• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.898-911
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• 2016

Sugars play many important roles in plant metabolism and directly influence fruit quality. The effects of two edible coatings, 2% calcium chloride and 1% pullulan, on sugar metabolism in postharvest Huangguan pear fruit were investigated during cold storage. The respiration rate, sugar content and composition, sucrose metabolism enzyme activities [acid invertase (AIV), neutral invertase (NI), sucrose synthase (SS), and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS)] and expression of the AIV gene were analyzed during storage at $0^{\circ}C$ for 210 days. Coating treatments slowed the decrease of sucrose and hexose, the respiration rate, and the activities of AIV, NI, SS and SPS, thus maintaining high total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acid (TA) contents in the fruit. There were no significant differences in AIV expression or activity between the treated and control groups of fruits. Both of the coatings could inhibit the activities of sucrose-cleaving enzymes, thus slowing the decrease of sugar content and maintaining high fruit quality during cold storage.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.486-491
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• 2015

In this study, we evaluated the differences in fruit development and quality indices of fruits subjected to blossom thinning before full bloom in 'Hanareum' and 'Niitaka' pears (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai). We carried out a thinning treatments at 5 days before full bloom, targeting the blossoms at the 1st and 2nd position (T1) or the blossoms at the 6th and 7th position (T2) from the basal part of the flower cluster in both cultivars. Blossom thinning treatments increased the average fruit weight of early-season Asian pear 'Hanareum' up to 10.5% (T1) and 11.0% (T2) at harvest time (110 days after full bloom). The mid-season 'Niitaka' pear showed increased fruit weight of up to 12.6% (T1) and 16.8% (T2) at harvest time (170 days after full bloom). Moreover, these treatments increased the production rate of bigger sized fruits in both cultivars. Removal of blooms also affected fruit quality indices; the bloom-thinned fruits showed higher soluble solids contents (about $1^{\circ}Brix$) and higher skin color redness ($a^*$) especially in 'Niitaka' pears when compared to the non-thinned controls. Overall, the treatments increased the fruit size and weight as well as fruit quality including soluble solids and skin color. Bloom thinning treatment targeting the 6th to 7th blossom from the basal part of the flower cluster may be recommended as the practical thinning method in Asian pear 'Hanareum' and 'Niitaka'.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.535-541
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• 2015

'Taichung No. 2' is a new Asian pear cultivar developed in Taiwan with low chilling requirement; however, is likely to develop internal browning disorder under low temperature storage conditions. We investigated the impact of storage time on flesh browning disorder in pears harvested from 22 orchards in 2010 and 2011, and analyzed the levels of nutrients in different fruit parts such as the peel, flesh, and core. Calcium and potassium contents were higher in the flesh and peel, respectively, of more severely browned fruits, whereas a lower magnesium content was recorded in the peel and core of these fruits. Nitrogen and potassium contents in the peel, and calcium content in the flesh were positively correlated with browning disorder severity. By contrast, the magnesium content in the core was negatively correlated with browning disorder severity. However, the nutrient contents in fruits varied between the two sampling years considered. Only the K/Mg ratio was an effective predictor of the browning disorder severity and showed a positive linear correlation in the two years. We recommend that the K/Mg ratio should be lower than 10 to avoid severe browning disorder in pears.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.675-679
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• 2009

We investigated how Germanium (Ge) application, and the application method, affected 'Niitaka' (Pyrus pyrifolia) fruit quality in a conventional orchard. Ge-treated pears weredark yellow in color, indicating appropriate maturation. Other fruit characteristics, and weight, did not significantly differ between tests and controls. Compared to controls, fruit from Ge-treated trees had more soluble solids, a lower acid content, and fewer stone cells, which reduced fruit chewiness. Ge-treated trees showed a higher Ge concentration in fruit but a lower calcium (Ca) concentration. Other fruit mineral nutrients, includingP, K, and Mg, did not differ in level between Ge-treated fruit and controls. Ge-treated fruit showed greater firmness and a heavier specific weight during 6 months of storage, compared to control fruit. Therefore, Ge treatment reduced fruit pithiness, which can be a problem in 'Niitaka' pears. Overall, there was no significant difference between Ge-treated and control fruit qualities, but a combined Ge treatment (fertilization plus foliar application plus trunk injection) slightly improved fruit quality.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.225-238
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• 1989

These studies were conducted to investigate the extraction, purification and characterization of oriental pear (Niitaka. Pyrus pyrifolia Nak.) protease, and the results obtained were as follows: 1. Oriental pear protease was effectively extracted by the method of homogenizing pear pulp with 0.7 volume of 0.1M-sodium phosphate buffer, pH 6.5 containing 5mM-cysteine, 40mM-2-mercaptoethanol and 2mM-EDTA at 10,000 rpm for 5 min. 2. The protease was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, Sephadex G-100 filtration and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography, and the purified enzyme gave a single protein band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 3. The specific activity of purified enzyme was 29.65 unit/mg protein and the yield was 7.22%. 4. The moecular weight of the protease was estimated to be about 51,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the enzyme had Km value of 54.5 mg/ml for casein. 5. The purified enzyme had a maximum activity at pH 6.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, and was stable from pH 5.5-6.5 and at temperatures below $50^{\circ}C$ 6. Casein was a better substrate for this protease compared to hemoglobin. 7. The enzyme activity was markedly inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid and heavy metal salts such as $HgCl_2$ and $MnSO_4$ also considerably inhibited the enzyme activity.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2001

'Shinil' pear cultivar (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) which was originated in a cross between 'Shinko' (non-patented, released in 1941) and 'Hosui' (non-patented, released in 1972) in 1978 was released as a middle season harvest variety. Its usual picking time coincided with 'Chuseok' season which is one of the most famous national holiday in Korea. The fruit showed high soluble solids content and good appearance. The cultivar was preliminarily selected in 1991, and its regional adaptability was evaluated in the name of 'Wonkyo Na-13' at 9 sites for four years from 1992, and finally selected and named in 1995. 'Shinil' is medium in tree vigor like 'Hosui' and spreading in tree habit as 'Niitaka', a leading cultivar in Korea, and consistently very productive. It has high resistance to black rot caused by Alternaria kikuchiana and pear necrotic spot caused by pear necrotic spot virus. Its full bloom is one day earlier than that of 'Niitaka' cultivar and harvest time is September 25 at Suwon area which is 3 days later than that of 'Hosui'. Fruit is round in shape with a deep medium stalk cavity and medium calyx basin and has attractive light yellow brown skin color. The fruit weight ranges between 300 and 400 g, which is similar to 'Chojuro', 'Shinko', and 'Hosui'. Soluble solid content is approximately at the level of 13-14 Brix, which is higher than that of 'Chojuro'. The flesh is cream-white, very juicy, and light grit with soft and fine texture.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.434-441
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• 2010

'Wonhwang' pear ($Pyrus$ $pyrifolia$ Nakai) often showed physiological disorder and quality deterioration during long-term storage and shelf life although this cultivar has the advantage of a good appearance and better taste for overseas exportation. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of temperature during transportation and continuing market temperature on fruit quality, and the occurrence of physiological disorder to set up the appropriate transportation and distribution temperatures in the fruits harvested at different times. Unripe fruits harvested 120 days after full bloom maintained higher firmness until 21days of shelf life at both 18 and $25^{\circ}C$ than late harvested ones. Otherwise, ripe fruits harvested 130 days after full bloom showed high incidence of mealiness breakdown of flesh tissues in 21 days of shelf-life at $25^{\circ}C$ of market temperature, but not in the fruits stored at $18^{\circ}C$. Late harvested fruits showed much severe physiological disorders when compared with early harvested ones that showed relatively lower respiration rates. Fruit quality parameters were more highly affected by market temperature than transportation temperature. Results showed that unripe fruits harvested at 120 days after full bloom maintains high marketability until 21 days of shelf-life, while the maximum shelf-life of ripe fruits harvested 130 days after full bloom will be considered at within 7 days.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.98-107
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• 2017

A DNA profile database was constructed to investigate the genetic relatedness of 72 germplasm samples of Pyrus and related cultivars using microsatellite markers. Three P. pyrifolia, four P. commus, and one P. betulifolia cultivars with different morphological traits were screened using 387 pairs of microsatellite primers. A core set of 11 primer pairs was selected to obtain 133 polymorphic amplified fragments meeting three criteria: high polymorphism information contents (PIC), high repeatability, and distinct allele patterns. The number of alleles per locus ranged between 4 and 22. Average PIC was 0.743 (range: 0.557 - 0.879). Cluster analysis using the unweighted pair - group method with arithmetical average (UPGMA) separated the 72 pear cultivars and germplasm samples into four major groups: Chinese, European pears, and a cluster of 55 Asian pears that could be reclassify into two subcluster, I - $1^{st}$ and II - $2^{nd}$, according to pedigree information. Almost all of the cultivars were discriminated by 11 microsatellite marker genotypes. The microsatellite DNA profile database may be utilized as tool to verify distinctness, uniformity, and stability between candidate cultivar, and to verify in the distinctness of existing cultivars.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2014

To improve the breeding efficiency of oriental pear, the inheritance of major fruit traits were analyzed using 4,035 seedlings of 15 cross combinations combined with 13 cultivars. Yearly variation of parental cultivars, broad-sense heritability of the traits, and frequency of seedlings with commercially acceptable characteristics by the mid-parent values were studied. Despite the heritabilities of traits related with pear the fruit texture were different depending on cross combination, the average narrow-sense heritability ($h^2$) for firmness, flesh hardness, flesh density and grit were over 0.6, a relatively high value. However fruit firmness showed different heritability among the cross combination and its value of cross combination between 'Niitaka' and 'Choju' was very low as 0.11. Positive correlation was not observed on fresh hardness, fresh density and grit but observed on firmness between mid-parent value and average value of offspring. Regression of offspring on firmness, fresh hardness, fresh density and grit between mid-parent value and average value of offspring were 0.778, 0.343, -0.273, 0.313, respectively. Frequency distributions of fruit texture in 15 cross combinations of pear seedling was influenced by parental characteristics. When fruit firmness was estimated as low, low ${\times}$ high and high ${\times}$ high values in parental fruits, firmness in their offspring exhibited low, medium and high, respectively. In addition, when parental grit by sensory evaluation were light ${\times}$ light and light-medium ${\times}$ medium-heavy, most of offsprings showed light and medium grit, respectively.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2014

'Hanareum' pear is expected to produce the high quality small and medium-sized fruits without any major changes in the current cultivation techniques, inasmuch as its basic characteristics are already included in the range of small and medium-sized fruits. Thus, we tested the possibility of utilization of 'Hanareum' pear for producing small and medium-sized fruits, while establishing the limit of minimum fruit weight for the fruits in high quality. With the results of correlation analysis, it was possible to predict the fruit weight through the observation of soluble solid contents and flesh firmness, because both factors were closely correlated to fruit weight in all treatments. Moreover, these factors were confirmed to be useful indicators of forecasting consumer preference in the sensory evaluation. The fruit marketability was excellent under the conditions that were greater than $11.6^{\circ}Bx$ and less than 25.6 N for soluble solid contents and flesh firmness, respectively. When applying these standards of fruit quality to the results of regression analysis for fruit weight, non-treated fruits fulfilled both standards when the fruit weight was higher than 436 g, and the quality uniformity was also high on this state. Therefore, the production of high quality small and medium-sized fruits was determined to be under this condition. The weight limit for GA treated fruits was 620 g, and both fruit quality and uniformity were below the weight range of small and medium-sized fruits, with 300~500 g. Thus, GA treatment was suggested to be avoided, in order to produce the high quality small and medium-sized fruits.