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Laboratory studies were conducted on the characteristics of beet yellows closterovirus (BYV) transmission to sugar beets by the bean aphid, Aphis fabae. The relative transmission efficiency and the retention, acquisition, and inoculation thresholds were evaluated using clonal aphid colonies. Transmission efficiency was studied between different apterous aphid species (A. fabae and Myzus persicae ), between alate and apterous morphs of A. fabae and M. persicae, and among five clonal aphid colonies of A. fabae. Results indicated, on average, that apterous M. persicae transmitted twice as efficiently as apterous A. fabae (60 and 34%, respectively), apterous forms of A. fabae were equally efficient in transmitting BYV as compared with alate A. fabae (28 and 29%, respectively), and the five clonal colonies of A. fabae ranged from 28 to 40% transmission efficiency with an average of 34%. The maximum retention time recorded for BYV by A. fabae was between 24 and 48 h. After a 1-h acquisition access, a transmission efficiency of 10% was obtained, with maximum transmission efficiency (the highest average percent transmission that is statistically different from all other previous averages) of 39% reached after 6 h of acquisition access. Inoculation thresholds occurred within 1 h, with maximum transmission efficiency (42%) reached after a 6-h inoculation access. Using an electronic monitoring system, a range of 9 to 38 min (20.5 mean) was recorded for the stylets of A. fabae to reach the phloem sieve elements. This was consistent with our threshold of a 20-min acquisition access recorded through direct observation.

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BACKGROUND Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) – a delicious fruit once used in Ayurvedic medicine – is now largely known for the antioxidant properties of its juice, which has also been considered to have health benefits against diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. These beneficial effects are associated with the fruit's high content of polyphenolic compounds. High demand and lower production levels drive pomegranate prices up, which leads to the possibility of pomegranate products being adulterated, diluted or substituted. To ensure the presence of pomegranate in various preparations labeled as containing pomegranate, a simple method was developed to screen and quantify the specific punicalagins by mass spectrometry. RESULTS The present method was used to analyze several pure and mixed beverages from the US market, and also to quantify punicalagins in the juice of 14 pomegranate cultivars. Punicalagins were detected in all cultivars, with higher concentrations in whole fruit juices compared with aril juices. Amongst the 20 commercial beverages, punicalagins were not detected in four preparations. CONCLUSION The liquid chromatographic–mass spectrometric method presented herein enables an easy and rapid quantification of the specific punicalagins. The latter was detected in all cultivar samples, thus supporting that punicalagin is a suitable marker of these 14 pomegranate cultivars in commercial juices. Absence of the specific marker in four commercial preparations shows the necessity of having simple and rapid methods to evaluate the presence of pomegranate in preparations. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

Consumer sensory panels are important to determine scientifically which cultivars are desired by the public. These panels allowed for the determination of which pomegranate cultivars are liked or disliked by consumers and why. If the pomegranate growers know the most desirable cultivars for consumers, they are more likely to adopt and plant them, thus potentially increasing the diversity in the marketplace, as has been with apples, peaches, plums, pears, mangoes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and citrus.