Horticultural Science, 2025 (vol. 52), issue 3
Sweet cherry world research overview 2018–2020Review
Lubor Zelený, Gabriela Stryhalová, Jan Blažek
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(3):183-200 | DOI: 10.17221/28/2023-HORTSCI 
This review cites 137 reports from 25 countries. The highest citation numbers originate from the USA (14), China (14), and Italy (14). In contrast, only one reference is from Hungary, Iran, Morocco, and the United Kingdom. The references are divided into 16 topics. Results or conclusions of each study are briefly described, ranging by year of publication and alphabetical order of authors. The most important topic is physiological research, which includes 31 references. Referring to the years, the most productive was 2019 with 55 references, whereas the least prolific was the previous year 2018, providing only 33 references. One report was published...
Effect of leaf-to-fruit ratio on kernel quality formation of walnut treesOriginal Paper
Linhui Feng, Xian’an Yang, Shiwei Wang, Honglong Hao, Cuifang Zhang, Yicheng Gao, Yuqi Wang, Yusufu Alifu, Wenhui Zhao
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(3):201-210 | DOI: 10.17221/69/2024-HORTSCI
The study focused on the relationship between leaf-to-fruit ratio (LFR) and walnut kernel quality in Juglans regia ‘Wen 185’. It was investigated how LFR influences single kernel weight, the contents and percentages of organic matter in kernels, the 13C distribution proportion (13CDP) in crude fat and protein, and the number and size of oil bodies within the kernels. A gradually decreasing LFR led to reduced single kernel weight, the contents of crude fat, crude protein, and soluble sugar dramatically (P < 0.05), with no significant changes in the percentages and (13CDP)...
Temporal variations in flowering of ‘Honeycrisp’ apple grafted on eight different rootstocksOriginal Paper
Oscar Cruz-Alvarez, José de Jesus Ornelas-Paz, Diana Laura Araujo-Pallares, María Nohemí Frias-Moreno, Graciela Dolores Ávila-Quezada, Damaris Leopoldina Ojeda-Barrios, Juan Luis Jacobo-Cuellar
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(3):211-223 | DOI: 10.17221/32/2024-HORTSCI
Malus domestica is one of the world’s most important deciduous fruit trees. Over a four-year period (2017–2020), temporal variations in flowering were evaluated in ‘Honeycrisp’ apple trees on eight rootstocks (G.30, G.969, G.202, G.41, G.11, M.9T337, M.26 EMLA and V.6) planted in 2014 in Chihuahua, México. Among the variables evaluated were the probability of late-spring frost, winter chill units, growing degree days, flowering period, foliar nutrient concentrations, trunk cross-sectional area, number and weight of fruit per tree, and production efficiency. Significantly different chill unit accumulations occurred over...
Endophytic Streptomyces extend the vase life of Gerbera jamesonii L. by modulating antioxidant system and suppressing bacterial growthOriginal Paper
Wen Lin, Xi Wei, Ying Li, Muhammad Imran Ghani, Xiaojing Hu, Xiaoyulong Chen
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(3):224-236 | DOI: 10.17221/130/2023-HORTSCI
Gerbera flowers are the best-selling cut flowers worldwide owing to their attractive appearance. Nevertheless, one significant challenge for gerbera flowers is their relatively short vase life. Commercially, synthetic chemicals are used to prolong the vase life of flowers; however, they are not environmentally friendly, posing sustainability concerns. Therefore, we used different concentrations of the biocontrol spore suspension of Streptomyces exfoliatus FT05W and evaluated their effect on vase life, bacterial population, and different morphology and physiological indices of gerbera cut flowers, with the objective of determining the optimal concentration...
Inter-specific cucurbitaceous rootstock enhances plant growth, photosynthetic, root architecture and yield traits in grafted cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)Original Paper
Anant Bahadur, Anish Kumar Singh, Sapana Yadav, Rajeev Kumar, Hare Krishna, Tusar Kanti Behera
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(3):237-249 | DOI: 10.17221/96/2024-HORTSCI
In recent years, grafting has emerged as an efficient and alternative tool to the relatively slow conventional breeding methods, aiming to increase tolerance to abiotic stresses and soil pathogens while improving yield and quality attributes in fruit vegetables. In the present investigation, six inter-specific cucurbitaceous rootstocks, viz. sponge gourd (SG), ridge gourd (RG), ash gourd (AG), bottle gourd (BG), and Summerfit (SF), an inter-specific hybrid of snap melon × acidulus melon, were evaluated for cucumber (C) cv. ‘Kashi Nutan’. Experimental findings revealed that cucumber grafted onto inter-specific SF exhibited a 14.63%, 57.5%,...
Investigating the effects of ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) on Persian walnut fruit qualityOriginal Paper
Reza Khosravi Zanjani, Majid Abdouss, Mohsen Mohammadi
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(3):250-260 | DOI: 10.17221/82/2023-HORTSCI
The darkness of the kernel and the lack of simultaneous ripening of the mesocarp and endocarp are among the most significant challenges in Iranian walnut orchards. The mentioned problems appear more in areas with hot and humid summers. The research focused on the quality of the kernel in terms of colour and marketability, as well as the dry matter of the kernels. Additionally, the ease of mesocarp separation from endocarp was examined. Experimental trials were designed with 27 treatment combinations to address the mentioned issues using varying concentrations of 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (ethephon) at different harvest dates. In this study, using...
Comprehensive protection of tomato photosystem under cold stress by Streptomyces sp. TOR3209Original Paper
Jia Ma, Jieli Peng, Nan Jia, Xu Wang, Yuxi He, Entao Wang, Dong Hu, Zhanwu Wang
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(3):261-271 | DOI: 10.17221/90/2024-HORTSCI
The plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Streptomyces sp. TOR3209 induces plant tolerance in a wide range of stress conditions. However, the protection of photosystem under cold stress has not been fully understood. Here we reported that the photochemistry activity of photosystem II (PSII) was increased in tomato plants receiving TOR3209 treatment, including the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm), PSII operating efficiency (ΦPSII), PSII maximum efficiency (Fv’/Fm’), and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). Microscopic study revealed that the integrity of chloroplast structure was greatly...
The influence of LED light on the development and antioxidant status of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) microgreensOriginal Paper
Suzana Pavlović, Zdenka Girek, Jelena Damnjanović, Svetlana Roljević Nikolić, Dragana Stevanović, Milan Ugrinović
Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(3):272-280 | DOI: 10.17221/44/2024-HORTSCI
The aim of the research was to examine the influence of different light treatments on the growth, phytochemicals and antioxidant potential of broccoli microgreens. Plants were grown in a growth chamber under LED (light-emitting diode) cold white, red and blue light and under fluorescent cold white light (control). The results showed that white and blue light treatments were the best for microgreen growth. Higher concentration of pigments was recorded in plants grown under LED light compared to those grown under FL (fluorescent lamp) light. The content of phenols and flavonoids had a positive and significant correlation with DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl)...