Journal of Berry Research

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) as basis for winemaking is one of the most economically important plants in modern agriculture. As requirements in viticulture are increasing due to changing environments, terroir and pests, classical agriculture techniques reach their limits.

We summarize the impact of modern “omics” technologies on modern grapevine breeding and cultivation, as well as for dealing with challenges in viniculture caused by environmental or terroir changes and pests and diseases. In this review, we give an overview on current research on the influence of “omics” technologies on modern viticulture.

Considerable advances in bioinformatics and analytical techniques such as next generation sequencing or mass spectrometry fueled new molecular biological studies. Modern “omics” technologies such as “genomics”, “transcriptomics”, “proteomics” and “metabolomics” allow the investigation on a large-scale data basis and the identification of key markers. Holistic understanding of genes, proteins and metabolites in combination with external biotic and abiotic factors improves vine and wine quality.

The rapid evolution in wine quality was only enabled by the progress of modern biotechnological methods developing enology from a handcraft to science.

Anthocyanins are one of the key factors contributing to the quality and biological activities in various berries. Particular attention was devoted to Vaccinium L. berries, because of being commonly consumed in daily life and providing a large potential for the development of new pharmaceutical applications.

The present work aimed at establishing a novel UPLC-PDA method for profiling anthocyanins in berries and evaluating their distribution in cultivated lingonberries.

The method was developed and validated using bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.), and lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) matrices. Anthocyanins content variation was analyzed among 7 different cultivars and 1 infraspecific taxon of lingonberries.

The proposed method ensured the separation of 20 compounds, including major and minor anthocyanins and their aglycones, in bilberries, 15 in cranberries, and 9 in lingonberries, during 12 min analysis. Bilberry matrix was distinguished by the most complex profile and the presence of delphinidin and petunidin, which were not identified either in cranberries or lingonberries. Cranberry anthocyanins consisted mainly of the 3-galactosides of cyanidin and peonidin, whereas lingonberry anthocyanins included cyanidin and its glycosides with just traces of other anthocyanins. Obtained anthocyanins fingerprinting results have guidance function in practice and demonstrate valuable chemophenetic information for studied Vaccinium berries. All determined method validation values were considered to be acceptable. Variation analysis of anthocyanins levels among cultivated lingonberries suggested genetic diversity and because of the highest anthocyanins content—the superiority of Russian cultivars (‘Kostromička’ and ‘Rubin’). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive report on the anthocyanins of certain lingonberry cultivars.

This study resulted in the rapid, simple, and validated method, which was shown to be applicable and convenient for routine analysis and authentication of Vaccinium berry samples.

The beneficial effects of the fruit of Lycium rhutenicum (black goji) have been linked to their polyphenolic profile.

Systematic examination of the extraction efficiency of polyphenols from cultivated black goji from Macedonia was carried out using 25 different solvent mixtures containing methanol, acetone or water combined with different acids (hydrochloric, acetic, citric and ascorbic acid).

An HPLC/DAD/MS ⁿ method was used for identification and quantification of phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins and also spermines and spermidines.

The extraction solvent composition was found to have a significant effect on the yield of total as well as specific polyphenols. Pure methanol was found to be more efficient solvent for extraction of total phenolic compounds than pure water or acetone. Ascorbic acid in methanol (2%, m/v) was found to be the most efficient extraction solvent for total phenolic compounds. Aqueous solutions of citric and ascorbic acid gave the highest yield of phenolic acids, spermidines and flavonoids. The anthocyanin content in these extracts was somewhat lower in comparison with the one obtained with methanol/water/ascorbic acid (70 : 28 : 2). The qualitative analysis of the fruits cultivated in Macedonia showed similar polyphenolic pattern and anthocyanin content to the native plant growing in China.

Citric and ascorbic acid can be used as alternative acid components in the extraction mixture.

Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), the species primarily grown in the state of Washington, U.S., is relatively cold hardy. However, low temperatures in winter and early spring can still cause freeze damage to the buds.

This study explored hyperspectral imaging (HSI) for detecting freeze induced bud damage. Blueberry buds (c.v. Duke) were collected over two seasons and tested in the laboratory to detect damage at four typical phenological stages.

The HSI data was acquired via line scan HSI system with spectral wavelength ranging from 517 to 1729 nm for buds grouped into either normal or injured mortalities. The successive projection algorithm was employed for pertinent feature wavelength selection. Analysis of variance and linear regression were then applied for evaluating sensitivity of feature wavelengths.

Overall, five salient wavelengths (706, 723, 872, 1384, and 1591 nm) were selected to detect bud freeze injury. A quadratic discriminant analysis method-based analysis verified reliability of these five wavelengths in bud damage detection with overall accuracy in the ranges of 64 to 82%for the test datasets of each stage in two seasons.

This study indicated potential of optical sensing to identify the injured buds using five salient wavelengths.

Blueberries contain large amounts of phenolic compounds as well as a higher concentration of anthocyanins than other berries. The peel of these fruits contains most of the anthocyanins and therefore pomace is left with the largest quantity of valuable phenolic compounds. Extraction is the most critical step to obtain such compounds.

This study aims to optimize the extraction of polyphenols and antioxidant compounds from blueberry pomace by solid-liquid extraction (SLE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE).

A Pareto chart was used to confirm the factor with the highest impact, response surface for analyzing the effect of extraction conditions on total phenol content (TPC) (through Folin-Ciocalteu), total anthocyanin content (TAC) (through differential pH), antioxidant capacity (AC) (through DPPH assay) and the Box-Behnken matrix to determine the optimal conditions for marc extraction with each method.

Ethanol concentration is an impact factor for both methods, as well as irradiation method, radiation power for MAE and temperature for SLE. Regarding SLE and MAE extraction, under optimal conditions, a TCP content of 335.95 and 426.19 (mg GAE/100 g), TAC 272.69 and 389.64 (mg Cyn-3-glu/100 g), and CA 528.96 and 654.11 (mg TE/100 g) was obtained, respectively.

The performance of phenolic compound extraction via MAE method is better than that of SLE.

R2R3-MYB transcription factor (TF) family plays important roles in various biological processes in many plants, especially in the regulation of plant flavonoid accumulation. The fruit of Lonicera caerulea contains abundant anthocyanin.

The R2R3-MYB TF family was systematically analyzed according to the RNA-seq data, and the R2R3-MYB candidate genes that were involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in the fruit of Lonicera caerulea were screened.

The R2R3-MYB TFs in Lonicera caerulea were identified, and the physical and chemical properties, protein conserved sequence alignment and motifs of each R2R3-MYB TFs were analyzed using bioinformatics methods. The expression levels of these genes and anthocyanin levels in different tissues and different developmental stages of fruit were determined by RT-qPCR and pH shift method.

A total of 59 genes encoding R2R3-MYB TFs in Lonicera caerulea were identified and clustered into 20 subgroups (C1 to C20) based on the relationship to AtR2R3-MYBs. Expression profiles showed that the expression of CL6086 and CL552 in fruit were higher than other tissues, and upregulated in the veraison fruit compared to the green ripe fruit. As the expression of the two genes was concurrent with the anthocyanin content, and showed high correlation with anthocyanin biosynthetic structural genes, they were considered as closely related to anthocyanin biosynthesis in the fruit.

The results provide a systematic analysis of LcR2R3-MYBs, and the foundation for further molecular mechanisms research of anthocyanin biosynthesis regulated by R2R3-MYB in the fruit of Lonicera caerulea.

In blueberries, the total polyphenol contents, total anthocyanin contents, and antioxidant activities of fruits in blueberries and their relatives are becoming important targets for breeders. Recently, intersectional hybrids between Japanese wild species Shashanbo and highbush blueberry were produced using polyploid breeding for the first time. However, the polyphenol contents, antioxidant activities, and anti-cancer cell proliferation properties of the fruits of these intersectional hybrids have not been studied sufficiently.

The objectives of this study were to determine the anthocyanin contents, polyphenol contents, and antioxidant activities at each stage of fruit development in intersectional hybrids, and to examine the effects of the fruit extracts on anti-cancer cell proliferation properties using human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells.

Freeze-dried fruit samples of three intersectional hybrids and their parents at five developmental stages were used to evaluate their polyphenol contents, anthocyanin contents, and levels of two types of antioxidant activities (DPPH and ORAC). The anti-cancer cell proliferation properties of each extract were also evaluated according to the survival rate of HL-60 cells.

The total polyphenol contents in fruits of the intersectional hybrids gradually decreased as the fruits grew, but the contents increased slightly at the mature stage. Meanwhile, the total anthocyanin contents increased strongly to the mature stage. In addition, the fruit extract of intersectional hybrid JM1 was found to be more effective for inhibiting the growth of HL-60 human leukemia cells in vitro. Total polyphenol content correlated highly with antioxidant activities and anti-cancer cell proliferation properties.

We clarified that the intersectional hybrids had produced have abundant bioactive compounds, high levels of antioxidant activities, and anti-cancer cell proliferation properties. The results proved the effectiveness of the use of Japanese wild Vaccinium species for the strategic breeding of blueberries with high levels of bioactive compounds.

The softness of blackberry fruits limits their postharvest shelf-life and commercial use, and abscisic acid (ABA) is considered one of the key hormones involved in fruit ripening.

This study aimed to explore the underlying physiological and molecular actions of ABA on blackberry fruit ripening and softening.

Various physiological indices of and plant hormone levels in treated and untreated blackberry fruits were determined simultaneously. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed by RNA-sequencing, and their expression profiles were detected. The ripening mechanism was elucidated by UHPLC-MS using two groups of fruits at 28 d.

After 25 d, the ABA concentration and polygalacturonase (PG) and beta-1,4-endoglucanase (EG) activities in ABA-treated fruits were significantly higher than those in untreated fruits. Large differences in the expression profiles were detected at 28 d. The expression of DEGs related to cell wall softening and ABA synthesis was largely triggered after 25 or 28 d. Sixty-nine differentially accumulated metabolites were ultimately annotated as related to fruit ripening.

ABA stimulates blackberry fruit ripening by promoting cell wall enzyme activities, the expression of various ripening-related genes and metabolite accumulation.

The strawberry (Fragaria × annanasa Duch.) is one of the most significant cash horticultural crops in the world. Fresh strawberry fruits contain dietary fiber, vitamin C, 30-08-2021-carotene, folic acid and other nutrients required for human health and nutrition, and they have an appetizing aroma and flavour, as well as various phytonutrients that may be potentially beneficial to human health and could be used against chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disorders.

The current study aimed to identify and analyze the 2,640 article and review type papers of strawberry research from horticulture category based on the Web of Science.

The Web of Science database was searched to extract data. Bibliometric data, including citation count, were analyzed together with the words by bibliometric science mapping and visualization tools.

Papers mainly written in English (2,426, 91.894 %), were from 6,807 authors, 77 countries/territories, 1,504 organizations and published in 57 Journals and book series. Top 5 core journals ranked as Hortscience (360, 13.636 %), Scientia Horticulturae (322, 12.197 %), Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science (248, 9.394 %), Postharvest Biology and Technology (236, 8.939 %) and Journal of Horticultural Science Biotechnology (134, 5.076 %), that these journals each published more than 134 papers. Top 5 countries and regions were USA, Peoples R China, Japan, South Korea and Brazil. Top 5 organizations were Univ Florida, Univ Calif Davis, USDA ARS, ARS and Michigan State Univ. Top 5 authors are Hancock James F. (Hancock JF), Shaw DV, Chandler Craig K. (Chandler CK), Whitaker Vance M, Choi Jong Myung, each published more than 28 papers. All keywords of the strawberry research from horticulture Category were separated eight clusters for different research topics.

Visualizations offer exploratory information on the current state in a scientific field or discipline as well as indicate possible developments in the future. The review could provide a valuable guide for designing future studies. This work is useful for student identifying graduate schools and researchers selecting journals.