Introduction. In Malaysia, Limau Madu (Citrusreticulata Blanco; Citrus suhuiensis Hort.ex Tanaka) is commercially cultivated for local consumption. Itis a loose-peel mandarin with fruits that are spherical in shapewith shiny green or greenish yellow peel. In Malaysia, Limau Maduis vegetatively propagated, thus it is presumed to exhibit minimalvariability. In our study, the genetic variability and genetic relatednessamong cultivated samples collected from different states in Malaysiawere assessed using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) primers. Materialsand methods. Thirty pairs of SSR primers derived from Citrusunshiu were screened and 22 SSR primer pairs were utilizedto assess genetic variability and relatedness among 118 cultivatedsamples. Results and discussion. The percentage of SSR transferabilityfrom C. unshiu to C. reticulata (LimauMadu) was 73.33%, which indicated that the primer sequences flankingsimple sequence repeats were conserved among these Citrus species.Most SSR loci revealed a large excess of heterozygotes. In our study,low allelic diversity was shown, with an average of 5.227 allelesper locus. Polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.048to 0.674. Based on UPGMA clustering analysis, four groups were identifiedfrom these citrus genotypes with a mean genetic distance of 0.170. Lowgenetic variability within species was probably due to vegetativepropagation or inability to detect differences among samples usingthese primers.

Introduction. Les populations de Kidal, au nord du Mali, traditionnellementnomades, s'orientent progressivement vers l'agriculture du fait de sécheressesrécurrentes ; la culture du palmier dattier bien que représentée est encore peu élaboréedans cette région. Notre étude s'est inscrite dans le cadre des projets de développementde la phoeniciculture au nord du Mali. Elle a eu pour objectif de recenser et decaractériser les ressources phytogénétiques du palmier dattier afin d’envisager desstratégies de développement de ce patrimoine. Matériel et méthodes. Notreétude a été réalisée, dans la région de Kidal, dans neuf sites principaux connus depuislongtemps pour la culture du palmier dattier. Nous avons déterminé le nombre total depieds observés dans la région, l’effectif des pieds productifs, la répartition des sexes,les cultivars représentés, l'âge des pieds et leurs périodes de maturation. Unecaractérisation des principaux cultivars a été établie en se basant sur des caractèresvégétatifs et des caractères morphologiques des inflorescences, des fruits et des graines.Résultats et discussion. Nous avons recensé plus de 4000 palmiers dattiersdans la région échantillonnée ; les proportions de palmiers mâles se sont révéléesélevées. Le site de Tessalit semble héberger la palmeraie la plus importante et la plusancienne. Il présente 39 % de l'effectif total des palmiers dattiers recensés. Notre étudea permis d’identifier 18 cultivars. Les analyses factorielles des correspondancesmultiples sur la caractérisation des cultivars de la région de Kidal ont montré que lavariabilité inter-cultivars semble être très importante quels que soient les caractèresétudiés ; en revanche, la variabilité intra-cultivar est faible. Des proximités ont étédéfinies entre les cultivars de Tigazas locaux et la Tigaza algérienne.

The product. Coconut water (Cocos nucifera L.) is an ancient tropical beverage whose popularity on the international market hasbeen continuously increasing in recent years. Uses. Besides itsvarious traditional uses, this refreshing liqu id extracted from thecoconut fruit has recently been described as a “sport beverage” andhas drawn the attention of manufacturers as a natural functionaldrink. Composition. Coconut water has a low mattercontent (2% to 5% wet basis), mainly comprising sugars and minerals.Quality criteria, such as the water per nut ratio, Total SolubleSolids (TSS), total sugar per nut, and [reducing sugars / totalsugars] ratio, are good indicators for estimating the suitability ofcoconut cultivars for the production of coconut water. Regarding thesecriteria, dwarf varieties are the most suitable cultivars to obtain atasty product. Properties. The quality of coconut watercan not only be attributed to sugars and minerals because it also hasa typical flavour and some original properties. Although many authorshave cited medicinal uses or growth-promoting activities, only a fewpublications have clearly identified the components responsible forthese properties. Discussion. Results of former andrecent investigations are discussed. Finally, suggestions are made forfurther research to increase our knowledge of this original tropicaljuice.

Introduction. Xoconostles or acidic cactus pears (Opuntiaspp.) are fruits prized for their fleshy and acidic mesocarp; theyare morphologically different from cactus pears which are sweet, juicyand seedy. Both thrive in semiarid highlands of Central Mexico,tolerate poor soils and scanty rainfall, and have evolved into formalcrops during the last five decades. Wild xoconostles are ubiquitousin Mexican semiarid regions. Domesticated genotypes are found inbackyards and commercial orchards. Folk wisdom attributes xoconostlewith antihypoglycemic effects, cholesterol control and obesity reduction.The peel presents higher antioxidant capacity than strawberry, raspberry,red plum, grapefruit, pear and apple. Our investigation describesthe main cultivars of xoconostles with horticultural value for human consumptionin Central Mexico; it contributes to the elucidation of their morphologicalrelationships. Materials and methods. Twenty-one accessions fromthe Hidalgo and Zacatecas states of Mexico were described using 27 variablesfrom cladodes, flowers and fruits; significant variables were selectedby correlation and PCA, and thereafter a cluster analysis and discriminantcanonical analysis were performed. Results. Thirteen variables werefound to be significant to discriminate accessions: cladode length, numberof rows of areoles, number of areoles in the central row, pericarplength and width, fruit length, fruit diameter, [length / diameter]ratio, areole density, receptacle depth, fruit and peel weight,and pulp acidity. Two canonical roots (Can) explained variability:Can1 (fruit areola density, acidity, number of areole rows, and numberof areoles in the central row) explained 87.55%, and Can2 (peel weight,fruit weight and fruit diameter) explained the remaining 12.45%.Discussion. Can1 was related to plant productivity, while Can2 comprisedmainly fruit quality traits. Both of these traits are of primaryinterest for human utilization and have had a clear effect on domestication. Clustersdid not match the actual taxonomic classification.

Introduction. Olea ferruginea Royle, generally knownas Indian olive, grows widely in the Himalayas from Kashmir to Kumaun upto an altitude of 2400 m. It is a multipurpose, zero-waste, evergreentree species. It yields a number of useful items including qualityfodder, firewood and edible fruits. The leaves, bark, roots, fruitsand seeds of this plant are used for treatment of various diseases.The fruits are also a source of olive oil. However, to the bestof our knowledge, no study has been carried out to determine theolive oil contents of the fruits and seeds of O. ferruginea andthe quality of the oils. Materials and methods. Therefore, investigationswere undertaken to determine the olive oil contents and the qualityof the oils in the fruits and seeds in terms of fatty acid composition.Four populations of O. ferruginea (Kolibehar, Saioond and Kais fromthe Kullu district, and Thalaut from the Mandi district of HimachalPradesh) were selected as the sources of fruits and seeds. Resultsand discussion. The selected sites differed in respect to theirgeographical characteristics. The olive oil content was considerablyhigher in the fruits than in the seeds. The olive oil contents inthe fruits varied from 20.67% to 27.40%, with the Thalaut population exhibitingthe highest oil content. The olive oil content in the seeds variedfrom 7.5% to 12.5%; the oil content was the lowest in fruits ofthe Saioond population and the highest in the Thalaut population.In all the populations, monounsaturated oleic acid was predominant;oleic acid ranged from 61.6% to 66.9% in the fruit oil and 64.4%to 67.2% in the seed oil. Differences in the fatty acid compositionbetween the seed and fruit oils were also seen. Conclusion. Ourstudy suggests that the fruits of O. ferruginea may be a potentialsource of olive oil. Thus, sustainable use of this potential ofthe tree could be useful in the socio-economic development and environmental conservationof the areas where it grows.

Introduction. The high intra-specific variation insafou traits and the perishable nature of the fruit hampers commercialization. Knowledgeof the parameters that determine the acceptability of safou productsand the shelf life of fresh fruits is critical for marketing anduseful as a first step toward cultivar development. Materials andmethods. Safou fruits of different pulp colors, skin colors andstages of ripening were collected from clones. Physicochemical andorganoleptic analyses were performed on fresh and processed safoupulp, respectively, to elucidate parameters that could be used todetermine the acceptability of boiled and dried safou pulp, andthe shelf life of fresh fruits. Results and discussions. Our studydemonstrated that the pH and color of raw pulp could be used todetermine the acceptability of boiled and dried safou. Consumerspreferred products which were not acidic (sour), with a nice aroma.There was a negative correlation between the pH of raw pulp andthe acceptability of boiled and dried safou pulp. Likewise, there wasa positive correlation between the color of raw pulp and the acceptabilityof boiled and dried safou pulp. These parameters were used to predictthe taste of finished products. Polygalacturonase activity was higherin fully ripe and unripe fruits than in semi-ripe fruits. Polygalacturonaseactivity had a strong positive correlation with percentage lossof fully ripe fruit during storage and, as such, can also be usedto predict the postharvest loss of safou. Conclusion. The pH andcolor of raw (uncooked) pulp of safou can be used to determine thetaste and acceptability of boiled and dried pulp. Likewise, the activityof polygalacturonase in raw pulp can be used to predict its postharvest shelflife.