Fruit Morphology of Durio zibethinus L. in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Background: Jelebu is one of Negeri Sembilan districts of Malaysia, famous for its wide variety of D. zibethinus. It is also recognized as the top hotspot area for consumers looking for genuine Durian Kampung. This study aimed at discovering and recording significant morphological data in identification and classification of D. zibethinus fruit in Jelebu. Methods: Fifty-three accessions of durian were observed from January 2020 to September 2020 in accordance with Malaysia’s Department of Agriculture guidelines. Result: Forty-one parameters were compiled and divided into two primary morphological data sets: external and internal structures. Size, shape, color and aril characteristics of fruits were several engrossing parameters for identifying and classifying D. zibethinus varieties. Fruit weight varies between 665 g and 2.7 kg, depending on size. The results also revealed six different variants in the fruit shape and color. Aril characteristics included a variety of aril color and thickness ranging from 0.23 cm to 1.17 cm. Therefore, this research revealed that external and internal morphological data from durian fruits were valuable for recognizing and categorizing D. zibethinus Jelebu variants.

A cryptic variation in a member of the Ovate Family Proteins is underlying the melon fruit shape QTL fsqs8.1

Key message The gene underlying the melon fruit shape QTL fsqs8.1 is a member of the Ovate Family Proteins. Variation in fruit morphology is caused by changes in gene expression likely due to a cryptic structural variation in this locus. Abstract Melon cultivars have a wide range of fruit morphologies. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been identified underlying such diversity. This research focuses on the fruit shape QTL fsqs8.1, previously detected in a cross between the accession PI 124112 (CALC, producing elongated fruit) and the cultivar ‘Piel de Sapo’ (PS, producing oval fruit). The CALC fsqs8.1 allele induced round fruit shape, being responsible for the transgressive segregation for this trait observed in that population. In fact, the introgression line CALC8-1, carrying the fsqs8.1 locus from CALC into the PS genetic background, produced perfect round fruit. Following a map-based cloning approach, we found that the gene underlying fsqs8.1 is a member of the Ovate Family Proteins (OFP), CmOFP13, likely a homologue of AtOFP1 and SlOFP20 from Arabidopsis thaliana and tomato, respectively. The induction of the round shape was due to the higher expression of the CALC allele at the early ovary development stage. The fsqs8.1 locus showed an important structural variation, being CmOFP13 surrounded by two deletions in the CALC genome. The deletions are present at very low frequency in melon germplasm. Deletions and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the fsqs8.1 locus could not be not associated with variation in fruit shape among different melon accessions, what indicates that other genetic factors should be involved to induce the CALC fsqs8.1 allele effects. Therefore, fsqs8.1 is an example of a cryptic variation that alters gene expression, likely due to structural variation, resulting in phenotypic changes in melon fruit morphology.

Systematic treatment of morphological fruit types in plants of the class Liliopsida of the flora of Ukraine

In this review, the scope of morphological diversity of fruits within the class Liliopsida belonging to the flora of Ukraine compared to the world flora diversity was analyzed. For the first time, the taxonomic diversity of monocot plants of the flora of Ukraine was analyzed, which includes 235 genera and about 1050 species, and the distribution of fruit types in the largest monocot families revealed. It was found that among monocot plants of the world flora, as also of the Ukrainian flora, more than 70% of generic and species diversity is taken up by the Orchidaceae, Poaceae, and Cyperaceae families having dry uniform fruits: inferior capsule (Orchidaceae) and one-seeded enveloped fruit (Poaceae and Cyperaceae). An annotated list of morphological fruit types was compiled for all 38 families of the natural and cultural flora of monocot plants of Ukraine. Among 12 families of the subclass Alismatidae, apocarpous polymerous or trimerous fruits, mostly with one-seeded fruitlets, occur in six families (Alismataceae, Butomaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Ruppiaceae, Scheuchzeriaceae, Zannichelliaceae). In 12 of 16 families of the subclass Liliidae, trimerous capsules are the most common (Agapanthaceae, Agavaceae, Alliaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Asphodelaceae, Colchicaceae, Hemerocallidacae, Hyacinthaceae, Iridaceae, Liliасеае, Melanthiaceae, Orchidaceae), while in six families berry-like fruit occurs in all members or in the single genus (Asparagaceae, Ruscaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Melanthiaceae (Paris), Liliасеае (Streptopus), Smilacaceae). Among 10 families of the subclass Commelinidae, in four families superior dry one-seeded fruits occur (Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Sparganiaceae, Typhaceae), while another four families have trimerous capsules (Cannaceae, Commelinaceae, Juncaceae, Pontederiaceae). In general, the most typical fruit on the familial taxonomical level is the capsule (17 families), berries occur in 10 families, aggregate fruits and one-seeded fruits are represented each in seven families, while the rarest fruit type is the schizocarp (Juncaginaceae). No monomerous follicles, poricide and operculate capsules, winged fruits and loments were found. The most controversial fruit types are found in two groups of families, for both of them the problem is the gynoecium type. These are families with one-seeded fruit (Аrасеае (Lemna), Cyperaceae, Hydrocharitaceae (Najas), Poaceae, Sparganiaceae, Typhaceae, Zosteraceae) and families with initial carpel fusion (Hydrocharitaceae (Stratiotes), Juncaginaceae, Melanthiaceae (Veratrum), Scheuchzeriaceae, Tofieldiaceae). As a result of our work, the key and the most relevant areas of carpological studies in Ukraine were defined, particularly, unifying the terminology, examination of the anatomical structure of the pericarp, revealing of the evolutionary and ecological aspects of fruit morphology.

Investigation of Thermomorphogenesis-Related Genes for a Multi-Silique Trait in Brassica napus by Comparative Transcriptome Analysis

In higher plants, the structure of a flower is precisely controlled by a series of genes. An aberrance flower results in abnormal fruit morphology. Previously, we reported multi-silique rapeseed (Brassica napus) line zws-ms. We identified two associated regions and investigated differentially expressed genes (DEGs); thus, some candidate genes underlying the multi-silique phenotype in warm area Xindu were selected. However, this phenotype was switched off by lower temperature, and the responsive genes, known as thermomorphogenesis-related genes, remained elusive. So, based on that, in this study, we further investigated the transcriptome data from buds of zws-ms and its near-isogenic line zws-217 grown in colder area Ma’erkang, where both lines showed normal siliques only, and the DEGs between them analyzed. We compared the 129 DEGs from Xindu to the 117 ones from Ma’erkang and found that 33 of them represented the same or similar expression trends, whereas the other 96 DEGs showed different expression trends, which were defined as environment-specific. Furthermore, we combined this with the gene annotations and ortholog information and then selected BnaA09g45320D (chaperonin gene CPN10-homologous) and BnaC08g41780D [Seryl-tRNA synthetase gene OVULE ABORTION 7 (OVA7)-homologous] the possible thermomorphogenesis-related genes, which probably switched off the multi-silique under lower temperature. This study paves a way to a new perspective into flower/fruit development in Brassica plants.

Fruit Morphology, Antioxidant Activity, Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Contents of Salacca zalacca (Gaertner) Voss by Applications of Goat Manures and Bacillus velezensis B-27

<p>Snake fruit (<em>Salacca zalacca</em> (Gaertner) Voss) is one of indigenous fruits from Southeast Asia that has been consumed for its antioxidant contents. Improving the fruit quality might increase its benefits for human health. This study aims to analyze fruit morphology, antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the fruit applied with goat manures and <em>Bacillus velezensis </em>B-27. The research used two-factor Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three blocks as replications. The first factor is the level of goat manure application i.e. 0 kg plant^-1, 5 kg plant^-1 and 10 kg plant^-1, while the second factor is the bacteria application i.e. applied with <em>Bacillus velezensis </em>B-27 and without<em> Bacillus velezensis </em>B-27. The research was conducted in June until December 2019 at Turi, Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Fruit length, diameter and shape were measured as morphology parameters. Antioxidant activities were measured using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, whereas flavonoid and phenolic contents were determined by the aluminium-chloride colorimetric and Folin-Ciocalteu methods, respectively. Means of each parameter were analyzed using ANOVA, continued with the Tukey’s HSD test at a 5% significance level. The result showed that the application of 10 kg goat manure per plant with bacteria increased the fruit length (76.78 mm) and the diameter (62.72 mm). Addition of 10 kg goat manure per-plant combined with <em>Bacillus velezensis </em>B-27 gave the highest antioxidant (IC50 of 37.83 µg.mL^-1), flavonoid (5.35 mgGAE.100 g^-1) and total phenolic contents (44 mgQE.100 g^-1).</p>

Physiological Traits of Thirty-Five Tomato Accessions (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in Response to Low Temperature

Tomato is exposure to diverse abiotic stresses. Cold stress is one of harsh environmental 12 stresses. Abnormal low temperature affects tomato growth and development including physiolog- 13 ical disorders, flower drops, and abnormal fruit morphology, causing the decrease of tomato yield 14 and a fruit quality. It is important to identify low temperature-(LT) tolerant tomato (Solanum lyco- 15 persicum L.) cultivars. This study focused on analyzing physiological traits of thirty-five tomato ac- 16 cessions with three fruit types (cherry, medium, and large sizes) under night temperature set-points 17 of 15&deg;C for normal temperature (NT) and 10&deg;C for LT, respectively. Plant heights (PH) of most to- 18 mato accessions in LT were remarkably decreased compared to those in NT. The growth of leaf 19 length (LL) and leaf width (LW) was reduced depending on the genotypes under LT. The number 20 of fruits (NFR), fruit set (FS), fruit yield (FY), and marketable yield (MY) was negatively affected in 21 LT. The FS in LT was significantly correlated with FY in LT in total populations (n = 35), cherry fruit 22 sub-populations (n = 20), and medium fruit sub-populations (n = 11). Moreover, the relevance of 23 NFL in LT with FY in LT was related to total populations (n = 35), cherry fruit sub-populations (n = 24 20), but not medium fruit sub-populations (n = 11). The results indicate the physiological traits of 25 FS in LT and FY in LT are crucial factors for selecting and determining LT-tolerant cultivars for 26 breeding programs in tomato plants depending on different fruit types.

Automatic Fruit Morphology Phenome and Genetic Analysis: An Application in the Octoploid Strawberry

Automatizing phenotype measurement will decisively contribute to increase plant breeding efficiency. Among phenotypes, morphological traits are relevant in many fruit breeding programs, as appearance influences consumer preference. Often, these traits are manually or semiautomatically obtained. Yet, fruit morphology evaluation can be enhanced using fully automatized procedures and digital images provide a cost-effective opportunity for this purpose. Here, we present an automatized pipeline for comprehensive phenomic and genetic analysis of morphology traits extracted from internal and external strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) images. The pipeline segments, classifies, and labels the images and extracts conformation features, including linear (area, perimeter, height, width, circularity, shape descriptor, ratio between height and width) and multivariate (Fourier elliptical components and Generalized Procrustes) statistics. Internal color patterns are obtained using an autoencoder to smooth out the image. In addition, we develop a variational autoencoder to automatically detect the most likely number of underlying shapes. Bayesian modeling is employed to estimate both additive and dominance effects for all traits. As expected, conformational traits are clearly heritable. Interestingly, dominance variance is higher than the additive component for most of the traits. Overall, we show that fruit shape and color can be quickly and automatically evaluated and are moderately heritable. Although we study strawberry images, the algorithm can be applied to other fruits, as shown in the GitHub repository.