Publications

Preliminary characterization of the self-incompatibility genotypes of European plum (Prunus domestica L.) cultivars

European plum is an important fruit crop with complex, hexaploid genome of unknown origin. The characterization of the selfincompatibility (S) locus of 16 European plum cultivars was carried out using the PaConsI-F primer in combination with the EM-PC1consRD primer for the first intron and the EM-PC2consFD and EM-PC3consRD primers for the second intron amplification. Altogether, 18 different alleles were scored indicating high genetic diversity. These alleles were labelled using alphabetical codes from SA to SS. We identified 5 different alleles in 9 cultivars, 4 alleles in 5 cultivars, while 3 alleles were shown in two of the assayed cultivars. A total of 16 different S-genotypes were assigned, and discrimination of all plum cultivars was successful based on their unique S-genotypes. However, further research is required to reliably identify the S-alleles based on their DNA sequence and clarify complete S-genotypes.

BLOOM PHENOLOGY AND FERTILITY OF SOUR CHERRY CULTIVARS OF HUNGARIAN ORIGIN AT TWO DIFFERENT GROWING SITES

Correspondence between maturity date and molecular variations in a NAC transcription factor of diploid and polyploid Prunus species

The maturity date (MD) of Prunus stone fruit has been long known to be a quantitatively inherited trait. A NAC-type gene indicated as PpNAC1 (ppa008301m) has been found recently to be a strong candidate of a major gene influencing MD in peach. A 9-bp insertion in this gene resulted in earlier MD in two segregating peach populations. This study was carried out to test whether this mutation in the PpNAC1 gene can be used as a reliable functional marker for MD in a wide range of peach cultivars of various origins and phenotypic characters. A total of 125 peach cultivars were examined using a 3 × 3 custom chi-square contingency table according to their NAC genotype and MD (early, midseason, and late). Cramér's V equaled 0.478 and the Goodman-Kruskal index (l) was 0.37, indicating an extremely strong correlation between MD and NAC genotype. In addition, we determined 15 sequences from 10 cultivars of five Prunus species including peach, almond, apricot, sour cherry, and European plum with E-values ranging from 9e-88 to 2e-74, supporting their homology to PpNAC1. A total of 69 single nucleotide polymorphisms and two insertion/deletions were detected in the coding region of the partial NAC domain sequences with three mutations putatively inducing nonconservative amino acid replacements and a nonsense mutation in specific alleles of early ripening apricot and sour cherry cultivars. The results are discussed with focus on the putative molecular mechanisms of mutations in the NAC genes, crop evolutionary perspectives, and the opportunities for designing cost-efficient markers to predict MD in Prunus breeding programs.

Comparative Nutrient Element and Antioxidant Characterization of Berry Fruit Species and Cultivars Grown in Hungary

Fruits of four berry species (strawberry, raspberry, red and black currants) were compared in their elemental composition (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, and Zn) and redox parameters involving total phenol content (TPC), ferric reducing ability (FRAP), 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, and total radical scavenger activity (TRSA). Berry cultivars contained significantly higher ( P ≤ 0.05) amounts of most detected elements as compared with apple with many maximum elemental values demonstrated by the black currant ‘Otelo’. Black currant also had the greatest antioxidant capacity as demonstrated through all conducted assays. The results obtained through FRAP, TPC, and TRSA assays were closely correlated, whereas TRSA and DPPH varied independently. Our study provides valuable information on the antioxidant capacity of several berry species grown in Hungary and highlights the crucial influence of cultivar on elemental content and antioxidant power of berry fruits. This study demonstrated the ability to select berry cultivars for specific nutritional purposes or assign parental lines in functional breeding programs.

Antioxidant capacity and total polyphenolic content in quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) fruit

Fruits of twelve quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) commercial cultivars and selections were compared in the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and total phenolic content (TPC) of intact and peeled fruits. The antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content ranged between 5.99 and 63.10 mmol AA/100 g FW, and 3.92 and 12.83 g GA/100 g FW, respectively. These ranges cover an almost 8-times variation among the tested genotypes in case of antioxidant capacity and also declares two-times variation for total polyphenolic content. Cultivars ‘Aromate’ and ‘Bereczki’ possessed the lowest antioxidant capacity and ‘Román portugál’ and ‘Bereczki’ had the lowest polyphenolic contents. In contrast, cultivars ‘Champion’ and ‘Konstantinápolyi’ possessed the highest antioxidant capacity and ‘Mezôtúri’ and ‘De Husi’ had the highest polyphenolic contents. The Pearson’s coeffi cient was relatively moderate but signifi cant (r=0.51) indicating a weak interdependence between FRAP and TPC values of quince fruits. Our results led us to the conclusion that quince might be considered as a valuable source of antioxidants and polyphenolics.

Selection and fertility of seed producing almond’s hybrids in the context of<i>S</i>-genotype

Large variations in antioxidant capacity and contents of Hungarian sour and sweet cherry cultivars

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) cultivars grown in Hungary are of local origin while most sweet cherry cultivars in Hungary are introduced from other countries.A great phenotypic variability is displayed by both species. In the present study, we analyzed 10 sour and 9 sweet cherry cultivars for their antioxidant capacity, total polyphenolics (TPC) and total anthocyanin (TMAC) contents. In general, sour cherries showed higher levels of antioxidant capacity, TPC and TMAC. The anthocyanin contents varied from 0.16 to 6.85 and 1.41 to 127.56 mg/100 g for sweet and sour cherries, respectively. However, TMAC generally seems to have a limited influence on the antioxidant capacity of cherries.An amarelletype sour cherry, ‘Pipacs 1’ showed the highest antioxidant capacity (21.21mmolAA/l) and TPC (44.07mgGA/l) in contrast to its lowanthocyanin content. The detected diversity presents a choice that can satisfy different consumer preferences, and meet specific nutritional requirements.

ANTIOXIDANT CHARACTERIZATION OF APRICOT FRUITS: GENOTYPE AFFECTED VARIABILITY AND CORRELATIONS AMONG DIFFERENT ANTIOXIDANT ASSAYS

The following parameters were studied in apricot fresh fruits: colour (lightness, hue angle and chroma); ferric reducing ability (FRAP); DPPH-radical scavenging activity; total radical scavenging capacity measured with chemiluminescence methods; as well as total phenol (TPC) and vitamin C contents measured with spectrophotometer and HPLC-DAD, respectively. Altogether, 29 apricot cultivars and 18 hybrids obtained from the apricot breeding programme of Corvinus University of Budapest were evaluated. High levels of variation could be detected among genotypes in all tested redox parameters, while colour indices suggested lower levels of variation in fruits' carotenoid content. The variations in antioxidant capacity of different genotypes could be attributed mainly to the phenolics, but vitamin C also had a considerable contribution. A perspective hybrid with an outstanding antioxidant capacity and content could be identified, which might be used as a donor genotype in future functional breeding programmes.

Assessment and examination of mineral elements in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivars: A special attention to selenium and other essential elements

The climatic of some regions of Hungary provide great opportunity for apricot cultivation. A majority of apricot fruit is harvested in the northern part of the country. The most important traditional cultivars include ‘Gonci magyar kajszi’, ‘Cegledi orias’ and ‘Bergeron’. The element content of six different apricot cultivars (‘Goldrich’, ‘Cegledi orias’, ‘Aurora’, ‘Gonci Magyar kajszi’, ‘Magyar kajszi C.235’ and ‘Orange Red’) was examined in this study. The total element content was measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Selenium content was determined by polarography. From geographical point of view there is a wide variation in the selenium content of fruits. Apricot cultivars show great variations in element contents. It was determined that apricot contains a low quantity from most elements and daily requirements may not be covered by consumption of 300 g fresh apricot. Although they might be good sources of some essential elements. On the basis of RDA and DRI each examined apricot cultivar proved to be a good source of potassium; ‘Gonci Magyar kajszi’ and ‘Cegledi orias’ for manganese, ‘Aurora’ for manganese, potassium and copper. ‘Aurora’ fruits contain the most appreciable element concentrations (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na and S). An excellent content of potassium (ranged from 2127 to 4175 mg kg-1 fresh weight) was observed in fruits of all tested cultivars. Although non-essential elements such as B and Al were also present in multiple DRI quantities in samples.

Characterization of quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) cultivars using SSR markers developed for apple

Quince (Cydonia oblongaMill.) is a minor fruit crop, which is primarily used for marmalade, jam and sauce.Very few quince cultivars are known all over the world and in many cases similar names are used for presumably different cultivars. The aim of the present study was to evaluate and characterize the genetic diversity of 36 quince cultivars and selections with SSR markers. Seven out of 8 SSR markers designed from apple sequences could successfully yield amplification also in quince cultivars. Number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 3 alleles. These allele numbers are quite low when compared to apple. It is supposed to be the consequence of a genetic bottleneck. In spite of the low allele number per locus, the 36 quince cultivars formed 30 different genotypes. The ratio of homozygosity was low, which might be coupled with the self-(in)compatibility phenotype of quinces. SSR markers proved unable to differentiate putatively closely related cultivars (e.g. ‘Bereczki’ and ‘Bereczki bôtermő’). In general, the level of polymorphism among the tested quince genotypes was much restricted due to the low allele number detected. However, it must be considered that the number of analysed SSR loci is not enough high to estimate the overall heterozygosity of the quince genome. Further experiments are needed and the SSR markers proved to be a reliable and useful tool for such analyses.

Identification of self-(in)compatibility<i>S-</i>alleles and new cross-incompatibility groups in Tunisian apricot (<i>Prunus armeniaca</i>L.) cultivars

SummaryLocal Tunisian apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivars are characterised by having abundant flowering and floral self-incompatibility. In this study, PCR amplification provided definitive data on the S-genotypes of eight local and four new Tunisian apricot cultivars. These results were confirmed by field evaluations. Eight local cultivars ('Oud Rhayem', 'Oud Hmida', 'Bouthani Ben Friha', 'Bedri Ahmar', 'Oueld El Oud', 'Hamidi', 'Bouk Ahmed', and 'Adedi Ahmar') were found to be self-incompatible and three of four INRAT cultivars ('Sayeb', 'Asli', and 'Raki') were self-compatible, as described previously. The INRAT cultivar 'Ouardi' was self-incompatible, although it was previously described as a self-compatible cultivar.We also propose three new cross-incompatibility (CIG) groups: CIG XV (S7S8), CIG XVI (S7S11), and CIG XVII (S8S12) which include Tunisian and other cultivars.

Correspondence between maturity date and molecular variations in a NAC transcription factor of diploid and polyploid &lt;i&gt;Prunus&lt;/i&gt; species

Concentration of ‘Oblachinska’ sour cherry juice using osmotic distillation

Sour cherry is one of the most famous and characteristic Hungarian fruit what is also commonly used in food production as a colour additive. The sour cherry cultivar, ‘Oblachinska’ was shown to be a rich source of antioxidant compounds, including mainly anthocyanins. Valuable compounds in fruit juice – vitamins, polyphyenols etc. –are heat-sensitive molecules, which should be taken into account during the process of concentration to prevent degradation. Osmotic distillation seems a suitable option to product high quality sour cherry juice because this process does not require high temperature or pressure. Raw juice with approximately 15°Brix was used for the experiment and tried to concentrate up to 60° Brix where the water activity low enough to inhibit the microbiological deterioration. Before and after the process, TPC (total phenolic compounds) and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) was measured using spectrophotometric methods to determine the effect of the osmotic distillation. Our results point out that osmotic distillation is a promising method to concentrate sour cherry juice and prevent the loss of valuable compounds.

The Combination of Start-Codon-Targeted (SCoT) and Falling Stone (FaSt) Transposon-Specific Primers Provides an Efficient Marker Strategy for Prunus Species

A novel primer (FaSt-R) targeting the Prunus-specific Falling Stone (FaSt) non-autonomous transposon was combined with start-codon-targeted (SCoT) primers to assess genetic diversity in 12 cultivars from six Prunus species and 28 cultivars of European plum. Compared to SCoT-only analyses, the SCoT–FaSt combination produced fewer total bands but a higher percentage of polymorphic bands, while maintaining comparable values for polymorphism information content, resolving power, gene diversity, and Shannon’s index. SCoT–FaSt markers generated bands across a broader size range, which made gel patterns less dense, enabling the more accurate detection of differentially amplified fragments. Neighbor-joining and principal component analyses confirmed that SCoT–FaSt markers provided sufficient phylogenetic resolution at both interspecific and intraspecific levels. The sequencing of 32 SCoT–FaSt amplicons revealed FaSt elements in 26 fragments, with SCoT primers preferentially annealing to GC-rich exonic and intergenic regions. Seventeen protein-coding and one RNA-coding gene were partially identified, with FaSt elements localized in UTRs and introns of genes with key physiological functions. Comparative analysis indicated a biased distribution of FaSt elements between the Cerasus and Prunus subgenera. In silico findings suggest that FaSt elements are more fragmented in cherry species, potentially contributing to subgeneric divergence. Overall, the SCoT–FaSt marker system is effective for evaluating Prunus genetic diversity, reconstructing phylogenetic relationships, and elucidating the genomic impact of an active Mutator-like transposon.

Preliminary evaluation of selected Prunus spinosa and P. insititia genotypes for their nutraceutical properties

Fruits of nine Prunus spinosa and P. insititia selections were compared in their ferric reducing antioxidant power and total phenolic content. The antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content ranged between 6.36 and 29.26 mmol AA/L, and 5.04 and 29.71 mmol GA/L, respectively. These ranges cover an almost 5-times variation among the tested genotypes. The Pearson’s coefficient was very high (0.92) indicating a major contribution of polyphenolics to the antioxidant capacity of the tested Prunus fruits. Conserving resulted in an approximate 20 % loss of antioxidant power and slightly increased phenolic contents. Our results led us to the conclusion that fruit of Prunus spinosa and P. insititia might be considered as rich sources of antioxidants. In addition, procession with heat treatment caused only a slight decrease in the antioxidant capacity without loss in the total polyphenolic content.

Changes in the active ingredient contents and the antioxidant activity of the elder-berry (Sambucus nigra L.) during the ripening

Seasonal Variations in Total Antioxidant Capacity and Total Phenolics Content of Leaves of &lt;i&gt;Phyllostachys&lt;i&gt; Taxa Using Different Extraction Methods

Antioxidant effect of various rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) clones

The antioxidant effects, the levels of total phenol and the total phenol contents of volatile oils and plant extracts were determined in eight various Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) clones. Antioxidant acitvities and the total phenol contents were measured by spectophotometric method as well as the volatile oil content of the fresh plants with gas chromatograph. Our preliminary results clearly indicate that the antioxidant capacity of volatile oils and plant extracts closely related to the total phenol contents. Reason of the observed differences should be revealed by the determination of the quantity and quality of the individual volatile oil components.