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Fruits Volume 79/2
Check out the current issue of Fruits - The International Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Horticulture online at https://www.pubhort.org/fruits/ (Volume 79, issue 2).
International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) and CABI are pleased to announce a journal publishing partnership from 1 January 2025.
See also https://www.ishs.org/ejhs
Chronica Horticulturae Volume 64 Number 2 (March 2024) is available for download - proceed to https://www.ishs.org/chronica-horticulturae/vol64nr2.
Topics in this number include
News & Views from the Board
Yi Lv is a Ph.D student at the School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, China, under the supervision of Prof. Yike Gao. Cooperating with her co-workers, Yi Lv has conducted distant hybridization breeding between Xanthorrhoeaceae and Amaryllidaceae. Distant hybridization is expected to result in new progenies with traits from genetically different species. This should enable plant producers to respond to new demands and global climate change.
Elisabet Freyja Henriksson is a PhD student at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, working on environmental sustainability and circularity in vertical farming. Her current research is focused on aquaponics and life cycle assessments (LCA). Aquaponics is generating interest in terms of its potential to produce both vegetables and high-value protein in the form of fish, in a manner that is often claimed to be more sustainable than traditional alternatives.
Food production across the globe is threatened by pervasive drivers of food insecurity such as climate change, scarcity of agricultural resources and human population growth. Vertical farming (VF) technologies offer promising contributions within a sustainable food production framework by alleviating the stress posed by these drivers. However, VF encounters some obstacles, in that these systems are vastly expensive to establish and are constrained to cultivating crops or varieties that are either self-pollinating or would require manual pollination, further increasing labour costs.
Emulsions, such as creams, dressings and desserts, are an important part of the food industry and our daily lives. However, the food industry rarely explores non-aqueous systems such as oil-in-oil (O/O) emulsions due to the difficulty of finding suitable emulsifiers with hydrophobic nature and the few edible compounds available. Different from typical oil-in-water (O/W) and water-in-oil (W/O), O/O emulsions with little or no water can be utilized for the development of food products where water is not desired, such as encapsulation of water-insoluble bioactive and functional foods.
To feed an estimated population of 9.7 billion by 2050, food production needs to increase significantly while protecting the environment and minimizing food waste. One promising approach lies in organic alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Through the farming of insects, organic waste is bioconverted into larval biomass to be used as livestock feed, but the process also generates a new source of organic waste in the form of exuviae and frass, which can be used as crop fertilizers.
Yu Kyeong Shin is a research associate professor at the Department of Horticulture, Jeonbuk National University, South Korea, where she collaborates with Professor Jun Gu Lee on the physiology of vegetable cultivation. She completed her PhD in 2022, with her dissertation entitled “Evaluation of abiotic stress tolerance in vegetable plug seedlings using non-destructive chlorophyll fluorescence analysis.” Cabbage plays a vital role in functional substances such as GSLs (glucosinolates).
Jujube is the most important species in the Rhamnaceae family in terms of its economic, ecological, and social importance. It is also one of the oldest cultivated fruit trees in the world. More recently, jujube is attracting greater interest among researchers, farmers and consumers worldwide. While food products derived from jujube are seldom seen on the European market, we believe that this fruit is extremely important for a healthy diet, in both a fresh and processed form.
Lijun Zhou, a PhD candidate at the School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, China, under the supervision of Prof. Chao Yu, is exploring the mechanisms responsible for the fragrance of roses. Rose is one of the most important ornamental plants with high edible and medicinal values, and is widely cultivated worldwide for perfume production. Rosa gigantea, with its strong sweet fragrance, has played a prominent role in the breeding of the hybrid tea roses.
Sara Benchaa is a PhD student at Laval University in Quebec City under the supervision of Prof. Line Lapointe. Sara is focused on optimizing vernalization and cultivation conditions for the greenhouse production of Anemone coronaria and Ranunculus asiaticus. As climatic conditions in the Quebec region do not support a diverse range of early spring cut flowers, starting plants in greenhouses and, for many, resorting to forcing, is necessary to produce various flower varieties earlier in the season.
May 18, 2024, the 7th International Fascination of Plants Day
This year's Fascination of Plants Day, a plant scientists' initiative, has already been adopted by 64 countries worldwide.
Beware of scams implying association with ISHS
The ISHS was made aware of correspondences, being circulated via e-mails, from internet websites, and via regular mail or fax, falsely stating that they are issued by or associated with ISHS, the ISHS Board and/or its officials.
Such scams, which may ultimately seek to extract money and/or personal details from the recipients of such correspondence, are fraudulent.
Neither ISHS nor its officials are engaging in such practices.
5th episode in the ISHS Horticulture Debate series called "Hort Forum"
Agroecology for sustainable horticulture: It's time to address it
Speaker: Georgina Catacora-Vargas , Universidad Católica Boliviana, Tiahuanacu (Bolivia)
Chronica Horticulturae Volume 64 Number 1 (March 2024) is available for download - proceed to https://www.ishs.org/chronica-horticulturae/vol64nr1.
Topics in this number include
News & Views from the Board
4th episode in a new ISHS Horticulture Debate series called "Hort Forum"
Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere Storage: A paradigm shift in postharvest science
Speaker: Angelo Zanella , Research Centre Laimburg, Ora, (Italy)
Over the past thirty years, there has been considerable commentary about Acta Horticulturae (https://www.actahort.org/).
Many consider Acta Horticulturae to be inferior to scientific journals as it does not have an Impact Factor rating, but publication is a requirement if someone wants to present at an ISHS symposium or congress. Acta Horticulturae was designed to be a conference proceedings.
Dear Member of ISHS Working Group on Mechanization, Digitization, Sensing and Robotics,
Agrivoltaics is the practice of growing crops underneath solar panels. Using photovoltaic arrays above tree canopies has several potential benefits such as limiting transpiration and water use, and protecting trees and fruit from damage (extreme heat, sunlight, hail). Nevertheless, above-canopy photovoltaic arrays reduce light availability. This study aimed to measure the light availability and crop load distribution under two different west-facing solar panel configurations – 45 degree (45W) and near horizontal 5 degree (5W) – and compared it to a control (no photovoltaic arrays).
Red-fleshed kiwifruit have recently entered the international market. As their nutraceutical properties have generated significant consumer interest, to establish a quality standard along the supply chain, the internal quality of the fruit must be accurately evaluated. Evaluating the redness of kiwifruit flesh poses a complex challenge due to the inherent variability in color localization and spottiness, as well as the wide range of red shades and intensities within each fruit.
Muthianzhele Ravuluma is a PhD candidate at the University of the Free State, South Africa. His research is focused on estimating the current and future use of water in pomegranate orchards in the Western Cape, South Africa. Establishing crops tolerant to water stress is essential to improve food availability. As the climate in South Africa is semi-arid and prone to droughts, climate change is exacerbating the situation with increasing temperatures, increased evaporative demand, more frequent occurrence of droughts, more erratic rainfall and shifts in rainfall patterns.
Biostimulants can improve nutrient uptake by plants, growth, productivity, fruit quality, as well as plant resilience to abiotic and biotic stresses. Among them, silicon (Si) is reported to be beneficial in mitigating stresses such as plant diseases, salinity, drought, and nutrient imbalances. For organic highbush blueberries, the ability to enhance crop resilience and produce high quality berries is essential to the success of the organic sector in international markets.
Sebastian Dam is a former undergraduate student of Dr. Youbin Zheng (University of Guelph) and is currently a crop consultant at Cultivation Coaches in Canada. Sebastian’s research consists of optimizing cannabis cultivation techniques. Throughout the world, as the cultivation of cannabis is becoming legal for both medicinal and recreational use, documented research for this new crop is in high demand. The important quality metrics for production are consistent inflorescence density and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content throughout the plant and between cultivation cycles.
As a member of Cranfield University’s Plant Science Laboratory, Heather is currently completing a PhD project entitled “Reducing seed loss and waste in umbelliferous crops” as part of the FoodBioSystems DTP program in partnership with Elsoms Seeds Ltd. The project focuses on understanding the genetic background of flower and seed development in parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) with a view to developing a marker-assisted-selection pipeline to improve seed production efficiency for current and new varieties.
The Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana L.), a member of the family Rhamnaceae, is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The tree can withstand highly alkaline and slightly waterlogged soils and has potential to prevent soil erosion and desertification. However, the cultivation of Indian jujube may also provide opportunities for smallholder farmers to improve their livelihoods. Fruits may be dehydrated and processed into different products like pickles, murabba, candy, and chutney.
Severe drought and extreme temperatures are two main impacts of climate change, resulting in increased abiotic stress response from plants and an increased demand for fresh water. Breeding for functional traits such as stomatal density can enhance the climate resilience of plants. As stomata control plant-water relations, their function makes them promising targets for improving crop performance in response to climatic stresses.
The employment of Vitis vinifera germplasm for the development of downy mildew resistant cultivars could greatly shorten and simplify breeding programs. ‘Mgaloblishvili’ is a V. vinifera cultivar that has shown some resistance to grape downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), one of the most destructive diseases affecting grapevines. A genome wide association study was able to identify three new loci associated with the ‘Mgaloblishvili’ resistant phenotype: Rpv29, Rpv30 and Rpv31. Nonetheless, the protein-coding genes responsible for the resistance remain elusive.
Aleksandra Korićanac is a PhD student at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, and a Research Assistant at the Fruit Research Institute, Čačak, Serbia. Her research is largely focused on fruit quality changes during ripening, harvest, storage, and postharvest management of temperate zone fruit species, particularly plums. Little is currently known about how European plums (Prunus domestica) ripen.
Jingyin Bao, a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, under the supervision of Dr. Alice Hayward, is focused on conserving endangered Australian flora. Armed with a Master of Biotechnology, her prior work has focused on optimizing cryopreservation protocols for the endangered Gossia fragrantissima. Expanding on this foundation, her current PhD project is dedicated to broadening the application of cryopreservation to other endangered Australian native plants, particularly Gossia and Decaspermum.
Join the International "Fascination of Plants Day" around May 18, 2024 – a global celebration of plants!
The European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO) jointly with over 60 National Coordinators across the globe proudly announce the launch of the seventh edition of the Fascination of Plants Day (FoPD), scheduled to take place on and around May 18, 2024.
Third episode in a new ISHS Horticulture Debate series called "Hort Forum"
Video recording of this webinar is now available for on-demand viewing
Leveraging Molecular Markers in Fruit Tree Breeding: From Promise to Reality
Speaker: Ksenija Gasic, Professor, Clemson University, South Carolina (USA)
Chronica Horticulturae Volume 63 Number 4 (December 2023) is available for download - proceed to https://www.ishs.org/chronica-horticulturae/vol63nr4.
Topics in this number include
News & Views from the Board
Plant phenological development is deeply influenced by changes in temperature, with budbreak dates occurring earlier as the mean global temperature increases. As a result, spring frost damage risk is increasing in many areas of the world. In grapevine, early dormancy release may also result in the advancement of all subsequent developmental stages, including ripening and harvest, thus challenging traditional wine production schedules in important wine-making regions.
As part of her PhD at the University of Life Sciences “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” Iasi, Romania, Mariana Calara’s research has focused on “Optimization of some organic vegetable crop systems using allelopathic interactions”. There are many products available for disease and pest control in organic agriculture. However, when it comes to weed control, the measures are limited. Allelopathy can be helpful in this regard. Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon involving chemical interactions, where a plant releases specific chemicals that exert various effects on neighboring or associated plants.
As part of his PhD at the Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy, Francesco Maldera is evaluating the behavior of new hedgerow systems in olive and almond orchards. This research is exploring the relevance of propagation methods for olive trees and how the in vitro propagation techniques affect the morphology and architectural parameters of different olive cultivars and thus their suitability in orchard intensification.
The Ranunculaceae family, comprising 2500 species across 53 genera, has long intrigued researchers due to its unique position among flowering plants. Two species, Anemone coronaria L. (poppy anemone) and Ranunculus asiaticus L. (Persian buttercup), are renowned for their ornamental value as cut flowers and potted plants, with breeding efforts focused on enhancing various traits from flower uniformity to resistance to environmental stressors.
Bixuan Cheng is in the first year of her Ph.D. studies at the School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, China, under the supervision of Prof. Chao Yu. Based on genomics and linkage analysis, she is seeking to discover the molecular mechanism of important traits for tetraploid roses. China has been cultivating Rosa species for many centuries. More than a hundred Chinese rose cultivars are recorded in "The Rose Anthology" compiled by Chuanchuo Liu in the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912). Some of them have excellent ornamental traits and strong adaptability. R.
Chestnuts are an ecologically and economically important fruit and forest tree species that have been cultivated for several centuries. Annual chestnut production now reaches over two million tons, yet little is known about the ecology of chestnut pollination. How is chestnut pollen dispersed? Is the quantity and quality of pollen limiting? What are the determinants of chestnut pollination success? Without an in-depth study of these mechanisms, it is difficult to design highly productive orchards.
Christine Schmitz is a PhD candidate working on management models for fruit growers with the Horticultural Sciences team at the University of Bonn and the Dienstleistungszentrum Ländlicher Raum Rheinpfalz (Germany). Spring frost damage is a major problem for temperate fruit production in Germany. Techniques to protect apricot orchards against such damage include wind machines, paraffin candles and below-canopy irrigation.
Raphaël Deragon is a Ph.D. candidate at Université Laval (Canada), working under the supervision of Drs. Jean Caron and Budiman Minasny. His work focuses on detecting and mapping peaty, limnic and mineral layers found within the first metre of soil in drained and cultivated peatlands. To survey thousands of hectares more efficiently, the use of automated and proximal sensors has the potential to reduce manual sampling efforts and eliminate the need for laboratory measurements.
Zobabalo Mina is a Masters candidate at the Postharvest and Agroprocessing Research Centre at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Her research is focused on the development of a shelf-stable carrot product for multiple applications in the South African food and beverage industries. An efficient and effective drying method is crucial for preserving fresh carrots. Simultaneously, the dried product needs to maintain its color, shape and nutritional quality for better consumer acceptability.
The governing Board of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) is working to make the society's publication strategy more efficient.
At present the plan is to keep at least one journal that will remain an open access journal and will be published by a non-profit publishing company through a partnership agreement.
For the first time under the aegis of the ISHS, the III International Symposium on Moringa was held from 8-10 November 2023 in Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
Young Minds Committee
The International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) is about to launch an exciting new program for Young Minds in 2024: The "ISHS Young Minds Committee"
If you are a student embarking upon your academic journey or an early career professional
ProMiCli2024: I International Symposium on Protected Cultivation, Nettings and Screens for Mild Climates
Athens (Greece), 23-26 September 2024 - #ProMiCli2024
Dear friends and colleagues,
We are delighted to inform you that registration and abstract submission for the I International Symposium on Protected Cultivation, Nettings and Screens for Mild Climates, which will be held in Athens (Greece) from September 23th to 26th 2024, is open. It is our pleasure to host this Symposium and invite you to attend and present a scientific paper.
Check out the new issue of eJHS online at https://www.pubhort.org/ejhs/ (Volume 88, issue 5, October 2023) including the following articles:
European, Middle Eastern & African Society for Biopreservation and Biobanking (ESBB) in cooperation with the ISHS Working Group B03 Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources and Genebank Management invites all interested to join for an enlightening educational webinar on October 24th 2023 at 15:00 CEST
The October 2023 Newsletter of the ISHS Division Horticulture for Development is now available for download below.
As a marketingspecialist, horticulture is viewed from a different lens than to breeders, physiologists, and other horticulturalists. The best part? This is okay! We all serve a role in horticulture that requires our specializations.
Have you ever considered what is horticulture?
Truly, what horticulture is has changed over time and means something different to different cultures or people.
Two hours celebrating International Day of Moringa (IDM) - Shine Africa gathered world moringa industrial partners along with ISHS Working Group Moringa
On September 14, 2023, an online meeting was held as a continues support to moringa worldwide.
Shine Africa took the lead and gathered world moringa industrial partners to celebrate along with ISHS Working Group Moringa the 1st version of 'International Day of Moringa (IDM)' on September 14, 2023.
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