Early detection of slight bruises in apples by cost-efficient near-infrared imaging

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has been widely reported for its useful applications in assessing internal fruit qualities. Motivated by apple consumption in the global market, this study aims to evaluate the possibility of applying NIR imaging to detect slight bruises in apple fruits. A simple optical setup was designed, and low-cost system components were used to promote the future development of practical and cost-efficient devices. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, slight bruises were created by a mild impact with a comparably low impact energy of only 0.081 Joules. Experimental results showed that 100% of bruises in Jazz and Gala apples were accurately detected immediately after bruising and within 3 hours of storage. Thus, it is promising to develop customer devices to detect slight bruises for not only apple fruits but also other fruits with soft and thin skin at their early damage stages.

Systems dynamic modeling on sustainable apples agriculture

History shows the long process of apple plants originating from subtropical regions adapting to Indonesia's tropical climate until its popularity is increasingly marginalized and replaced with other commodities, as evidenced by the decreasing land area, especially in Batu City. Indonesia. In developing and analyzing solutions based on the principles of sustainable development, an integrated and holistic approach is required. To understand problems and find solutions, we can use Systems dynamics. The purpose of this study is to obtain a policy scenario that encourages sustainable apple farming. Data is collected from the local government and BPS City or Province so that the selected variables follow the specific location. The system approach is used to identify needs, problem formulation, preparation of input-output diagrams, cause-effect diagrams and stock-flow diagrams. A series of scenarios is created and tested through simulation to understand the system's dynamic behavior better and obtain the desired output. The best scenario was chosen, namely by replanting 10% of old plant each year, using integrated agriculture with 3 female and 1 male brooders, reduction of land change with 50% success, Local economic development by integrating tourist ticket and hotels with 0,75 kg apple fruits also increasing health support for students

The effect of the crown shape on qualitative indicators of picking maturity and keeping capacity of apple fruits in the conditions of Crimea

В современных условиях развития интенсивного садоводства актуальной проблемой является подбор менее затратных и трудоемких систем формирования крон с соблюдением всех агротехнических мероприятий для получения высоких урожаев хорошего качества. Цель исследований направлена на изучение влияния разных способов формирования кроны на показатели съемной зрелости и лежкость плодов. Работа выполнялась в отделении «Крымская опытная станция садоводства» ФГБУН «НБС-ННЦ РАН» по методикам полевых исследований с плодовыми культурами. Объектами исследований являлись четыре формы кроны на подвое ЕМ-IХ (4 х 1 м, 2500 дер./га) и плоды сортов зимнего срока созревания: Джалита, Бреберн, Ренет Симиренко. Проведенные исследования позволили выявить наиболее эффективные формы кроны и достаточно устойчивые сорта для закладки интенсивных садов с высокой плотностью посадки, дающие высококачественную товарную продукцию, как в саду, так и в период хранения. Изменчивость показателей съемной зрелости в плодах зависит от сорта, погодных условий выращивания и формы кроны. Установлено, что плоды сортов Джалита, Бреберн (французская ось) и Ренет Симиренко (стройное веретено, безлидерная уплощенная, трехлидерная) в период хранения не имеют физиологических заболеваний. Дегустационная оценка вкуса составляет - 4,5-5,0 баллов, а естественная убыль не превышает 5,1%. Установлено также, что при хранении плоды сорта Джалита (стройное веретено, трехлидерная крона) повреждаются до 20% разными плодовыми гнилями, а плоды сорта Бреберн (стройное веретено) - подкожной пятнистостью - до 30%. Отмечено, что в период хранения происходит снижение плотности мякоти плодов в 1,4-2,2 раза, а также изменение вкуса в зависимости от сорта и формы кроны. In modern conditions of intensive gardening development, the actual problem is the selection of less costly and labor-intensive systems of crown shaping in compliance with all agrotechnical actions in order to obtain heavy yield of good quality. The goal of the research is aimed at studying the effect of different methods of crown shaping on the indicators of picking maturity and keeping capacity of fruits. The work was carried out in the department "Crimean experimental gardening station" of the FSBSI NBS-NSC RAS using methods of field research with fruit crops. The objects of research were four crown shapes on the EM-IX rootstock (4 x 1m, 2500 trees/ha) and the fruits of winter ripening varieties ‘Dzhalita’, ‘Brebern’, ‘Renet Simirenko’. The studies provided allow us to identify the most effective crown shapes and sufficiently resistant varieties for establishing intensive gardens with a high density of planting, giving high-quality marketable products, both in the garden and during storage. The variability of indicators of fruit picking maturity depends on the variety, weather conditions of growing and the crown shape. It was established that fruits of varieties ‘Dzhalita’, ‘Brebern’ (French axis) and ‘Renet Simirenko’ (slender spindle, leaderless flattened, three-leader) did not have physiological diseases during storage. Tasting assessment is 4.5-5.0 points, and the natural loss does not exceed 5.1%. It is also established that fruits of the ‘Dzalita’ variety (slender spindle, three-leader crown) during storage are subject to damage by various fruit rot up to 20%, and fruits of the ‘Brebern’ variety (slender spindle) by subcutaneous spotting - up to 30%. It is noted that during the storage period there is a decrease in the density of fruit pulp by 1.4 - 2.2 times, and a change in flavor depending on the variety and crown shape.

ASSESSMENT OF APPLE FRUITS UNDER COLD STORAGE

The cold storage of fruits for a long period of time without quantitative and qualitative depreciations is absolutely necessary to supply the market with fresh fruits. This study aimed to investigate the changes in apple fruits during cold storage in order to determine their optimal storage capacity and to know the optimal moment of market sale. Five apple cvs. (‘Rumina’, ‘Rebra’, ‘Rustic’, ‘Generos’ and ‘Florina’) grown in the Genetics and Breeding Department of Research Institute for Fruit Growing Pitesti, Romania were kept in the cold storage at 2-4ºC and 90-95% humidity for 4 months. Before and after storage in cold conditions, the following physical and chemical parameters of fruits were evaluated: weight, color, firmness, soluble solids content and acids content. After 4 months, the fruits weight decreased with 2.45 g. The lowest weight loss was recorded on ‘Rumina’ cv. (1.48 g) and the highest for ‘Rebra’ cv. (3.20 g). At the end of storage period (January) the fruits firmness decreases with 7.74 Bareiss HPE-II FFF units, the best results being recorded on Rumina cv. (loss of firmness by only 5.23 units). Also, after cold storage the taste of the fruits was improved (the soluble solids content increased with 0.29 % Brix and the acid content decreased with 0.22 g/100 g fresh weight). The fruits color has changed gradually during the storage, the fruits being more colorful and attractive.

Characterization of Eggshell: A Heterogeneous Catalyst in Transesterification of Sand Apple (Parinari polyandra) Seed Oil

The objective of this study was to characterize a low cost heterogeneous catalyst from the transesterification of sand apple (Parinari polyandra B.) biodiesel. Sand apple fruits were processed and oil was extracted using solvent extraction method. Raw eggshells were calcined at 800°C for 120 min in the muffle furnace. Surface properties of the raw and calcined eggshell were characterized using Fourier Transformed Infrared Radiation (FTIR) and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). Transesterification of the Sand Apple Oil (SASO) with ethanol in the presence of the calcined catalyst to produce ethyl ester and glycerol were optimized using Central Composite Design at different temperatures and time. Reactants for the transesterification process were the raw SASO and anhydrous ethanol. The study shows that raw eggshell was more stable with hydrogen bond form at 2,724 cm-1an while oil yield of 53.13 % was obtained from sand apple kernels. Ethyl ester yield of 90% was obtained from SASO. The results of transesterification shows the maximum biodiesel yield of 90% was obtained at reaction temperature of 65°C and time of 120 min, while the minimum yield of 70% was obtained at temperature of 55°C and time of 60 min; indicating that biodiesel increase with increase in time. Similarly, yield of ethyl ester of SASO also increased when the reaction temperature increased. The percentages of biodiesel yield obtained from SASO transesterification in this study showed that sand apple is promising oil for biodiesel production as compared with other vegetable oil crop obtained in previous studies

A novel spatially resolved interactance spectroscopy system to estimate degree of red coloration in red-fleshed apple

Reliable information about degree of red coloration in fruit flesh is essential for grading and sorting of red-fleshed apples. We propose a spatially resolved interactance spectroscopy approach as a new rapid and non-destructive technique to estimate degree of red coloration in the flesh of a red-fleshed apple cultivar ‘Kurenainoyume’. A novel measurement system was developed to obtain spatially resolved interactance spectra (190–1070 nm) for apple fruits at eight different light source-detector separation (SDS) distances on fruit surface. Anthocyanins in apple were extracted using a solvent extraction technique, and their contents were quantified with a spectrophotometer. Partial least squares (PLS) regression analyses were performed to develop estimation models for anthocyanin content from spatially resolved interactance spectra. Results showed that the PLS models based on interactance spectra obtained at different SDS distances achieved different predictive accuracy. Further, the system demonstrated the possibility to detect the degree of red coloration in the flesh at specific depths by identifying an optimal SDS distance. This might contribute to provide a detailed profile of the red coloration (anthocyanins) that is unevenly distributed among different depths of the flesh. This new approach may be potentially applied to grading and sorting systems for red-fleshed apples in fruit industry.

Keeping ability of apple fruits of new cultivars under different storage technologies

The fruits of new apple cultivars bred by the FSBSI “Federal Scientific Center named after IV Michurin”, adapted to the stressful weather conditions of the Central Black Earth Region of Russia, were used. During storage of control and 1-MCP-treated fruits of 5 studied apple cultivars in air (regular atmosphere: CO2 = 0.03%, O2 = 21%), modified atmosphere (O2 = 16-19%, CO2 = 1.5-5.0%) and controlled atmosphere with ultra-low oxygen content (O2 = 1.2-1.5%, CO2 = 1.2-1.5%), the following main diseases were identified: for cv. Uspenskoye – scald, bitter pit, breakdown; for cv. Fregat - bitter pit, breakdown, CO2-skin injury. Development of several diseases at the same time is also possible (CO2-skin injury + bitter pit, bitter pit + breakdown); for cv. Flagman - scald, bitter pit, breakdown, scald + bitter pit; for cv. Bylina - CO2-skin injury, bitter pit, breakdown, soft scald; for cv. Vympel - CO2-skin injury. Maximum storage efficiency was shown by fruits cv. Vympel stored under CA + 1-MCP technology. Data on the keeping ability of apple fruits of the studied cultivars allow developing high-precision varietal storage technologies.