A forum for discussion of potential collaborations with regards to fruit, vegetable, and edible crops – i.e. citrus, breeding, production systems, postharvest, pomology, crop management, viticulture, etc.
An on-farm field trial was conducted to investigate the feasibility of applying commonly used soil amendments to reduce the accumulation of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) storage roots. The cultivar ‘Beauregard’ was grown in an organically managed field with natural As, Cd, and Pb levels. The following soil amendments were applied: agricultural lime (AGL) (1 t·ac−1), gypsum (GYP) (1 t·ac−1), biochar (BIO) (1 t·ac−1), and silicon provided as wollastonite (WOL) (2.5 t·ac−1). Agricultural lime and WOL increased soil pH and calcium levels, ranging from 14% to 25% and 16% to 90%, respectively. Soil amendments were not associated with storage root yield variation. Wollastonite and BIO were associated with a trend for reduced As, Cd, and Pb in storage roots. These first-season study results suggest that WOL and BIO are potentially useful for follow-up studies to reduce the bioavailability and subsequent uptake of As, Cd, and Pb accumulation in sweetpotato under organic production systems.
Pathogen Species Causing Brown Rot of Peaches in Illinois and Efficacy of Fungicides for Managing the Disease Harrison Seitz1, Andrew N. Miller2, and Mohammad Babadoost1 1Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; and 2Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61820, USA Brown rot is one of the important diseases of peaches in Illinois. This study was conducted to: (i) identify pathogen species causing brown rot disease in commercial peach orchards in Illinois, and (ii) evaluate the efficacy of fungicides for managing the disease. Results of orchard surveys showed 9 of 14, 4 of 8, and 6 of 13 orchards had symptomatic brown rot fruits in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively. No blossom blight or shoot blight was observed. Symptomatic fruits were collected from eight peach cultivars throughout the state and the associated fungi were isolated. Based on the cultural characteristics and sequences of the ITS region, 127 of 129 collected isolates were identified as Monilinia fructicola, and two isolates as M. laxa. Fungicide sensitivity of M. fructicola isolates was conducted in the laboratory against azoxystrobin, captan, fenhexamid, trifloxystrobin, penthiopyrad, difenoconazole cyprodinil, fluopyram tebuconazole, fluopyram trifloxystrobin, fluxapyroxad pyraclostrobin, propiconazole, and thiophanate-methyl. The EC50 of azoxystrobin, captan, and penthiopyrad for the colony development of the isolates were significantly (P = 0.05) higher than the other fungicides tested. Field trials were conducted on ‘Redhaven’ and ‘Contender’ peaches for two years to evaluate efficacy of the commercial product of the above-mentioned fungicides. Trees were sprayed with fungicides at 10- and 14-day intervals. Luna Experience 3.34SC (fluopyram tebuconazole), Luna Sensation 4.20SC (fluopyram trifloxystrobin), and Merivon 4.18SC (fluxapyroxad pyraclostrobin) were the most effective fungicides for managing brown rot and other summer diseases of peach.
Plasma-activated water (PAW) is a novel irrigation medium enriched with reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) which significantly modify the physiochemical properties of water, yet their inherent instability is influenced by processing parameters such as plasma exposure time and storage conditions. Although studies have demonstrated PAW’s promising effects on seed germination and plant growth, knowledge regarding its application to enhance microgreen production is limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to elucidate the effects of PAW processing time and storage duration on the PAW chemical properties and on the yield and quality of pea (Pisum sativum L.) microgreens. Tap water was treated using a gliding arc plasma generator (200 mA, 2.6–2.7 kV) provided by Plasma Licensing Authority Inc. (New York, NY) for 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Controls included untreated tap water and tap water supplemented with 100 ppm NH₄NO₃. PAW properties- pH, EC, NO₃-N, NO₂-N, and H₂O₂- were analyzed immediately after treatment and at 5, 24, 48, 72, and 96-hours post-treatment. PAW was applied to pea microgreens in two experimental sets: (1) within 12-hour post-generation and (2) after 72-hour of storage at ambient temperature. PAW initially exhibited lowered pH in all treatments; but after 96 hours in the first experiment, pH of the 30-minute treatment increased to 7.68±0.01 compared to tap water (7.62±0.01), while in the second experiment, all treatments remained lower. NO3-N increased with processing time and storage duration compared to tap water. Fresh weight of microgreens receiving immediately generated PAW exceeded that of tap water (979.48±26.88 g/m²) except for the 120-minute treatment (864.48±66.08 g/m²). After 72 hours of storage, all PAW treatments improved fresh weight compared to tap water, with 60-min and 90-min treatments exceeding NH₄NO₃ by 4.06% and 6.11%, respectively. Shoot length decreased slightly with 120-min PAW (-1.06%) compared to tap water in the first experiment but increased across all treatments in the second. Storing 120-min PAW for 72 hours raised total N pea shoot content (7.66±0.079%) compared to tap water (7.48±0.136%), while Ca levels increased in all PAW treatments relative to tap water and NH₄NO₃. These findings suggest that PAW processing and storage time influence reactive species and nitrogen levels, impacting microgreen yield and quality. Overall, these results highlight the potential dual function of PAW in the sustainable production of microgreens: i) as sanitizer and/or as eustressor immediately post-generation and ii) as a synthetic nitrogen fertilizer replacement after storage.
Funding Source The research was funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grants No. C940001529 “Developing Plasma Agriculture Solutions to Improve Vegetable Yield and Quality” and was supported by Plasma Licensing Authority Inc. that provided us with the plasma generator, and by the Strategic Networks and Initiatives Program (SNIP) “Developing the Penn State Interdisciplinary Initiative on Plasma Agriculture”, funded by the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. FD's contribution was funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hatch Appropriations under Project #PEN05002, Accession #7007517.
Ensuring food safety and extending shelf life remain key challenges in post-harvest management of fresh produce. This study investigates the potential of postbiotic biopolymers, specifically Lactobacillus-derived exopolysaccharide (EPS), as a natural and sustainable emulsifier for stabilizing the bioactive antimicrobial volatiles limonene, and eugenol in oil-in-water nanoemulsions. The developed EPS-based nanoemulsion exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella Poona, achieving >3.0 log reductions on fresh lettuce through immersion and spray applications, while preserving sensory attributes such as texture, color, and taste. Additionally, the nanoemulsion demonstrated a bacteriostatic effect, achieving up to a 3.17 log CFU/cm² biofilm reduction on stainless steel and plastic surfaces (p < 0.05), and a 3-log reduction of Salmonella and E. coli on tomato and blueberry fruit surfaces, along with a 4-log reduction of L. monocytogenes on the soft cheese queso fresco. Stability assessments confirmed that the emulsions remained highly effective across diverse environmental conditions, including temperatures of −20 to 70°C, pH 2–9, and salinity levels from 1%–30%, making them well-suited for real-world agricultural and food processing applications. The synergistic action of EPS and bioactive volatiles not only prolonged shelf life and reduced microbial colonization but also provided a non-toxic, biodegradable alternative to synthetic preservatives, addressing sustainability concerns in food safety and post-harvest preservation. These findings highlight EPS-based nanoemulsions as a promising alternative for enhancing food safety, reducing microbial risks, and supporting sustainable post-harvest practices across fresh produce, dairy, and food-contact surfaces. This work was supported by USDA-NIFA-2024-51181-43464 through the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center of Texas A
I am experienced in phytochemical extraction and LC-MS metabolomics of pre and post-harvested fruits and vegetables. My research focuses on the development of plant-derived bioactive formulations and the assessment of their biological activity in vitro and in vivo. I am currently... Read More →
Friday August 1, 2025 12:45pm - 1:00pm CDT Foster 2
Funding Source This work was supported by USDA-NIFA-2024-51181-43464 through the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center of Texas A&M University and partially funded by the Texas A&M Institute for Advancing Health through Agriculture
The need to shift toward sustainable food production systems has forced farmers to explore alternative practices, such as the use of biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAOs), to fulfill consumer-driven requirements. However, concerns due to food safety regulations restrict the use of BSAAOs on crops consumed raw. The present study evaluated the effects of untreated BSAAOs, raw poultry litter (PL), cow manure (CM), and no BSAAO on soil fertility, microbial contamination indicators, and marketable yields in radish (Raphanus sativus) production over two growing seasons at the LSU AgCenter Burden Botanical Gardens. In the agronomic assessment, radish marketable yields were significantly enhanced by PL application, with an average yield of 8.13 lb. per 3.66 m² plot compared to 4.24 lb. in CM-treated plots and 4.62 lb. in no BSAAO amended plots. Moreover, the method of manure application further influenced radish yields, with tilled PL (PLT) plots yielding 9.45 lb. per plot versus 6.81 lb. in non-till (PLNT) plots. Poultry litter application sustained higher levels of nitrogen through the production cycle as well, during Year 1 only, in comparison to CM and no BSAAO application. The evaluation of the safety of raw manure application focused on indicator organisms. In Year 1, soil samples from PL-treated plots exhibited significantly higher Escherichia coli (E. coli) levels (1.81 and 1.75 log CFU/g, respectively, for tilled and not tilled plots) relative to no BSAAO and CM-amended plots (≤1 to 1.01 log CFU/g), while harvested radish samples from PL-amended plots registered 0.8 log CFU/radish compared to non-detectable levels (≤0.75 log CFU/radish) for CM and no BSAAO-amended plots. In Year 2, soil samples from cow manure tilled (CMT) plots had much higher E. coli counts at first (3.23 log CFU/g in Week 1), but these dropped to 1.17 log CFU/g by Week 3, while other treatments kept their counts steady around or below 1 log CFU/g. Results obtained in the present study demonstrate that raw poultry litter substantially improved radish yields by supplying richer nutrient inputs; it also elevated soil and produces microbial contamination indicator levels relative to cow manure and conventional chemical fertilizer. Although radish surface contamination by E. coli remained low, the observed trends highlight the necessity for optimized manure application practices, particularly regarding incorporation methods and waiting periods, to mitigate potential food safety risks and prevent foodborne illness outbreaks.
