The transcription factor MhZAT10 enhances antioxidant capacity by directly activating the antioxidant genes MhMSD1, MhAPX3a and MhCAT1 in apple rootstock SH6 (Malus honanensis × M. domestica).

Stress tolerance in apple (Malus domestica) can be improved by grafting to a stress-tolerant rootstock, such as 'SH6' (Malus honanensis × M. domestica 'Ralls Genet'). However, the mechanisms of stress tolerance in this rootstock are unclear.

Transcription factors MhDREB2A/MhZAT10 play a role in drought and cold stress response crosstalk in apple.

Drought and cold stresses seriously affect tree growth and fruit yield during apple (Malus domestica) production, with combined stress causing injury such as shoot shriveling. However, the molecular mechanism underlying crosstalk between responses to drought and cold stress remains to be clarified. In this study, we characterized the zinc finger transcription factor ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 10 (ZAT10) through comparative analysis of shoot-shriveling tolerance between tolerant and sensitive apple rootstocks.

Nano-Sized Antioxidative Trimetallic Complex Based on Maillard Reaction Improves the Mineral Nutrients of Apple ( Borkh.).

The metallic complex is widely used in agricultural applications. Due to the oxidation of the metal and environmental unfriendliness of ligand, maintaining an efficient mineral supply for plants without causing environmental damage is difficult. Herein, an antioxidative trimetallic complex with high stability was synthesized by interacting Ca, Fe, and Zn with the biocompatible ligands from the Maillard reaction.

[Multivariate analysis of relationship between soil nutrient factors and fruit quality characte-ristic of 'Fuji' apple in two dominant production regions of China].

The objective of this experiment is to probe into the influence of soil nutrient contents on fruit quality features of 'Fuji' apple, screen major soil nutrient factors affecting fruit quality features, clarify the suitable soil nutrient content for good fruit quality indicators, and to provide theoretical basis in reasonable orchard soil fertilizer application for improving fruit qua-lity in the Circum-Bohai and Loess Plateau apple production regions in China. The soil nutrient contents and 'Fuji' fruit qualities were respectively analyzed at 66 commercial 'Fuji' apple orchards standard rootstock in the Circum-Bohai and Loess Plateau apple production regions of 22 counties in China from 2010 to 2011. The partial least squares regression (PLS) was used to screen major soil nutrient elements affecting fruit quality, and to establish regression equation of relationship between fruit quality and major soil nutrition factors.

[Effects of debagging time and picking off leaf on fruit quality of "Red Fuji" apple].

This paper studied the effects of debagging time and picking off leaves around fruits on the fruit quality and 1-year old shoots stored nutrition of "Red Fuji" apple. Properly advancing debagging time significantly increased the mean mass, anthocyanin content, and coloration area of the fruits (P < 0.05).

[Effects of different pruning modes on the light distribution characters and fruit yield and quality in densely planted 'Red Fuji' apple orchard].

This paper studied the effects of different pruning modes on the light distribution at different positions of canopy and the fruit yield and quality in different layers in a densely planted 'Red Fuji' apple orchard. Comparing with no pruning, both light and heavy pruning improved the light distribution in the canopy. Under light pruning, the canopy volume with a relative light intensity less than 30% occupied 14.

[Leaf photosynthetic potential in canopy layers of un-thinned and thinned apple orchards].

Through the comparison of leaf photosynthetic potential and of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), leaf nitrogen concentration (Nl), and mass per unit leaf area (Ml) in different canopy layers of un-thinned orchard (UOD) and thinned orchard (TOD), this paper studied the effects of UOD rebuilding on the use efficiencies of PAR and nitrogen, and their relationships to the fruit yield and quality. Thinning obviously improved the radiation environment in canopy. The radiation distribution in TOD canopy was more uniformly than that in UOD canopy, and the invalid space with relative PAR (PARr) less than 30% in TOD approached to zero, while the minimum mean PARr in UOD was 17%, and the space under 0.

[Effects of alternative partial rootzone irrigation on peach growth, productivity, and water use efficiency].

Taking 12-year-old peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch cv. Ruiguang 5) as test material, this paper studied the effects of alternative partial rootzone irrigation (APRI) on its growth, productivity, and water use efficiency under semi-arid climate condition.