Scientia Horticulturae最新文献

{"title":"Oxidative pre-planting treatments enhance early growth and disinfection in onion sets (Allium cepa L.)","authors":"Gloria Bárzana ,&nbsp;Jose Antonio Pascual","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114705","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114705","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Onion sets (<em>Allium cepa</em> small dried bulblets) are widely used for summer cultivation in Mediterranean regions, where direct seeding is unfeasible due to extreme conditions. However, bulblet production and storage often increase microbial contamination and lead to non-uniform sprouting, affecting early crop establishment. This study provides the first systematic evaluation of oxidative sanitizers in onion sets, assessing their dual role as microbial disinfectants and physiological elicitors under controlled conditions. The tested compounds -hypochlorous acid (HOCl), hydrogen peroxide (PEROX), and ozone (aqueous and gaseous)- were compared to a conventional copper-based treatment. We assessed their impact on microbial load, rooting and sprouting, seedling growth, oxidative damage (H₂O₂ accumulation, lipid peroxidation) and antioxidant responses (catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, soluble sugars and total antioxidant capacity). HOCl-treated bulbs showed reduced oxidative damage and increased antioxidant activity, which coincided with improved rooting (11 %), and sprouting (33 %) and greater uniformity during early development. Aqueous ozone also enhanced sprouting (∼30 %) and stimulated antioxidant responses although its bulb disinfection efficiency was lower, despite reducing soil bacterial content. In contrast, H₂O₂ and gaseous ozone were effective disinfectants but induced oxidative stress, resulting in reduced root growth and lower seedling performance. Principal Component Analysis revealed that HOCl and aqueous ozone clustered with APX activity and increased DPPH scavenging capacity, associated with more favourable early establishment, while H₂O₂ and Cu-base treatments were associated to sugar accumulation and CAT activity. Overall, oxidative sanitizers such as HOCl and aqueous ozone may act as physiological elicitors that improve early development, beyond their disinfection effect. These findings support their potential as sustainable alternatives in onion set cultivation, with possible applications for improving early establishment while contributing to soil health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"358 ","pages":"Article 114705"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147278996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating trunk dendrometer indices, weather data and plant traits to assess water status in olive (Olea europaea L.) trees","authors":"Simone Nesi ,&nbsp;Simone Priori ,&nbsp;Giuseppe Conte ,&nbsp;Giovanni Caruso","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114720","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114720","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate monitoring of plant water status is essential for optimizing irrigation in super-high-density (SHD) olive orchards. Trunk diameter fluctuations, measured by dendrometers, offer a non-destructive tool for assessing plant water dynamics. The study was conducted in two SHD olive orchards (cv. Arbequina) in Italy with contrasting plant size. In Site A, three irrigation regimes were tested; in Site B, zones of high and low vigor were identified by NDVI. The relationships between maximum daily shrinkage (MDS), trunk growth rate (TGR) and tree water deficit (TWD) with stomatal conductance (g_s) and stem water potential (Ψ_stem) were assessed. TWD was the best predictor of Ψ_stem (R²=0.94 and 0.64 in site A and B, respectively). However, in small trees, TWD remained low despite increasing water stress. MDS showed a curvilinear response to Ψ_stem, peaking at moderate stress levels and declining under more severe conditions. Stepwise regression identified canopy volume as the structural plant trait significantly affecting MDS and TGR under well-watered conditions, highlighting the need for a size-dependent interpretation of dendrometric indices. Among the climatic variables, vapor pressure deficit and maximum air temperature were also confirmed as significant predictors for these dendrometric indices. Predictive models for g_s and Ψ_stem were then developed using dendrometric, climatic, and tree structural variables. Combined models integrating all three indices with climatic and structural variables outperformed individual models for both g_s (R² = 0.87, RMSE = 23) and Ψ_stem (R²=0.92, RMSE = 0.22). These results support the potential of dendrometers as decision-support tools for precision irrigation in olive.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"358 ","pages":"Article 114720"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147334363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Polyvinyl alcohol–natamycin composite treatment maintains postharvest quality and enhances antioxidant capacity of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.)","authors":"Feng An,&nbsp;Han Guo,&nbsp;Yingke Li,&nbsp;Yibin Zhang,&nbsp;Qing Luo,&nbsp;Xin Yin,&nbsp;Qinggang Zhu,&nbsp;Yuliang Cai,&nbsp;Dongqian Shan","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114719","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114719","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sweet cherry (<em>Prunus avium</em> L.) undergoes rapid deterioration after harvest, resulting in severe losses in quality and marketability. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a biodegradable polymer with favorable film-forming and barrier properties used as an edible coating. Additionally, PVA composites have been explored to enhance coating properties, including antimicrobial and film-strength improvements. This study aimed to develop a PVA–natamycin composite coating and evaluate its potential to preserve the postharvest quality of sweet cherries during cold storage. In this study, PVA coatings at different concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) were evaluated, and 1.0% PVA was identified as the optimal formulation. Based on this concentration, a PVA–natamycin composite coating was applied to evaluate its effects on fruit quality during 60 days of cold storage. Compared with the control, the composite coating reduced decay incidence by 47.2% and maintained higher firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and color attributes, while suppressing respiration rate. Moreover, the composite coating exhibited improved oxidative stability compared with single treatments, as reflected by lower malondialdehyde accumulation, higher antioxidant enzyme activities, and greater retention of phenolic compounds. Overall, the PVA–natamycin composite coating represents a sustainable postharvest treatment for sweet cherries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"358 ","pages":"Article 114719"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147360424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Circadian and phytohormone responses underlying red and blue light control of flowering in pepino (Solanum muricatum)","authors":"Guangnan Zhang ,&nbsp;Shipeng Yang ,&nbsp;Qiwen Zhong ,&nbsp;Jian Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114640","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114640","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Light quality profoundly influences flowering time in horticultural crops, yet molecular mechanisms remain poorly characterized in emerging species. Comprehensive transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that blue light significantly delayed pepino (<em>Solanum muricatum</em>) flowering while red light accelerated reproductive transitions. Phytohormone profiling identified 20, 28, and 17 differentially expressed hormones at flower bud, bud, and flower stages, respectively, with jasmonic acid components showing near-universal upregulation under blue light. Transcriptome analysis revealed stage-specific responses with minimal overlap—only 3 common DEGs between flower bud and bud stages, 1 between bud and flower stages. Red light triggered broader pathway activation (34 <em>vs.</em> 24 pathways at flower bud stage) and recruited more DEGs in the consistently enriched circadian rhythm pathway. Network analysis revealed maximum regulatory complexity at flower bud stage (two core sub-networks), simplified to single sub-network at flower stage, while bud stage lacked identifiable cores. Blue light activated CRY signaling, inhibiting COP1/SPA and downregulating CO-related genes, whereas red light triggered PHYB activation with coordinated suppression of PIF3, CCA1, LHY, and PRR5. Morphologically, red light enhanced vegetative growth while a suppressed lateral buds, contrasting with blue light's reduction of primary growth but increased lateral bud formation. These findings establish that light quality orchestrates pepino flowering through wavelength-specific circadian-hormone networks, with blue light delaying flowering via CRY-mediated JA upregulation and red light accelerating reproduction through PHY-mediated GA promotion, providing insights for LED-based flowering control in controlled environment agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"358 ","pages":"Article 114640"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147393019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Putrescine and spermidine preharvest treatments improve crop yield, resistance to rain-induced cracking and fruit quality traits in sweet cherries","authors":"Jenifer Puente-Moreno ,&nbsp;Fernando Garrido-Auñón ,&nbsp;María E. García-Pastor ,&nbsp;María Serrano ,&nbsp;Daniel Valero","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114689","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114689","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sweet cherry (<em>Prunus avium</em> L.) is a fruit species of high commercial and nutritional value, although its production and marketing face numerous pre- and postharvest challenges, aggravated by extreme climatic events, such as heat waves or heavy rainfalls, which decrease crop yield and fruit quality. Polyamines, such as putrescine and spermidine, have been shown to improve stress tolerance and fruit quality. Therefore, this study evaluates the effect of preharvest applications of putrescine and spermidine on crop yield, tolerance to adverse weather conditions due to heavy rainfalls and fruit quality in 'Sunburst' and 'Skeena' sweet cherry cultivars during two consecutive seasons, 2022 and 2023. Preharvest applications of spermidine and putrescine at 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mM significantly increased yield in 2022 and reduced cracking induced by heavy rainfall occurring in 2023. In addition, significant improvements in fruit quality traits were observed in both cultivars and years, evidenced by an increase in fruit weight, firmness, red colour and titratable acidity, the highest effects being observed for 0.01 mM putrescine and spermidine. Moreover, total and individual phenolics and anthocyanins were also increased by polyamine treatments in both cultivars. Thus, preharvest polyamine treatments could be an innovative and useful tool to improve crop yield and quality properties in sweet cherry even under adverse climatic conditions as heavy rainfall, with beneficial effects for growers and consumers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"358 ","pages":"Article 114689"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146777786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potential negative impacts of rising temperatures on fruit ripening and quality in raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries","authors":"Lida Fuentes ,&nbsp;Sebastián Rivera ,&nbsp;Carolina Contreras","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114692","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114692","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agriculture faces the dual challenge of increasing productivity to meet the food demands of a growing population amidst climate change. Projected heatwaves and persistent high temperatures will vary by region, with significant warming expected in the middle latitudes of both hemispheres. High temperatures negatively impact plant physiology, affecting phytohormones and genetic expression related to growth. Small berries, such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, are gaining popularity due to their health benefits and versatility as fresh or processed food. Ripening of raspberries, blackberries and blueberries occurs when the fruit is still attached to the plant involving significant changes in softening, sugar accumulation, and color development. Consequently, these berries are harvested when fully ripe and their eating quality is mainly determined at harvest time. However, climate change can disrupt the normal ripening processes, leading to quality disorders affecting marketability, including white drupelet disorder (WDD) in raspberries and blackberries, red drupelet reversion in blackberries and heat damage in blueberries. Adaptive solutions to reduce quality disorders include protection management practices such as photo-selective shading nets, plastic tunnels, sunscreen applications and breeding tolerant cultivars. Further research is necessary to understand the molecular mechanisms behind these disorders and develop effective mitigation strategies. This review addresses the potential negative impacts of climate change on the fruit ripening processes and quality of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, emphasizing the need for more research to comprehend these molecular mechanisms and create effective mitigation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"358 ","pages":"Article 114692"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146777791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of photoperiod and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) for lettuce in plant factories and construction of growth model","authors":"Jianwen Chen ,&nbsp;Cuifang Zhu ,&nbsp;Ruifang Li ,&nbsp;Zihan Zhou ,&nbsp;Chen Miao ,&nbsp;Hong Wang ,&nbsp;Rongguang Li ,&nbsp;Shaofang Wu ,&nbsp;Yuping Jiang ,&nbsp;Xiaotao Ding","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114687","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114687","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Controlled environment agriculture, particularly plant factories, provides a promising approach for addressing challenges caused by extreme climates and declining arable land resources. Light environment regulation is a core technology in plant factories that can directly shape crop growth and quality. In this study, the effects of static photoperiod and dynamic light regulation on lettuce growth, photosynthetic performance, nutritional quality, and energy efficiency were systematically examined, and a growth prediction model was established based on cumulative light integral (CLI). Under static light regimes, a 16 h d^-1 significantly enhanced plant height, leaf number, leaf area, stem diameter, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic parameters compared with 10, 13, and 19 h d^-1 treatments. Although a 19 h d^-1 photoperiod increased biomass, it inhibited normal morphological development. Under dynamic light regulation, T3—characterized by coordinated, stage-specific adjustments of photoperiod and PPFD—outperformed constant light regimes (200 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹/20 h d^-1 and 250 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹/16 h d^-1), increasing biomass by 6.89–31.95 %. This advantage was associated with improved photosynthetic adaptation, including more efficient light energy utilization, sustained carbon assimilation, and reduced excitation pressure under varying growth stages. Extended light exposure promoted soluble sugar and ascorbic acid accumulation, whereas dynamic lighting enhanced protein synthesis and reduced nitrate content. Energy analysis indicated that the 16 h d^-1 static regime achieved the highest efficiency among fixed treatments, while T3 was the most effective dynamic strategy. These findings demonstrate that dynamic light regulation under equal CLI synergistically improves the photosynthetic productivity, nutritional quality, and energy efficiency. The CLI-driven model can provide robust predictive insights into plant growth, offering a theoretical and technical foundation for precise light management in plant factories.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"358 ","pages":"Article 114687"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146777794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of summer nitrogen application rate on citrus shoot-root-soil interactions","authors":"Wenfeng Li ,&nbsp;Qianzi Wang ,&nbsp;Yongzhong Liu ,&nbsp;Zhihao Dong ,&nbsp;Lirong Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114698","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114698","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nitrogen (N) is the primary nutrient that initiates the summer-flush (SF) in citrus trees. However, the integrated \"soil-root-shoot\" feedback mechanism regulating SF intensity remains poorly understood in fertigation-based systems. To quantify dose-dependent effects on SF morphogenesis, nutrient allocation, root-tissue, and soil N concentrations, we conducted a greenhouse pot experiment with two-year-old 'Newhall' navel orange grafted onto <em>Poncirus trifoliata</em> rootstocks. The plants were subjected to six summer N rates (pure N 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 g plant⁻¹). The results showed that: (1) Reducing N supply progressively delayed SF emergence and advanced maturation, thereby shortening the flush period; (2) Compared to high N treatment (5–7 g plant⁻¹), moderate N (3–4 g plant⁻¹) application treatment significantly suppressed SF growth, reducing shoot number, length, basal diameter, leaf number, emergence rate and biomass by 42.86 %, 8.99 %, 9.76 %, 16.74 %, 29.37 %, and 47.59 %, respectively. Conversely, this optimal N range maximized the net increments in plant height (1.96 cm) and main stem diameter (1.52 cm); (3) Within this range, the summer shoots maintained medium-to-high levels of nutrient content (N, phosphorus, potassium) and physiologically active substances (abscisic acid, chlorophyll, proline), while root growth was moderated to a medium-low level. Meanwhile, the nutrient status of the root zone soil and roots remained in the medium-to-high range; (4) Root zone soil ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen concentrations and root length density were strongly correlated with SF architectural traits. Multiple regression models incorporating these variables explained &gt;50 % of the variance in SF phenotype. This regulation was attributed to an N-driven \"soil-root-shoot\" feedback mechanism, where the root zone inorganic N pool, root morphology, and the balance of key shoot physiologically active substances collectively defined summer-flush growth patterns. Therefore, it is advisable to apply 3–4 g N plant⁻¹ as the ideal summer rate for potted citrus seedlings in controlled environments. This effectively maintains a balance between vegetative growth and nutrient homeostasis through the identified \"soil-root-shoot\" feedback loop. However, these conclusions need to be verified in orchard-grown, fruit-bearing trees to substantiate their relevance in commercial cultivation systems before broader implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"358 ","pages":"Article 114698"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146777796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"β-Cryptoxanthin is a critical carotenoid component and a major contributor to the flesh coloration of yellow-fleshed kiwifruit cultivars","authors":"Dongfeng Jia ,&nbsp;Jiale Cao ,&nbsp;Guiqing Tu ,&nbsp;Guanglian Liao ,&nbsp;Chunhui Huang ,&nbsp;Xiao-Biao Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114686","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114686","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carotenoids are a class of pigments widely distributed in nature. They serve as essential nutrients for humans and play a critical role as pigment substances in red- and yellow-fleshed fruits. However, the carotenoid composition and the key carotenoids responsible for flesh coloration in kiwifruit remain poorly understood. Here, we systematically evaluated the fruit quality of 32 yellow-fleshed kiwifruit cultivars at maturity. Results indicated that both total carotenoid content and the carotenoid-chlorophyll ratio were significantly and positively correlated to the <em>b</em>* value of the flesh. A pale yellow-fleshed cultivar (<em>Actinidia chinensis</em> ‘Fenghuang 2’) and an intense yellow-fleshed cultivar (<em>A. chinensis</em> ‘Wanding 1’) were selected for further integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis. Our findings revealed that 27 individual carotenoid compounds were detected across these cultivars, 12 of which were identified as differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). Additionally, 26 structural genes related to carotenoid metabolism were found to be differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Further analysis demonstrated that <em>β</em>-cryptoxanthin was the most abundant carotenoid in ‘Wanding 1’, with a content 75.84 times higher than that in ‘Fenghuang 2’, accounting for more than 55 % of the sum content of all the detected carotenoid compounds in ‘Wanding 1’. These findings revealed the significant role of <em>β</em>-cryptoxanthin in the formation of intense yellow flesh coloration in kiwifruit. Moreover, a <em>β</em>-carotene hydroxylase gene, <em>AcBCH1</em>, was identified as a key regulator of <em>β</em>-cryptoxanthin biosynthesis. This study provides valuable insights for improving fruit quality and commercial value in kiwifruit and other fruit crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"358 ","pages":"Article 114686"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147278373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Training systems regulate the fruit quality of Korla fragrant pear through modifications of canopy structure and light interception","authors":"Pan Yan,&nbsp;Yong Hui Deng,&nbsp;Shi Jie An,&nbsp;Ling Ma,&nbsp;Tian Le Li,&nbsp;Qi Ling Chen,&nbsp;Qiang Qing Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114672","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114672","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms by which training systems influence fruit quality in Korla fragrant pear. This was achieved by precisely quantifying their effects on two key aspects: canopy structure and the internal light environment (PAR). The goal was to establish a functional framework to guide precision canopy management.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Four distinct training systems were designed and implemented in a densely planted orchard. A novel three-dimensional spatial analysis framework was employed to synchronously measure detailed canopy structure parameters, PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) at different positions, and the corresponding fruit quality traits.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Restrictive pruning maintained compact canopies (3 m³), while thinning practices promoted a dramatic, five-fold increase in canopy volume. Canopy height was the dominant structural factor governing the spatial distribution pattern of light within the canopy. Falling head improved LAI (light average intercaption) in the middle and upper layers, whereas Thinning enhanced it in the middle and lower layers.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Training systems regulate pear fruit quality through two distinct pathways: canopy structure predominantly controls skin lightness and hardness, whereas within-canopy light distribution primarily governs skin redness and sugar content. Compact canopies favoring uniform quality and expansive canopies boosting yield. For high density orchards, canopy thinning improves light and yield.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"358 ","pages":"Article 114672"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147278374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}