Articles
Stoneless fruit cultivars: past, present and future perspectives with special reference to economically important Ziziphus species
Article number
1350_9
Pages
79 – 90
Language
English
Abstract
Fruit pits are composed of the seed and the hard woody substance (or stone). Consumers want to bite into a perfectly ripe fruit without having to worry about how to get rid of the hidden pit.
That is why consumers and processors both regard the stone to be an annoyance.
As fruit trees are propagated vegetatively, and the seeds are not consumed, the pits are considered agricultural waste by the processing industry and must be disposed of, usually by burning.
Pitless (without seed and stone) fruit cultivars would be a superior product that would increase consumption of these nutrient-dense foods (fruits) while also providing a higher income to farmers.
Luther Burbank, a visionary breeder, sought to produce stoneless plums for the first time in the early 1900s, using a partly stoneless wild-type plum.
Through breeding, he was able to produce better fruit quality with the stoneless trait and even discovered lines without seeds, but he was unable to completely eradicate the stone.
In Burbanks attempt to improve plum production, he left an important heritage by demonstrating that the stone may be almost eliminated without sacrificing fruit quality or quantity.
Considering the prevailing need for convenience foods (seedless fruit like citrus, grapes, etc.), and enhanced understanding of genetics and breeding innovations, breeders should pick up where Mr.
Burbank left off in the production of a better than nearly perfect stoneless plum.
To date, naturally occurring stoneless fruit cultivars in both Ziziphus jujuba and Z. mauritiana have been identified.
Recent technology (like multi-omics, molecular markers, genetic engineering, and accelerated breeding cycles) should be applied to achieve a completely stoneless/seedless high-quality fruit in the cultivated species of Ziziphus Mill.
Furthermore, the period necessary for endocarp formation should be defined by assessing the gene expression of several transcription factors involved in the formation of endocarp cells.
According to new research, fruit stones contain relatively high amounts of lignin therefore the gene should be targeted for genetic engineering to decrease the level of lignification.
That is why consumers and processors both regard the stone to be an annoyance.
As fruit trees are propagated vegetatively, and the seeds are not consumed, the pits are considered agricultural waste by the processing industry and must be disposed of, usually by burning.
Pitless (without seed and stone) fruit cultivars would be a superior product that would increase consumption of these nutrient-dense foods (fruits) while also providing a higher income to farmers.
Luther Burbank, a visionary breeder, sought to produce stoneless plums for the first time in the early 1900s, using a partly stoneless wild-type plum.
Through breeding, he was able to produce better fruit quality with the stoneless trait and even discovered lines without seeds, but he was unable to completely eradicate the stone.
In Burbanks attempt to improve plum production, he left an important heritage by demonstrating that the stone may be almost eliminated without sacrificing fruit quality or quantity.
Considering the prevailing need for convenience foods (seedless fruit like citrus, grapes, etc.), and enhanced understanding of genetics and breeding innovations, breeders should pick up where Mr.
Burbank left off in the production of a better than nearly perfect stoneless plum.
To date, naturally occurring stoneless fruit cultivars in both Ziziphus jujuba and Z. mauritiana have been identified.
Recent technology (like multi-omics, molecular markers, genetic engineering, and accelerated breeding cycles) should be applied to achieve a completely stoneless/seedless high-quality fruit in the cultivated species of Ziziphus Mill.
Furthermore, the period necessary for endocarp formation should be defined by assessing the gene expression of several transcription factors involved in the formation of endocarp cells.
According to new research, fruit stones contain relatively high amounts of lignin therefore the gene should be targeted for genetic engineering to decrease the level of lignification.
Publication
Authors
N. Muhammad, Z.H. Zhao, X.W. Meng, J.R. Wang, M. Yang, M.J. Liu
Keywords
stoneless fruit, breeding, production, development, recent technology, genetic engineering
Groups involved
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