ATTITUDES OF SERBIAN CONSUMERS TOWARDS DIFFERENT PEPPER FRUITS

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is one of the major vegetable species in the world. In Balkan cuisines, as well as in Serbia, pepper has a very diverse use. Knowledge about consumers habits and preferences is of great importance for a breeding process as well as in the market-orientated production. Because of the lack of information about consumers preferences towards pepper types, in the Serbian market, the present research was conducted. Four hundred and two participants, classified into groups, according to gender, age and education, answered the survey questions. According to this research, the most preferred pepper type in Serbia is kapia, while the bell pepper is the second chosen type. Also, obtained results showed that the most favourite colour of pepper fruit is red. There is a tendency in higher importance of fruit type than fruit colour. The highest percentage of hot pepper consumers prefer medium hot peppers. The obtained trend shows that women generally prefer less spicy pepper fruits than men.

Effects of Climate, Plant Height, and Evolutionary Age on Geographical Patterns of Fruit Type

Fruit type is a key reproductive trait associated with plant evolution and adaptation. However, large-scale geographical patterns in fruit type composition and the mechanisms driving these patterns remain to be established. Contemporary environment, plant functional traits and evolutionary age may all influence fruit type composition, while their relative importance remains unclear. Here, using data on fruit types, plant height and distributions of 28,222 (∼ 90.1%) angiosperm species in China, we analyzed the geographical patterns in the proportion of fleshy-fruited species for all angiosperms, trees, shrubs, and herbaceous species separately, and compared the relative effects of contemporary climate, ecosystem primary productivity, plant height, and evolutionary age on these patterns. We found that the proportion of fleshy-fruited species per grid cell for all species and different growth forms all showed significant latitudinal patterns, being the highest in southeastern China. Mean plant height per grid cell and actual evapotranspiration (AET) representing ecosystem primary productivity were the strongest drivers of geographical variations in the proportion of fleshy-fruited species, but their relative importance varied between growth forms. From herbaceous species to shrubs and trees, the relative effects of mean plant height decreased. Mean genus age had significant yet consistently weaker effects on proportion of fleshy-fruited species than mean plant height and AET, and environmental temperature and precipitation contributed to those of only trees and shrubs. These results suggest that biotic and environmental factors and evolutionary age of floras jointly shape the pattern in proportion of fleshy-fruited species, and improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying geographical variations in fruit type composition. Our study also demonstrates the need of integrating multiple biotic and abiotic factors to fully understand the drivers of large-scale patterns of plant reproductive traits.

Shift of seed mass and fruit type spectra along longitudinal gradient: high water availability and growth allometry

Propagule traits vary among biomes along geographical gradients such as longitude, but the mechanisms that underlie these variations remain unclear. This study aims to explore seed mass variation patterns of different biome types along a longitudinal gradient and their underlying variation mechanisms by involving an in-depth analysis on the variation of seed mass, fruit type spectra, growth forms and dispersal mode spectra in Inner Mongolia and northeastern China. Plant community characterization and seed collection were conducted in 26 sites spreading over five vegetation types and covering 622 species belonging to 66 families and 298 genera. We found there are significantly declining trends for mean seed mass, vertebrate-dispersed species richness and fleshy-fruited species richness along a longitudinal gradient from forests to desert grasslands. However, we also found the lowest average seed mass and the smallest proportion of species dispersed by vertebrates occurring at typical grasslands in the five biomes. The variations of average seed mass display high congruence with transition of growth form spectra. The selection for these propagule attributes is driven mainly by climatic factors such as precipitation, temperature, soil moisture and evaporation, as well as by internal biotic factors such as growth forms, canopy coverage and leaf area (Ackerly and Donoghue, 1998). A hypothesis was provided that environmental factors and botanical traits that favor greater water availability lead to emergence (or speciation) of species with large seeds or fleshy fruits with high water content. Due to greater water availability and increasing leaf area, much more photosynthate (photosynthesis production) and allometric growth then ultimately increase the biome average seed mass from west to east. Phylogenetic signal or diversity are not found to be significantly involved in the effect on the patterns. A novel mechanistic framework and mathematical model are provided to expound seed variation among species or biomes.

Fruit characteristics of new pepper variety "NS Prva"

Pepper (Capsicum annuum) is one of the major vegetable species in the world, and Serbia as well. The pepper assortment of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops includes varieties of different fruit type such as the bell, conical, kapia, elongated, pepperoni and tomato-shaped peppers. However, in the assortment of the Institute, there is no variety of sweet pepper with conical and hanging fruits. Because of that, we wanted to develop a new pepper variety with this fruit type and offer it to the market. Selected lines from one of the crossbreeding combinations were grown in the open field and the greenhouse area by the pedigree method in the period 2012-2017. Based on the phenotype, the most vital plants that had the desired characteristics of the fruit were selected. During the many years of breeding, a new pepper variety NS Prva was obtained. NS Prva has been registered in the Republic of Serbia in 2019 and from that period it has been on the National variety list. The fruits of this variety are about 150 g, have one peak, grow hanging on the plant, with light yellow colour in technological maturity, and red in full maturity. A new pepper variety NS Prva is recommended for growing in a greenhouse where it gives uniform fruits suitable for the market in all maturity stages. It can also be recommended for growing in the open field where it gives slightly longer fruits. NS Prva showed good storage ability three weeks after harvest since it had the smallest reduction in fruit weight during storage in a cold chamber

Morpho-anatomical structure and development of fruit in Asyneuma canescens (Саmpanulaceae)

The most usual fruit type in the family Саmpanulaсеае is an inferior multi-seeded capsule. In Саmpanula and related genera, A. Kolakovsky determined a new type of capsule, characterized by a specialized organ, axicorn. Some types of axicorn capsules were determined depending on the way of dehiscence. In Campanula, capsule dehiscence is called axicorn-fissuricidal mode, while in Asyneuma – axicorn-valvate mode with scaliformis valves. The precise differences between slit and valve so far have not been identified. In this connection, we performed the study of the inner fruit structure and dehiscence in Asyneuma canescens intending to compare the results with those for Саmpanula species. Anatomical fruit structure was studied under a light microscope on temporary preparations of transversal and longitudinal sections. For the first time, the obtained data provide precise characteristics of the inner fruit morphology, the anatomy of the fruit wall, and dehiscence mode in A. canescens. The survey revealed predominance in the ovary of a synascidiate zone with axile placentation. In the anatomical structure of the fruit wall, there we found a parenchymatous mesocarpium, non-lignified exo- and endocarpium, and lignified elements of fruit – axicorns, located in the small upper part of the septa. Fruit dehiscence in A. canescens occurs in two steps. First, during early flower development, narrow-oval dips are formed on the septum radii; during the fruiting period, a hippocrepiform slit at the lower margin of each dip develops. At this time axicorns detach from the central column of the ovary following a curved direction, meaning the formation of the septifragal slit. During the second stage, the longitudinal slits are formed from the lowest point of the hippocrepiform slit to the fruit base. These slits facilitate seed release from the capsule. Fruit in A. canescens we define as an inferior trilocular syncarpous capsule with two-stage, hippocrepiform and laminar dehiscence. Our study confirms resemblance of anatomical structure and dehiscence mode of fruit in A. canescens and species of the section Rapunculus of the genus Cаmpanula with erect capsules. We consider it inexpedient to accept the new fruit type for A. canescens, because differences compared with species of Cаmpanula are derivative and concern the small size of the axicorn slit and the appearance of additional slits only.

Supplemental LED Increases Tomato Yield in Mediterranean Semi-Closed Greenhouse

Supplemental light (SL) is a technique used to increase horticulture yield, especially in northern countries, where the Daily Light Integral (DLI) is a limiting factor during fall and winter, and which could also be used to obtain higher tomato yield at the Mediterranean latitude. In this study, three tomato hybrid (F1) cultivars were grown for year-round production in a commercial semi-closed glasshouse in Southern Italy: two of the cherry fruit-type (‘Juanita’ and ‘Sorentyno’) and one mini plum fruit-type (‘Solarino’). From 120 to 243 days after transplant, light-emitting diode (LED) toplights were used as SL, with a photoperiod of 18 h. The main climatic parameters inside and outside the glasshouse were recorded, and tomato plants’ development and yield were examined. Plants grown with LEDs had longer stems as compared to control treatment (9.53 vs. 8.79 m), a higher stem thickness and yielded more trusses. On average, the yield was 21.7% higher with LEDs. ‘Sorentyno’ was the cultivar with the highest cumulated productivity when it was grown under SL. However, the cultivar with best light use efficiency under LEDs was ‘Solarino’. Therefore, supplemental LED from mid-December until March enhanced tomato growth and yield, opening a favorable scenario for large-scale application of this technology also in the Mediterranean area.

Shift of seed mass and fruit type spectra along longitudinal gradient: high water availability and growth allometry

Propagule traits vary among communities along geographical gradients such as longitude, but the mechanisms that underlie these variations remain unclear. This study aims to explore seed mass variation patterns of different community types along a longitudinal gradient and their underlying variation mechanisms by involving an in-depth analysis on the variation of seed mass, fruit type spectra, growth forms and dispersal mode spectra in Inner Mongolia and northeastern China. Plant community characterization and seed collection were conducted in 26 sites spreading over five vegetation types and covering 622 species belonging to 66 families and 298 genera. We found there are significantly declining trend for mean seed mass, vertebrate-dispersed species richness and fleshy-fruited species richness along a longitudinal gradient from forests to desert grasslands. However, we also found the lowest average seed mass and the smallest proportion of species dispersed by vertebrates occurring at typical grasslands in the five communities. The variations of average seed mass display high congruent with transition of growth forms. The selection for these propagule attributes is driven mainly by climatic factors such as precipitation, temperature, soil moisture and evaporation, as well as by internal biotic factors such as growth forms, canopy coverage and leaf area. A hypothesis was provided that environmental factors and botanical traits that favor greater water availability lead to emergence (or speciation) of species with large seeds or fleshy fruits with high water content. Due to greater water availability and increasing leaf area, much more photosynthate and allometric growth then ultimately increase the community average seed mass along rising longitude (or declining latitude or elevation). Phylogenetic signal or diversity are not found to be involved into the effect on the patterns. A novel mechanistic framework and model are provided to expound seed variation among species or communities.