Lychee on the European markets.With approximately 2.8 Mt of annual global production, lychee constitutesa minor fruit in terms of production. The world production is mainlylocated in the northern hemisphere (95%). However, most of the quantityexported to the EU comes from the southern hemisphere. In this context,with its 100,000 t of annual production, Madagascar is ranked fourthin the producing world and first in the southern hemisphere producingcountries. This rank is due to the fact that supplies in the EUare seasonal and mainly concentrated during the end of the yearholiday season. This market can only be supplied in quantity bythe Malagasy lychee because of its earlier date of harvest in theIndian Ocean. The lychee industry in Madagascar. Lycheecultivation in Madagascar dates from the early twentieth century.It is primarily grown in wet tropical lowlands of the island withsome production in areas with a subtropical climate with dry andcool winters. The stand is not structured into orchards. Therefore,the volumes currently exported are based on a stand establishedby a multitude of small producers. The characteristics of Malagasylychee export and the consequences of the production context onexport are analyzed. Changes in European legislation on lycheeimportation. The regulatory changes since 1987 and the commercial developmentssince 1994 are reviewed by analyzing the resulting effects on theMalagasy lychee exports. Learning experience from fifteenyears of Malagasy lychee export campaigns. Data on Malagasylychee export campaigns from 1996 to 2012 and the history of the changesin volumes exported allow a close analysis of the factors affectingthe Malagasy lychee industry. Success factors of the Malagasylychee exports. These factors are related to securing marketposition and to the components of a marketing campaign (supply dateto the European market, exported volumes and competition from producefrom other countries). Conclusions. Lychees from Madagascar, althoughmarketed for a very brief period, currently occupy the first rank onthe European markets and have managed, through the development of transportlogistics using very large-capacity cargoes, to eliminate all competition.However, this sector is mainly structured downstream and its production,which comprises a network of 30,000 small producers, has been neglected.This lack of intervention (boosting of production, improving crop management,etc.) upstream of the chain does not support sustaining the industryin the medium term.

Introduction. Postharvest physiologyand ripening in passion fruit are not well documented, which isan impediment in designing handling and storage regimes. Materialsand methods. Passion fruits harvested at four different maturity stageswere studied for postharvest ripening behaviour and to determinethe correct stage of harvesting. Results and discussion. Therespiratory climacteric peak was attained in all stages irrespectiveof harvest maturity, while the ethylene evolution rate increasedby almost 8.15 times the initial value to peak levels of 505.35 µL C2H4·kg–1·h–1in fruits harvested at the 50% colour turning stage. Changes inHunter L*a*b* values indicated development of optimumcolour only in fruits harvested after 50% colour turning. Fruitquality attributes were also better in fruits harvested after half(50%) colour turning than fruits harvested earlier. Conclusion. Passion fruitshould be harvested only after 50% of fruit surface colour has developed,so as to allow for optimum postharvest storage, proper ripening,and development of characteristic flavour and fruit quality attributes.

Introduction. Diverse fruit crops with a high value reduce the risk of cropfailure and offer alternatives to farmers and the market. The scope of profitableproduction with such quality crops along with environmental concerns make the evaluationof new species desirable. The aim of our study was to determine the most appropriatespecies of Physalis for small-scale commercial production in thetemperate climate of western Himalayan regions. Materials and methods. FourPhysalis species, viz., P. peruviana,P. ixocarpa, P. pruinosa and P. nicandroides, werefield-grown during 2010–2011 in the experimental field of the Central Institute ofTemperate Horticulture, Srinagar, India, to determine the most appropriate species ofPhysalis suitable for a temperate climate. Results anddiscussion. All the species tested produced vegetative growth, flowered andfruited; however, they differed significantly. The number of basal shoots was found to bemaximum for P. pruinosa (6.37), whereas the maximum number of pricklesper shoot was recorded as maximum for P. nicandroides (6.48). The numberof points of attachment varied significantly with species, and the maximum was recordedfor P. pruinosa and P. ixocarpa (7.16 for each); themaximum size of fully developed leaves (146.8 mm) and overall plant height (168.27 cm)were recorded for P. pruinosa. Physalis pruinosaand P. ixocarpa were found to exhibit vigorous growth under atemperate climate. Significant differences were recorded for fruiting, flowering and yieldpotential among the Physalis species. The minimum days taken for budburst were reported for P. nicandroides (23.55) andP. ixocarpa (24.41). Similarly, the minimum days taken to reachmaturity were reported for P. peruviana (64.96). The maximum number offruits per plant (260.23), length of fruit (33.83 mm), average fruit weight (37.19 g),husk weight (0.32 g), fruit husk ratio (121.27), maximum fruit firmness (43.96 RelativeIndex) and yield (9.96 Relative Index) were recorded for P. pruinosa.Significant variation was recorded in quality attributes. The highest total soluble solidswere found for P. nicandroides (8.46 °Brix), whereas the minimum totaltitrable acidity (0.35%) and maximum ascorbic content (38.41 mg·100 g–1) were recorded forP. peruviana. The ‘L’ value of fruits, showingbrightness, was recorded as the highest for P. peruviana (58.97), whereasfruits of all the species showed a negative ‘a’ value, indicating thatnone of them produced redness; however, the ‘b’ value, indicatingyellowness, was maximum for P. pruinosa (18.72).

Introduction. México is oneof the most important producers and exporters of blackberries inthe world. During postharvest handling, blackberry fruits are exposedto the attack of phytopathogenic fungi. Materials and methods.To obtain Rhizopus stolonifer isolates, samplesof leaves and rhizospheric soils were placed on Petri plates containingPotatoDextrose Agar (PDA). In addition, fruits were also placedin humidity chambers at 25 °C. To describe the infection processon blackberry fruits by Rhizopus stolonifer, sampleswere taken at different intervals for a period of 72 h. All fungalisolates obtained were maintained on PDA. The bacterial colonieswere isolated and purified by streaking on PDA. The antagonisticactivity of the bacteria was assessed against R. stolonifer bydual culture technique on PDA. To detect the production of siderophores,the chrome azurol S assay was carried out. Results.The infection process of R. stolonifer on blackberryfruits was described for the first time in this work. Eighty-sixbacterial isolates from different parts of the plant and rhizosphericsoil were obtained. Bacterial isolates with antagonistic activitywere identified and the production of siderophores was measured.Four isolates showed antagonistic activity against R. stolonifer. Bacillus subtilis obtained from soil was the mosteffective isolate. Conclusion. In this study we isolatedand identified antagonistic bacteria with potential for biocontrolon Rhizopus stolonifer obtained from blackberry fruits.To our knowledge this is the first report regarding this topic.

Introduction. The nutritional and functional qualities of wild andcultivated Mexican serviceberry have not yet been reported. This species could havesimilar potential for commercialization to that of Saskatoon berry (Amelanchieralnifolia Nutt.). Materials and methods. Wild and cultivatedfruits at two maturity stages were assessed for CIE Lab color, fruit size, titratableacidity and total soluble solids. Also, chemical composition and mineral contents weredetermined. In addition, vitamin C and simple phenols were assessed. Total solublephenols, condensed tannins and anthocyanins as well as Trolox antioxidant activity andoxygen radical antioxidant activity were determined. Results. Fruit size,titratable acidity, total soluble solids, iron and simple phenols were higher in fruits ofcultivated plants than in those of wild plants. Total fiber, calcium, vitamin C, totalsoluble phenols and condensed tannins were higher in wild fruits. Wild and cultivatedserviceberry showed higher Trolox antioxidant activity compared with oxygen radicalantioxidant activity. Caffeic, chlorogenic, coumaric and syringic acids and rutin were thepredominant simple phenolics; they comprised from 59.3% (cultivated overripe fruit) to76.9% (wild ripe fruit) of the sum of simple phenolics. The antioxidant activity of wildand cultivated fruit (258.3–699.2 mmol·kg–1, fw) is up to 3.8 times higher compared withthose of fruits commonly consumed. Conclusion. Contents of antioxidantcompounds and the outstanding antioxidant activities of wild and cultivated Mexicanserviceberry make this species a natural resource that could contribute to health.

Introduction. Many underutilized wild fruits have great nutritional andfunctional potential, providing chemical compounds with biological properties.Materials and methods. In the present work we quantified bioactivecompounds such as vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids), and total phenoliccompounds composed mainly of phenolic acids, flavonols and anthocyanins, as well asevaluating the antioxidant capacity through different in vitro tests(Folin-Ciocalteu, ABTS·+, DPPH· and FRAP) in wild blackthorn (P. spinosaL.) and hawthorn (C. monogyna Jacq.) fruits of Spanish origin, includingsamples from different seasons and locations. Results and discussion. Asexpected, wide variability was found in the composition of fruits of the same species,which justifies the necessity of analyzing several batches of wild fruits, in order tohave representative results taking into account the natural variability. Fruits ofP. spinosa showed vitamin C content ranging between (5.14 and15.35) mg·100 g–1 fw (mainly dehydroascorbic acid); total phenolic compounds ranged from(1851 to 3825) mg·100 g–1 fw, characterized by a high content of anthocyanins and phenolicacids. Fruits of C. monogyna presented (16 to 39) mg vitamin C·100 g–1 fwand (449 to 1438) mg total phenolic compounds·100 g–1 fw, characterized by a high contentof phenolic acids and flavonols. Antioxidant capacity was higher forP. spinosa fruits than for C. monogyna fruits; DPPH·values showed a strong correlation with vitamin C, while phenolic compounds were a majorcontributor to the antioxidant activity of these fruit extracts. Fruits ofP. spinosa and C. monogyna should be reconsidered asnew valuable sources of safe and inexpensive antioxidants.

Introduction. Wines produced in cool climate regions may becompetitive with wines obtained in traditional wine-producing countries. The aim of thispaper was to conduct a quality analysis of the chemical composition of selected varieties ofcool-climate grapes and to assess the enological parameters of wines obtained from them.Materials and methods. The chemical composition of 11 varieties of grapesas well as the basic enological parameters, profile of volatile components, and antioxidantand sensory properties of wines obtained from selected varieties were assessed.Results and discussion. The extract content of the assessed varieties ofgrapes varied within the range of 128.5–218.5 g×kg–1. The fruit was characterised by similaracidity but significantly heterogeneous antioxidant activity. The basic quality parametersof wines were in accordance with the EU regulations. Antioxidant activity and polyphenolcontent in red wines were approximately 5–7 times higher than those in white wines. In thesensory assessment the wines obtained high grades. Conclusion. Wines from thecool climate regions fulfil the EU normative requirements and are characterised by originalsensory features. They may compete with products from traditional wine-producing countries.