grafted-chitosan coating with antimicrobial, antioxidant and antifogging properties for fruit packaging applications.

The study aimed to develop a novel, transparent and non-toxic coating with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antifogging properties. The p-coumaric acid-grafted chitosan (CS-PCA) was synthesized via a carbodiimide coupling reaction and then characterized. The CS-PCA coatings were further prepared using the casting method. The CS-PCA coatings obtained exhibited excellent transparency, UV-light barrier ability, and antifogging properties, as confirmed by spectroscopy and antifogging tests. The CS-PCA coatings showed stronger antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Botrytis cinerea compared to CS. The multifunctional coatings were further coated on the polyethylene cling film and their effectiveness was confirmed through a strawberry preservation test. The decay of the strawberries was reduced by CS-PCA coated film at room temperature.

Eliciting Polyphenols in Strawberry Leaves: Preliminary Experiments in Fragaria × ananassa cv. Festival.

Polyphenols are plant secondary metabolites that function mostly as a general stress-induced protective mechanism. Polyphenols have also gained interest due to their beneficial properties for human health. Strawberry leaves represent an agro-industrial waste material with relevant bioactive polyphenol content, which could be incorporated into circular economy strategies. However, due to the low quantities of polyphenols in plants, their production needs to be improved for cost-effective applications. The objective of this research was to compare polyphenol production in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa cv. Festival) leaves in plants grown in greenhouse conditions and plants grown in vitro, using three possible elicitor treatments (UV irradiation, cold exposure, and cysteine). General vegetative effects were morphologically evaluated, and specific polyphenolic compounds were quantified by UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS. Gallic acid was the most abundant polyphenol found in the leaves, both in vivo and in vitro. The results showed higher amounts and faster accumulation of polyphenols in the in vitro regenerated plants, highlighting the relevance of in vitro tissue culture strategies for producing compounds such as polyphenols in this species and cultivar.

Identification and evaluation of Escherichia coli strain ATCC 8739 as a surrogate for thermal inactivation of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli in fruit nectars: Impact of applied techniques on the decimal reduction time.

The objective of this study was to identify a suitable surrogate for E. coli O157:H7 strain 19685/91 and O113:H21 strain TS18/08, by assessing their thermal resistance at temperatures of 60 °C, 65 °C, and 72 °C in strawberry nectar. The influence of the matrix and the research methodology on the decimal reduction time (D-value) was investigated. Thermal kinetics and safety assessment demonstrated that E. coli ATCC 8739 is a suitable surrogate. The study demonstrated that the presence of fruit particles in the nectar increased thermal resistance of the tested strains. Variations in D-values were observed depending on the research method employed, with D-values in glass capillaries were up to 6.6 times lower compared to larger sample volumes. Encapsulation of E. coli ATCC 8739 exhibited high efficiency of 90.25 ± 0.26% and maintained stable viable counts after 26 days of storage in strawberry nectar at 4 °C. There were no significant differences in thermal resistance between surrogates directly inoculated into strawberry nectar and those encapsulated in alginate beads. Additionally, the encapsulated strains did not migrate outside the beads. Therefore, encapsulated E. coli ATCC 8739 in alginate beads can be effectively utilized in industrial settings to validate thermal treatments as a reliable and safe method.

Unraveling the key step in the aroma puzzle: Insights into alcohol acyltransferases in strawberries.

Alcohol acyltransferases (AATs) play a crucial role in catalyzing the transfer of acyl groups, contributing to the diverse aroma of fruits, including strawberries. In this research we identified nine AAT genes in strawberries through a comprehensive analysis involving phylogenetics, gene structure, conserved motifs, and structural protein model examinations. The study used the 'Camarosa' strawberry genome database, and experiments were conducted with fruits harvested at different developmental and ripening stages. The transcriptional analysis revealed differential expression patterns among the AAT genes during fruit ripening, with only four genes (SAAT, FaAAT2, FaAAT7, and FaAAT9) showing increased transcript accumulation correlated with total AAT enzyme activity. Additionally, the study employed in silico methods, including sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis, and structural modeling, to gain insights into the AAT protein model structures with increase expression pattern during fruit ripening. The four modeled AAT proteins exhibited structural similarities, including conserved catalytic sites and solvent channels. Furthermore, the research investigated the interaction of AAT proteins with different substrates, highlighting the enzymes' promiscuity in substrate preferences. The study contributes with valuable information to unveil AAT gene family members in strawberries, providing scientific background for further exploration of their biological characteristics and their role in aroma biosynthesis during fruit ripening.

Visible light-responsive polylactic acid@pullulan-chitosan/homojunction g-C3N4 bilayer antimicrobial films for fruit preservation.

The development of novel packaging materials with antimicrobial properties is crucial in preventing the microbial-induced spoilage of fruits, vegetables, and foodborne illnesses. In this study, homojunction g-C3N4 (HCN) photocatalysts with excellent photocatalytic performance were incorporated into a matrix consisting of pullulan/chitosan (Pul/CS). These photocatalysts were then electrostatically spun onto polylactic acid (PLA) films to fabricate PLA@Pul/CS/HCN nanofibrous composite films. The design of the bilayer films aimed to combine the physical properties of PLA film with the excellent antibacterial properties of nanofiber films, thereby achieving synergistic advantages. The incorporation of the HCN photocatalysts resulted in enhanced hydrophobicity, barrier function, and mechanical properties of the composite films. Under visible light irradiation, the PLA@Pul/CS/HCN films exhibited approximately 3.43 log and 3.11 log reductions of Escherichia coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), respectively, within 2 h. The excellent antimicrobial performance could be attributed to the synergistic effect of CS and the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from HCN. Moreover, the strawberries packaged in the PLA@Pul/CS/HCN film demonstrated diminished quality degradation and a prolonged shelf life following visible light irradiation treatment. This study will provide new insights into the exploration of safe and efficient antimicrobial food packaging.

Involvement of the GH38 Family Exoglycosidase α-Mannosidase in Strawberry Fruit Ripening.

Exoglycosidase enzymes hydrolyze the N-glycosylations of cell wall enzymes, releasing N-glycans that act as signal molecules and promote fruit ripening. Vesicular exoglycosidase α-mannosidase enzymes of the GH38 family (EC 3.2.1.24; α-man) hydrolyze N-glycans in non-reduced termini. Strawberry fruit (Fragaria × ananassa) is characterized by rapid softening as a result of cell wall modifications during the fruit ripening process. Enzymes acting on cell wall polysaccharides explain the changes in fruit firmness, but α-man has not yet been described in F. × ananassa, meaning that the indirect effects of N-glycan removal on its fruit ripening process are unknown. The present study identified 10 GH38 α-man sequences in the F. × ananassa genome with characteristic conserved domains and key residues. A phylogenetic tree built with the neighbor-joining method and three groups of α-man established, of which group I was classified into three subgroups and group III contained only Poaceae spp. sequences. The real-time qPCR results demonstrated that FaMAN genes decreased during fruit ripening, a trend mirrored by the total enzyme activity from the white to ripe stages. The analysis of the promoter regions of these FaMAN genes was enriched with ripening and phytohormone response elements, and contained cis-regulatory elements related to stress responses to low temperature, drought, defense, and salt stress. This study discusses the relevance of α-man in fruit ripening and how it can be a useful target to prolong fruit shelf life.

Preparation and characterization of chitosan-based corn protein composites constructed with TG enzyme and their preservation performance on strawberries.

This study describes the synthesis of Chitosan - corn protein (CSZ-TG) composites using TG enzyme (TG) as a cross-linking agent and the preparation of chitosan-based composite membrane material (CSZEO-TG) by blending citrus essential oil (EO) with the synthesized CSZ-TG. The prepared composite membrane material was used for fresh strawberry preservation and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-spectral diffraction, tensile properties, and water vapor and CO2 permeability. Scanning electron microscopy results showed a smooth surface of the composite membrane material after the addition of TG enzyme, while Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy results showed a structural change of the composite membrane material after the addition of corn protein (Z). The tensile results showed an increase in the tensile strength of the composite membrane material after the addition of TG enzyme, while the flexibility of the composite membrane material was enhanced after the addition of EO. Compared with the pure chitosan membrane (CS), the water vapor and CO2 barrier properties of the composite membrane material after the addition of Z, TG, and EO did not change much, and they all showed better water vapor barrier properties. The results of the antioxidant analysis of the solution of the CSZEO-TG composite membrane material showed that the composite membrane material had efficient antioxidant properties. The effects of the composite film material on the storage period and quality of strawberries were evaluated by the indicators of weight loss, hardness, decay rate, soluble solids, titratable acid content, MDA content, and the content of four enzymes, SOD, POD, PPO and CAT. Comprehensive freshness data analysis showed that CSZEO-TG had the best freshness preservation performance and effectively extended the shelf life of strawberries.

Epigenomic and transcriptomic persistence of heat stress memory in strawberry (Fragaria vesca).

BACKGROUND: In plants, epigenetic stress memory has so far been found to be largely transient. Here, we wanted to assess the heritability of heat stress-induced epigenetic and transcriptomic changes following woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) reproduction. Strawberry is an ideal model to study epigenetic inheritance because it presents two modes of reproduction: sexual (self-pollinated plants) and asexual (clonally propagated plants named daughter plants). Taking advantage of this model, we investigated whether heat stress-induced DNA methylation changes can be transmitted via asexual reproduction. RESULTS: Our genome-wide study provides evidence for stress memory acquisition and maintenance in F. vesca. We found that specific DNA methylation marks or epimutations are stably transmitted over at least three asexual generations. Some of the epimutations were associated with transcriptional changes after heat stress. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that the strawberry methylome and transcriptome respond with a high level of flexibility to heat stress. Notably, independent plants acquired the same epimutations and those were inherited by their asexual progenies. Overall, the asexual progenies can retain some information in the genome of past stresses encountered by their progenitors. This molecular memory, also documented at the transcriptional level, might be involved in functional plasticity and stress adaptation. Finally, these findings may contribute to novel breeding approaches for climate-ready plants.

Comprehensive Analysis of Physicochemical Properties and Volatile Compounds in Different Strawberry Wines under Various Pre-Treatments.

Pre-fermentation treatment has an important impact on the color, aroma, taste, and other characteristics of fruit wine. To discover suitable pre-treatment techniques and conditions that yield strawberry wine of excellent quality, the influences of juice fermentation, pulp maceration, thermovinification, and enzymatic hydrolysis pre-treatments on the basic chemical composition, color, antioxidant capacity, and volatile organic compounds in strawberry wines were investigated. The results showed that the color, antioxidant properties, and volatile aroma of strawberry wines fermented with juice were different from those with pulp. Strawberry wines fermented from juice after 50 °C maceration had more desirable qualities, such as less methanol content (72.43 ± 2.14 mg/L) compared with pulp-fermented wines (88.16 ± 7.52 mg/L) and enzymatic maceration wines (136.72 ± 11.5 mg/L); higher total phenolic content (21.78%) and total flavonoid content (13.02%); enhanced DPPH (17.36%) and ABTS (27.55%) free radical scavenging activities; richer essential terpenoids and fatty acid ethyl esters, such as linalool (11.28%), ethyl hexanoate (14.41%), ethyl octanoate (17.12%), ethyl decanoate (32.49%), and ethyl 9-decenoate (60.64%); pleasant floral and fruity notes compared with juice-fermented wines macerated at normal temperatures; and a lighter color. Overall, juice thermovinification at 50 °C is a potential pre-treatment technique to enhance the nutrition and aroma of strawberry wine.

Strawberries treated with biodegradable film containing plant extracts.

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is a highly perishable fruit whose characteristics make it susceptible to developing microorganisms. Plant extracts have been studied as an alternative to pesticides to control spoilage microorganisms, responding to the expectation of the population seeking a healthier way of life. The fungus Botrytis cinerea is a facultative pathogen of vegetables, which can affect all stages of the development of several fruits, such as the strawberry, where it causes gray rot. Trichilia catigua (catuaba), Paullinia cupana (guarana), Stryphnodendron barbatiman (barbatimão), and Caesalpinia peltophoroides (sibipiruna) are planted in the Brazilian flora and have demonstrated pharmacological properties in their extracts. This work aimed to treat strawberries with a biodegradable film containing extracts of these species to evaluate strawberry conservation. There were notable distinctions in mass loss between the extract-treated and control samples. The pH, total acidity (TA), and soluble solids parameters exhibited consistently significant means across both sets of samples. Luminosity increased over the course of days in the color parameters, with the exception of strawberries coated with guarana. The red color showed greater intensity, except for those coated with barbatimão extract. Considering the results, it is possible to conclude that the coatings used can become an alternative to enhance the conservation of strawberries.

Dissipation behavior, residue distribution, and exposure risk assessment of tebufenpyrad and milbemectin acaricides in strawberries under open field conditions.

Strawberries are a favorite fruit for most people, but the residues of pesticides on strawberries might be risky to human health. Tebufenpyrad and milbemectin are broad-spectrum acaricides with insecticide properties authorized for use on strawberries in Egypt. As a result, it is crucial to investigate their residues in the final product to ensure customers' safety. Consequently, field trials were conducted following the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) to study the dissipation rate and terminal residues of tebufenpyrad and milbemectin on strawberries. Tebufenpyrad and milbemectin residues in strawberries declined due to first-order decay process, showing significant degradation (88.5% and 94.7%, respectively) after 14 days. Risk assessment study was carried out by comparing the national estimated daily intake (NEDI) to the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The results demonstrated that the dietary risk posed by the residues of tebufenpyrad and milbemectin in strawberry fruits was acceptable for consumers. It is envisaged that the current study's findings would support the safe application of tebufenpyrad and milbemectin to strawberries and perhaps other crops in Egypt and other countries with similar climatic conditions.