Isolation, Identification, and Whole-Genome Sequence Analysis of Pantoea Agglomerans Causing Leaf Spot-Hole Disease in Wild Apricot in Xinjiang, China

Wild apricot in Yili wild fruit forest in Xinjiang have been seriously affected by leaf spot-hole disease, with the incidence reaching 100%. To identify the pathogen of apricot perforation in the Yili wild fruit forest, two bacterial strains with strong virulence were obtained by the dilution separation method. The bacterial strains were gram-negative bacteria with yellow colonies, smooth surfaces and neat edges. The results of the pathogenicity test showed that the bacteria could cause symptoms of leaf spot-hole disease in wild apricot, similar to the symptoms in the field, and could cause HR in tobacco. Based on the 16S rDNA gene sequence and multilocus sequence analysis of fusA, gyrB, leuS, pyrG, rpoB and rlpB, combined with the physiological and biochemical characteristics, the isolated strain was identified as Pantoea agglomerans. The pathogen causing bacterial leaf spot-hole disease in wild apricot was determined to be P. agglomerans in the wild fruit forest of Yili, Xinjiang. The whole genome of the pathogen strain GL9-2 was sequenced based on the Illumina HiSeq500 and PacBio RS platforms. The genome size was 4765392 bp, and the G+C value was 55.27%. There was one chromosome and two plasmids in the genome, and 4353 CDs were identified. The annotation results showed that 52 glycoside hydrolase-related genes, 38 bacterial secretory system-related genes and 600 toxin-related genes were predicted.

Phytochemicals and Aroma Compounds Content of Crabapple (Malus tribolata C.K. Schneid.) Genotypes in Kahramanmaraş Province

Crabapple (Malus tribolata C.K. Schneid.), which one of the rare wild fruit trees in Turkey. This study was carried out to determine the aroma compounds, phenolic compound, antioxidant capacity and some fruit properties of fruits obtained from 2 different crabapple genotypes. The amount of phenolic substance was done by Folin-Ciocalteu method; antioxidant analysis was done using DPPH technique. With respect to antioxidant capacities, the highest value (70.12%) was determined in 46 EL 01 genotype. We found that 46 EL 01 genotype had the highest total phenolic content (839.13 mg/100 g). Determination of volatile compounds that play a major role in fruit quality using the HS-SPME/GC/MS technique, total of 37 aroma compound, namely 7 alcohols, 2 terpenes, 5 aldehydes, 17 esters, 1 ketone, 3 acids and 2 other compounds, were found in two different crabapple genotypes. Total aroma compounds in 46 EL 01 and 46 EL 02 genotypes were calculated as 101.78 μg/L and 102.26 μg/L, respectively. As a result, it has been determined that crabapple, which is a wild fruit, has high phenolic and antioxidant contents and also has many aroma compounds.

Variability of Phenological Behaviours of Wild Fruit Tree Species Based on Discriminant Analysis

Vegetation phenology is considered an important biological indicator in understanding the behaviour of ecosystems and how it responds to environmental cues. The aim of this paper is to provide information on the variability of phenological behaviours based on discriminant analysis using the R software package with the following libraries: ggplot2, heplots, candisc, MASS, car, and klaR. Three phenological phases were analysed with eight wild fruit tree species from a forest ecosystem in the southwestern part of Romania (44°05′19.5” N 23°54′03.5” E). It was found that there is a large and very large variability for the “bud burst” phenophase, medium and low for “full flowering”, and reduced for the “all petals fallen” phenophase. For the analyzed data, the discriminant analysis model has high accuracy (accuracy: 0.9583; 95% CI: (0.7888, 0.9989). Partition plots show the results of “full flowering” and “all petals fallen” as a function of the “bud burst” of pockmarks when separated into eight clusters and eight clusters of “full flowering” as a function of “all petals fallen”. The differences observed, from a phenological point of view, are not only due to the different cold requirements of these species but also to the temperatures during the spring.

Phenolic Profiles and Biological Activities of Extracts from Edible Wild Fruits Ehretia tinifolia and Sideroxylon lanuginosum

Ehretia tinifolia Linnaeus (Boraginacea) and Sideroxylon lanuginosum Michaux (Sapotaceae) are wild fruits consumed in North America and are appreciated for their pleasant flavor and sweet taste. However, details regarding their composition and biological properties in the available literature are scarce. This study reports the phenolic composition, antioxidant, antiproliferative activities, and digestive enzymatic inhibition of amberlite-retained methanolic extracts from both fruits. Results revealed that these wild fruit extracts are rich in antioxidants. S. lanuginosum had lower phenolic but higher flavonoid contents (21.4 ± 1.5 mg GAE/100 g FW and 6.42 ± 0.9 mg CE/100 g FW) than E. tinifolia (64.7 ± 2.6 mg GAE/100 g FW and 5.1 ± 0.4 mg CE/100 g FW). HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis showed rosmarinic acid as a major polyphenol in E. tinifolia and quercetin glucoside in S. lanuginosum. Polyphenols content in E. tinifolia was related to a significant free radical scavenging ability: DPPH (EC50 = 0.32 ± 0.03 mg/mL), TEAC (4134 ± 9.7 μM TE/g dry extract), and hemolysis inhibition (IC50 = 58.55 ± 2.4 μg/mL). Both extracts were capable of inhibiting α-glucosidase, partially inhibiting α-amylase, and showed no inhibition against lipase, while showing antiproliferative activity against HeLa, HT-29 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Our study revealed that these wild fruit extracts are rich in health-beneficial phytochemicals and hold significant potential for elaborating functional foods.

Review on Evaluation of Physalis peruviana L.’s Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Biochemical Activities

In this review, it was emphasized that natural and organic foods have a rich structure in terms of antimicrobial, antioxidant, and vitamin content. Physalis peruviana L., products contain minerals, amino acids, withanolides, flavonoids, and essential fatty acids, thus representing good sources of these compounds. These compounds have protective, regulatory, and nutritional roles in metabolism. Physalis peruviana L. is a wild fruit that has been widely used for centuries, mainly in folk medicine. The fruit and juice of Physalis peruviana L., contain high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K1, and many other mineral substances. In addition, the ingredients in Physalis peruviana L., have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic effects. The available evidence has demonstrated the nutritional value of different products of Physalis peruviana L., suggesting them to be potential candidates for use in the cosmetic industry, in the preparation of functional foods, and phytomedicine for the prevention.

Moroccan Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo L.) Fruits: Nutritional Value and Mineral Composition

The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.), grown throughout the Mediterranean, produces edible fruit; as it is easily bruised, the sweet, reddish fruit is used mostly to prepare jams, marmalades and alcoholic beverages. As the genus is paraphyletic, phytochemical analysis can assist in defining the fruit composition with the species Arbutus unedo L. (A. unedo). Here we report on the carbohydrate, total sugar, protein, fat, fiber, ash, and mineral content of wild fruit, harvested from 45 specimens from five locations. The dominant nutrients were carbohydrates (78.2–84.8 g/100 g), total sugars (52.1–67.2 g/100 g) and dietary fiber (11.0–20.1 g/100 g). Other important nutrients supplied by A. unedo fruit include P, K, and Fe. The fruit was observed to contain health-promoting components providing 42 and 36%, of recommended daily allowance (RDA) for fiber and zinc, respectively, as well as iron and manganese, at levels exceeding minimum RDA. The free-sugar profile revealed high glucose followed by fructose content with minor amounts of sucrose (14, 11, and 6 g/100 g, respectively). Significant differences both between regions and within individuals were observed for several traits. The richness of fruit nutrients in A. unedo confers nutritional value and as such, a promising alternative fruit source.

Chemical Composition and Nutraceutical Potential of Velvet Tamarind (Dialium guineense wild) Fruit Pulp

Background: Fruits are known as excellent source of mineral and vitamins and may be used to increase rural population food quality. Consuming fruits and vegetables may usually aid in the prevention of chronic and degenerative diseases. Aim: This study was designed to evaluate the chemical composition of velvet tamarind (D. guineense wild) fruit and its nutraceutical potential. Methodology: The fruit of velvet tamarind was purchased from “Oja-Oba” market in Ibadan, Nigeria. The fruits were sun-dried, the coat and seed were removed by mechanical means. The pulp was ground using a pestle and mortar, and were transferred into an electric blender (Moulinex) for further grinding. After grinding, the powder was sieved into a finer particle and was used to determine the proximate, phytochemical, vitamin and mineral compositions of velvet tamarind fruit. Results: Velvet tamarind fruit contains high concentration of carbohydrate (79.78%) but very low concentration of fat (0.43%). The phytochemical composition of the fruit has flavonoid (33.78 mg) and phytate (0.07mg) as the highest and lowest phytochemicals respectively. Velvet tamarind pulp was observed to be rich in vitamins with vitamin C (28.82 mg/100g) and vitamin B1 (0.84) having the highest and lowest concentrations respectively. Velvet tamarind pulp contained 5.85 mg/100g of potassium and 0.38 mg/100g of phosphorus as the highest and lowest minerals respectively. Conclusion: The composition of velvet tamarind fruit obtained in this study revealed that it is a good source of nutrient, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals. It should be incorporated as food supplement to reduce malnutrition. It is a fruit with promising nutraceutical potential, thus it is a useful tool for further drug development from the natural plant products.

Morphological and Chemical Diversity and Antioxidant Capacity of the Service Tree (Sorbus domestica L.) Fruits from Two Eco-Geographical Regions

Service tree, Sorbus domestica L., is a rare and neglected wild fruit tree species of southern and central Europe. Being distributed in different eco-geographical regions, with fragmented and low-density populations, S. domestica represents an interesting model case for investigating patterns of within- and between-population diversity at geographical and environmental scales. This study aimed to analyze the proximate composition, antioxidant activity, and morphometric fruit characteristics. We examined the diversity and population divergences of 49 S. domestica individuals originating from seven populations across continental and Mediterranean eco-geographical regions. In addition, tests of isolation by distance and environment were performed to detect the magnitude of divergence explained by geographic and environmental variables. Significant differences between the studied populations were found in almost all of the studied morphometric and chemical fruit characteristics. The studied service tree populations were characterized by high phenotypic variation despite the low number of trees per population. Model-based population structure analysis using morphometric and chemical fruit characteristics revealed three groups of service tree populations. We concluded that non-effective pollen and seed dispersal along with genetic drift and specific environmental factors resulted in a distinct phenotype with a specific chemical composition in the isolated island population. In addition, a pattern of isolation by the environment was revealed. We infer that morphological and chemical differences between the studied populations in the true service tree from different eco-geographical regions were mediated by adaptation to the specific environmental conditions.

Evaluation of Wild Flora Surrounding Blueberry Fields as Viable Hosts of Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Georgia

Drosophila suzukii, an economically important pest of small and thin-skinned fruits, has caused annual crop losses up to 20% in the state of Georgia’s multimillion-dollar blueberry industry. The known host range of D. suzukii is large, yet the breadth of uncultivated and wild plants that can serve as alternative hosts in the southeastern United States is still not fully understood. Establishing comprehensive lists of non-crop D. suzukii hosts in woodlands near blueberry production will assist in the creation of more sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. Objectives of this study were to determine viability of wild fruiting plant species to this pest based on survivorship to adulthood and assess D. suzukii short-range preference between cultivated blueberries and wild fruit. Laboratory choice and no-choice assays were performed to determine if D. suzukii could complete its development on wild fruits sampled from the field. Results from our no-choice assays indicated that multiple species of wild fruits surveyed in Georgia were viable D. suzukii hosts including blackberry species, deerberry, hillside blueberry, common pokeweed, beautyberry, elderberry, evergreen blueberry, and large gallberry. Yet, none of these hosts were preferred by adult female D. suzukii as ovipositional substrates when compared to cultivated blueberries. However, these uncultivated species have the potential to sustain D. suzukii populations pre- and post-harvest season. This information can help farmers do more targeted management of these viable alternative hosts from wooded areas surrounding blueberry fields in order to minimize D. suzukii populations.