This study was conducted to investigate the effects of processing aids and techniques such as talcum powder (2% w/w), calcium carbonate (2% w/w), warm water dipping (45 °C), combined treatment (warm water dipping+2% calcium carbonate) and control (without adding processing aid) on extractability and quality of ‘Tarom 7’ olive oil as randomized complete block design with three replicates. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the carotenoid content, K232, fatty acid profile or the Cox’s value in the oil obtained from untreated and treated fruits with processing aids. The highest chlorophyll content (0.84 mg/kg), total phenolic content (236.94 mg/kg), paste extractability (8.5%) and the lowest peroxide values (0.32 meqO2/kg), K270 (0.38) were obtained from the oil extracted with 2% talc powder. According to the results, it can be suggested that the 2% talc powder treatment could have a positive effect on olive oil quality and paste extractability.

The low performance of date palm cv. Barhi resulting from tissue culturing is one of the main challenges in the production of these plants. On the other hand, the final yield of the plant depends on various metabolic and biochemical factors which are caused by gene expression. The plant reacts to environmental factors to survive in different growth and environmental conditions through gene expression. This experiment was conducted to investigate the relationship between the expression of certain genes before and up to two weeks after pollination with the yield of off-shoot and tissue culture of Phoenix dactylifera L. cv. Barhi (10-year-old). Off-shoot and tissue-culture date palms were pollinated with Red Ghanami pollen, Green Ghanami pollen, and Green Ghanami + Red Ghanami pollen (50:50) based on a factorial design in randomized complete blocks with three replications. To this end, the relative expression levels of Histone acetyltransferase HAC1-like (LOC103717600) (HAC 1), Arginine N-methyltransferase 6.1 (LOC103716582) (ANM), TIME FOR COFFEE-like (LOC103716450) (TFC), Homeobox-leucine zipper protein HOX9-like (LOC103703962) (HOX 9), MADS-box transcription factor 2-like (LOC103702602) (GLO 1), and MADS-box transcription factor 16 (LOC103701267) (DEF 1) genes were examined using qRT-PCR method in 3 times: (1) Before pollination, (2) 1 week after pollination, and (3) 2 weeks after pollination. The fruit yield was measured at 180 days after pollination (the end of the experiment). The results showed that the tissue culture palms had lower yield but higher relative genes expression in all pollen treatments compared to off-shoot palms. Off-shoot date palm pollinated with Red Ghanami pollen (5.93 tons/ha) showed the highest yield while the lowest yield was recorded in tissue culture date palm pollinated with Green Ghanami pollen (2.09 tons/ha). The relative expression of the six studied genes significantly increased in all treatments two weeks after pollination. Two weeks after all investigated treatments, the GLO gene had the highest expression, while the HAC gene showed the lowest relative expression. The relationship between the yield and the genes expression in the three studied times showed that the HOX gene had no considerable effect on flowering and yield. The ANM and TFC genes expression before pollination exhibited a positive relationship, whereas the expression of HAC, DEF, and GLO genes had a negative relationship with 1 week after pollination. Two weeks after pollination, the expression of the ANM gene revealed a significant positive relationship with the final yield of the date palm. Moreover, the correlation results showed the prominent role of the genes in different stages of growth and yield of date palms by influencing the expression of each other. In general, it is possible to improve the yield of the tissue culture date palm by affecting the expression of the genes in specific stages based on their function.

Drought stress markedly limits citrus growth, highlighting the need for practical strategies to strengthen seedling resilience. Here, we assessed whether root inoculation with the plant growth-promoting bacterium Bacillus subtilis CS1, alone or combined with foliar potassium nitrate (0 and 2%), can mitigate water-deficit impacts in Mexican lime (Citrus aurantiifolia). Seedlings were exposed to three irrigation regimes representing 40, 70, and 100% evapotranspiration potential (ETP). Drought significantly depressed biomass accumulation, photosynthetic pigments, leaf area, and relative water content. Under severe stress (40% ETP), CS1 inoculation markedly enhanced plant water status, increasing relative water content by 48.2% and leaf area by 240.1% relative to untreated controls. Inoculated plants also maintained carbohydrate metabolism more effectively, exhibiting higher soluble sugars and reduced starch depletion during drought. Potassium nitrate spraying improved membrane stability, lowering electrolyte leakage, and promoted shoot and root fresh and dry weights under stress. Notably, the combined CS1+2% KNO3 treatment under drought increased leaf area by 7.98% and proline by 249.4%, while reducing malondialdehyde by 49.3% compared with the control, indicating alleviated oxidative damage. Overall, CS1 outperformed KNO3 alone and offers a sustainable, low-risk approach for improving drought tolerance in citrus cultivation.