fruits

Miracle Fruit Synsepalum Dulcificum

Armen Hareyan — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:46:39 -0500

Synsepalum dulcificum, or a miracle fruit, has the ability to alter your taste buds. After chewing the fruit it releases a sweetening potency that transforms anything sour to sweet.

Analysis of fresh strawberries reveals consumer preferences

harminka — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:43:03 -0600

Fresh strawberries. Just the mention of this iconic spring and early summer fruit can elicit mouthwatering memories of shortcake, fruity drinks and sweet desserts.

Mechanical thinning increases fruit size, reduces labor

harminka — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:14:02 -0600

Hand thinning is a necessary but costly management practice in peach and organic apple production. Mechanical devices designed to help with thinning have been developed, but none has proven highly effective and capable of completely replacing hand thinning.

Organic plant waste proves effective weed control for citrus trees

harminka — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:23:07 -0600

Interest in organic crop production is increasing around the world. Organics are healthy for consumers while adding environmental benefits and decreasing the amount of synthetic herbicides in foods, soil, and water.

Kazak apple research key to preventing blue mold

harminka — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:16:11 -0500

Blue mold, caused by the fungus Penicillium expansum, is the scourge of apple breeders and producers throughout the world, causing extensive losses to stored apples. As the familiar saying goes, one bad apple really can spoil the whole bunch—good fruit stored in containers with decaying fruit often absorbs a moldy odor and flavor.

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Is Low among Black Men

harminka — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 12:53:03 -0500

Despite efforts to stress the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, daily consumption of these foods among men remains low, particularly among black men, according to researchers at Columbia and Temple universities, the University of Pennsylvania and the National Cancer Institute.

Scientists see health-determining air paths in fruit

harminka — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:51:19 -0500

Pears and apples contain air pathways to “breathe”. The pathways are microscopically small structures for oxygen supply and are key elements in determining the fruit’s health. Researchers from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) have visualized them for the first time, therefore proving their hypothesized existence.

High-tech harvester cuts labor costs, maintains quality of Southern blueberry crops

harminka — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:51:33 -0500

To meet increasing consumer demands for healthy, high-quality fruit, commercial growers in the United States are ramping up production of blueberries. Domestic production of this tiny antioxidant-packed "super food" has increased in seven Southeastern states, accounting for almost one-third of the U.S. acreage of two of the most popular types of blueberries.

Southern farmers realize profits from highbush blueberries

harminka — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:43:26 -0500

Southern highbush blueberries are emerging as an important fruit crop in Georgia, but experienced farmers say the fruit can be a challenge to grow. To determine if the blueberry shows true promise as a profitable crop, researchers at the University of Georgia recently studied the economics of these tiny berries.

New recommendations for grape growers

harminka — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:07:38 -0500

The inland areas of the Pacific Northwest, where rainfall averages only 4 to 12 inches per year, present growing challenges for vineyard owners and wine grape producers. The arid conditions in this part of the country have not been conducive for vineyard owners who produce and market high-quality wine grapes.

First draft of transgenic papaya genome yields many fruits

harminka — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:29:45 -0500

A broad collaboration of research institutions in the U.S. and China has produced a first draft of the papaya genome. This draft, which spells out more than 90 percent of the plant’s gene coding sequence, sheds new light on the evolution of flowering plants.

Crop scientists discover gene that controls fruit shape

harminka — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:51:46 -0500

Crop scientists have cloned a gene that controls the shape of tomatoes, a discovery that could help unravel the mystery behind the huge morphological differences among edible fruits and vegetables, as well as provide new insight into mechanisms of plant development.