To identify the most important ripening parameters of Fuerte avocado fruits, and to quantify the relationship between color changes, electrical conductivity and softening of avocado fruits, the ripening process was investigated to fulfill the consumer and market demands. Mature and high quality avocado fruits (Persea Americana Mill.) were held to ripe at 20 o C in controlled temperature rooms with 90-95% relative humidity for two weeks. Fruit quality characteristics (respiration rate, soluble solids content (SSC), total acidity (TA), ascorbic acid and oil content) during ripening period at 20 o C were evaluated. Moreover, ripening parameters as color changes, chlorophyll contents, fruit firmness and electrical conductivity and ripening enzymes (CX and PME) were also investigated throughout ripening process. During ripening period for 2 weeks at 20 o C, fruit quality criteria showed that respiration rate and oil content had a noticeable significant increase with the ripening increase. While, acidity (TA), soluble solids (SSC) and ascorbic acid content cleared a slight and significant decrease. Throughout color development, the three parameters lightness (L*), hue (h•) and chroma (C*) changed significantly, hue decreased little, lightness moderately, while chroma changed more quickly. Moreover, an significant decline in chlorophyll a and b concentration occurred and reflected to color changes during ripening process. For ripening enzyme activities, Fuerte avocado fruits showed a great increase in cellulase activity compared with gradual decrease in Pectinmethylesterase activity after ripening. Avocado fruit firmness markedly reduced gradually after harvest till ripening at 20 o C, and this decline was positively correlated with an increase of electrical conductivity of the fruit tissue suggesting a gradual loss of cell membrane integrity. This increase in conductivity was promoted by ripening process. These results have allowed us to set that ripening process had some parameters were simple and rapid to measure as ripening indices. We conclude that in Fuerte avocado fruits, electrical conductivity (EC) can serve as a good indicator of membrane permeability and that it is highly correlated with ethylene production, softening and also demonstrates a relationship between firmness and EC.

Ripening and procedures of highly enriched and specialized oil in Fuerte avocado (persea americana Mill.) during storage at 20 o C were investigated. Three different harvest dates (early, middle and late) of avocado fruits were evaluated. Fruits were collected in first November,

Micro-propagation of olive provides the possibility of mass production true to type plants with appropriate attributes in short period of time, compared to conventional methods. Micropropagation of olive requires optimization of protocols adapted to specific cultivars requirements. This experiment was carried out during 2020 and 2021 seasons in tissue culture laboratory of Pomology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University in order to evaluate the potential effects of Nano silver at 0, 5, 10 and 20 mg L -1 to improve sprouting percentage and shoot growth of Picual olive cv. The effect of nutrient media composition (MS modified, OM and OM modified) and cytokinins (BAP and Zeatin) on multiplication rate and shoot growth were examined. IBA and NAA (2 and 4 mg L -1 ) were examined during rooting stage. The obtained results cleared that silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) at 5 mg L -1 recorded the highest percentage of bud sprouting, shoot length, number of shoots/explant and number of leaves/ shoot. Olive medium (OM) recorded the highest shoot length, number of shoots/explant and number of leaves/ shoot compared with OM modified and MS modified media. Also, Zeatin at 4 mg L -1 recorded the highest shoot growth parameters during in vitro multiplication stage. During in vitro rooting stage, both the type and concentration of auxins have a significant influence on number of roots, root length and rooting % of Picual olive cultivar. In conclusion, it is recommended that very low concentrations of Nano silver particles to be used in plants tissue culture on olive media (OM) supplemented with Zeatin at 4mg L -1 .

Cold storage is a widely used method for prolonging pomegranate fruit shelf life. However, low storage temperature may result in fruit decayed and chilling injury. So, this experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different storage temperature (5, 10, and 20 °C with 85-90% RH) for maintaining quality criteria and storage period prolongation of pomegranate fruits cv. wonderful during 2018 and 2019 seasons. Fruit quality characteristics i.e., fruit weight, volume, length, and diameter, total aril weight, total juice weight and color parameters, of skin, aril and juice were investigated. Soluble solids content (TSS), total acidity (TA), ascorbic acid content (vitamin C), and total anthocyanin content were measured periodically for a storage period of 30 days for 5, 3 and 2 months respectively. Results indicated that pomegranate fruits stored at 5°C showed lower weight loss percent and higher firmness than that occurred in fruit stored at 10 and 20°C with more expand storage period. Pomegranates stored at 5°C recorded the highest fruit weight, fruit volume, aril weight and juice weight with the lowest fruit specific gravity after four months. While, the highest fruit length and diameter were noted at 10°C storage after the third month. The highest anthocyanin content was recorded for pomegranate fruits after five storage months at 5 ° C. Lightness (L) and Chroma (C*) colour parameters in skin and aril of wonderful pomegranate fruits had higher gradual increment compared with its values at harvest. Meanwhile, hue angle (H 0 ) color parameter clarified remarkable reduction trend throughout different storage temperatures such as 5, 10 and 20 °C with expanding storage periods. On the other side, fruit juice colour (Lightness (L*) and Chroma (C*)) cleared a significant decrease with a noticeable increment for hue angle (h o ) respectively compared with initial value at harvest. From these results it can be concluded that cold storage at 5°C was better than storage at 10 and 20 °C for expanding the market duration of pomegranate fruits.

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Due to its rapid ripening after harvest, mango is a perishable fruit with a short shelf life. Organoleptic parameters such as color, flavor, texture and aroma are factors critical to consumer acceptance and the success of the fresh produce. Hot water treatments (HW) technology is gaining popularity worldwide for its potential to extend the shelf life of mango fresh produce with better fruit quality. The present study was conducted at the two successive seasons of 2019 and 2020 to evaluate the hot water dipping (HWD) treatments at 45 or 50oC for 5 and 10 min., and then stored at 8oC±2oC and 90-95% relative humidity as shipping simulation for 3 weeks and then ripened at 20oC too. The sensory characteristics score of mango fruits were measured by panelists who utilized the Hedonic test in evaluating the quality scores samples. Our results at the end of ripening storage duration (21days) appeared that the HW treatment at 50oC for 10 min showed the highest significant firm, texture, and pulp color score (3.49, 3.00 and 5.00) of mango fruits compared with untreated with lower score (1.15, 2.00 and 4.67). Moreover, the sensory score as aroma and flavor cleared gradually and showed the same trend, recording the best aroma and mango flavour score (4.67, 3.67). At the same time, control fruits have the lowest taste score (3.00 and 2.33).