Study on the Metabolic Basis of the Color Formation of Two Color-Presenting Types of Jujube Fruits.

Jujube is a plant of the genus Ziziphus in the family Rhamnaceae; its fruit has high nutritional value, and it is rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and other secondary metabolites. The color of its peel is an important indicator for evaluating the appearance of the fruit. However, the mechanism of the difference in color presentation between the seedling offspring of the 'Red Fruit' (TLHH) and the 'Green Fruit' (TLHL) of the fresh jujube cultivar 'Tailihong' is not clear. Therefore, this study used targeted metabolomics techniques to accurately and quantitatively analyze the metabolic pathways of carotenoid and anthocyanin metabolites during the ripening process of two color-presenting types of jujube fruits. Through the analysis of the dynamic changes in the pigment content of the jujube peel, it was found that 30 DAP (days after pollination), 80 DAP, and 110 DAP were the key periods for the development of the color of the peel of 'TLHL' and 'TLHH' jujube and that the substances responsible for the main differences were chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. Furthermore, we used an LC-MS/MS metabolic analysis to compare the differences in the carotenoids and anthocyanin metabolites between the two color-presenting types of jujube peels at the key periods of 30 DAP, 80 DAP, and 110 DAP. We detected 32 carotene metabolites and 75 anthocyanin metabolites, respectively, among which lutein had the highest content of carotenoids; it reached the maximum value (93.05 µg/g) and was higher than that of 'TLHH' (74.14 µg/g) at 30 DAP of 'TLHL'. Both showed a decreasing trend with fruit ripening. The anthocyanin with the highest content was cyanidin-3-O-(tartaryl)rhamnoside-5-O-glucoside, which reached the maximum value (258.32 µg/g) at 30 DAP of 'TLHH' and was 51.6 times that of 'TLHL'; similarly, both showed a decreasing trend with fruit ripening. These results elucidate the main metabolites of carotenoids and anthocyanins in the two types of jujube peel and their accumulation characteristics, suggesting that the key metabolites of the difference in color between 'TLHL' and 'TLHH' jujube fruits were lutein and cyanidin-3-O-(tartaryl)rhamnoside-5-O-glucoside, increasing the understanding of the color mechanism of jujube peel and providing a reference for targeted genetic breeding of jujube peel color.

Exploring the structural characteristics and adsorption capabilities of cost-effective N- doped activated carbon derived from waste biomass for CO2 adsorption.

In this work, ACs were originated from two different bio-waste sources of Date and Jujube seeds (DS and JS). The influence of the precursor type as well as KOH chemical activator ratio on the structural properties and CO2 adsorption performances of synthesized ACs were assessed. Impact of pre-treatment of raw material via functionalization with urea on the performance of prepared adsorbents was also evaluated. Functionalized DS-based AC possessed the highest surface area and largest micropore volume equal to 864 m2/g and 0.33 cm3/g, respectively. CO2 adsorption behavior of ACs was experimentally evaluated via TGA at different adsorption temperatures of 25 and 50 °C and CO2 concentrations of 10 and 90 vol% under atmospheric pressure. Based on the TGA results, functionalized and non-functionalized DS-prepared ACs with KOH: biochar weight ratio of 2:1, demonstrated great CO2 capture capacity up to 1.3 and 1.2 mmol/g, respectively under realistic condition of 10 vol% CO2 and 25 °C. The urea-nitrogenation and KOH-activation as economical and simple approaches sensitively assisted preparation of a novel and promising N-doped porous AC from bio-waste resources which can be exploited for superior CO2 capture applications.

Metabolite profiling of camel milk and the fermentation bacteria agent TR1 fermented two types of sour camel milk using LC-MS in relation to their probiotic potentials.

Camel milk is a nutrient-rich diet and fermentation affects its nutritional value and probiotic function. In this study, sour camel milk and oat jujube sour camel milk were prepared using fermentation bacteria agent TR1, and the metabolites of camel milk, sour camel milk and oat jujube sour camel milk were detected using a non-targeted metabolomics approach using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).The results showed that the partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) with 100 % accuracy and good predictive power detected 343 components in positive ion mode and 220 components in negative ion mode. The differential metabolites were mainly organic acids, amino acids, esters, vitamins and other substances contained in camel milk.It showed that there were significant differences in the metabolites of camel milk, sour camel milk and oat jujube sour camel milk. Based on the pathway enrichment analysis of the three dairy products in the KEGG database, 12 metabolic pathways mainly involved in the positive ion mode and 20 metabolic pathways mainly involved in the negative ion mode were identified. The main biochemical metabolic pathways and signal transduction pathways of the differential metabolites of the three dairy products were obtained. This study provides theoretical support for improving the nutritional quality and probiotic function of camel milk and fermented camel milk products and provides a basis for the development of relevant processing technologies and products for camel milk and fermented camel milk.

Determination of leaf nitrogen content in apple and jujube by near-infrared spectroscopy.

The nitrogen content of apple leaves and jujube leaves is an important index to judge the growth and development of apple trees and jujube trees to a certain extent. The prediction performance of the two samples was compared between different models for leaf nitrogen content, respectively. The near-infrared absorption spectra of 287 apple leaf samples and 192 jujube leaf samples were collected. After eliminating the outliers by Mahalanobis distance method, the remaining spectral data were processed by six different preprocessing methods. BP neural network (BP), random forest regression (RF), least partial squares (PLS), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and support vector regression (SVR) were compared to establish prediction models of nitrogen content in apple leaves and jujube leaves. The results showed that the determination coefficient (R2), root mean square error (RMSE) and residual prediction deviation (RPD) of the models established by different combined pretreatment methods were compared among the five methods. Compared with the performance of the other four models, the modeling method of SG + SD + CARS + RF was suitable for the prediction of nitrogen content in apple leaves, and its modeling set R2 was 0.85408, RMSE was 0.082188, and RPD was 2.5864. The validation set R2 is 0.75527, RMSE is 0.099028, RPD is 2.1956. The modeling method of FD + CARS + PLS was suitable for the prediction of nitrogen content in jujube leaves. The modeling set R2 was 0.7954, RMSE was 0.14558, and RPD was 2.4264; the validation set R2 is 0.81348, RMSE is 0.089217, and RPD is 2.4552.In the prediction modeling of apple leaf nitrogen content in the characteristic band, the model quality of RF was better than the other four prediction models. The model quality of PLS in predictive modeling of nitrogen content of jujube leaves in characteristic bands is superior to the other four predictive models, These results provide a reference for the use of near-infrared spectroscopy to determine whether apple trees and jujube trees are deficient in nutrients.

Quantitative MRI post-processing algorithm and visualization research based on moisture status detection of winter jujube.

Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (qMRI) offers precise measurements of the relaxation characteristics of microstructures, representing a cutting-edge method in non-destructive fruit analysis. This study aims to visualize information on changes in moisture status and distribution at the subcellular level of winter jujube. The 0.5 T nuclear magnetic imaging equipment was utilized to rapidly, non-invasively, and accurately capture the internal relaxation status of the sample with multiple-echo-imaging. By examining the signal and noise data, a simulated dataset was developed to tackle the optimization challenge of estimating parameters for the discrete relaxation model from the multiple-echo-imaging data, especially under conditions of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and in the context of heteroscedastic noise. An optimal weighting factor and the T2NR truncation model have been identified to establish an effective experimental inversion strategy. Subsequently, multiple-echo-imaging can rapidly and stably yielded voxel-level maps under conditions of low signal-to-noise ratio. Utilizing this experimental approach, data from winter jujube was collected and analyzed, facilitating an exploration of water activity (T2 mapping) and associated water content (A2 mapping). Through analyzing winter jujube fruits across two maturity stages, this study elucidates the role of precise quantification and voxel-wise visualization in moisture status detection. The methodology presents an innovative approach for assessing internal moisture distribution in fruits.

YOLOv7-Branch: A Jujube Leaf Branch Detection Model for Agricultural Robot.

The intelligent harvesting technology for jujube leaf branches presents a novel avenue for enhancing both the quantity and quality of jujube leaf tea, whereas the precise detection technology for jujube leaf branches emerges as a pivotal factor constraining its development. The precise identification and localization of jujube leaf branches using real-time object detection technology are crucial steps toward achieving intelligent harvesting. When integrated into real-world scenarios, issues such as the background noise introduced by tags, occlusions, and variations in jujube leaf morphology constrain the accuracy of detection and the precision of localization. To address these issues, we describe a jujube leaf branch object detection network based on YOLOv7. First, the Polarized Self-Attention module is embedded into the convolutional layer, and the Gather-Excite module is embedded into the concat layer to incorporate spatial information, thus achieving the suppression of irrelevant information such as background noise. Second, we incorporate implicit knowledge into the Efficient Decoupled Head and replace the original detection head, enhancing the network's capability to extract deep features. Third, to address the issue of imbalanced jujube leaf samples, we employ Focal-EIoU as the bounding box loss function to expedite the regression prediction and enhance the localization accuracy of the model's bounding boxes. Experiments show that the precision of our model is 85%, which is increased by 3.5% compared to that of YOLOv7-tiny. The mAP@0.5 value is 83.7%. Our model's recognition rate, recall and mean average precision are superior to those of other models. Our method could provide technical support for yield estimation in the intelligent management of jujube orchards.

Eco-safe hot water dip alleviates antioxidant level and sensory quality of Indian jujube fruits.

Indian jujube (Ber) is highly perishable climacteric fruit owing to high decay index limiting its marketability and demands interventions to prolong shelf life. Fungicides are normally used to control rot during postharvest storage, however, residues left necessitate eco-safe alternatives like hot water dipping. Mature, pre-climacteric jujubes were dipped in 45, 50 or 55 °C water for 8, 6 or 4 min, respectively and then stored at 5 °C for periodic quality evaluation. Dipping fruits in 55 °C water resulted in 32.69 and 35.27, 64.21 and 58.57, 30.41 and 30.42, 38.50 and 52.20 % lower weight loss, decay index, malondialdehyde (MDA) and electrolyte leakage, whereas 15.40 and 16.77, 19.51 and 20.48 % greater antioxidant activity and ascorbic acid respectively for Umran and Pakwhite compared to 25 °C water dip. The highest glucose, fructose, malic, citric, and tartaric acids were 23.44 ± 1.04 and 29.9 ± 0.95, 30.68 ± 1.72 and 41.17 ± 2.34 mg/100 g, 138.1 ± 6.45 and 112.97 ± 6.16, 57.49 ± 1.71 and 53.78 ± 1.90, 79.58 ± 5.1 and 65.3 ± 4.83 µg/100 g whereas lower sucrose 12.34 ± 0.94 and 16.33 ± 1.05 mg/100 g were respectively recorded in 55 °C water dipped Umran and Pakwhite fruits. High dip water temperature (55 °C) exhibited better quality with the lowest decay index and weight loss, greater membrane integrity, bioactives content and sensory acceptance scores. Hence, hot water dipping was shown to be an effective residue-free option to extend the marketable period of jujubes to capture distant markets.

The effector PHYL1JWB from Candidatus Phytoplasma ziziphi induces abnormal floral development by destabilising flower development proteins.

Phytoplasmas can induce complex and substantial phenotypic changes in their hosts in ways that favour their colonisation, but the mechanisms underlying these changes remain largely unknown. Jujube witches' broom (JWB) disease is a typical phytoplasma disease causing great economic loss in Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.). Here, we reported an effector, PHYL1JWB from Candidatus Phytoplasma ziziphi, which implicated in inducing abnormal floral organogenesis. Utilising a combination of in vivo and in vitro methods, we investigated the influence of PHYL1JWB on the proteins associated with floral development. Our findings reveal that PHYL1JWB facilitates the proteasome-mediated degradation of essential flower morphogenetic regulators, including AP1, SEP1, SEP2, SEP3, SEP4, CAL, and AGL6, through a distinctive pathway that is dependent on the activity of the 26S proteasome, thus obviating the requirement for lysine ubiquitination of the substrates. Further, the Y2H analysis showed that the leucine at position 75th in second α helix of PHYL1JWB is fundamental for the interactions of PHYL1JWB with AP1 and SEP1-4 in jujube and Arabidopsis. Our research carry profound implications for elucidating the contribution of PHYL1JWB to the aberrant floral development in diseased jujube, and help to establish a robust theoretical underpinning for the prophylaxis and therapy of JWB disease.

Ameliorating effect of Chinese jujube polyphenol on blood glucose oxidative stress in type 2 diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common metabolic disease characterized by insulin resistance and insufficient relative insulin secretion, leading to elevated blood sugar and the development of diabetic complications. T2DM not only seriously affects people's health and quality of life, but also brings a heavy burden to society and economy. At present, the treatment of T2DM mainly relies on drug therapy, but these drugs often have problems such as side effects, resistance and high cost, and can not fully meet the needs and expectations of patients. Therefore, it is of great significance and value to find safe and effective natural medicines or functional foods to assist the treatment and prevention of T2DM. OBJECTIVE: Chinese jujube are a common fruit that contain abundant polyphenolic compounds, which exhibit multiple physiological activities, such as antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and blood glucose lowering. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of red date polyphenols on glycemic control and oxidative stress status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Effects of fermented jujube powder on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and antioxidant properties of simmental bulls.

Introduction: Fermented jujube powder (FJP) promotes a balance between the intestinal microflora and immune factors in animals. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of FJP on the production performance, nutrient digestion, rumen fermentation, and antioxidant properties of bulls. Methods: Forty Simmental bulls were randomly divided into four groups based on body weight and fed a basal diet with [5, 7.5, or 10% dry matter (DM)] or without FJP. The experimental period was 20 d for adaptation and 60 d for the feeding trial. Results: Dietary FJP supplementation did not affect DM intake (P > 0.05) but increased the average daily gain quadratically (P = 0.049) and decreased the feed conversion ratio linearly (P = 0.042). FJP quadratically enhanced DM and crude protein digestibility (P = 0.026 and P = 0.041, respectively) and linearly enhanced acid detergent fiber digestibility (P = 0.048). It also increased the total volatile fatty acid concentration quadratically (P = 0.037), acetate molar percentage, and acetate-to-propionate ratio linearly (P = 0.002 and 0.001), and reduced the ammonia nitrogen concentration linearly (P = 0.003). Additionally, xylanase and protease activities and Ruminococcus flavefaciens abundance increased linearly (P = 0.006, 0.018, and 0.009, respectively), and total bacteria, Ruminococcus albus, and Ruminobacter amylophilus abundance increased quadratically (P = 0.047, 0.011, and 0.021, respectively). FJP linearly increased serum total protein concentration and antioxidant capacity (P = 0.003 and 0.018, respectively) and decreased malonaldehyde content (P = 0.006). Discussion: FJP supplementation (7.5%) enhanced production performance, nutrient digestion, rumen fermentation, and serum antioxidant capacity in bulls. The improved nutrient digestion may be due to an increase in ruminal microorganisms and total volatile fatty acids from the FJP. High blood antioxidant levels indicate that FJP may preserve proteins, thereby boosting the production performance of bulls.

Effects of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba mill.) fruit extracts on oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis of rodent studies.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) fruit extracts on oxidative stress levels in rodent models. Animal studies meeting the inclusion criteria were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and VIP Periodical Service Platform. The Systematic Review Center for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) risk-of-bias tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the included studies. A meta-analysis was performed based on the guidelines provided in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions (CHSRI) by using Stata 17.0 software. Nineteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Jujube fruit extracts significantly decreased the level of malonaldehyde (MDA) and increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Meanwhile, there was no significant improvement in the catalase (CAT) levels. In addition, there was considerable heterogeneity in the results of the meta-analysis. The results of the subgroup analysis indicated that the animal model, type of extracts, and source of target parameters may have contributed to the heterogeneity. Jujube fruit extracts are healthy and effective antioxidant dietary supplements that may be an effective adjunctive therapy for diseases in which oxidative stress is a major pathological factor. However, the overall methodological quality of the included studies was low, and additional research is warranted.

Research Progress and Biosynthetic Mechanisms of Nutritional Compounds Obtained from Various Organs During the Developmental Stages of a Medicinal Plant (Chinese Jujube).

The fruit of the jujube tree is high in nutrients and has various health benefits. China is a major producer of jujube, and it is now cultivated all around the world. Numerous studies have demonstrated the nutritional value and potential health advantages of bioactive compounds found in the jujube tree. Furthermore, the jujube tree has a remarkable 7000-year agricultural history. The jujube plant has developed a rich gene pool, making it a valuable resource for germplasm. Different studies have focused on the developmental stages of jujube fruits to identify the optimal time for harvest and to assess the changes in their bioactive natural compounds or products during the process of development but the molecular mechanism underlying the production of bioactive natural products in Z. jujuba is still poorly understood. Moreover, the potential differential expressed genes (DEGs) identified as responsible for the synthesis of these compounds should be further functionally verified. It has been noticed that the contents of total flavonoids, total phenolic, and vitamin C increase significantly during the ripening process, while the contents of soluble sugars and organic acids decrease gradually. In this review, we have also scrutinized the challenges that hinder the utilization of jujube fruit resources and suggested potential areas for further research. As such, our review serves as a valuable resource for the future development of jujube-based nutritional compounds and the incorporation of their nutritional elements into the functional foods industry.

The effect and mechanism of Debaryomyces nepalensis and six strains of winter jujube epiphytic bacteria in building a synthetic community to control post-harvest black spot disease of winter jujube.

The study aimed to develop a synthetic microbial community capable of managing postharvest black spot disease in winter jujube. The research revealed that treatment with Debaryomyces nepalensis altered the surface microbial community, reducing the presence of harmful fungi such as Alternaria, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Botrytis, while boosting beneficial bacteria like Pantoea, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas, leading to a decreased decay rate in date fruits. A synthetic community was crafted, integrating D. nepalensis with seven other bacterial strains selected for their abundance, compatibility, culturability, and interactions. This community was refined through homo-pore damage experiments and safety assessments to a final formulation consisting of D. nepalensis and six other bacteria: Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus velezensis, Staphylococcus arlettae, Staphylococcus gallinarum, Pseudomonas sp., and Pseudomonas psychrotolerans. Fruit inoculation tests demonstrated that this synthetic community (6 + 1) significantly lowered the incidence and size of black spot lesions compared to single-strain treatments. By the 10th day of storage, the incidence was 69.23 % lower than the control and 52.94 % lower than the group treated solely with D. nepalensis. Mechanistic studies of the synthetic community's antibacterial effects showed that it can produce volatile compounds, proteases, and ß-1,3-glucanase to inhibit pathogen growth. Additionally, the community forms a biofilm to compete for nutrients and induce jujube resistance to disease.

The effector SJP3 interferes with pistil development by sustaining SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE 3 expression in jujube.

Jujube witches' broom (JWB) is a phytoplasma disease that causes severe damage to jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) crops worldwide. Diseased jujube plants show enhanced vegetative growth after floral reversion, including leafy flower structures (phyllody) and the fourth whorl converting into a vegetative shoot. In previous research, secreted JWB protein 3 (SJP3) was identified as an inducer of phyllody. However, the molecular mechanisms of SJP3-mediated pistil reversion remain unknown. Here, the effector SJP3 was found to interact with the MADS-box protein SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE 3 (ZjSVP3). ZjSVP3 was expressed in young leaves and during the initial flower bud differentiation of healthy jujube-bearing shoots but was constitutively expressed in JWB phytoplasma-infected flowers until the later stage of floral development. The SJP3 effector showed the same expression pattern in the diseased buds and promoted ZjSVP3 accumulation in SJP3 transgenic jujube calli. The N-terminal domains of ZjSVP3 contributed to its escape from protein degradation in the presence of SJP3. Heterologous expression of ZjSVP3 in Nicotiana benthamiana produced typical pistil abnormalities, including trichome-enriched style and stem-like structures within the leaf-like ovary, which were consistent with those in the mildly malformed lines overexpressing SJP3. Furthermore, ectopic expression of ZjSVP3 directly bound to the zinc finger protein 8 (ZjZFP8) and MADS-box gene SHATTERPROOF 1 (ZjSHP1) promoters to regulate their expression, resulting in abnormal pistil development. Overall, effector SJP3-mediated derepression of ZjSVP3 sustained its expression to interfere with pistil development, providing insight into the mechanisms of pistil reversion caused by JWB phytoplasma in specific perennial woody plant species.

Induction of luteolin on postharvest color change and phenylpropanoid metabolism pathway in winter jujube fruit (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Dongzao).

The postharvest quality of winter jujubes is prone to deterioration, including inevitable pericarp reddening and rapid nutrient loss from the flesh, significantly impacting its edible quality and commercial value. As a crucial metabolic pathway in plants, phenylpropane metabolism not only regulates plant stress resistance but also closely relates to various coloration effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of luteolin solutions on postharvest color changes and phenylpropanoid metabolism in winter jujube. The results indicated that compared to the control group, winter jujube fruit treated with 200 mg L-1 luteolin exhibited improved quality indexes, increased antioxidant capacity (capability of eliminating ABTS and DPPH radicals), and higher activities of antioxidant enzymes(superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT)). This led to a reduction in the oxidation of phenolic substances in winter jujube. Furthermore, luteolin treatment inhibited phenylpropanoid metabolism by suppressing the activities of 4-Coumarate: coenzyme A ligase (4CL), phenylalanine ammonilyase (PAL), and cinnamate 4 hydroxylase (C4H), as well as the expression of ZjUFGT, ZjDFT, and ZjPAL genes. Consequently, anthocyanin and quercetin synthesis were limited while the degradation rate of chlorophyll and carotenoid synthesis were slowed down after luteolin treatment. This resulted in delayed reddening of winter jujube following luteolin treatment. In conclusion, luteolin exhibits potential application prospects as a preservative for inhibiting reddening and browning in winter jujubes.

Functional Nutrients and Jujube-Based Processed Products in Ziziphus jujuba.

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) is the first tree species in China, with a long history and abundant yield. However, fresh jujubes have a short shelf-life and are not resistant to storage. Therefore, more and more processed jujube products are being studied. These processed products can extend the shelf-life of jujubes and attract widespread attention for their rich functional nutrients. This review summarized changes in nutrients of fresh jujube and processed products and the research progress of different preparation methods of jujubes. Meanwhile, the pharmacological effects of bioactive components in jujube-based products were concluded. Jujube and its processed products contain rich polysaccharides, vitamin C, and other functional nutrients, which are beneficial to humans. As the initial processing method for jujubes, vacuum freezing or microwave drying have become the most commonly used and efficient drying methods. Additionally, processed jujube products cannot be separated from the maximum retention of nutrients and innovation of flavor. Fermentation is the main deep-processing method with broad development potential. In the future, chemical components and toxicological evaluation need to be combined with research to bring consumers higher quality functional jujube products and ensure the sustainable development of the jujube industry.

Microbial Organic Fertilizer Combined with Magnetically Treated Water Drip Irrigation Promoted the Stability of Desert Soil Aggregates and Improved the Yield and Quality of Jujubes.

In the southern Xinjiang region of China, developing efficient irrigation and fertilization strategies to enhance resource utilization and prevent desertification is of critical importance. This study focuses on jujubes in Xinjiang, China, and involves a three-year field experiment aimed at exploring the optimal application strategy of magnetically treated water combined with microbial organic fertilizer to provide scientific support for high-quality jujube production. The experiment included a control group (using only fresh water, denoted as CK) and combinations of magnetically treated water drip irrigation with varying amounts of microbial organic fertilizer: in 2021, treatments included M0 (only irrigating with magnetically treated water), M6 (0.6 t/ha), M12 (1.2 t/ha), M18 (1.8 t/ha), and M24 (2.4 t/ha); in 2022 and 2023, treatments included M0, M6 (0.6 t/ha), M12 (1.2 t/ha), M24 (2.4 t/ha), and M48 (4.8 t/ha). This study investigated the effects of magnetically treated water drip irrigation combined with microbial organic fertilizer on soil physical properties, hydraulic parameters, enzyme activity, aggregate stability, and jujube yield and quality. The application of microbial organic fertilizer significantly reduced the soil bulk density by 3.07% to 11.04% and increased soil porosity by 1.97% to 14.75%. Soil saturated hydraulic conductivity gradually decreased with the increasing amount of microbial organic fertilizer, with a reduction range of 5.95% to 13.69%, while the water-holding capacity significantly improved (from 0.217 cm3/cm3 to 0.264 cm3/cm3). Additionally, microbial organic fertilizer significantly enhanced the activities of urease, catalase, and sucrase in the soil and significantly increased the proportion of large soil aggregates. Jujube yield increased by 3.66% to 21.38%, and the quality significantly improved, as evidenced by the increase in soluble sugar and flavonoid content. The Gauss model calculation results recommended 3.09 t·hm2 as the optimal amount of microbial organic fertilizer for comprehensively improving jujube yield and quality. These findings indicate that magnetically treated water drip irrigation combined with high amounts of microbial organic fertilizer significantly improved soil physical properties, hydraulic parameters, enzyme activity, aggregate stability, and jujube yield and quality, providing scientific evidence for desert soil improvement and agricultural production.

Transcriptomic responses of 'Huping jujube' (Zizyphus jujuba mill. cv. Huping) fruit to combined treatment of acidic electrolyzed water and high-voltage electrostatic field.

The molecular mechanism underlying the preserving superior quality attributes of postharvest Huping jujube fruit by combining acidic electrolyzed water and high-voltage electrostatic field (AH) treatment remained unclear. The high-throughput sequencing analysis revealed a total of 3590 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the T-W-CK0 vs T-W-CK75 and T-W-CK75 vs T-W-AH75 groups. AH treatment down-regulated most genes associated with respiratory metabolism, as well as lignin and anthocyanin biosynthesis, thereby maintaining lower physiological activities, improving taste and color quality of mature-white jujube. Additionally, AH treatment downregulated the genes involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and disease resistance, while simultaneously upregulating the genes associated with ROS elimination. This suggested that AH treatment could inhibit pathogen infection to prevent the activation of plants' active defense and reduce the ROS-induced damage. In sum, the present study provided a comprehension explanation that AH treatment improved the storage quality attributes of jujube fruit at the genetic level.

Impact of ultra-high-pressure treatment on microbial community composition and flavor quality of jujube juice: Insights from high-throughput sequencing technology, intelligent bionic sensory system, and metabolomics approach.

Ultra-high-pressure (UHP1) technology for cold pasteurization is a viable alternative to traditional heat sterilization for preserving food nutrients and flavor compounds during fruit juice processing. In this study, cutting-edge techniques, including high-throughput sequencing technology, intelligent bionic sensory systems, and metabolomics, were used to examine the impact of UHP treatment on microbial community composition, odor, and taste quality of jujube juice. The UHP treatment demonstrated its effect by inducing a reddish-yellow color in the jujube juice, thereby enhancing its brightness, overall color, and stability. The most significant enhancement was observed at 330 MPa. The microorganisms responsible for spoilage and deterioration of jujube juice during storage were categorized into three clusters: bacterial clusters at 0-330 MPa, 360-450 MPa, and 480-630 Mpa. The results showed no distinct distribution patterns for fungi based on the pressure strength. The dominant bacterial genera were Lactobacillus, Nocardia, Achromobacter, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Mesorhizobium, and Rhodococcus, whereas the dominant fungal genera were yeast and mold. Notably, Lactobacillus, Achromobacter, Enterobacter, and Pseudomonas were responsible for the significant differences between the 360 MPa to 450 MPa and 480 MPa to 630 MPa clusters in terms of bacterial spoilage, whereas Torulaspora, Lodderomyces, Wickerhamomyces, and Fusarium were the primary fungal spoilage genera. UHP treatment exerted no significant impact on the taste of jujube juice but influenced its sourness. Treatment at 330 MPa had the most pronounced effect on the presence of aromatic compounds and other odorants, which were substantially increased. Further analysis revealed the prevalence of organic acids, such as malic acid, succinic acid, and tartaric acid, in jujube juice and demonstrated a consistent relationship between changes in organic acids and sourness. In addition, nine distinct odorants with VIP values greater than 1 were identified in the jujube juice. Among these, methyl acetate and methyl caproate exhibited substantial increases following the UHP treatment at 330 MPa.

Effect of jujube powder addition on the aroma profile of quinoa snacks (QS).

Quinoa is a full-nutrition food; however, its poor flavor and small size make it not the best food option for direct consumption. In this study, a quinoa snack (QS, a cake) was developed, and the aroma profile of the products was improved by adding jujube fruit powder (made from dried jujube fruits, from 5% to 30%). Gas chromatography mass spectrum (GC-MS) combined with electronic nose (e-nose) was applied for characterizing the aroma profiles of QS samples. Results showed a total of 26 aroma compounds were identified in QS samples by GC-MS, and 3-methylbutanol (from 1525 µg/kg in QS-30 to 3487 µg/kg in QS-0), ethanol (from 1126 µg/kg in QS-0 to 3581 µg/kg in QS-30), hexanal (from 125.6 µg/kg in QS-30 to 984.1 µg/kg in QS-0), and acetaldehyde (from 531.9 µg/kg in QS-30 to 191.1 µg/kg in QS-0) were common. The e-nose response of W1S (sensitive to methane, from 17.50 of QS-0 to 93.85 of QS-30) and W1W (sensitive to sulfur-organic compounds of e-nose, from 15.57 of QS-0 to 39.50 of QS-30) were significantly higher, and significant differences were presented among QS samples. In conclusion, the aroma profile of the QS sample was significantly (p < .05) enhanced by the addition of jujube powder, and QS-30 with the highest jujube content (30%) presented the strongest aroma profile. Moreover, QS samples with different additions of jujube powders could be well distinguished by principal component analysis (PCA), and the combination of e-nose and GC-MS was effective in the volatile profile analysis of QS samples.