The current reliance on pesticides and synthetic fertilizers has been vital to sustain and increase agricultural production. The continuous, excessive use of these traditional practices has negatively affected consumer health and burdened the ecosystem. The use of plant extracts as a tool to minimize agrochemical inputs has been extensively investigated; these extracts have the ability to improve both plant growth and agricultural productivity. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of foliar plant extract application on potato growth, as well as on certain physiological and yield attributes. From four weeks after planting onwards, five healthy, equal-sized potato plants per treatment received various foliar plant extract applications. These extracts included brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum extract (ANE), aloe vera leaf extract (AVE), garlic bulb extract (GBE), and moringa leaf extract (MLE). The treatments were repeated weekly until harvesting. Application data regarding growth and physiological parameters were collected weekly. The pre-harvest foliar application of various plant extracts significantly enhanced (p ≤ 0.05) the plant growth, physiological, and yield attributes of potatoes. The best growth and yield responses were observed following ANE and MLE application. Plant extracts have shown beneficial effects on other crops as well, but further validation of these effects is still necessary in order to popularize and commercialize such applications.

The current reliance on pesticides and synthetic fertilizers has been vital to sustain and even increase agricultural production. The continuous, excessive use of these traditional practices has negatively affected consumers’ health and burdened ecosystems. The use of plant extracts has the ability to improve plant growth and agricultural productivity. This study was, therefore, conducted to determine the effects of foliar plant extract application on potato growth, as well as on certain physiological and yield attributes. The treatments included extracts of the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum, aloe vera leaves, garlic bulbs and moringa leaves. From four weeks after planting onwards, five healthy, equal-sized potato plants received 50 mL of the above-mentioned plant extracts as foliar applications. These treatments were repeated weekly until harvesting. Data on growth and physiological parameters were collected weekly. Pre-harvest foliar application of various plant extracts significantly enhanced (p ≤ 0.05) the plant growth and yield attributes of the potatoes. The best growth and yield responses were observed following ANE and MLE applications. A positive influence of various foliar plant extract applications on the growth and yield of potatoes was demonstrated. Further validation of the response of other crops is still necessary to promote the adoption of this approach.

Berries are highly diverse, comprising a wide range of colors, including red, purple, and blue. Among berry fruits, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, and currants are the world’s most economically important temperate berries. The increasing popularity of these berries is linked to their attractive color, special taste, and nutritional and health benefits. In addition to color-imparting anthocyanins, berries can contain numerous other health-promoting metabolites, including vitamins C and E, ellagitannins, phenolics, sugars, and β‑carotene. All these compounds exhibit antioxidant properties, reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Berry quality, however, is influenced by preharvest factors, including those of genetic and environmental origins and cultural practices. The present analysis, therefore, aimed to comprehensively review the available literature on the influence of preharvest factors on the yield and the sensory, and nutritional attributes of temperate berries. Although individual preharvest factors influence berry quality, the genotype × environment × management (G × E × M) interaction remains the primary driver. The expression and activity of genes involved in key physiological processes, including carbohydrate partitioning, cell wall strengthening, color development, flavonoid biosynthesis (via MYB-bHLH-WD40 transcription complexes), and sugar metabolism, are modulated by prevailing environmental conditions and management practices. This review reveals that yield and sensory and nutritional quality parameters are influenced by the interaction effects of cultivar genotype, site-specific pedo-climatic conditions, and cultural practices. The selection of cultivars with superior genotypes and enhanced adaptation to site-specific environmental conditions, as well as the implementation of mechanism-based management strategies, is essential for achieving consistent, high-quality temperate berries.

Potato is an economically important non-grain, semi-perishable agricultural commodity. However, potato tubers become highly prone to moisture loss and quality deterioration after harvest, contributing to post-harvest losses. The present study, therefore, investigated the efficacy of various plant extracts on the retention of post-harvest quality of potato tubers. Freshly harvested ‘Sifra’ potato tubers were dipped into plant extracts (10 g/L level) and allowed to air-dry for 1 h on the benchtops before storage at ambient conditions (day: 22 ± 2 ℃ and 45 ± 5% RH). The treatments were as follows: Ascophyllum nodosum extract (ANE), aloe vera leaf extract (AVE), garlic bulb extract (GBE) and moringa leaf extract (MLE), as well as the control (water only). Plant extract applications, as post-harvest treatments, significantly ( p ≤ 0.05) influenced post-harvest quality of potato tubers. During storage, AVE application reduced physiological mass loss during storage by 60% compared with the control. Moreover, ANE and MLE treatment application considerably increased potato mineral concentrations and the presence of total soluble solids. These treatments also gave the most promising results as they showed the highest retention potential of tuber vitamin C, total carbohydrate, protein, phenolic and flavonoid concentrations, as well as antioxidant activity during storage. Based on these results, the use of natural plant extract, as an alternative to current chemical applications, is highly advisable and recommended to preserve post-harvest quality of potato tubers, without compromising consumers’ health.