A field experiment was carried out during 2017–2018 in the Horticulture Research Station farm in El Kanater El Khayreia, El Kalubeia Governorate, Egypt, to find out the response of foliar application of melatonin, GA3 and NAA on vegetative and fruit attributes of ‘Canino’ apricot. Different plant growth regulators influ- enced all variable parameters related to vegetative growth and fruit. Results revealed that between all growth regulators, the foliar application of melatonin following by GA3 there was the highest vegetative growth as compared to other treatments, while GA3 gave the highest yield following by melatonin as compared to other treatments. Treatment with NAA improved vegetative growth, yield and fruit quality to a lesser extent as compared to the control.

Citrus fruits are one of the most abundant crops globally in more than 140 countries throughout the world. Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia swingle) is one of the citrus fruits which popularly has rich nutritional and therapeutic features. The storage period is the important factor that affects the economic and quality properties of this fruit. This study aims to demonstrate the enhancing effect of preharvest spraying with potassium, in addition to the postharvest dipping of fruits in some edible coatings, on the quality and storability of acid lime fruits. Preharvest spraying with organic and mineral forms of potassium, namely, potassium thiosulfate 1.75 g/L (S) and potassium tartrate 2 g/L (T), were carried out at three different times, in May, June, and July. On the other hand, postharvest treatments were carried out via dipping fruits in different types of biopolymers (carboxymethyl cellulose (E2) and gum arabic (E3)) and carboxymethyl cellulose/gum arabic composite (E4) as well as nanocoating formulation based on both biopolymers and doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) (E1), which were prepared via acid lime peel waste extract. Herein, the physiochemical and morphological characterizations confirmed that the nanocoating was prepared at the nanoscale and doped with green synthesis ZnONPs, with recorded sizes of around 80 and 20 nm, respectively. Preharvest spraying with potassium tartrate enhanced fruit traits (Spraying with potassium tartrate at pre-harvest and nanocoating dipping at post-harvest (TE1), spraying with potassium tartrate at pre-harvest and carboxy methyl cellulose dipping at post-harvest (TE2), spraying with potassium tartrate at pre-harvest and gum arabic dipping at post-harvest (TE3) and spraying with potassium tartrate at pre-harvest and carboxymethyl cellulose/gum arabic composite dipping at post-harvest (TE4)), followed by potassium thiosulfate (spraying with potassium thiosulfate at pre-harvest and nanocoating dipping at post-harvest (SE1), spraying with potassium thiosulfate at pre-harvest and carboxy methyl cellulose dipping at post-harvest (SE2), spraying with potassium thiosulfate at pre-harvest and gum arabic dipping at post-harvest (SE3) and spraying with potassium thiosulfate at pre-harvest and carboxymethyl cellulose/gum arabic dipping at post-harvest (SE4)), compared to control. For postharvest treatments, E1 improved fruit quality, followed by E2, E4, and E3, respectively. The integration between pre- and postharvest treatments showed a clear superiority of TE2, followed by TE4, SE1, and SE2, respectively.

Storage of economic fruits is a fatal economic and nutritional factor for most countries. Edible coating played a restricted role in this manner, forcing good usability with many limitations. In this work, Apple (Malus domestica var. Anna) was coated using bioactive nanopackaging films formulated to overcome the economic limitations and drawbacks of conventional coating. The formulated bioactive nanopackaging was based on nanochitosan prepared from shrimp shells and orange peel waste, which is used to produce nanocellulose (white part) and extract active ingredients (orange part). The formulated bioactive nanopackaging based on nanochitosan and nanocellulose (2:1) and orange peel waste extract with ratios of 1, 3, and 5% (w/w) based on nanochitosan dry weight and called T3, T4, and T5, respectively. Characteristics of bioactive nanopackaging films and their precursor materials were characterized physicochemically and topographically as well. The waste orange peel waste extract was characterized phytochemically. According to the orange peel extract, the formulated bioactive nanopackaging films observed antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The results revealed that all treatments outperformed the control, especially treatments T4 (1% Nano Chitosan + 1% Nano Cellulose + 3% Orange Peel Waste extract) and T5 (1% Nano Chitosan + 1% Nano Cellulose + 5% Orange Peel Waste extract), in terms of fruit decay percentage (11.72 ± 11.4 C and 12.33 ± 10.83 C, respectively), weight loss (3.81 ± 2.29B and 3.77 ± 2.22B, respectively), TSS/acidity (17.07 ± 1.14 A and 16.77 ± 1.18 A, respectively), fruit firmness (12.83 ± 1.19B and 13.48 ± 0.91 A, respectively), total sugars (7.98 ± 0.21 A and 8.21 ± 0.29 A, respectively) and total anthocyanin (0.21 ± 0.03B and 0.25 ± 0.05 A, respectively).

The present study reports the physicochemical evaluation and biological activity of seeds oils of Prosopis juliflora, P. glandulosa and P. cineraria. The yield of extracted seed oils was in the range between 4.99 to 9.59 % by weight. The acid, iodine, saponification and peroxide values of seeds oils were between 2.5±0.14-4.75±0.21, 105±1.41-123±2.83, 137.5±2.12-170.5±2.12 and 6.48±0.04-8.95±0.07 respectively. The seeds essential oil of P. glandulosa contained significantly higher amount of total cholesterol (1680±7.07 mg/ 100 g). The seeds oils contained 53.7 to 68.46 % of MUFA followed by 26.97-39.95 % and 3.7-6.95 % of SFA and PUFA respectively. In total nine fatty acids were determined in essential oil samples; oleic acid (C 18:1) was the dominant among the seed oil fatty acids ranged between 39.49 % to 63.41 %. The bioactivity against bacterial and fungal strains showed that all assayed concentrations of essential oils samples significantly inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Streptococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporium.

The edible coatings and films extend the postharvest life of fresh fruits. It is used to improve the' appearance of fruits and ensure their safety due to its environmentally friendly nature. The present study was conducted during the 2021 and 2022 seasons to investigate the effect of some edible coatings, such as oils of jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis), Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa), or their mixture (1:1), on the quality and storability of avocado fruits cv. Hass. The fruits were stored under cold storage conditions (5 ± 1°C/ and 85 - 90% RH/ 6 weeks) compared with untreated fruits (control). The initial contamination of toxigenic fungi was determined for the collected avocado fruits. Also, the ability of treated fruits to resist fungal contamination was evaluated using a simulated experimental study. The results showed that all edible coating treatments cleared better physical and chemical properties during storage than untreated fruits (control). Avocado fruits coated with hibiscus extract resulted in the highest fruit firmness, vitamin C content, chlorophyll content, the least titratable acidity, and negligible phenol content. The Jojoba treatment showed the highest soluble solid content and chlorophyll b content. Generally, edible coatings with jojoba oil and hibiscus extract and their mix (1:1) can be recommended to preserve the fruit quality and extend avocado fruits' storage life.

Cancer is a worldwide disease that affects millions of people every year. Although there are several approved chemotherapeutic drugs for cancer treatment, there is s constant search for new molecules. This search is supported by the need of new molecules that could target cancer cells specifically reducing side effects or that could act synergistically with approved anticancer drugs. In this review, research on flower extracts and flower-derived molecules is presented.