Natural parasitism in fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) and interaction with wild hosts surrounding apple orchards adjacent to Atlantic Forest fragments in Paraná State, Brazil

The South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is an important pest in the subtropical region of Brazil. This insect has tritrophic relation between wild fruits and parasitoids and is associated with apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) orchards adjacent to the Atlantic Forest in Paraná. We thus investigated the degree of infestation of the fruit fly and natural parasitism in wild and cultivated fruits surrounding apple orchards. For this purpose, we collected fruits of Acca sellowiana (Berg.) Burret, Campomanesia xanthocarpa (Mart), Eugenia uniflora L., Eugenia pyriformis Cambessèdes, Psidium cattleianum Sabine, Psidium guajava (L.), Annona neosericea Rainer and Eriobotrya japonica (Thumb) in apple orchards adjacent to the Atlantic Forest located in Campo do Tenente, Lapa and Porto Amazonas counties. In total, we collected 18,289 fruits during four growing years. The occurrence of A. fraterculus depends on the susceptible period of apple fruits. A. sellowiana and P. cattleianum were considered primary fruit fly multipliers and P. guajava was secondary, all occurring after the apple harvest (IS period). The group of parasitoids with A. fraterculus was Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes, 1924) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), Opius bellus (Gahan, 1930), Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti, 1911) and Doryctobracon brasiliensis (Szépligeti, 1911) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) all of which are first records in the Atlantic Forest in Paraná. First record of O. bellus occurring in the State of Paraná, as well as, first record of the tritrophic association between host plant A. neosericea, parasitoids D. areolatus and O. bellus and fruit fly A. fraterculus. The host P. cattleianum stood out among the Myrtaceae species in regard to the high diversity of parasitoid species (81% of parasitoids). The total number of Figitidae species (76.5%) was higher than that of Braconidae species. The influence of climatic events in southern Brazil on wild fruit production should be further studied to understand the association of A. fraterculus with the tritrophic relationship.

Genotype influence on shelf life behaviour of minimal processed loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) fruit: the role of sugar, acid organics and phenolic compounds

Background Loquat cultivars cultivated in Southern Italy are very appreciated by consumers for their sensorial characteristics, such as persistent aroma and taste. Apposite maturity indexes for peeling and processing loquat fruit were investigated to increase diffusion of minimally processed loquat. The genotype’s effect on the minimally processed loquat fruit shelf life and quality harvested at commercial maturity (80% yellow color) was investigated on peeled fruit stored at 5 °C for 10 days. The role of sugars, organic acids and phenols composition was observed through in depth qualitative analysis. In addition, several qualitative analyses were carried out to determine the quality of minimal processed fruit. Results Loquat fruits harvested at commercial ripening stage performed very good palatability and flesh color persistency. Late ripening fruits genotypes shown a low rate of pulp oxidation and quality decay, while early ripening fruits were not suitable for fresh-cut. Genotype had a great influence on weight loss, β-carotene content, fruit respiration, ascorbic acid and total phenols content during the shelf life. Conclusions This work shows how the amount of the composition of sugars and organic acids as an intrinsic characteristic of genotype influences the quality of loquat fruits minimal processed. The higher values of glucose, sorbitol and ascorbic acid accumulated in the cv ‘Nespolone Trabia’ contributed to a reduction in chilling injury and oxidative stress after cutting. Graphical Abstract

EjRAV1/2 Delay Flowering Through Transcriptional Repression of EjFTs and EjSOC1s in Loquat

Most species in Rosaceae usually need to undergo several years of juvenile phase before the initiation of flowering. After 4–6 years’ juvenile phase, cultivated loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), a species in Rosaceae, enters the reproductive phase, blooms in the autumn and sets fruits during the winter. However, the mechanisms of the transition from a seedling to an adult tree remain obscure in loquat. The regulation networks controlling seasonal flowering are also largely unknown. Here, we report two RELATED TO ABI3 AND VP1 (RAV) homologs controlling juvenility and seasonal flowering in loquat. The expressions of EjRAV1/2 were relatively high during the juvenile or vegetative phase and low at the adult or reproductive phase. Overexpression of the two EjRAVs in Arabidopsis prolonged (about threefold) the juvenile period by repressing the expressions of flowering activator genes. Additionally, the transformed plants produced more lateral branches than the wild type plants. Molecular assays revealed that the nucleus localized EjRAVs could bind to the CAACA motif of the promoters of flower signal integrators, EjFT1/2, to repress their expression levels. These findings suggest that EjRAVs play critical roles in maintaining juvenility and repressing flower initiation in the early life cycle of loquat as well as in regulating seasonal flowering. Results from this study not only shed light on the control and maintenance of the juvenile phase, but also provided potential targets for manipulation of flowering time and accelerated breeding in loquat.

Effect of Paper and Aluminum Bagging on Fruit Quality of Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)

Bagging regulates the fruit microenvironment and improves the quality and market value of fruits. It is a safe and ecofriendly technique to protect fruits from insect/pest infestation and multiple biotic and abiotic stresses. In the current study, the influence of fruit bagging was evaluated on the development and quality of loquat fruits. Fruits from a healthy loquat orchard (Cv. Zaozhong No.6), located in Fujian, China, were enveloped in paper (T1), aluminum (T2), and aluminum–polyethylene bags (T3), while unbagged fruits were maintained as control (T0). In general, fruit bagging improved fruit quality in terms of fruit physiological and biochemical attributes and protected fruits from physical damage. In particular, aluminum–polyethylene bagging enhanced fruit weight, length, and width by 1.37-, 1.18-, and 1.13-fold, respectively. Loquat fruits bagged with paper bags exhibited the maximum soluble sugar and lowest titratable acid content. Fruits treated with paper and aluminum–ethylene bags showed twofold higher sugar–acid ratio as compared to control. Aluminum–polyethylene bagging caused 66.67%, 55.56%, and 33.33% reductions in skin burn, fruit rotting, and black spot of loquat. The fruits bagged in aluminum and aluminum–polyethylene did not show insect or bird damage, while unbagged fruits had 14.70% and 17.65% insect and bird damage, respectively. Overall, the results suggest that paper, aluminum, and aluminum–polyethylene bagging improved fruit health by 75%, 131%, and 144%, respectively, as compared to control. To delineate bagging type-dependent effects, principal component analysis was performed. Paper bagging was positively correlated with fruit firmness, rotting, soluble sugars, sugar–acid ratio, and proline content. Aluminum bagging was highly associated with improvements in titratable acids, cystine, and methionine. Aluminum–polyethylene bags were correlated with fruit weight, size, peel thickness, edible rate, and certain amino acids.

Chloroplast genome sequencing based on genome skimming for identification of Eriobotryae Folium

Background Whole chloroplast genome (cpDNA) sequence is becoming widely used in the phylogenetic studies of plant and species identification, but in most cases the cpDNA were acquired from silica gel dried fresh leaves. So far few reports have been available to describe cpDNA acquisition from crude drugs derived from plant materials, the DNA of which usually was seriously damaged during their processing. In this study, we retrieved cpDNA from the commonly used crude drug Eriobotryae Folium (Pipaye in Chinese, which is the dried leaves of Eriobotrya japonica, PPY) using genome skimming technique. Results We successfully recovered cpDNA sequences and rDNA sequences from the crude drug PPY, and bioinformatics analysis showed a high overall consistency between the cpDNA obtained from the crude drugs and fresh samples. In the ML tree, each species formed distinct monophyletic clades based on cpDNA sequence data, while the phylogenetic relationships between Eriobotrya species were poorly resolved based on ITS and ITS2. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that both cpDNA and ITS/ITS2 are effective for identifying PPY and its counterfeits derived from distantly related species (i.e. Dillenia turbinata and Magnolia grandiflora), but cpDNA is more effective for distinguishing the counterfeits derived from the close relatives of Eriobotrya japonica, suggesting the potential of genome skimming for retrieving cpDNA from crude drugs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for their identification.

In vitro & In vivo Phytochemical Evaluation of Bioactive Components Against Hyperglycemic-induced Oxidative Stress in Streptozocin Rat Model: A histopathological investigation

The in vitro antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of Punica granatum, Eriobotrya japonica, and Musa acuminata leaves were evaluated using normal and streptozocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Experimental diabetes was induced into Wister rats using streptozocin (40 mg/kg), injected intraperitoneal (IP). Orally crude methanolic leaves extracts were administered in streptozocin induced diabetic rats (n=6) along with the fractions (chloroform, ethyl acetate, and aqueous) of P. granatum, E. japonica, and M. acuminata (50 mg/kg) along with standard drug glimepiride (2 mg/kg) for 28 days. Rats' blood samples were tested for blood glucose using glucose oxidase reactive strips and glucometer. Glucose was administered to nondiabetic control rats. The rats were also treated with glimepiride and leaves extracts of P. granatum, E. japonica, and M. acuminata to check the oral glucose tolerance (OGTT). Blood glucose levels were checked at 0, 30, 60, 120 minutes intervals after drug administration. The effect of various fractions of leaf extracts on the bodyweight of rats was also studied. Data obtained was evaluated by two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and expressed as standard deviation. Leaves extracts exhibit significant antidiabetic and antioxidant properties. These medicinal plants with antioxidant and antidiabetic properties could be an economical source of local medicine for diabetes.

Study morphology of loquat plants (Eriobotrya Japonica Lindl.) from Karo, Dairi, and Simalungun Districts, North Sumatra

Abstrak. Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) is a flowering plant that belongs to the Rosacea family. The loquat has many health benefits. Cultivation and information about loquat plants in Indonesia are still limited, so they are rarely found and known by the public. Limited information and data regarding loquat plants is also an obstacle to the development of loquat plants. Research on loquat plants aims to analyze the morphological characters in three districts, namely, Karo, Dairi, and Simalungun districts. This research was conducted using a descriptive method. The analysis of the morphological characteristics of loquat plants using morphological data scoring into binary data. The similarity between individuals was analyzed using clusters with the NTSYS program version 2.0 with the UPGMA method of the SimQual function. Morphological Observation Results Loquat plants (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) in Karo, Dairi, and Simalungun Districts have uniform characters in the morphology of stems, leaves, and flowers. However, the observed fruit and seed morphology showed different characters. Different characters exist in the shape of the fruit and seeds. The morphological similarity level of loquat plants was grouped at a similarity coefficient value of 95%. Clusters I and II have the highest similarity with a coefficient value of 100%. Cluster III has the lowest similarity with a coefficient value of 97%.

A draft genome, resequencing, and metabolomes reveal the genetic background and molecular basis of the nutritional and medicinal properties of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl)

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is a popular fruit and medicinal plant. Here, a high-quality draft genome of the E. japonica ‘Big Five-pointed Star’ cultivar that covers ~98% (733.32 Mb) of the estimated genome size (749.25 Mb) and contains a total of 45,492 protein-coding genes is reported. Comparative genomic analysis suggests that the loquat genome has evolved a unique genetic mechanism of chromosome repair. Resequencing data from 52 loquat cultivars, including 16 white-fleshed and 36 yellow-fleshed variants, were analyzed, and the flower, leaf, and root metabolomes of ‘Big Five-pointed Star’ were determined using a UPLC-ESI-MS/M system. A genome-wide association study identified several candidate genes associated with flesh color in E. japonica, linking these phenotypes to sugar metabolism. A total of 577 metabolites, including 98 phenolic acids, 95 flavonoids, and 28 terpenoids, were found, and 191 metabolites, including 46 phenolic acids, 33 flavonoids, and 7 terpenoids, showed no differences in concentration among the leaves, roots, and flowers. Candidate genes related to the biosynthesis of various medicinal ingredients, such as phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, and polysaccharides, were identified. Some of these genes were confirmed to be members of expanding gene families, suggesting that the high concentrations of beneficial metabolites in loquat may be associated with the number of biosynthetic genes in this plant. In summary, this study provides fundamental molecular insights into the nutritional and medical properties of E. japonica.

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization and Expression Profiling of Aluminum-Activated Malate Transporters in Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.

Aluminum-activated malate transporters (ALMTs) have multiple potential roles in plant metabolism such as regulation of organic acids in fruits, movement of guard cells and inducing tolerance against aluminum stress. However, the systematic characterization of ALMT genes in loquat is yet to be performed. In the current study, 24 putative ALMT genes were identified in the genome of Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. To further investigate the role of those ALMT genes, comprehensive bioinformatics and expression analysis were performed. In bioinformatics analysis, the physiochemical properties, conserved domains, gene structure, conserved motif, phylogenetic and syntenic analysis of EjALMT genes were conducted. The result revealed that the ALMT superfamily domain was conserved in all EjALMT proteins. EjALMT proteins were predicted to be localized in the plasma membrane. Genomic structural and motif analysis showed that the exon and motif number of each EjALMT gene ranged dramatically, from 5 to 7, and 6 to 10, respectively. Syntenic analysis indicated that the segmental or whole-genome duplication played a vital role in extension of the EjALMT gene family. The Ka and Ks values of duplicated genes depicted that EjALMT genes have undergone a strong purifying selection. Furthermore, the expression analysis of EjALMT genes was performed in the root, mature leaf, stem, full-bloom flower and ripened fruit of loquat. Some genes were expressed differentially in examined loquat tissues, signifying their differential role in plant growth and development. This study provides the first genome-wide identification, characterization, and relative expression of the ALMT gene family in loquat and provides the foundation for further functional analysis.