Tomato is well known regarding its quality and nutritional value in all over the world but imbalances of fertilizer nutrients severely affect the quality of tomato. To investigate the specific contribution of potassium to yield and quality of tomato, a field experiment was conducted on two tomato cultivars, Nagina and Roma. Foliar application with varying levels (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9 and 1.0%) of potassium solutions was applied to the plants and compared with control (without K). Exogenous application of 0.6% K significantly improved plant height, lycopene content, potassium, fruit weight and diameter. Exogenous application of 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7% K maximally improved ascorbic acid contents of both tomato cultivars whereas 0.4 and 0.8% did not improve ascorbic acid contents. Due to positive correlation between K nutrition and fruit quality attributes, exogenous application of an appropriate K level can contribute to higher yield and better quality of tomato fruits. Among all potassium levels, 0.5–0.7% K maximally improved performance of tomato plants of both cultivars.

Pyricularia grisea, the rice blast fungus is the main pathological threats to rice crop in Iran and worldwide. In this research was evaluated the genetic diversity of P. grisea collected from different fields of Guilan province by using of 14 microsatellite primers. These primers produced 64 polymorphic bands by an average of 4.57 bands for each marker. An average of polymorphic information content in whole primers was 0.734, an average of effective number of alleles was 2.68, an average of Nei’s expected heterozygosity was 0.734 and an average of Shannon’s information index was 1.05. Primer SSR43,44 had the most polymorphic information content (PIC = 0.85), observed number of alleles (na = 8), effective number of alleles (ne = 3.76), Nei’s expected heterozygosity (Ne = 0.861) and Shannon’s information index (I = 1.38). This marker was the best primer between 14 used primers for evaluation the genetic diversity of P. grisea. Cluster analysis was done with simple matching similarity matrix and UPGMA method. The results showed that the studied isolates were classified into 3 lineages by cutting off the dendrogram at 0.76 similar linkage level. Number 1 was the major group and represented most of those isolates. Results of principal coordinate analysis also divided the isolates into three groups exactly similar to obtained with cluster analysis. Overall, our results confirmed that microsatellite primers were good and suitable markers for analyzing structure of P. grisea.

There were tested and screened, in vitro and in vivo, for the first time in Romania, nine respectively six plant extracts manufactured by Hofigal S.A. against Botrytis cinerea (strain Bc 27) isolated from blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.). The highest antibotrytis in vitro activity (efficiency between 80 and 100%) was obtained using the following extracts: Hyssopus officinalis (at 20, 10 and 5%), Satureja hortensis, Allium sativum, Tagetes patula (at 20 and 10%) and Mentha (at 20%). A moderate antibotrytis activity (efficiency between 35.7 and 65.7%) has been noticed for Mentha (at 10 and 5%), Satureja hortensis, Allium sativum and Tagetes patula (at 5%) extracts. The lowest antibotrytis activity or no efficiency was noticed using extracts obtained from Achillea millefolium, Artemisia dracunculus ‘sativa’, Rosmarinus officinalis and Valeriana officinalis even applied at 20%. Based on results obtained in in vitro tests, six plant extracts were tested and screened in vivo, under field conditions at Hofigal S.A. Bucharest. Satureja hortensis, Allium sativum, Hyssopus officinalis, Menthaand Tagetes patula extracts have been efficient in limiting gray mold severity in blackcurrant applied at 10% compared to untreated control. No in vivo activity was registered for Valeriana officinalis extract. Plant extracts with highly efficiency can be recommended as a non-polluting and environmental-friendly alternative (organic horticulture) in the protection of blackcurrant as medicinal crop against grey mould, the most economically important disease in Europe at present.

In the present work, genetic diversity in nutritional composition of sixteen plum genotypes growing at four different locations of Tehsil Rawalakot, District Poonch of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan) were studied. Various parameters like moisture, dry matter, ash and total soluble solids contents, acidity, pH, vitamin C and sugar content, shelf-life and sensory/organoleptic evaluation, anthocyanins, phenolics and antioxidant activity were evaluated and variation in these characteristics has been discussed. The results suggested that the genotypes differed in their nutritional composition of fruits, anthocyanin and phenolic contents and antioxidant activity of fruit. The results of the present study regarding the nutritional status of existing plum germplasm will contribute and increase our knowledge about the genus Prunus and broaden the gene pool available for future plant breeding programs.

Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is an important wild edible fruits naturally grown in black sea region in Turkey. Shape attributes of twenty-one cherry laurel accessions were determined both descriptively and based on elliptic Fourier analysis first time in the literature. In the semantic evaluation, shape of most of the accessions was near to sphere. But, the results of the descriptive data showed that the accessions had different size, shape and gravimetric attributes. The accessions such as 30023, 30024 and 30027 had the highest means as to the gravimetric and size attributes, while the means of the 20043, 30028 and 30030 accessions were found to be the lowest. The sphericity data of 30019, 30028, 30030 and 30033 accessions had the highest means ranged between 96.2 and 97.8%. The cluster test divided the accessions to five subclasses. The genotypes in the 5^th cluster had the highest gravimetric and size attributes than the other accessions. While the accessions in the 1^st cluster were the highest sphericity mean, they had the lowest gravimetric and size attributes.

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp. L.) is a native fruit of great economic importance in Turkey and has been widely using in folk medicine particularly for the treatment of mild heart diseases for a long time. In the study, 18 previously selected hawthorn genotypes belong to several Crataegus species grown in the hawthorn repository collection in Malatya province in Turkey were evaluated. Fruit mass and soluble solid content of selected genotypes ranged from 0.76 to 4.27 g and 6.71 to 15.83%, respectively. The genotype 44MA12 belongs to C. monogyna subsp. azarella had distinct and the highest anthocyanin (516 mg per 100 g fresh fruit) content and the strongest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity (2.91 µg·g^-1). The genotype 44MA11 belongs to C. meyeri had the highest phenolic content (3460 mg per 100 g gallic acid equivalent in fresh fruits). All hawthorn genotypes displayed high antioxidant activity. The results suggest that hawthorn fruits including significant human health benefit substances and may be used for developing functional foods because of its high phenolic, anthocyanin content and antioxidant properties.

The aim of this study, which was conducted in field conditions on three localities in Serbia during two years, was to investigate the influence of the application of various types of fertilizers on the essential oil content in caraway, anise and coriander fruits. The influence of four organic fertilizers was investigated: two microbiological fertilizers (Slavol and Bactofil B-10), two specific organic fertilizers (Royal Ofert biohumus and vermicompost). Also, the chemical fertilizer was used and there was a control plot without any fertilization. From the results, it can be concluded that the application of different fertilizers has an influence on essential oil content only in case of anise fruits. The application of Royal Ofert biohumus shows the best results, after which follows chemical fertilizer. The use of these two types of fertilizers significantly increased the essential oil content in the anise fruits in comparison with other tested treatments. Although differences in the essential oil content of caraway and coriander were not significant, the two above mentioned fertilizers and vermicompost show the best results.

The oil bearing rose (Rosa damascena) is the most important rose species in terms of fragrances and flavourings. Due to the very short blooming period and excessive amount of flowers, considerable amount of the rose flowers wait for a long time until distillation. There are losses of essential oil yield and quality use of before waited petals. The cold storage and drying applications may be alternative method for evaluate of excessive amount of flowers. Therefore in this study it was aimed to determine the effects of storage on cold (4°C) and room condition (25°C) and convective drying with different temperatures (40, 50 and 60°C) in terms of changes in volatile compositions of oil rose flowers based on direct hexane extraction. Totally 20 volatile compounds were identified in fresh, stored and dried rose petals. The detected compounds varied according to the various storage and drying conditions. It was determined that phenylethyl alcohol, citronellol, geranyl acetate, nonadecane were predominant compounds on all treatments. In the study, storing treatments led to increase on the percentage of oxygenated monoterpenes (OM) while drying treatments led to decrease on OM. It was determined that storing and drying treatments led to increase on the percentage of benzenoid compounds (BC) and aliphatic hydrocarbons (AH).

Extending the harvesting time allows the consumers to eat fresh strawberries from the spring to the autumn. It also creates the opportunity to increase profits for the growers. However, such production requires new technologies and appropriate cultivars. Studies on extending (delaying) of the fruit harvesting period of two Polish strawberry cultivars – ‘Grandarosa’ and ‘Pink Rosa’ –were conducted at the Research Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice (Central Poland) in 2012–2013. The productivity, fruit ripening time and fruit quality of both cultivars were assessed in the open field conditions (three dates of delayed planting, frigo potted and bare-root plants) as well as in soilless cultivation in gutters under plastic canopies and in a high tunnel (delayed planting, frigo potted plants). ‘Elsanta’ was used as the reference cultivar. It was found that delayed planting of frigo plants resulted in extending the harvest time by roughly 10 weeks in field condition and up to 12 weeks in soilless cultivation under cover. Both Polish cultivars were suitable for the cultivation in the open field and under covers for the delayed harvest. In both types of cultivation the peak of harvesting was 8 to 12 days earlier in ‘Elsanta’ as compared to ‘Grandarosa’ and ‘Pink Rosa’. The overall productivity as well as average fruit weight and fruit firmness of both Polish cultivars were significantly higher in comparison with ‘Elsanta’. The production under covers was more effective than in the open field, where the high temperatures of soil and air prevailing after planting resulted in decrease of yield and fruit quality. Moreover, plants under covers did not suffer from the early autumn frosts and they were harvested in a longer period of time as compared to plants grown in the open field.

Abstract In vitro culture may provide a suitable environment for selection of heavy-metal tolerant plantlets. Such clones of woody plants could be valuable material applicable to soil remediation. In in vitro culture conditions shoots of Daphne jasminea Sibth. & Sm. and Daphne tangutica Maxim. (Thymelaeaceae) were grown on media supplemented with 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mM lead nitrate. Level of lead bioaccumulation, growth parameters, content of photosynthetic pigments, and mineral status of cultured shoots were investigated. D. jasminea has grown vigorously on Pb²⁺-containing media, with growth tolerance index reaching 73–89%, depending on concentration applied, and the highest growth value was obtained in the presence of 1.0 mM lead nitrate. In vitro propagation of D. tangutica shoots was slightly inhibited by lead ions, however the growth tolerance index has increased up to 152% on medium with 1.0 mM Pb(NO₃)₂. In both studied species the highest content of accumulated lead, as well as the value of bioconcentration factor, were found in shoots grown on 0.1 mM lead nitrate. D. tangutica accumulated over two times as much lead in comparison with D. jasminea. Chlorophyll content in D. jasminea was not affected by applied lead nitrate doses, while in D. tangutica stimulation of chlorophyll, as well as carotenoid, synthesis occurred. In tested concentrations lead nitrate had no toxic effect on the level of shoot nutrition. Detected levels of essential and trace elements were still high enough to maintain undisturbed growth and development of cultured shoots. This is first report confirming the suitability of in vitro selection for obtaining of vigorous, proliferative, tolerant to elevated lead concentration shoots of ornamental Daphne species.

Chamomile is a valued medicinal plant of high economic importance and therefore agronomic practices in growing this plant are continually improved. One of methods to improve the quantitative and qualitative parameters of herbal raw material can be the application of foliar sprays (growth stimulators, foliar fertilizers, Effective Microorganisms). Row spacing, which has an effect on the use of fertilizers by the plant and natural habitat conditions, is of great importance in chamomile growing practices. During the period 2011–2013, a field experiment was conducted, the aim of which was to determine the effects of selected foliar-applied sprays and different row spacings on the yield and quality of chamomile cv. ‘Złoty Łan’ raw material. The study included three formulations: Asahi SL, Ekolist P, and EM Farming. Plots without the application of these foliar sprays were the control treatment. The other factor included in the experiment was row spacing, which was as follows: 25, 35, and 45 cm. Plant height and number of inflorescences per stem, total yield of raw material and the content of essential oil and flavonoids in raw material were determined. The growth stimulator Asahi SL was proven to positively affect the yield and quality of chamomile raw material. Ekolist P had a lower effect on the improvement in the parameters analyzed. The reports of some authors that Effective Microorganisms (EM Farming) had no effect whatsoever on plant productivity were confirmed in this study. It was shown that growing chamomile in rows 45 cm apart, or at a row spacing of 35 cm, was most beneficial for the yield and quality of chamomile raw material. A narrow row spacing (25 cm) contributed to a decrease in yield and deterioration in its quality.