Horticultural waste to edible resource: uncovering the nutritional potential of Rosa fruits
Meichun Zhou
Meichun Zhou is a master’s candidate supervised by Professor Chao Yu at Beijing Forestry University, China. Her work focuses on systematically exploring and utilizing the rich germplasm resources of the genus Rosa in China. As a modern distribution center for Rosa species, China possesses abundant wild species and cultivated varieties. However, their fruits, commonly treated as horticultural by-products or waste, remain underutilized. The medicinal use of Rosa fruits has a long history in China. Modern research confirms that these fruits are rich in various bioactive compounds such as vitamin C, polyphenols, flavonoids and carotenoids, with significant antioxidant activity. These fruit have great potential for development as functional foods or natural health products. To systematically evaluate this potential, Meichun’s team analyzed 80 Rosa accessions covering both subgenera and key sections. Comprehensive profiling of morphological traits and nutritional components revealed exceptional diversity. Average vitamin C reached 2,602 µg g-1 – far exceeding common fruits – with several accessions surpassing 6,000 µg g-1. Multivariate analysis grouped the germplasm into five distinct clusters with characteristic trait combinations.
Meichun Zhou won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best oral presentation at the IX International Symposium on Rose Research and Cultivation in China in May 2025. Meichun Zhou, School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, 100083 Beijing, China, e-mail: linliw2001@163.com
Study of genetic variation of viruses infecting local garlic cultivars in Indonesia
Sari Nurulita
Sari Nurulita is a lecturer from the Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Indonesia. Her current research project focuses on the study of viruses infecting garlic in Indonesia, particularly on molecular detection and genetic variation. Most locally available garlic cultivars in Indonesia are infected by viral complexes from the genera Carlavirus and Potyvirus. As garlic is vegetatively propagated, the viruses are readily transmitted from one generation to the next. The objective of this study was to investigate, identify and analyse the genetic variation of major viruses infecting garlic in Indonesia. Four commercially available garlic cultivars were collected from two major production areas. Next generation sequencing (NGS) and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) were performed to detect and confirm the presence of virus. Analysis revealed nearly complete Potyvirus, Carlavirus and Allexivirus genomes. These findings provide deeper insights into the genetic variation of major viruses infecting garlic in Indonesia and serve as a valuable basis for virus management.
Sari Nurulita won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best poster presentation at the IX International Symposium on Edible Alliums in Indonesia in September 2025. Sari Nurulita, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Bogor, 16620, Indonesia, e-mail: sarinurulita@ipb.ac.id
Unraveling the potential of Artemisia annua and Artemisia afra as culturally sound alternative therapeutics for combating malaria
Methodius Shinyuy Lahngong
Malaria remains a major global public health challenge, and natural products have long been explored as potential sources of antimalarial therapies. In Cameroon and other African countries, extracts from Artemisia afra and Artemisia annua are widely used in traditional healthcare practices to treat malaria. However, these preparations are typically employed without standardized pharmacological quality control. This study investigated the
phytochemical diversity of these plants collected from different regions of Cameroon. The activity profiles of the extracts were strongly influenced by their environment and geographical origin. Independent of harvest time, sun-drying enhanced the metabolite profile, particularly improving terpene and polyphenol composition. This process increased the levels of artemisinin, chlorogenic acid and total polyphenols, resulting in greater pharmacological activity. These findings support sun-drying as an effective postharvest
method and provide insights into optimizing the use of Artemisia for malaria control.
Methodius Shinyuy Lahngong won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best oral presentation at the International Symposium on Artemisia in Tanzania in October 2025. Methodius Shinyuy Lahngong, Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines, University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liege, Belgium, e-mail: lahngongmethodius@gmail.com
Preliminary characterization of morphology and growth attributes of Salix humilis (prairie willow)
Hazel Schrader
Hazel Schrader is a PhD student at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA. Her research focuses on the development of novel woody plants for urban greenspaces. Prairie willow, an ornamentally attractive US native species, shows promise for urban environments due to its adaptability and resilience. However, it remains underutilized in horticulture due to production challenges and a general lack of background research. Hazel’s work provides the first quantitative characterization of prairie willow growth and morphology in a managed field setting. Her measurements of whole-plant, leaf and stem dimensions establish a foundation for the commercial development of prairie willow. Results indicate that prairie willow is smaller and more compact than pussy willow (S. discolor), with some varieties displaying distinctive traits such as shorter, narrower leaves with a hairy-gray pubescence. These differences highlight significant opportunities for breeding and cultivar advancement.
Hazel Schrader won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best oral presentation at the X International Symposium on New Ornamental Crops in Greece in October 2025. Hazel Schrader, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 305 Alderman Hall, 1970 Folwell Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA, e-mail: schra712@umn.edu
Development of maturity index in three breadfruit cultivars
Dolly Autufuga
Dolly Autufuga is a PhD candidate at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Her research focuses on identifying indicators of breadfruit maturity to improve harvest timing and extend shelf life. Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is an essential staple crop across tropical regions. Although it is highly productive, commercialization is challenging due to rapid ripening. This study examined developmental changes in three cultivars: ‘Ma‘afala’, ‘Fiti’ and ‘Otea’. Fruits were sampled biweekly from week 5 to week 19, measuring changes in size,
color, weight, firmness, starch and minerals. Results showed pronounced shifts in fruit characteristics as maturity progressed. The cultivars differed significantly in appearance and texture. Using partitioning analysis, the growth period was grouped into three maturity phases, with week 15 emerging as a key point of stability for many traits.
Dolly Autufuga won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best oral presentation at the IV International Symposium on Underutilized Plant Species in USA in October 2025. Dolly Autufuga, Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 875 Komohana St., Hilo, HI 96720, USA, e-mail: autufuga@hawaii.edu
Genetic diversity, nutrition, and adaptation of African indigenous leafy vegetables in North Carolina
Gladys Njeri
African indigenous leafy vegetables (AILVs) are promising crops for combating hunger, yet their β-carotene content remains insufficiently studied. This study evaluated the genetic diversity and adaptation of amaranth and African nightshade under North Carolina growing conditions. Leaf samples were analyzed for β-carotene quantification and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). β-carotene analysis showed significant differences between species. One Kenyan landrace, amaranth AK6, exhibited notably high β-carotene levels, indicating potential for targeted selection and breeding. Genetic diversity assessment revealed distinct clustering patterns in both species based on morphology and geographic origin. This study highlights the nutritional potential of AILVs and provides critical baseline information for
future breeding and promotion efforts.
Gladys Njeri won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best poster presentation at the IV International Symposium on Underutilized Plant Species in October 2025 in the USA. Gladys Njeri, NC State University, 1140-103 Carlton Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA, e-mail: gwnjeri@ncsu.edu
Antioxidant and starch dynamics during postharvest storage of an underutilized tropical yam
Sandra V. Medina-López
Understanding storage-driven biochemical changes is essential to design preservation strategies for roots and tubers. This research examined postharvest changes in antioxidant capacity and starch composition in purple yam (Dioscorea trifida). Freshly harvested tubers were evaluated over time under ambient conditions, alongside two treatments: heat treatment and an edible coating. During storage, starch depolymerization was consistent with reserve mobilization, while antioxidant capacity declined. Heat treatment favored antioxidant retention, while the edible coating showed a stronger effect on preserving starch behavior. The results indicate that simple, scalable postharvest interventions can influence biochemical quality in tubers. Integrating physiological insights with low-complexity technologies may support quality-oriented value chains for underutilized tropical crops.
Sandra V. Medina-López won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best oral presentation at the VI International Conference on Postharvest and Quality Management of Horticultural Products of Interest for Tropical Regions in Colombia in November 2025. Sandra V. Medina-López, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT), Spain, e-mail: sandraviviana.medina@edu.upct.es
Effect of temperature on sugar and organic acid metabolisms in cultured juice sacs of Satsuma mandarin
Aika Kikuchi
Aika Kikuchi is a master’s student at Shizuoka University, Japan. Her research focuses on elucidating how temperature affects the accumulation of sugars and organic acids in citrus fruits. In citrus, Brix and acidity are critical factors affecting taste. Juice sacs of Satsuma mandarin were grown under various temperature treatments ranging from low to ambient. Results revealed that total sugar and organic acid contents were higher at low temperatures. Biosynthetic genes showed higher expression levels at low temperatures,
whereas metabolic genes exhibited lower expression. This study demonstrates that low temperatures positively influence the accumulation of sugars and organic acids at the transcriptional level. These findings are expected to contribute to the production of higher-quality citrus fruit in the future.
Aika Kikuchi won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best poster presentation at the VI Asia Symposium on Quality Management in Postharvest Systems in Japan in November 2025. Aika Kikuchi, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Suruga, Shizuoka 422-8529, Japan, e-mail: kikuchi.aika.21@shizuoka.ac.jp