Overexpression of the transcription factor MdWRKY115 improves drought and osmotic stress tolerance by directly binding to the MdRD22 promoter in apple

Abiotic stress reduces plant yield and quality.WRKY transcription factors play key roles in abiotic stress responses in plants,but the molecular mechanisms by which WRKY transcription factors mediate responses to drought and osmotic stresses in apple(Malus×domestica Borkh.)remain unclear.Here,we functionally characterized the apple GroupⅢWRKY gene MdWRKY115.qRT-PCR analysis showed that MdWRKY115 expression was up-regulated by drought and osmotic stresses.GUS activity analysis revealed that the promoter activity of MdWRKY115 was enhanced under osmotic stress.Subcellular localization and transactivation assays indicated that MdWRKY115 was localized to the nucleus and had a transcriptional activity domain at the N-terminal region.Transgenic analysis revealed that the overexpression of MdWRKY115 in Arabidopsis plants and in apple callus markedly enhanced their tolerance to drought and osmotic stresses.DNA affinity purification sequencing showed that MdWRKY115 binds to the promoter of the stress-related gene MdRD22.This binding was further verified by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay.Collectively,these findings suggest that MdWRKY115 is an important regulator of osmotic and drought stress tolerance in apple.

Replanting Affects the Tree Growth and Fruit Quality of Gala Apple

Apple replant disease（ARD） causes the inhibition of root system development, stunts tree growth and so on. To further investigate the effects of ARD on apple fruits, a 25-year-old apple orchard was remediated to establish a replant orchard between November 2008 and March 2009. A rotational cropping orchard was established on an adjacent wheat field. The cultivar and rootstock-scion combination used in the newly established orchards was Royal Gala/M26/Malus hupehensis Rehd. Ripe fruits were collected in mid-August 2011 and mid-August 2012, meanwhile, the following indices were measured： yield per plant; fruit weight; the fruit shape index; the contents of anthocyanin, carotenoid and chlorophyll; the soluble sugar content in the flesh; titratable acid; the sugar-acid ratio; firmness; and aroma components; apple plant ground diameter, plant height increment and the total length of the current-year shoots. The results showed that compared to rotational cropping, continuous cropping yielded statistically significant reductions in fruit weight and yield per plant of 39.8 and 76.5%, respectively. However, there were no changes in the fruit shape index. The anthocyanin and carotenoid contents decreased by 81.7 and 37.7%, respectively, while the chlorophyll content increased by 251.0%. All of these differences in content were statistically significant. The soluble sugar levels and sugar-acid ratio decreased by 25.4 and 60.9%, respectively, but the titratable acid levels and fruit firmness increased by 90.9 and 42.8%, respectively. Ten of the most important esters contributing to the apple aroma were analyzed, and the following changes were observed： hexyl acetate, butyl acetate, hexyl butyrate, acetate-2-methyl butyl, 2-methyl-hexyl butyrate, amyl acetate, butyl butyrate, 2-methyl-butyl butyrate, hexyl propionate and hexyl hexanoate decreased by 25.5, 78.4, 89.1, 55.5, 79.5, 77.2, 86.8, 69.9, 61.2, and 68.1%, respectively. The contents of three other aroma components,（E）-2-hexenal, hexanal and 1-hexanol, significantly increased. Eight characteristic aroma components were found in the rotational cropping fruits： hexyl acetate, butyl acetate, acetate-2-methyl butyl, 2-methyl-hexyl butyrate, amyl acetate, 2-methyl- butyl butyrate, hexyl acetate and hexyl propionate. There were four characteristic ester components（hexyl acetate, butyl acetate, acetate-2-methyl butyl, 2-methyl-hexyl butyrate） and two characteristic aldehyde aroma components（（E）-2-hexenal and hexanal） in the continuous cropping fruits. Compared with the rotational cropping fruits, four characteristic ester components were declined and two characteristic aldehyde aroma components were increased. Compared with the control, replanted apple plant ground diameter, plant height increment and the total length of the current-year shoots were reduced by 27.6, 40.6 and 72.2%, respectively.

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals key genes and pathways in response to Alternaria alternata apple pathotype infection

Apple leaf spot,caused by the Alternaria alternata apple pathotype(AAAP),is an important fungal disease of apple.To understand the molecular basis of resistance and pathogenesis in apple leaf spot,the transcriptomes of two apple cultivars‘Hanfu'(HF)(resistant)and‘Golden Delicious'(GD)(susceptible)were analyzed at 0,6,18,24 and 48 h after AAAP inoculation by RNA-Seq.At each time point,a large number of significantly differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were screened between AAAP-inoculated and uninoculated apple leaves.Analysis of the common DEGs at four time points revealed significant differences in the resistance of‘HF'and‘GD'apple to AAAP infection.RLP,RNL,and JA signal-related genes were upregulated in both cultivars to restrict AAAP development.However,genes encoding CNLs,TNLs,WRKYs,and AP2s were only activated in‘HF'as part of the resistance response,of which,some play major roles in the regulation of ET and SA signal transduction.Further analysis showed that many DEGs with opposite expression trends in the two hosts may play important regulatory roles in response to AAAP infection.Transient expression of one such gene MdERF110 in‘GD'apple leaves improved AAAP resistance.Collectively,this study highlights the reasons for differential resistance to AAAP infection between‘HF'and‘GD'apples which can theoretically assist the molecular breeding of disease-resistant apple crops.

Effects of water stress on quality and sugar metabolism in'Gala'apple fruit

Sugar plays an important role in apple fruit development,appearance and quality as well as contributing to a plant’s water stress response.Trehalose and the trehalose biosynthetic metabolic pathways are part of the sugar signaling system in plants,which are important regulator of water stress response in apple.The effect of water stress treatments applied to apple trees and the corresponding effects of ABA on developmental fruit quality were examined for indicators of fruit quality during fruit development.The results indicated that the severe water stress treatment(W2)occurring after the last stage of fruit cell division caused a decrease in the color and size of fruit.The moderate water stress(W1)occurring after the last stage of fruit cell enlargement(S2)caused an increase in the content of fructose and sorbitol while the apple fruit shape was not affected.These changes in sugar are related to the activity of sugar metabolic enzymes.While the enzymatic activity of vacuolar acid invertase(vAINV)was higher,that of sucrose-phosphate synthase(SPS)was lower in water stress treated fruit throughout the developmental period.This indicates that enhanced sucrose degradation and reduced sucrose synthesis leads to an overall reduced sucrose content during times of drought.Thus,water stress reduced sucrose content.Whereas the content of endogenous trehalose and ABA were the highest in water stress treated fruit.A moderate water stress(W1)imposed on apple trees via water restriction(60%–65%of field capacity)after the fruit cell enlargement phase of fruit development yielded sweeter fruit of higher economic value.

Genome-wide identification,molecular evolution,and functional characterization of fructokinase gene family in apple reveal its role in improving salinity tolerance

Fructokinase(FRK)is a regulator of fructose signaling in plants and gateway proteins that catalyze the initial step in fructose metabolism through phosphorylation.Our previous study demonstrated that MdFRK2 protein exhibit not only high affinity for fructose,but also high enzymatic activity due to sorbitol.However,genome-wide identification of the MdFRK gene family and their evolutionary dynamics in apple are yet to be reported.A systematic genome-wide analysis in this study identified a total of nine MdFRK gene members,which could phylogenetically be clustered into seven groups.Chromosomal location and synteny analysis of MdFRKs revealed that their expansion in the apple genome is primarily driven by tandem and segmental duplication events.Divergent expression patterns of MdFRKs were observed in four source-sink tissues and at five different apple fruit developmental stages,which suggested their potential crucial roles in the apple fruit development and sugar accumulation.Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)identified candidate NaCl or drought stress responsive MdFRKs,and transgenic apple plants overexpressing MdFRK2 exhibited considerably enhanced salinity tolerance.Our results will be useful for understanding the functions of MdFRKs in the regulation of apple fruit development and salt stress response.

Biochar alleviates apple replant disease by reducing the growth of Fusarium oxysporum and regulating microbial communities

Apple replant disease(ARD)negatively affects plant growth and reduces yields in replanted orchards.In this study,biochar was applied to apple replant soil with Fusarium oxysporum.Our aim was to investigate whether biochar could promote plant growth and alleviate apple replant disease by reducing the growth of harmful soil microorganisms,changing soil microbial community structure and improving the soil environment.This experiment included five treatments:apple replant soil(CK),methyl bromide fumigation apple replant soil(FM),replant soil with biochar addition(2%),replant soil with F.oxysporum spore solution(8×10^(7)spores·mL^(-1)),and replant soil with biochar and F.oxysporum spore solution addition.Seedling biomass,the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the leaves and roots,and soil environmental variables were measured.Microbial community composition and community structure were analyzed using 16SrDNA and ITS2 gene sequencing.Biochar significantly reduced the abundance of F.oxysporum and increased soil microbial diversity and richness.Biochar also increased the soil enzyme activities(urease,invertase,neutral phosphatase,and catalase),the biomass(plant height,fresh weight,dry weight)and the activity of antioxidant enzymes(superoxide dismutase,peroxidase,and catalase).The root indexes of apple seedlings was also increased in replant soil by biochar.In sum,biochar promoted the growth of plants,improved the replant soil environment,and alleviated apple replant disease.

The role of the auxin-response genes MdGH3.1 and MdSAUR36 in bitter pit formation in apple

Apples often exhibit bitter pits in response to metabolic disorders during ripening and storage;however, the mechanisms underlying the bitter pit(BP) development remain unclear. Here, metabolome and transcriptome analyses were performed to investigate BP pulp of 'Fuji'. Two auxin-response genes, MdGH3.1 and MdSAUR36, were screened. Their expression as well as the auxin content in BP pulp were found to be higher than those in healthy pulp(P < 0.01). In the field, excess CO(NH2)2increased the incidence of BP. Moreover, the auxin content and MdGH3.1 expression increased in apples after nitrogen fertilization. On Day 30 before harvest, the two genes were transiently transferred to the fruit, and 20.69% and 23.21% of BP fruits were harvested. After 10 μmol·L-1auxin was infiltrated at low pressure into postharvest fruit, the increase in MdGH3.1 expression occurred earlier than that in MdSAUR36. MdGH3.1 increased the expression of MdSAUR36, but MdSAUR36 did not increase expression of MdGH3.1. Therefore, we suggest that MdGH3.1 acts upstream of MdSAUR36 during BP formation and that these genes induce BP formation by regulating auxin and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis.

Effect of Different Preservation Treatments on the Room Temperature Storage of “Gala” Apple

In this experiment," Gala" apples were used as test materials,and 1-MCP treatment and fresh-keeping film packaging were used for storage at room temperature.The results showed that the storage effects of 1-MCP treatment and fresh-keeping film packaging were better than those of the control.Moreover,1-MCP treatment was better than fresh-keeping film packaging in hardness,soluble solids content,titratable acid content,and inhibition of ethylene release.

Silencing of early auxin responsive genes MdGH3-2/12 reduces the resistance to Fusarium solani in apple

Apple replant disease(ARD)has led to severe yield and quality reduction in the apple industry.Fusarium solani(F.solani)has been identified as one of the main microbial pathogens responsible for ARD.Auxin(indole-3-acetic acid,IAA),an endogenous hormone in plants,is involved in almost all plant growth and development processes and plays a role in plant immunity against pathogens.Gretchen Hagen3(GH3)is one of the early/primary auxin response genes.The aim of this study was to evaluate the function of MdGH3-2 and MdGH3-12 in the defense response of F.solani by treating MdGH3-2/12 RNAi plants with F.solani.The results show that under F.solani infection,RNAi of MdGH3-2/12 inhibited plant biomass accumulation and exacerbated root damage.After inoculation with F.solani,MdGH3-2/12 RNAi inhibited the biosynthesis of acid-amido synthetase.This led to the inhibition of free IAA combining with amino acids,resulting in excessive free IAA accumulation.This excessive free IAA altered plant tissue structure,accelerated fungal hyphal invasion,reduced the activity of antioxidant enzymes(SOD,POD and CAT),increased the reactive oxygen species(ROS)level,and reduced total chlorophyll content and photosynthetic ability,while regulating the expression of PR-related genes including PR1,PR4,PR5 and PR8.It also changed the contents of plant hormones and amino acids,and ultimately reduced the resistance to F.solani.In conclusion,these results demonstrate that MdGH3-2 and MdGH3-12 play an important role in apple tolerance to F.solani and ARD.

Transcriptional regulation of MdPIN7 by MdARF19 during gravityinduced formation of adventitious root GSA in self-rooted apple stock

Self-rooted apple stock is widely used for apple production.However,the shallowness of the adventitious roots in self-rooted apple stock leads to poor performance in the barren orchards of China.This is because of the considerable difference in the development of a gravitropic set-point angle(GSA)between self-rooted apple stock and seedling rootstock.Therefore,it is crucial to study the molecular mechanism of adventitious root GSA in self-rooted apple stock for breeding self-rooted and deep-rooted apple rootstock cultivars.An apple auxin response factor MdARF19 functioned to establish the adventitious root GSA of self-rooted apple stock in response to gravity and auxin signals.MdARF19 bound directly to the MdPIN7 promoter,activating its transcriptional expression and thus regulating the formation of the adventitious root GSA in 12-2 self-rooted apple stock.However,MdARF19 influenced the expression of auxin efflux carriers(MdPIN3 and MdPIN10)and the establishment of adventitious root GSA of self-rooted apple stock in response to gravity signals by direct activation of MdFLP.Our findings provide new information on the transcriptional regulation of MdPIN7 by auxin response factor MdARF19 in the regulation of the adventitious root GSA of self-rooted apple stock in response to gravity and auxin signals.

Improved multi-scale inverse bottleneck residual network based on triplet parallel attention for apple leaf disease identification

Accurate diagnosis of apple leaf diseases is crucial for improving the quality of apple production and promoting the development of the apple industry. However, apple leaf diseases do not differ significantly from image texture and structural information. The difficulties in disease feature extraction in complex backgrounds slow the related research progress. To address the problems, this paper proposes an improved multi-scale inverse bottleneck residual network model based on a triplet parallel attention mechanism, which is built upon ResNet-50, while improving and combining the inception module and ResNext inverse bottleneck blocks, to recognize seven types of apple leaf(including six diseases of alternaria leaf spot, brown spot, grey spot, mosaic, rust, scab, and one healthy). First, the 3×3 convolutions in some of the residual modules are replaced by multi-scale residual convolutions, the convolution kernels of different sizes contained in each branch of the multi-scale convolution are applied to extract feature maps of different sizes, and the outputs of these branches are multi-scale fused by summing to enrich the output features of the images. Second, the global layer-wise dynamic coordinated inverse bottleneck structure is used to reduce the network feature loss. The inverse bottleneck structure makes the image information less lossy when transforming from different dimensional feature spaces. The fusion of multi-scale and layer-wise dynamic coordinated inverse bottlenecks makes the model effectively balances computational efficiency and feature representation capability, and more robust with a combination of horizontal and vertical features in the fine identification of apple leaf diseases. Finally, after each improved module, a triplet parallel attention module is integrated with cross-dimensional interactions among channels through rotations and residual transformations, which improves the parallel search efficiency of important features and the recognition rate of the network with relatively small computational costs while the dimensional dependencies are improved. To verify the validity of the model in this paper, we uniformly enhance apple leaf disease images screened from the public data sets of Plant Village, Baidu Flying Paddle, and the Internet. The final processed image count is 14,000. The ablation study, pre-processing comparison, and method comparison are conducted on the processed datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method reaches 98.73% accuracy on the adopted datasets, which is 1.82% higher than the classical ResNet-50 model, and 0.29% better than the apple leaf disease datasets before preprocessing. It also achieves competitive results in apple leaf disease identification compared to some state-ofthe-art methods.

Effect of Different Raw Material Processing Methods on the Quality of Apple Distilled Spirits

In this study,the effect of yeast strains(X16 and RMS2),fruit seed,and pectinase on the quality of apple distilled spirits were investigated with apple as material.The results showed that pectinase shortened the fermentation period.The strain X16,fruit seed remaining,and pectinase addition groups had higher yields of crude distilled spirits than the strain RMS2,fruit seed removal,and without pectinase groups,respectively.Regarding the first-grade distilled spirits quality,the X16 group had higher content of total acids,total esters,higher alcohols,and alcohol content than the RMS2 group;the group with fruit seeds had higher total acids but lower alcohol content and total esters than the group with fruit seed removal;the group with pectinase addition had higher total acids and alcohol content than the group without pectinase addition.Regarding the second-grade distilled spirits quality,the X16 group had higher total acids,total esters,and alcohol content than the RMS2 group;the group without fruit seeds had higher alcohol content than the group with fruit seeds;the group with pectinase addition showcased higher total acids but lower alcohol content than the group without pectinase addition.In summary,yeast strains and pectinase affected the quality of apple distilled spirits,and strain X16 was more suitable for brewing apple distilled spirits.Pectinase affected the quality of apple distilled spirits by affecting fermentation rate and temperature.

Overexpression of auxin/indole-3-acetic acid gene MdIAA24 enhances Glomerella leaf spot resistance in apple(Malus domestica)

Auxin is throughout the entire life process of plants and is involved in the crosstalk with other hormones,yet its role in apple disease resistance remains unclear.In this study,we investigated the function of auxin/indole-3-acetic acid(IAA)gene Md IAA24 overexpression in enhancing apple resistance to Glomerella leaf spot(GLS)caused by Colletotrichum fructicola(Cf).Analysis revealed that,upon Cf infection,35S::Md IAA24 plants exhibited enhanced superoxide dismutase(SOD)and peroxidase(POD)activity,as well as a greater amount of glutathione(reduced form)and ascorbic acid accumulation,resulting in less H_(2)O_(2)and superoxide anion(O_(2)^(-))in apple leaves.Furthermore,35S::Md IAA24 plants produced more protocatechuic acid,proanthocyanidins B1,proanthocyanidins B2 and chlorogenic acid when infected with Cf.Following Cf infection,35S::Md IAA24 plants presented lower levels of IAA and jasmonic acid(JA),but higher levels of salicylic acid(SA),along with the expression of related genes.The overexpression of Md IAA24 was observed to enhance the activity of chitinase andβ-1,3-glucanase in Cfinfected leaves.The results indicated the ability of Md IAA24 to regulate the crosstalk between IAA,JA and SA,and to improve reactive oxygen species(ROS)scavenging and defense-related enzymes activity.This jointly contributed to GLS resistance in apple.

Potassium alleviated high nitrogen-induced apple growth inhibition by regulating photosynthetic nitrogen allocation and enhancing nitrogen utilization capacity

There is a close relationship between potassium(K)and nitrogen(N).However,the roles of K under high N conditions remain unclear.Using a hydroponics approach,we monitored the morphological,physiological,and molecular changes in M9T337 apple(Malus domestica)rootstocks under different nitrate(10 and 30 mmol·L^(-1)NO_(3)^(-))and K supply(0.5,6,10,and 20 mmol·L_(-1)K^(+))conditions.Results revealed that high nitrate inhibited the root growth of M9T337 rootstocks,downregulated the expressions of K transporter genes(MdPT5,MdHKT1,and MdATK1),and reduced the net NO3-and K+influx at the surface of roots,thereby resulting in an N/K imbalance in rootstocks.Further investigation showed that 10 mmol·L^(-1)K increased the activity of N metabolic enzymes(NR,GS,NiR,and GOGAT),upregulated the expressions of genes related to nitrate uptake and transport(MdNRT1.1,MdNRT1.2,MdNRT1.5,and MdNRT2.4),promoted15N transport from the roots to the shoots,optimized leaf N distribution,and improved photosynthetic N utilization efficiency under high nitrate conditions.These results suggest that the negative effects of high nitrate may be related to the N/K imbalance and that reducing N/K in plants by increasing K supply level can effectively alleviate the inhibition of N assimilation by high nitrate stress.

Isolation of Trichoderma virens 6PS-2 and its effects on Fusarium proliferatum f. sp. Malus domestica MR5 related to apple replant disease in China

Apple replant disease(ARD) is primarily caused by biotic factors that seriously inhibits the development of apple industry. Therefore, the use of biological control measures to inhibit the main pathogens(such as Fusarium spp.) that cause ARD is of great significance to the sustainable development of the apple industry. Trichoderma virens 6PS-2, which exhibited antagonism toward a variety of pathogens, was screened from the rhizosphere soils of healthy apple trees(Malus robusta) in different replanted orchards in the Yantai and Zibo Cities, Shandong Province, China. Its fermentation extract inhibited the growth of pathogenic Fusarium proliferatum f. sp. Malus domestica MR5, which was proportional to the concentration. These substances also increased the hairy root volume and growth of Arabidopsis thaliana lateral roots. The phenotype of Malus hupehensis seedlings and microbial community structure in rhizosphere soils in greenhouse experiment using Highthroughput sequencing were analyzed, and the field experiment with grafted apple trees were used for further verification. Compared with the application of potato dextrose broth(PDB) medium, application of 6PS-2 spore suspension directly to replanted soils could improve the growth of M. hupehensis seedlings as well as the elongation of grafted apple trees. Concomitant decreases in the gene copy number of Fusarium and increases in the culturable bacteria/fungi were also observed in the greenhouse and field experiments. The abundance of Trichoderma,Bacillus, and Streptomyces increased significantly, but that of Fusarium, Pseudarthrobacter, and Humicola decreased. The content of esters, phenols,furans, and amino acids in root exudates of M. hupehensis seedlings increased, which significantly inhibited the multiplication of Fusarium, but was positively correlated with Bacillus and Trichoderma. In summary, T. virens 6PS-2 not only directly inhibits the activity of pathogenic Fusarium but also secrets secondary metabolites with antifungal and growth-promoting potential. In addition, 6PS-2 spore suspension can also promote the growth of plants to a certain extent, and change the soil microbial community structure of rhizosphere soils. It is believed that T. virens 6PS-2 has the potential for the alleviation of apple replant disease(ARD) in China.

Spatial Distribution of Meteorological Factors During the Key Growth Periods of Apple Cultivation in Longdong Region of Gansu Province

With the ongoing development of the apple industry in the Longdong region of Gansu,this sector has emerged as a key driver for the government s initiatives aimed at increasing stable income for local residents and promoting rural revitalization.The Longdong region boasts a favorable geographical location and a suitable climatic environment,making it an ideal area for apple cultivation.This paper analyzes meteorological data from the national meteorological observatory in Longdong over the past forty years,focusing on average temperature,precipitation,sunshine duration,and relative humidity during three critical growth periods of apples.The research reveals significant differences in the distribution of meteorological conditions across these key growth stages.Notably,the average temperature is higher in the central and northern parts of the region,while lower temperatures are observed in the southwestern areas.The average daily maximum temperature tends to be higher in the northwest and lower in the central and southwestern regions.Conversely,the average daily minimum temperature demonstrates a distinct pattern,being higher in the south and lower in the north.Additionally,precipitation is more abundant in the southeast and less so in the northwest.Sunshine hours are greater in the northern and central regions,while the southwestern and northeastern areas receive fewer hours of sunlight.Finally,relative humidity is higher in the south and lower in the north.

ALL ABOUT APPLES!

Crunch!Apples are a sweet and delicious fruit.There are over 7,500 different kinds!The fruit is usually red,but it can be green or other colors.Applesaren't expensive.They make a great snack.You can eat a whole apple.You can slice it,too.They're also good with other foods.Do you like apples?

Effects of Trichosporon sp. in Combination with Calcium and Fungicide on Biocontrol of Postharvest Diseases in Apple Fruits

The capability of yeast Trichosporon sp., an antagonist isolated from peach fruit, in biological control was evaluated in apple ( Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Fuji) fruits, when inoculated with different concentrations of Botrytis cinerea Pers. and Penicillium expansum (Link) Thom, as well as in combination with calcium and fungicide. The concentrations of the yeast cells and pathogen spores obviously influenced disease incidence and lesion development in apples. There was a significant negative correlation between concentrations of the yeast cells and infectivity of the pathogens. When the yeast cell suspensions reached the concentration of 10 8 colony_forming units (CFU) /mL, there was no infection caused by B. cinerea and P. expansum with spore concentrations below 10 6 spores/mL in apple fruits. The yeast at concentrations of 10 6-10 7 CFU/mL in combination with fungicide (iprodione at 50 μL/L) provided control of decay caused by B. cinerea and P. expansum better than separate application. Effect of controlling gray mould and blue mould rots was enhanced when Trichosporon sp., even at low concentration of 10 5 CFU/mL, was applied in the presence of 1%-2% CaCl 2 in an aqueous suspension.

Occurrence Regularity and Control Research of Apple Early Defoliation Disease in West Sichuan Plateau

[ Objective ] The research aimed to discuss the occurrence regularity of apple early defoliation disease and control effects of fungicides in west Sichuan plateau. [ Method ] Apple early defoliation disease in west Sichuan plateau was systematically investigated during 2009 and 2011, and the control effects of different fungicides during different spraying periods were studied. [ Result] The species of pathogen mainly was Marssonina ma/i （ P. Henn）, accounting for 32.5%, Phyl-losticta Pirina Sa accounted for 29.9%, and Alternaria mali Roberts accounted for 25.7%. The field fluctuation regularity was as follows ： the disease generally be- gan in the mid-May and ended in early and middle October with only one damage peak during the whole year, the fluctuation had positive correlation with rainfall （ R2 =0.891 8 ＊ ＊ ）. Control test showed that 40% flusilazole had the best control effect （86.5%）, which was best to apply after anthesis. [ Conclusion ] The paper provided theoretical basis for the effective control against apple early defoliation disease.

Distribution of Calcium in Bagged Apple Fruit and Relationship between Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Bitter Pit

[Objective]The aim was to study the distribution of Ca in bagged apple fruit and the relationship between antioxidant enzyme activity and bitter pit disease,which will provide a basis for resolving Ca metabolism disorder in apple cultivation. [Method]With Fuji Apple as the tested material,the changes of Ca2＋ content and antioxidant enzyme activity in different parts of apple fruit after picking bags and storage period were determined. [Result]The results showed that Ca contents in the light surface of fruits were higher than that in the backlight surface. The Ca contents of stalk cavity were higher than that of calyx-end. The activities of SOD,POD,CAT and APX in the light surface of fruits were higher than that in the backlight surface. The activities of SOD,POD,CAT and APX of stalk cavity were higher than that of calyx-end. The contents of MDA in the light surface of fruits were lower than that in the backlight surface. The contents of MDA of stalk cavity were lower than that of calyx-end. [Conclusion]The incidence rate of bitter pit in the light surface of fruits were lower than that in the backlight surface,and the incidence rate of bitter pit of stalk cavity were lower than that of calyx-end.