Yield and Fruit Characteristics of Tomato Crops Grown with Mineral Macronutrients: Impact of Organo-Mineral Fertilizers through Foliar or Soil Applications.

The utilization of plant biostimulants has gained importance as a strategy by which to improve plant productivity and soil health. Two independent trials were conducted across two seasons (2021 and 2023) to evaluate the effects of foliar or soil applications of various commercial organo-mineral fertilizers (Futuroot, Radicon Amifort) with biostimulant action that is exerted on yield and fruit characteristics of processing tomato crops (cv Taylor F1) that have been exposed to mineral macronutrients. These treatments were administered three times during the season: at the transplanting, pre-flowering and berry development stages.

Fresh pomegranate juices from cultivars and local ecotypes grown in southeastern Italy: comparison of physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds.

Background: Pomegranate juice has gained attention for its health properties, becoming consequently a highly demanded product. The revival of the pomegranate in Italy, as in other Mediterranean countries, starts with the planting of new intensive orchards characterized by both the new cultivation technique and new varieties. As a result of growing demand and high productivity, pomegranate could become an interesting crop to diversify farm income.

Bioactive compounds and quality evaluation of 'Wonderful' pomegranate fruit and juice as affected by deficit irrigation.

Background: Persistent water shortage, typical of Mediterranean agricultural systems, has driven production methods towards the use of regulated deficit irrigation (DI) strategies, which may allow important water savings. To evaluate the extent to which pomegranate (cv. 'Wonderful') attributes may differ depending on the irrigation application rates, we investigated the effect of four different irrigation regimes (100, 75, 50, and 25% of maximum crop evapotranspiration - ET ) on their morpho-pomological, physico-chemical properties, and bioactive compounds.