Enhancing Yield, Physiological, and Quality Traits of Strawberry Cultivated Under Organic Management by Applying Different Non-Microbial Biostimulants.

Organic farming is an environmentally friendly management practice that excludes the use of synthetic inputs, but at the same time is associated with lower yields than conventional production. In an attempt to compensate for yield reduction, resulting from foregoing the use of synthetic fertilizers, we hypothesized that the use of biostimulant products could provide much-desired food security. In light of this, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to compare and evaluate the effects of the foliar application of three different non-microbial biostimulants (a seaweed extract, a plant protein hydrolysate, and a plant extract) on the yield, mineral profile, and physiological response of strawberry ( × Duch.

Plant biostimulants as natural alternatives to synthetic auxins in strawberry production: physiological and metabolic insights.

The demand for high-quality strawberries continues to grow, emphasizing the need for innovative agricultural practices to enhance both yield and fruit quality. In this context, the utilization of natural products, such as biostimulants, has emerged as a promising avenue for improving strawberry production while aligning with sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural approaches. This study explores the influence of a bacterial filtrate (BF), a vegetal-derived protein hydrolysate (PH), and a standard synthetic auxin (SA) on strawberry, investigating their effects on yield, fruit quality, mineral composition and metabolomics of leaves and fruits.

Enhancing the Fruit Yield and Quality in Pomegranate: Insights into Drip Irrigation and Mulching Strategies.

Pomegranate ( L.) is a fruit tree that is globally distributed, especially in warm areas with low annual rainfall and limited water availability. This species exemplifies the critical role of water in agriculture and the need for efficient irrigation practices due to its characteristics, cultivation requirements, and geographic diffusion.

Surveillance of Landraces' Seed Health in South Italy and New Evidence on Crop Diseases.

During the last three years, more than 300 landraces belonging to different plant species have been the main focus of an Italian valorization research project (AgroBiodiversità Campana, ABC) aiming at analyzing, recovering, preserving, and collecting local biodiversity. In this context, phytosanitary investigation plays a key role in identifying potential threats to the preservation of healthy seeds in gene banks and the successful cultivation of landraces. The surveillance carried out in this study, in addition to highlighting the expected presence of common species-specific pathogens such as in peas, in broad beans, and , pv.

Early Canopy Management Practices Differentially Modulate Fruit Set, Fruit Yield, and Berry Composition at Harvest Depending on the Grapevine Cultivar.

The size and number of the berries and the rachis length are the main elements that define bunch compactness in grapevine ( L.). This trait is of scientific and commercial interest because it strongly influences phytosanitary status and quality of the fruits.

Morphological and Genetic Clonal Diversity within the 'Greco Bianco' Grapevine ( L.) Variety.

Grapevine ( L.) has been propagated vegetatively for hundreds of years. Therefore, plants tend to accumulate somatic mutations that can result in an intra-varietal diversity capable of generating distinct clones.

Identification and Characterization of New Seedborne Pathogens in Landraces of Southern Italy.

The diagnostic survey of seedborne fungal pathogens is fundamental for symptomless material stored in gene banks to avoid the diffusion of pathogens by germplasm distribution and propagation. In this work, seeds of Southern Italian landraces of the common bean ( L.) belonging to the gene bank at CREA (Italy) were inspected to assess their phytosanitary status.

Current Trends and Perspectives on Predictive Models for Mildew Diseases in Vineyards.

Environmental and economic costs demand a rapid transition to more sustainable farming systems, which are still heavily dependent on chemicals for crop protection. Despite their widespread application, powdery mildew (PM) and downy mildew (DM) continue to generate serious economic penalties for grape and wine production. To reduce these losses and minimize environmental impacts, it is important to predict infections with high confidence and accuracy, allowing timely and efficient intervention.

Morphological, Biochemical, and Molecular Diversity of an Indian Ex Situ Collection of Pomegranate ( L.).

Pomegranate (, L.) is a fruit tree that is increasingly popular worldwide due to the health-related properties of the fruit juice. While several studies highlighted the rich phytochemical diversity, few efforts have been devoted to an integrative understanding of the level of diversity of this species.

Pollen-Pistil Interaction in Response to Pollination Variants in Subtropical Japanese Plum ( Lindl.) Varieties.

The Japanese plum ( Lindl.) is a fruit tree globally cultivated in temperate regions of the world. Its floral biology and yield are affected by several factors, with issues related to self- and cross- (in) compatibility among varieties being emblematic of the whole Rosaceae family.

Effect of Salt Addition and Fermentation Time on Phenolics, Microbial Dynamics, Volatile Organic Compounds, and Sensory Properties of the PDO Table Olives of Gaeta (Italy).

'Oliva di Gaeta' is almost certainly the most important and well-known PDO denomination for table olives in Italy. Their production is based on a specific two-stage trade preparation called the 'Itrana' method. In this work, we investigated how variations in the duration of the initial water fermentation (i.

Diversity and Relationships among Neglected Apricot ( L.) Landraces Using Morphological Traits and SSR Markers: Implications for Agro-Biodiversity Conservation.

Apricot ( L.) is an economically important tree species globally cultivated in temperate areas. Italy has an ample number of traditional varieties, but numerous landraces are abandoned and at risk of extinction because of increasing urbanization, agricultural intensification, and varietal renewal.

Plant-Based Biostimulant as Sustainable Alternative to Synthetic Growth Regulators in Two Sweet Cherry Cultivars.

Sweet cherry is a high value crop and the economic success of its cultivation depends not only on yield but also on fruit visual and nutritional quality attributes that influence consumer acceptability, as well as on fruit post-harvest performance and resistance to cracking. During the last few decades, cherry growers have tried to achieve these goals through exogenous applications of synthetic plant hormones and/or nutrients, but there is growing concern about the sustainability of the extensive use of these compounds in agriculture. For this reason, there is increasing interest in the possible adoption of different classes of biostimulants as sustainable alternatives to plant growth regulators.

Comparative analysis of genomic- and EST-SSRs in European plum ( L.): implications for the diversity analysis of polyploids.

Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are among the most useful DNA markers in plant science. The aim of this study was to compare the features and usefulness of genomic SSR (gSSR) and EST-SSRs in European plum ( L.), an economically important, hexaploid stone fruit crop globally cultivated to produce fleshy fruits and derived foodstuff.

Foliar Application of an Amino Acid-Enriched Urea Fertilizer on 'Greco' Grapevines at Full Veraison Increases Berry Yeast-Assimilable Nitrogen Content.

Reaching a sufficient yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) content in berries at harvest is considered a main viticultural goal for wine-making, because low YANs can slow down must fermentation and have negative effects on wine sensory attributes. For this reason, many attempts have been made to define correct fertilization strategies to stimulate YAN accumulation in the berries. Foliar application of amino acid-enriched urea fertilizer is considered a promising environmentally friendly strategy for improving the yield and nutrient efficiency of plants.

Analysis of Cultivar-Specific Variability in Size-Related Leaf Traits and Modeling of Single Leaf Area in Three Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: L., Spp., and Spp.

In this study, five allometric models were used to estimate the single leaf area of three well-known medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) species, namely basil ( L.), mint ( spp.), and sage ( spp.

Developing an Accurate and Fast Non-Destructive Single Leaf Area Model for Loquat ( Lindl) Cultivars.

In this research, seven different models to predict leaf area (LA) of loquat ( Lindl) were tested and evaluated. This species was chosen due to the relevant importance of its fruit as an appreciated early summer product and of its leaves and flower as a source of additional income within the nutraceutical and functional food markets. The analysis (calibration and validation) was made using a large dataset (2190) of leaf width (W), leaf length (L), and single LA collected in ten common loquat cultivars.

Dating the beginning of the Roman viticultural model in the Western Mediterranean: The case study of Chianti (Central Italy).

Although domestication of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) has been extensively documented, the history of genotype selection and evolution of vineyard management remain relatively neglected fields of study. The find of 454 waterlogged grapevine pips from a well-dated Etrusco-Roman site in the Chianti district (Tuscany, Central Italy) is an extraordinary chance to gain insights into the progress of viticulture occurring in a key historical period in one of the world's most famous wine regions.

Fruit position within the canopy affects kernel lipid composition of hazelnuts.

Background: The aim of this research was to study the variability in kernel composition within the canopy of hazelnut trees.

Results: Kernel fresh and dry weight increased linearly with fruit height above the ground. Fat content decreased, while protein and ash content increased, from the bottom to the top layers of the canopy.

Growth patterns and morphology of fine roots of size-controlling and invigorating peach rootstocks.

We compared growth patterns and morphology of fine roots of size-controlling and invigorating peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) rootstocks. Peach trees were grafted on five rootstocks: a vigorous control (Nemaguard), three intermediate vigor rootstocks (K119-50, P30-135 and Hiawatha), and a semi-dwarfing rootstock (K146-43).

Daily shoot extension growth of peach trees growing on rootstocks that reduce scion growth is related to daily dynamics of stem water potential.

We studied relationships between diurnal patterns of stem water potential (PsiSTEM) and stem extension growth of the same scion cultivar growing on three rootstocks with differing size-controlling potentials. The peach trees (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) used in this field experiment consisted of an early-maturing freestone cultivar, 'Flavorcrest,' grafted onto three different rootstocks: Nemaguard (a vigorous seed-propagated control, P.

Influence of branch autonomy on fruit, scaffold, trunk and root growth during stage III of peach fruit development.

We studied the influence of branch autonomy on the growth of reproductive and vegetative organs by establishing different patterns of fruit distribution within and between large branch units (scaffolds) in mature peach trees (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch cv. 'Elegant Lady').