Advances in cultivar choice, hazelnut orchard management, and nut storage to enhance product quality and safety: an overview

Abstract

European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) is a major species of interest for nutritional use within the Betulaceae family and its nuts are widely used throughout the world in the chocolate, confectionery, and bakery industries. Recently its cultivation has been expanded in traditional producer countries and established in new places in the southern hemisphere, including Chile, South Africa, and Australia. Introducing hazelnut in new environments could reduce its productivity, lead the trees to experience eco‐physiological disorders, and expose the crop to high pressure from common and new pests and diseases. Thus, new approaches in cultivar choice guidance, in the sustainable orchard management and even in nut storage and kernel quality evaluation are urgently required to improve the hazelnut production and processing chain. The main objective of this study was to systematize the published information regarding recent findings about the cultural operations that directly influence nut and kernel quality, support varietal choice for new plantations, and list the recent advances in nut storage and in quality and safety evaluation. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

Combined Spraying of Boron and Zinc During Fruit Set and Premature Stage Improves Yield and Fruit Quality of European Hazelnut cv. Tonda di Giffoni

“…In our experiments with hazelnut TDG grown in acidic soil, the leaves of untreated, control trees had 25-28 mg kg −1 DW of B and Zn. According to technical reports, the optimal B leaf contents for reaching good fruit set and hazelnut yields are between 25 and 30 mg kg −1 DW (Silvestri et al, 2021). Similarly, other authors have discussed that optimum B concentration in hazelnut leaves should be 22-30 mg kg −1 DW for productive trees (Simşek et al, 2003), while data on the beneficial effect of Zn spraying on hazelnut leaves have been studied to a lesser extent (Alidust et al, 2020).…”

“…We showed that the application of spraying programs (P1, P2, and P3) increased the B and Zn concentrations in the hazelnut leaves by several folds in both B+Zn treatments compared with untreated trees and the previous reports. It should be noted that the B and Zn requirements and optimum thresholds are cultivar-specific (Alidust et al, 2020;Silvestri et al, 2021), and they should be integrated into crop management to obtain the maximal yield. Our results showed that combined spraying application of B and Zn resulted in both Zn and B accumulation in totally expanded leaves in P1 and P3 programs, while the B and Zn accumulation efficiency was lower in P2 (P ≤ 0.05).…”

“…In this context, for hazelnuts planted in Southern Chile, leaf chemical analyses of the Laboratory of Soil and Plants and Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus BIOREN-UFRO (www.bioren.ufro) at the Universidad de La Frontera have reported among 16-63 and 26-41 mg kg −1 DW (dry weight) of hazelnut cultivar Tonda di Giffoni (TDG) for B and Zn concentrations, respectively. According to technical extension reports, one approach for improving hazelnut nutrition, fruit set viability, and fruit filling, and for ensuring the production performance, is to maintain optimal B and Zn concentrations in plant tissues (Silva et al, 2003;Guerrero et al, 2015;Silvestri et al, 2021). In addition, Baron and Stebbins (1981), Ferrán et al (1997), andSilva et al (2003) recommended that spring B applications should be performed if hazelnut foliar analysis shows a B concentration below 100 mg kg −1 DW.…”

“…In addition, Baron and Stebbins (1981), Ferrán et al (1997), andSilva et al (2003) recommended that spring B applications should be performed if hazelnut foliar analysis shows a B concentration below 100 mg kg −1 DW. Silvestri et al (2021) reviewed a wide range of Zn concentrations (20-90 mg kg −1 DW) in adult leaves of different hazelnut cultivars such as Tonda Gentile, Barcelona, Tonda Romana, and Nocchione, indicating a cultivar-specific Zn accumulation; however, it is highlighted that the information about optimal Zn in tissues is scarcely studied for this species, particularly in Southern Chile. The beneficial effects of combined B and Zn spraying on vegetative and reproductive growth, yield, fruit traits, and nutrient mobility have been reported for apple (Malus x domestica) (Neilsen et al, 2004), olive (Olea europaea) (Saadati et al, 2013), walnut (Juglans regia) (Keshavarz et al, 2011), almond (Prunus amygdalus) (Nyomora et al, 1997), and in a lesser extent by studies conducted on hazelnut (Shrestha et al, 1987;Solar and Stampar, 2000;Alidust et al, 2020).…”

A green molecular imprinted solid‐phase extraction protocol for bisphenol A monitoring with HPLC‐UV to guarantee the quality and safety of walnuts under different storage conditions

“…Nuts are highly appreciated due to their high nutritional value and health properties deriving from their unique molecular composition that are preserved for a long period of time [14]. Considering that storage has a high impact on their self-life and preservation of their nutritional components [15], packaging conditions should also be taken into account in terms of safety quality control by monitoring BPA leaching, as well.…”