Dormancy breakers are widely employed in regions with an insufficient chill accumulation to enhance floral bud break in sweet cherry production. Dormex (HC) has not been authorized in Europe and many other countries due to its detrimental effects on human health (carcinogenic) and the environment. This situation has increased the demand for alternative chemicals to HC. The current study was conducted in an orchard of 5-year-old ‘Royal Tioga^®’ sweet cherry trees (Prunus avium L.) grafted on MaxMa 14 rootstocks in the Karayusuflu Village (at an altitude of 50 m), Adana, a Mediterranean city in Türkiye. Levante (LV) and HC were applied approximately 30 days before the anticipated dormancy break of the buds. Chill accumulation was quantified monthly during the 2023–2024 winter season using the chilling hours below 7.2 °C (467 h) and chill units (280 CUs). This study evaluated the effects of dormancy breakers on hormonal changes in floral buds, focusing specifically on gibberellic acid (GA₃) and abscisic acid (ABA). Also, their impact on fruit set and quality parameters was assessed. The findings revealed that the LV and HC applications reduced the ABA content in flower buds during the dormancy period compared to the control. LV significantly improved bud break rates (56.8%) and fruit set (85.2%) while positively influencing the fruit quality parameters and yield. No significant differences between the LV and HC treatments were observed regarding average fruit weight (8.8–8.4 g) and yield values (3.7–3.5 kg tree⁻¹). These results suggest LV as an alternative to HC for early-season cherry production in warm climates.

Myrtus communis L. (common myrtle) is an economically valuable Mediterranean shrub with diverse applications in food, pharmaceutical, and ornamental sectors. However, the biochemical diversity of myrtle genotypes from Mediterranean environments remains insufficiently characterized, particularly regarding the relationship between primary and secondary metabolism and stress adaptation. This study investigated the biochemical and aroma profiles of six myrtle genotypes selected from natural populations in Antalya, Turkey, to identify chemotypic diversity and elucidate metabolic diversity observed in Mediterranean genotypes. Volatile compounds were analyzed using HS-SPME/GC-MS, while sugars and organic acids were quantified by HPLC. Multivariate statistical analyses (PCA, hierarchical clustering) were employed to evaluate metabolic relationships and genotype classification. Descriptive analysis suggested three potential chemotypic patterns: (i) 1,8-cineole-type (G34, G36) with G29 showing a transitional profile, (ii) α-Pinene-type (G15, G37), and (iii) Ester-aldehyde type (G9). These groupings are based on single volatile measurements and should be considered preliminary patterns pending validation through replicate analyses. Significant genotypic variation was observed for primary metabolites (sugars and organic acids) (p < 0.001, η² > 0.90), as evaluated by ANOVA with triplicate biological replicates. Volatile compound differences were evaluated as descriptive exploratory patterns only. Hierarchical clustering revealed three metabolic strategies: balanced metabolism integrating diverse volatile and primary metabolite profiles (Cluster 1: G9, G15, G37), terpene-rich volatile defense with enhanced organic acid metabolism (Cluster 2: G29, G36), and specialized 1,8-cineole-dominant biosynthesis (Cluster 3: G34). These findings highlight substantial metabolic diversity and provide a basis for germplasm evaluation and selection and potential applications.

Myrtus communis L. (common myrtle) is an economically valuable Mediterranean shrub with diverse applications in food, pharmaceutical, and ornamental sectors. However, the biochemical diversity of drought- and salt-resistant genotypes remains insufficiently characterized, particularly regarding the relationship between primary and secondary metabolism and stress adaptation. This study investigated the biochemical and aroma profiles of six drought-resistant myrtle genotypes from natural populations in Antalya, Turkey, to identify chemotypic diversity and elucidate metabolic strategies underlying abiotic stress tolerance. Volatile compounds were analyzed using HS-SPME/GC-MS, while sugars and organic acids were quantified by HPLC. Multivariate statistical analyses (PCA, hierarchical clustering) were employed to evaluate metabolic relationships and genotype classification. Three chemotypes were identified: (i) Eucalyptol-type (G34, G36) with 35-40% 1,8-cineole; (ii) α-Pinene-type (G15, G37) with elevated terpenes (15.7-20.5%) and high sugar content (11.9-12.4 g/100 ml); and (iii) Ester-aldehyde type (G9) characterized by dominant esters (30.4%) and negligible eucalyptol. Significant genotypic variation was observed across metabolite classes (p < 0.001, η² > 0.90). Hierarchical clustering revealed three metabolic strategies: volatile-focused antioxidant defense (Cluster 1), osmotic adjustment with chemical defense (Cluster 2), and specialized stress signaling (Cluster 3). These findings highlight substantial metabolic plasticity and provide a basis for targeted breeding and diverse industrial applications.

Mandarin is one of the most widely consumed citrus fruits worldwide and is a rich source of phytochemical compounds with important biological activities for human health. This review comprehensively addresses the distribution, chemical properties, and therapeutic significance of the main bioactive compounds found in mandarins, particularly flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids, vitamins, and essential oils. Furthermore, it presents up-to-date information on the chromatographic, spectroscopic, and metabolomic analytical approaches used to identify and quantify these compounds. The biological activities of mandarin-derived phytochemicals have been evaluated in terms of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, anticancer, and metabolic regulatory effects. Current studies indicate that hesperidin, narirutin, nobiletin, tangeretin, and various phenolic acids make significant contributions to the positive health effects of mandarins. Furthermore, the distribution of these bioactive compounds in different fruit tissues, their concentration levels, and their interactions have been explained, and current scientific evidence regarding their potential effects on human health has been evaluated. In conclusion, this review brings together the latest information on the chemical characterization, therapeutic potential, and analytical methods of bioactive compounds found in mandarins, providing a scientific basis for future research and the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and natural health products.

Myrtle berries are rich in bioactive phenolics and volatile terpenes and have potential for use in functional food products. However, the combined application of grape molasses and ultrasound as a pretreatment before drying has received limited attention. This study characterized fresh ‘Yakup’ myrtle berries as baseline material and explored the drying behavior and measured quality attributes of berries subjected to twelve pretreatments combining grape molasses or water, ultrasound-assisted or static immersion, and treatment durations of 30, 45, or 60 min. Pretreated and untreated fruits were dried by forced-air convection at 60, 75, and 90 °C. Dried samples were evaluated for antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), sugar composition, and drying behavior. The shortest observed drying times at 60 and 75 °C occurred after ultrasound treatment in grape molasses for 30 and 45 min, respectively, whereas static immersion in grape molasses for 60 min and the untreated control showed the shortest drying times at 90 °C. Static immersion in grape molasses for 45 min showed the highest measured TPC at 60 °C (1353.47 mg GAE/100 g dw), while the untreated control showed the highest TPC at 75 and 90 °C and the highest TAC at all three temperatures. The treatment showing the highest total sugar concentration also differed with drying temperature. Thus, no single pretreatment consistently maximized all measured attributes. The findings identify condition-specific candidate strategies rather than a universally superior pretreatment. Because each treatment–temperature combination was represented by one drying tray and the triplicate compositional determinations were analytical rather than independent process replicates, the comparisons are descriptive and require confirmation in independently replicated processing trials. Complete pretreatment mass balances are also required before water loss, solid gain, solute uptake, or true compound retention can be quantified. Looking ahead, studies can be conducted that include sensory and economic evaluations by creating customized pretreatment protocols for industrial applications.