Fruits is a scientific journal for original articles and reviews on fruit crops in temperate, Mediterranean, subtropical and tropical regions

Assessment of the genetic relatedness of walnut cultivars with phenotypic data and molecular markers allows progress in conservation and management of the genetic resources, breeding and protection of breeders’ intellectual property. In the present study we used 24 morphological traits, 25 random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) and 7 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), to study genetic diversity and relationships in walnut cultivars at different levels. The 20 analyzed accessions represent some of the most important Romanian and international walnut cultivars and typify a genetic diversity characteristic of a germplasm collection. The distances based on morphological and SSR markers were significantly correlated. The two DNA marker systems were uncorrelated and RAPD markers failed to describe the pattern of molecular similarity. All marker systems detected polymorphisms that were adequate for the discrimination of all cultivars. Morphological- and SSR-based genetic distances were related to a certain point and differed from RAPD-based genetic distances. Our data indicate that the type and the number of phenotypic traits evaluated can considerably alter the result of the analysis and combination of qualitative and quantitative data needs caution. Moreover, the data imply that the two molecular marker systems are useful for cultivar characterization, but SSR markers are more advisable to investigate genetic relationships. Also, they can be employed to complete and aid the traditional registration of varieties. We propose that, since the information provided by morphological and SSR marker systems in walnut is similar, they should serve for cultivar characterization and assessment in genebanks.

Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.), a valuable fruit crop, is cultivated in small areas in Romania, mostly in the west, where the moderate continental climate has a slight Mediterranean influence. This work aims to investigate the bioactive characteristics (total polyphenols, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity), individual polyphenolic composition, phytochemical and nutritional HRMS screening profiles, sugar and mineral composition of six sweet chestnut cultivars, namely ‘Marsol’, ‘Maraval’, ‘Bournette’, ‘Précoce Migoule’ and ‘Marissard’ grown at Fruit Growing Research—Extension Station (SCDP) Vâlcea, in Northern Oltenia, Romania. Fruit samples were collected in two consecutive years, in order to study the impact of genetic variability between cultivars and the influence of the different climatic conditions corresponding to different cultivation years. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) allow the discrimination between the sweet chestnut fruits harvested in different years and different sweet chestnut cultivars. Analytical investigations revealed that sweet chestnut cultivars grown in Romania show similar bioactive, phytochemical and nutritional composition to cultivars grown in the large European chestnut-producing countries, indicating the high adaptation potential of the chestnut in the temperate continental zone with small Mediterranean influences characteristic of the southwestern area of Romania.

The walnut leaves and the green walnut husk are been widely used in folk medicine. These vegetal materials have been reported as a source of bioactive molecules such as the phenolic compounds. In this research, there were analysed different quality parameters afferent to several walnut varieties, harvested from the germplasm collection located at S.C.D.P. Vâlcea, Romania. Romanian cultivars ‘Jupâneşti’, ‘Valrex’ and ‘Valmit’ and French one ‘Franquette’ were analyzed. The variation in bioactive compounds content from the walnut leaves and walnut husk at different developmental stages (from June to September) was investigated. The results showed that the content in polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins has significantly increased until the ripening stage, after that a decrease of the values of these parameters follows. Greater values of the three parameters were also observed at walnut leaves and green walnut husk of cultivars attacked by walnut blight, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj). The findings of this study reveal the mode of variation in the content of polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins during the growing season of the walnut leaves and green walnut husk, emphasizing also the influence of Xaj. The results obtained demonstrated the potential of the walnut leaves and the green walnut husk as an economical source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents. ********* In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue. *********

Raspberry is a delicious fruit with important nutritional and health properties for consumers. The efficiency of achieving raspberry breeding aims such as productivity, fruit quality, and adequate response to stressors, etc., depends directly on knowledge of the inheritance of traits and genetic factors of influence and their pragmatic use. In this study, the main morphological characteristics and chemical components of fruits of 24 raspberry genotypes were studied in a comparative field trial; 14 were promising selections and the other 10 included their parental forms (Autumn Bliss, Glen Moy, Glen Prosen, Opal, Pathfinder, Titan, Tulameen, Veten, Willamette) and Glen Ample cultivar, which was used as control. The results highlighted significant differences and a large variation among the genotypes (between 2.40 and 4.90 g for fruit weight, 0.19–0.47 kg/cane for yield, 50–106 for drupelets/fruit, 10.0–12.7% for dry matter, 0.23–2.00% pectin, 1.61–2.72% glucose, etc.). The inheritance of the analyzed traits, considered quantitative, was different, but a low heritability was recorded for non-marketable fruits and the number of drupelets in fruit. In several hybrid selections, negative heterosis prevailed, highlighting the breeding difficulties of the important desired traits of the species. The values of heterosis and the broad-sense and narrow-sense heritability of some traits demonstrate that, through judiciously choosing parents, raspberry breeding in the desired direction can be successful.