Cherry fruit is considered to be quite sensitive to cracking and is the major limiting factor for profitable cherry production in most of the cherry-producing regions of the world. At times, the cracking severity can reach up to 90 %. Although most of the fruit cracking is attributed to direct and possibly localized water uptake through the fruit skin, there are many other interactive factors that can contribute to cracking including the variety grown, skin properties, climate, and so on. The cracking in cherry has been categorized in three distinct forms: stem end cuticular fractures, nose or apical cracking, and the third, side cracking, which is a large crack usually deep into the pulp on the cheek of the fruit and is considered to be most damaging. The type of the crack developed may depend on the particular etiological factor and the shape of the fruit. However, the problem can be minimized to a great extent by knowing the cause and accordingly, adapting certain management practices, of which irrigation management, protective covers, and mineral supplements are of prime consideration.
The rhizosphere is an area of soil surrounding plant roots in which soil's most reactions take place. The term "rhizosphere" was coined by Lorenz Hiltner, and it is 1-2 mm wide. The rhizosphere is divided into three zones: endorhizosphere, rhizoplane, and ectorhizosphere. The two dynamic properties of soil rhizosphere are root exudates and soil microbes. Root exudates are the chemical compounds that are secreted by roots and act as a source of food for soil microbes and play a pivotal role in soil microbe and plant interaction. These are low-and high-molecular-weight compounds. The root exudates are important for root-microbe and root-root communication. The other important aspect of rhizosphere is soil microbes. The soil microbes include bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. These organisms are important for both soil and fungi. The main aspect of this chapter is to give brief information about the underground world, and its future perspective is to understand soil microbe and plant interaction for enhancing sustainable agriculture. Studies on gene expression in the rhizosphere and the use of other molecular techniques like m-RNA, proteomics, labeled root compounds, stable isotope probes, and reporter technology will help in exploring underground undiscovered world.
The effect of global warming is now visible in many parts of the world. Abnormality in climate patterns, induced by accelerated warming, has started to affect a catchment-specific hydrologic cycle. Higher temperatures lead to a high rate of evaporation and dry conditions in some areas of the world. Severe weather events are now more common. Scientists believe that rapid warming in the last several decades is mostly due to human-induced changes in the atmosphere, on top of some natural variations. Impacts of climate change are complex as they can be both direct and indirect, the biggest casualty being natural resources such as agriculture. Agriculture is a carefully manipulated ecological system, the productivity of which could increase because higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could allow a higher rate of photosynthesis. However, many interacting factors are at work. At higher levels of warming, estimated monetary impacts generally become negative, and studies, allowing for disastrous possibilities, can reach high negative outcomes. Moreover, the perennial plants (mostly fruit plants) are at more risk than annuals or seasonals.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.