Horticultural Science - Latest articles

Evaluation of different rooting stimulators and substrates to produce guava clone plants through softwood cuttings

Muhammad Tahir Akram, Rashad Qadri, Mehwish Liaquat, Naveed ur Rehman, Tanveer Hussain, Irfan Ali, Sarvet Jehan, Muhammad Azam, Muhammad Mumtaz Khan, Muhammad Ahsan Khatana, Arslan Achakzai, Israr Ali

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(2):131-143 | DOI: 10.17221/62/2024-HORTSCI  

The clonal propagation of guava (Psidium guajava L.) is essential to avoid segregation, and its multiplication through cuttings is the easiest and cheapest way to raise a nursery, as other propagation techniques are laborious and need expertise. The current study was planned to evaluate the best rooting stimulators and rooting substrates for guava nursery propagation. In this experiment, the guava-prepared cuttings were treated with rooting stimulators, indole butyric acid (IBA) and paclobutrazol (PB) with concentrations (0, 200, 400, and 600 ppm) and were planted in independent rooting substrates (sand, silt and topsoil) under polytunnels....

Influence of phosphite and phosphate fertilizers at three different pH levels under floating system on the growth, yield, and nutrient concentration of broccoli

Amin Jahanian, Seyed Jalal Tabatabaei, Nosratollah Najafi, Martina Bučková, Farzad Rasouli, Jiří Mlček, Sezai Ercisli

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(2):120-130 | DOI: 10.17221/16/2024-HORTSCI  

This study was conducted to determine the effects of phosphite and phosphate fertilisers on broccoli’s yield, growth, and nutritional status (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica cv. ‘Fiorentino’). In factorial combinations, experiments were conducted at three pH levels (5.5, 7.0, and 8.5) and three phosphorus source levels [Pi (phosphate), Phi (phosphite), and Pi + Phi]. Phi had a statistically significant negative effect on yield, producing immature and button-like flower heads. Decreases in chlorophyll index, Fv/Fm [ratio of variable fluorescence (Fv) to maximum fluorescence (Fm)], and leaf area were observed using the...

Variations in bog bilberry fruit characteristics along an altitudinal gradient on Changbai Mountain, China

Jinhang Li, Qige Qi, Qichang Zhang, Meng Wang, Yichen Liu, Xinyu Sun, Yuting Mu, Chunlei Yang

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(2):111-119 | DOI: 10.17221/147/2023-HORTSCI  

To better understand the influence of altitude on fruit characteristics of bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum L.), here we investigated the adaptation of its fruit morphological and chemical traits to the environment at six growing positions along an altitudinal gradient (706, 957, 1 226, 1 315, 2 000 and 2 190 m) on the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, China. Fruit longitudinal diameter, fruit transverse diameter and fruit weight decreased significantly with increasing altitude. Vitamin B1 content reached its highest at 2 190 m, while both vitamin B2 and vitamin C contents reached their highest and lowest at 1 226 and 706 m, respectively....

Effect of compounds used for soaking narcissus bulbs on mycelium coverage of bulbs and substrate

Adam Tadeusz Wojdyła, Jacek Stanisław Nowak, Jan Bocianowski, Monika Kałużna, Jacek Wiśniewski, Emilia Waszkiewicz

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(2):103-110 | DOI: 10.17221/42/2024-HORTSCI  

In the experiments, two compounds were used: hydrogen peroxide with silver (H2O2-Ag+) and captan, pyraclostrobin + boscalid and methyl thiophanate + tetraconazole to soak narcissus bulbs before planting for the period of 20 minutes. The bulbs were planted in such a way that 2/3 of the bulb was above the surface of the substrate. All the pots with bulbs were subsequently placed in plastic boxes and transferred to a cooling chamber adjusted precisely for 9 °C and 94–99% air humidity. During the rooting of the bulbs in the cold room after 4, 8, 12 and 15 weeks, and then in the greenhouse after cutting the above-ground parts, the observations of...

Sequential and combined spray of herbicides to tomato field on weed reduction, fruit parameters and carryover residues

Yerra Pavani, Ponnusamy Janaki, Palanisamy Murali Arthanari, Ramasamy Jagadeeswaran, Arjunan Sankari, Alaguthevar Ramalakshmi, Chandrasekaran Bharathi

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(2):91-102 | DOI: 10.17221/41/2024-HORTSCI  

Tomatoes are in great demand worldwide and consumed due to their nutritional and sensory qualities. Weed infestation poses a great challenge in tomato production, prompting growers to employ two to three herbicides in combinations and sequences for comprehensive control. Consequently, this study was undertaken to investigate the effects of glyphosate, pendimethalin, and metribuzin when applied individually or in sequential combinations in tomato fields. The herbicides significantly reduced the weed density and dry biomass and enhanced the weed control efficiency (WCE) compared to control. A tank mix spray of pendimethalin and metribuzin following glyphosate...

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Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(1)  

Effect of treatment of narcissus bulbs with hydrogen peroxide with silver and fungicides on plant growth and development

Adam Tadeusz Wojdyła, Jacek Stanislaw Nowak, Jan Bocianowski, Artur Kowalski, Jacek Wiśniewski, Emilia Waszkiewicz

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(1):81-90 | DOI: 10.17221/43/2024-HORTSCI  

The aim of the research was to demonstrate the possibility of using hydrogen peroxide with silver (H₂O₂-Ag+) and selected fungicides for treating narcissus bulbs and their impact on plant growth and development. In the experiments were used compounds such as hydrogen peroxide with silver (H₂O₂-Ag+) and captan (Biszop 80 WG), pyraclostrobin + boscalid (Signum 33 WG) and methyl thiophanate + tetraconazole (Yamato 303 SE) to soak narcissus bulbs before planting for the period of 20 minutes. The research showed that stimulation of growth and development by some of the tested concentrations of H₂O₂-Ag+...

Identification and validation of stem rot disease resistance genes in passion fruit (Passiflora edulis)

Yanyan Wu, Guoying Shi, Junniu Zhou, Qinglan Tian, Jieyun Liu, Weihua Huang, Xiuzhong Xia, Haifei Mou, Xinghai Yang

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(1):67-80 | DOI: 10.17221/161/2023-HORTSCI  

Stem rot disease poses a significant challenge in passion fruit production, necessitating the identification of resistant genes for the development of stem rot resistant varieties. In this study, we conducted artificial inoculation of Fusarium solani on leaves of two passion fruit varieties, ‘Huangjinguo’ and ‘Ziguo 7’. Leaf samples were collected at 0 h, 24 h, and 48 h post-inoculation for RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis, and 3 370, 4 464, and 3 974 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified at these stages. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed associations with functions such as response to reactive oxygen...

Simple and robust sex determination in papaya (Carica papaya L.) cultivars using SCAR marker

K Soumiya, I Muthuvel, C Kavitha, K Chandrakumar, K A Shanmugasundaram, N Manikanda Boopathi

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(1):61-66 | DOI: 10.17221/145/2023-HORTSCI  

For viable papaya production, more hermaphrodite plants are needed than male and female (though they produce inferior fruits). To this end, the sex of the plants must be ascertained early in their growth cycle, which is not possible with conventional methods. Molecular marker has shown its utility for this purpose, and in this study, 100 seedlings of the CO 7 gynodioecious variety and 100 seedlings of the CO 8 dioecious variety that were released from this university were analysed for their sex using the RAPD-SCAR (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-sequence characterised amplified region) marker, T12. In those lines under investigation, the T12 marker’s...

Determination of the variation in volatile components during the ripening of Sorbus domestica L. fruit

Engin Gür, Mehmet Ali Gündoğdu, Tuba Başaran

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(1):53-60 | DOI: 10.17221/157/2023-HORTSCI  

Sorbus domestica L. is a deciduous shrub-like tree in the Rosaceae family that reaches different heights (3–25 m). The service tree commonly grows in the Marmara region, Central and Western Black Sea regions, and Central Anatolia in Türkiye. The fruit of the service tree called Sorbus domestica, has an essential place in regards to human health in terms of its antioxidant values. The aroma components and phenolic compounds it contains display a variety of physiological traits. This study was carried out to determine the changes in the pomological characteristics and volatile compounds of Sorbus domestica L. fruits in the...

Selection of high-quality tree peony varieties suitable for the south Yangtze River area

Zijian Li, Yuxuan Zhu, Xinai Yang, Yajun Xiang, Ying Zhang, Hongbing Wang, Zheng Wang, Shuiyan Yu, Yonghong Hu

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(1):42-52 | DOI: 10.17221/11/2024-HORTSCI  

To select tree peony varieties with high ornamental value suitable for the hot and humid environment of the south Yangtze River area, 74 tree peony varieties from the Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai were selected as experimental materials. The experiment involved initial selection for leaf humidity and heat tolerance, assessing the ornamental value during the flowering period of the following year and measuring a series of indicators such as the relative chlorophyll content of the leaves. Methods including principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and comprehensive membership function were employed. The results indicated that among the...

Effect of genotype and leader type on benzyladenine induced sylleptic branching in apple nursery trees

Kishan Lal Kumawat, Wasim Hassan Raja, Javid Iqbal Mir, Susheel Kumar Raina

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(1):33-41 | DOI: 10.17221/139/2023-HORTSCI  

The planting of branched nursery trees is an essential component of most high-density orchard planting systems to induce precocity. However, in apples, most cultivars do not produce the desired numbers of sylleptic shoots naturally due to the presence of apical dominance. Benzyladenine (BA) applications alter the apical dominance and consequently encourage sylleptic shoot formation in nursery trees. However, the response to an exogenous BA application can vary with the genotype. Currently, most nurseries produce branched apple nursery trees using the renewal leader method. However, apart from the renewal leader method, branched nursery trees can also...

A review on crop improvement strategies and breeding methods in ornamental annuals

R Priyadharsini, K R Rajadurai, A Beaulah, M Madhan Mohan, K Venkatesan, S Rajesh

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(1):15-32 | DOI: 10.17221/31/2024-HORTSCI  

The availability of a broad variety of cultivars in many ornamental species has increased recently, in particular for attractive annuals, which are valued commercially for their use as cut flowers, potted plants, loose flowers, and in landscape gardening. The breeding of ornamental plants in the current scenario is a challenging endeavour with constantly evolving new obstacles. Modern genomic technologies provide prospects for improved precision breeding and selection for characteristics that are more difficult to determine. Traditionally, ornamental breeding has been focused on increasing resistance to biotic or abiotic stress, novelty, yield, and...

Harnessing CRISPR/Cas9 system to engineer disease resistance in solanaceous crops: Current progress and future prospects

Shiuli Ahmed, Wan Aina Sakeenah Wan Azizan, Farahziatul Roshidah Nazri, Muhammad Asyraf Md Hatta

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2025, 52(1):1-14 | DOI: 10.17221/19/2024-HORTSCI  

Crops belonging to the Solanaceae family, including potato, tomato, pepper, and tobacco possess considerable economic importance worldwide. However, their production is continuously under threat from plant pathogens. Farmers typically rely on resistant cultivars carrying one or several disease resistance (R) genes introduced through conventional breeding. Over time, a competitive host-pathogen coevolution can lead to major resistance breakdown. Genome editing is a significant research tool and avenue for the genetic improvement of crop species, as it enables the precise introduction of targeted genetic changes. This technology has been...

Effects of natural plant growth regulator iron chlorin on photosynthesis, yield, and quality of watermelons grown in greenhouses

Qian Feng, Lu Lu, Qingyun Li, Liu Wang, Qingyu Pei, Shoujiang Pan, Jing Tian, Shaowei Lu, Shao Li

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(4):341-347 | DOI: 10.17221/132/2023-HORTSCI  

Iron chlorin is known to affect plant growth, but its potential applications in watermelon production have rarely been explored. To better understand its effects on the growth, photosynthesis, yield, and quality of watermelon in a greenhouse setting, a series of experiments were conducted using the variety ‘Sumeng 6’. At the flowering and early fruit expansion stages, the plants were sprayed with iron chlorin with mass concentrations of 0.001, 0.002, 0.004, and 0.008 μg/L (T1, T2, T3, and T4). Control plants were sprayed with water (CK). The growth index, root activity, photosynthetic pigment content, photosynthetic parameters, yield,...

The influence of bioproducts on mycorrhizal occurrence in the vegetable roots

Edyta Derkowska, Lidia Sas-Paszt, Beata Sumorok, Krzysztof Górnik, Sławomir Głuszek, Waldemar Treder

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(4):327-340 | DOI: 10.17221/69/2023-HORTSCI  

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the use of biofertilizers on the degree of colonization of cucumber and tomato plant roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the number of AMF spores in the rhizosphere soil. Two experiments were carried out in containers on cucumber and tomato plants under field conditions. The plants were fertilized with standard NPK fertilizer, mineral fertilizers: POLIFOSKA 6, Super FOS DAR 40 and urea in the full recommended dose and reduced by 40%, microbiologically enriched, and only with strains of beneficial microorganisms (Bacillus spp., Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Paenibacillus Polymyxa, Aspergillus...

Effects of abscisic acid and gibberellin on sugar accumulation in ‘Fengtang’ Plum (Prunus salicina LindI.)

Qianjun Song, Xiaoshuang Nie, Hong Chen

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(4):314-326 | DOI: 10.17221/25/2024-HORTSCI  

To investigate the regulation mechanism of exogenous plant growth regulators on the sugar accumulation of ‘Fengtang’ plum fruits, and to provide theoretical support for improving the sugar content of ‘Fengtang’ plum fruits. The expression of fruit sugar fractions and related genes was determined by spraying different concentrations of exogenous  abscisic acid (ABA) and Gibberellic acid 3 (GA3) during the critical period of sugar accumulation in ‘Fengtang’ plum. The results showed that exogenous ABA treatment increased fruit soluble solids content, delayed the decline in fruit firmness, increased fruit sucrose and...

Ecophysiological aspects of some sweet cherry cultivars from the North-East of Romania

Iulia Mineata, Ionel Perju, Sorina Sîrbu, Iuliana Elena Golache, Ionut Vasile Ungureanu, Stefanica Ostaci, Carmen Doina Jitareanu

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(4):305-313 | DOI: 10.17221/113/2023-HORTSCI  

The physiological performance, growth and competitive ability of fruit trees are increasingly affected by the effects of global climate change, very different at a regional level, which mainly causes considerable changes in water availability. The purpose of this study was the evaluation of three sweet cherry cultivars from the Research Station for Fruit Growing (RSFG) Iași, Romania under the climatic conditions of 2022–2023 by performing physiological investigations into the water regime and the transpiration process through the stomatal conductance, the water content of the leaves as well as their dehydration rate after 24 hours. The obtained...

Clonal and seasonal genetic variation of major oil components of Salvia fruticosa Mill.

Fatma Uysal, Muharrem Golukcu, Murat Alan, Esra Alım, Kenan Turgut

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(4):297-304 | DOI: 10.17221/134/2023-HORTSCI  

Anatolian sage (Salvia fruticosa Mill.) is widely used in many food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors. This study aimed to determine the differences in essential oil components and seasonal changes in the components of six clonally selected C-clones and one natural population in a randomized block design with three replications. Samples were collected monthly from C-clones for two years, and essential oil rates were determined. Clonal heritability was between 0.00 and 0.78. When the best clone was selected from six clones, the genetic gain changed from 12.4 to 44.8 for the essential oil components. Assessment of all clones revealed that...

Yttrium nitrate improves the longevity of campanula cut flowers through strengthening the enzymatic antioxidant system and maintaining water balance

Limin Wu, Ninghai Lu

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(4):286-296 | DOI: 10.17221/171/2023-HORTSCI  

We explored the role of yttrium nitrate (Y(NO3)3) in extending the longevity of campanula cut flowers. The results showed that Y(NO3)3 significantly enhanced the enzymatic antioxidant system, including the superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, dehydroascorbate reductase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase. In this way, Y(NO3)3 increased the DPPH scavenging activity and decreased the malondialdehyde content and electrolyte leakage, which implied that Y(NO3)3 strengthened the antioxidant capacity. Meanwhile, Y(NO3)3 significantly improved the production of the...

Comparison of phenylpropanoid metabolism of three physiological disorders in apple and pear

Linru Wang, Gengsen Liu, Lianmei Liu, Yugang Zhang, Haiyong Qu

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(4):278-285 | DOI: 10.17221/103/2023-HORTSCI  

Apples and pears are the main temperate fruit tree species, and metabolic disorders may occur during their development and post-harvest storage periods, leading to physiological diseases. In this study, we detected the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzyme and related metabolites involved in phenylpropanoid metabolism in the pulp of pear with hard-end or cork spot and in the pulp of apple with bitter pit. These three physiological disorders differed in phenylpropanoid metabolism and had similar PAL activity, but their polyphenol, flavonoid, and lignin contents changes were completely. For fruits with the three types of physiological metabolic disorders,...

Effects of elevated CO₂ and cadmium stress on vegetable quality and cadmium accumulation

Xiao Wang, Deyan Li, Xiaohui Song

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(4):270-277 | DOI: 10.17221/131/2023-HORTSCI  

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) on the quality and cadmium (Cd) accumulation of vegetables grown in soil with a background Cd level or in Cd-contaminated soil. We used four types of vegetable: pak choi (Brassica rapa L.), water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.), cherry radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus (L.) Domin) and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Cd stress significantly reduced vegetable vitamin C and reducing sugar content; however, under eCO₂, vitamin C and reducing sugar content levels were significantly higher than they were under...

The effect of rootstocks on morphological, physiological, and gene expression characters of citrus seedlings grown under drought condition

Nirmala Friyanti Devy, Siti Subandiyah, Sri Widyaningsih, Hardiyanto Hardiyanto, Farida Yulianti, Dita Agisimanto, Agus Sugiyatno, Mutia Dwiastuti

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(4):255-269 | DOI: 10.17221/136/2023-HORTSCI  

To date, ‘Japansche Citroen’ (JC) has only been used commercially as a rootstock in Indonesia; however, the use of suitable rootstock remains challenging because of water limits in different places. The morphological, physiological, and gene expression changes of one-and-a-half-year-old mandarin cv. ‘Keprok Batu 55’  (KB) and sweet orange cv. ‘Manis Pacitan’  (MP) budded onto ‘Japansche citroen’ (JC), ‘Rough Lemon’ (RL), ‘Salam’ (S), ‘Volkameriana’ (V), and ‘Cleopatra Mandarin’ (C) rootstocks, subjected to six-week drought-stress conditions, were examined...

Analyzing the effects of different GA3 applications on plant root architecture and above-ground properties in tulip cultivars

Ömer Sari

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(3):244-254 | DOI: 10.17221/174/2023-HORTSCI  

In the study, the effects of 0, 100, 200 and 400 ppm spray applications of GA3 on root and above-ground parts of ‘Jan Reus’, ‘Bloody Mary’ and ‘Yokohama’ tulip cultivars were determined. According to the results, on the development of plant upper part properties, 200 ppm in ‘Jan Reus’ and ‘Yokohama’ and 100 ppm in ‘Bloody Mary’ were the most effective applications. Again, the least increases in upper part properties were obtained from the control plants in ‘Jan Reus’ and ‘Bloody Mary’, and from the 100 ppm application in ‘Yokohama’. While 100...

Evaluation of susceptibility to Plum pox virus and European stone fruit yellows phytoplasma in Japanese plum and pluot cultivars

Jaroslav Salava, Jana Brožová

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(3):238-243 | DOI: 10.17221/170/2023-HORTSCI  

Resistance to PPV and ESFY phytoplasma has been evaluated for Japanese plum (‘Aphrodite’, ‘Black Amber’, ‘Crimson Glo’, ‘Santa Rosa’) and pluot (‘Dapple Supreme’, ‘Flav Queen’, ‘Flav Supreme’) cultivars. Each cultivar was grafted by chip-budding on GF 305 peach rootstocks and infected with the virulent PPV-Rec or ESFY phytoplasma strain also by chip-budding. After bud break, cultivar evaluation consisted in observing presence or absence of symptoms on leaves, noting the symptom intensity on leaves and on the whole plant. Plants were studied in controlled conditions...

Sugars and organic acids components of different provenances Choerospondias axillaries fruit

Yang Gao, Cheng Kun Jiang, Yu Cauo Zhao, Chun Feng Xia, Chao Nan Kan, Nan Heng Wu, Fei Ding, Yi Ping Zou

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(3):228-237 | DOI: 10.17221/128/2023-HORTSCI  

Choerospondias axillaries (CA) is an important fast-growing afforestation tree species in southern China, and its fruit has medicinal and edible value. High performance liquid chromatography was used to determine the composition and content of sugar and acid in CA fruits from different provenances, and cluster analysis was conducted on different provenances. The results showed that the total sugar content of CA fruit ranged from 49.31 to 139.41 mg/g, with sucrose accounting for the highest proportion of total sugar, followed by glucose, and fructose was the lowest. The total acid content of CA fruit ranged from 47.97...

Effects of abscisic acid and sodium nitroprusside priming on yield and quality of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under drought stress

Thanh Thang Tran, Thanh Huong Tran, Trang Viet Bui

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(3):219-227 | DOI: 10.17221/97/2023-HORTSCI  

This study tested the impact of priming peanut seeds from the VD01-2 cultivar with either 6 mg/L of abscisic acid or 20 mg/L of sodium nitroprusside to prevent damage from drought stress. Throughout the development of peanuts under drought-stress conditions, various morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes were analyzed. According to the study, it was determined that priming with SNP had a more significant effect than priming with ABA. The use of sodium nitroprusside priming resulted in an improvement in both the yield and quality of peanuts when grown under drought conditions. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the use of sodium...

Assessment of eggplant germplasm genetic diversity using RAPD markers

Jelena Damnjanović, Zdenka Girek, Svetlana Roljević Nikolić, Milan Ugrinović, Danica Mićanović, Suzana Pavlović

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(3):212-218 | DOI: 10.17221/90/2023-HORTSCI  

Evaluation of genetic resources of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) from different geographical areas using molecular markers (RAPD) is of great importance in the breeding process. A total of 90 polymorphic amplified products were obtained from 10 decametric RAPD primers, used to analyse the genetic diversity of 20 genotypes of eggplant (16 local and 4 genotypes of foreign origin). The highest polymorphism was determined using the OPAF-16 primer (70.83%). The number of detected bands ranged from 13 (OPF-04) to 24 (OPAF-16), while the average number of bands per primer was 17.2. The lengths of the amplified fragments ranged from 400 to 9 000 bp....

Use of near-infrared spectrometry in temperate fruit: A review

Pavol Suran

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(3):169-188 | DOI: 10.17221/85/2023-HORTSCI  

Near-Infrared (NIR) spectrometry has emerged as a promising tool for the non-destructive and rapid analysis of temperate fruit quality, maturity, and other parameters. The technique provides a wealth of information, including details of chemical composition, without damaging the fruit, making it a highly viable alternative to traditional methods. This paper reviews the recent research and applications of NIR spectrometry for fruit evaluation, highlighting its strengths and potential limitations. The analysis shows a significant potential for NIR spectrometry, especially when combined with machine learning and artificial intelligence to handle complex...

Physiological and biochemical characteristics of cucumber seedlings under different levels drought stress (PEG 6000 concentrations)

Xiaoyun Wang, Hongyan Sun, Xin Lian, Jia Feng, Jinghang Zhao, Yibo Wang, Yanru Liu

Hort. Sci. (Prague), 2024, 51(3):202-211 | DOI: 10.17221/53/2023-HORTSCI  

The effects of different drought stress levels on the plant growth, physiological and biochemical characteristics of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings were investigated using different mass fractions of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 (0, 2.5, 5, 10%) to simulate the drought stress. The results showed that the plant height, root length, leaf dry weight (DW), stem DW, root DW, and plant DW all showed no significant difference under mild (2.5% PEG 6000) drought stress, while they exhibited a decreasing trend with an increasing level of PEG. The changing trend in the photosynthetic efficiency, chlorophyll a, and carotenoid content was...