This research comparatively investigates different mangosteen pericarp processing schemes. The experimental pericarp processing schemes were hot air drying (HAD; control), quick freezing/HAD (QF + HAD), slow freezing/HAD (SF + HAD), and slow freezing/freeze-drying (SF + FD). For freezing, the QF temperature was −38 °C for 2 h and that of SF was −25 °C for 2 weeks. For drying, the HAD temperature was 60 °C for 7 h. In the FD process, the primary and secondary temperatures were −20 °C and 50 °C for 48 h. The experimental results showed that the freezing method (i.e., QF and SF) affected the physical properties (moisture content, water activity, and color) of dried mangosteen pericarp. The antioxidant activities (DPPH and ABTS) of the SF + HAD scheme (28.20 and 26.86 mg Trolox/g DW of mangosteen pericarp) were lower than the SF + FD scheme (40.68 and 41.20 mg Trolox/g DW of mangosteen pericarp). The α-mangostin contents were 82.3 and 78.9 mg/g DW of mangosteen pericarp for FD and HAD, respectively; and the corresponding TPC were 1065.57 and 783.24 mg GAE/g DW of mangosteen pericarp. The results of this study suggest that the drying process had a negligible effect on bioactive compounds. Essentially, the SF + HAD technology is the most operationally and economically viable scheme to process mangosteen pericarp.

The propagation success of bougainvillea through hardwood stem cutting varied with rooting hormones and rooting media. This experiment was carried out to study the effect of rooting hormone and rooting media on hardwood cuttings of Bougainvillea glabra cv. Double Red during April-July, 2021. The treatments were combination of rooting hormones [Indole-3-Butyric Acid (500 mg L^-1), Indole-3-Butyric Acid (1,000 mg L^-1), Naphthalene Acetic Acid (1,500 mg L^-1), Naphthalene Acetic Acid (3,000 mg L^-1), Rootex C] and different rooting media (soil and farmyard manure, sand and farmyard manure, sand and cocopeat) in 1:1 ratio. Cuttings without rooting hormones served as control. We observed earliest sprouting (10.33 days) of cuttings treated with IBA (500 mg L^-1) and planted in sand and cocopeat. The highest sprouting percent (100%) and length of longest sprout (49 cm) were recorded when cuttings were treated with Rootex C and planted in sand and cocopeat. The highest shoot fresh weight (10.04 g), shoot dry weight (2.09 g), length of root (13.75 cm), number of roots (34.17), root fresh weight (2.33 g) and root dry weight (0.24 g) was observed in cuttings treated with IBA (1000 mg L^-1) and planted in sand and cocopeat. The effect of rooting hormone and rooting media on the diameter of sprouts, rooting percentage, and transplanting success percentage was non-significant. Considering economically important parameters (sprouting percentage and length of longest sprout), this study revealed that sand and cocopeat with Rootex C was the best combination for the propagation of bougainvillea.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) ‘Nam Dok Mai Si Thong’ is an important cultivar for export from Thailand. Export mainly takes place via air transport, but for about 2 h at the loading area (tarmac), unit loading devices (ULDs) are exposed to ambient environmental conditions. In this research, the effects of different temperature conditions at the loading area (tarmac) and the distance of the production area from the tarmac on the quality of fresh mango fruits were studied. The treatments included three temperature conditions for 2 h (simulated handling in tarmac)—constant temperature (20 °C), non-insulated or insulated and exposed to sun—and two distances of the tarmac from the production area—short distance (i.e., transport occurring 53 h after harvest) and long distance (i.e., transport occurring 70 h after harvest). The temperature variation in the boxes exposed to the sun was greater in the non-insulated than in the insulated boxes, but this effect was more pronounced in fruit from the short-distance production area (28.1 °C insulated and 36.9 °C non-insulated) than in fruit from the long-distance production area (34.2 °C insulated and 38 °C non-insulated). Insulation and short distance increased the shelf life, decreased weight loss, delayed the decrease in average firmness and rupture force, etc. The insulation of mango fruit boxes mitigates the deleterious effect of exposure to 2 h of direct sun by reducing the increase in temperature, thus improving the shelf life and quality of mango fruit.

The cut flower business has been growing rapidly worldwide, with a positive and significant impact on the economies of many countries. Maintaining quality and extending the vase life of cut flowers are crucial aspects of the floral industry. Synthetic preservatives (silver nitrate, silver thiosulfate, nano-silver, hydroxy quinoline, thiabendazole, and aluminum compounds) have been commercially used in the vase to maintain the quality and longevity of cut flowers for a long time. However, these preservatives may persist in the environment, causing severe health hazards and environmental pollution, and are also expensive. Therefore, cut flower industries seek low-cost, eco-friendly, and safer alternatives. In this context, natural preservatives (NPs), including plant extracts (PEs) and essential oils (EOs), offer a promising and sustainable alternative to synthetic preservatives in the vase. This review highlights the potential NPs and their role in enhancing the quality and vase life of cut flowers. We discussed how these preservatives exert their beneficial effects, such as inhibiting microbial growth, reducing ethylene production, and enhancing water uptake, and also explored the potential issues associated with them. We conducted a structured literature review and summarized the most commonly used EOs and PEs, their optimal dosages, efficacy, and combinations, and concluded with future directions to enhance the vase life of cut flowers sustainably.