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Publications

NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.

2021

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Abstract

Impact of orchard management technologies on apple fruit internal quality was tested in several trials performed at the Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Center for Agriculture and Forestry during 2010-2019. Studies were focused mainly on the research of bioactive compounds: triterpenes and phenols. Studies included rootstocks, crop load regulation, planting distances, fruit position in the tree crown, geographical locations, regulation of tree vegetative growth by root pruning, trunk incision and prohexadione-calcium. ‘Auksis’ apple fruits on P 67 rootstock and ‘Ligol’ on P 61 and P 22 had the highest total phenol content, while the lowest total phenol content of both tested cultivars was recorded on M.9 and P 62 rootstocks. Increasing crop load on the tree led to significant increase of phenols and triterpenes. Higher fruit triterpene concentration was recorded on denser planted trees. Root pruning increased accumulation of phenols, while by the application of prohexadione-calcium the accumulation of phenols decreased significantly. Lower triterpene concentration was recorded when tree growth was controlled by trunk incision. Fruits from the top of the tree accumulated significantly higher amount of phenolic compounds, whereas fruits inside the tree crown were characterized by the highest amount of triterpene compounds. Colder climate during the vegetation and shorter vegetation period resulted in significantly higher accumulation of phenolic and triterpene compounds in apples grown in Estonia comparing to fruits grown in Poland. New scientific results on the impact of modern technologies on the changes of internal fruit quality parameters could increase consumption of apples.

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Abstract

The circular economy concept promotes the recycling of agricultural waste. This study was aimed at investigating the effects of cattle horn shavings on apple tree nitrogen nutrition. Ligol apple trees on P 60 rootstock were the object of the study. The experiment was conducted in the experimental orchard of the Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, from 2015 to 2018. Two fertiliser rates were tested: 50 and 100 kg/ha N. Horn shavings (14.1% N) were applied at the end of autumn or at the beginning of vegetation in the spring and in one treatment 100 kg/ha N rate was divided into two equal parts and applied both in autumn and spring. The effects of the horn shavings were compared with the effects of ammonium nitrate (34.4% N) and the unfertilised treatment. The lowest mineral nitrogen content was found in the unfertilised orchard soil and the soil fertilised with horn shavings in the spring at 50 kg/ha N equivalent. In all other cases, the fertilisers increased the soil’s mineral nitrogen content. The lowest leaf nitrogen content was found in apple trees that grew in the unfertilised orchard soil or soil fertilised in the spring with 50 kg/ha N of horn shavings (1.58–2.13%). In other cases, leaf nitrogen content was higher (1.77–2.17%). The apple trees with the lowest leaf nitrogen content produced the smallest average yield (34.5–36.6 t/ha). The highest yield was recorded from fruit trees fertilised with 50 kg/ha N of ammonium nitrate applied in spring or horn shavings applied in autumn (42.4 and 41.4 t/ha, respectively). The influence of horn shavings on the other studied parameters was similar to that of ammonium nitrate. Horn shavings, like nitrogen fertiliser, could facilitate nitrogen nutrition management in apple trees, especially in organic orchards, where the use of synthetic fertilisers is prohibited.

Abstract

Winter hardiness is the main factor limiting pear growing and the use of quince rootstocks under northeastern European climate conditions. Therefore, several cultivar and rootstock trials were performed from 1997 until 2015 at the Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. Investigations of pear cultivars were conducted in 2005-2015. Twelve cultivars on QS1 rootstock were tested with the goal of finding an optimal replacement for cultivar ‘Conference’, which is not sufficiently winter hardy in the Baltic countries. The cultivar ‘Mramornaja’ showed desirable characteristics based on winter hardiness, productivity and fruit quality. Rootstock breeding was based on a winter hardy Cydonia × oblonga population and resulted in 3 registered rootstocks of K series in Lithuania. K series rootstocks were compared with QMA, QMC, Sydo, QS1, and Pyrus × communis. According to tree growth control and productivity only K11 was equal to QMA and the same as QS1. Other rootstock testing included Cydonia and Pyrus clonal and seedling rootstocks. ‘Pyrodwarf’ and OH×F333 rootstocks were too vigorous. QMC, Sydo and BA29 exhibited poor winter hardiness. The search for both pear cultivars and rootstocks adapted to northeastern European climatic conditions must be continued.

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Abstract

Lonicera caerulea L. is an early fruit-bearing plant that originates from harsh environments. Raw materials contain a body of different phenolic origin compounds that determine the multidirectional antioxidant and pharmacological activities. The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the phenolic composition, antioxidant capacities, vegetative, pomological, and sensory properties and their interrelations of selected L. caerulea cultivars, namely ‘Amphora’, ‘Wojtek’, ‘Iga’, ’Leningradskij Velikan’, ‘Nimfa’, ‘Indigo Gem’, ‘Tundra’, ‘Tola’, and fruit powders. Combined chromatographic systems were applied for the qualitative and quantitative profiling of 23 constituents belonging to the classes of anthocyanins, flavonols, flavones, proanthocyanidins, and phenolic acids. The determined markers of phytochemical profiles were cyanidin-3-glucoside, rutin, chlorogenic, and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. Anthocyanins and the predominant compound, cyanidin-3-glucoside, were the determinants of antioxidant activity. Cultivars ‘Amphora’, ‘Indigo Gem’, and ‘Tundra’ contained the greatest total amounts of identified phenolic compounds. Phenotypic characterization revealed the superiority of cultivars ‘Wojtek’ and ’Tundra’ compared to other cultivars, although ’Wojtek’ had low phenolic content and antioxidant activity and ’Tundra’ got lower sensory evaluation scores. Coupling the results of phenotypic and phytochemical characterization, cultivar ‘Tundra’ could be suitable for commercial plantations.

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Abstract

The interest in old cultivars of apple trees, their fruit and processed products is growing worldwide. Studies on the qualitative and quantitative composition of biological compounds are important for the evaluation of the quality and nutritional properties of apple fruit. A variation in the qualitative and quantitative composition of triterpenic compounds was found in the fruit of apple cultivars included in the collection of National Plant Genetic Resources. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that the fruit of the cultivar ‘Birutės pepinas’ had the highest total amount (5.17 ± 0.86 mg g-1) of triterpenic compounds. Higher total amounts of triterpenic compounds were also found in the fruit of apple cultivars ‘Tabokinė’ and ‘Panemunės baltasis’ (3.72 ± 0.57 and 4.25 ± 0.17 mg g-1, respectively). By the quantitative composition, triterpenic compounds in apple fruit were ranked in the following order: ursolic acid > oleanolic acid > corosolic acid > betulinic acid. The old apple cultivars ‘Birutės pepinas’, ‘Panemunės baltasis’ and ‘Tabokinė’ included in the collection of National Plant Genetic Resources have a potential for cultivation in industrial orchards and for the use of their apples, and processed apple products as natural functional foods rich in triterpenic compounds and adapted for medical purposes, including the prevention of various diseases. Key words: apple, old cultivars, triterpenic compounds.