Egli C. Georgiadou

Cyprus University of Technology

Soil salinity represents a significant environmental stressor that impairs crop production and yield. A wide range of treatments have been used to reduce the effects of salinity in plants. Among the treatments used, functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) have shown great results. In light of recently demonstrated beneficial effects of chitosan-melatoni...

BACKGROUND ‘Xynisteri’ is considered as the reference white grape cultivar in Cyprus with remarkable adaptation to adverse edaphoclimatic conditions and appreciable oenological properties that renders it as an appropriate cultivar for studies within a global context due to climate change. To this aim, two distinct non‐irrigated plots with different...

Background ‘Xynisteri’ is the reference Cypriot white cultivar that, despite its significant societal and economic impact, is poorly characterized regarding its qualitative properties, while scarce information exists regarding its aroma profile. In the current study, the effect of leaf removal during fruit set (BBCH 71) on 6‐year cordon‐trained, sp...

The positive effects of biochar applied as soil conditioner for boosting soil fertility and thus plant growth are sufficiently documented, mostly through in-situ experimentation. This field study evaluated the effects of soil amendment (5% v/v) with distinct types of biochar (biosolids-derived biochar, BDB; cattle manure-derived biochar, MDB; spent...

The effect of preharvest foliar spray applications at fruit colour breaker stage with acetylsalicylic acid (synthetic salicylate), spermidine (polyamine), their combination and a commercial calcium supplement on loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl cv. ‘Karantoki’) fruit at successive harvests and subsequently during maintenance at room temperature (s...

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl) tree has a unique annual cycle that allows it to satisfactorily adapt in the Mediterranean basin but also in other subtropical climates. Over the recent years, the commercial production of loquat fruit has received increased interest and it has risen to a niche product that is greatly appreciated by the consumers....

Cr(VI) is known to induce hormesis in plants. Nevertheless, its effects on the quality of agricultural produce are poorly studied. In the present study, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants were exposed to incremental Cr(VI) concentrations through irrigation with water containing K2Cr2O7 in escalating concentrations (0.05, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 mg L-...

Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, dietary fibers and phytochemicals, as well as other phytonutrients, which promote human health. Specifically, vitamins are major bioactive compounds, divided in water-soluble (vitamins B and C) and lipid-soluble (vitamins A, E and K) ones, having strong antioxidant potential and limiting several diseases incl...

Lycopene is a naturally occurring chemical compound that gives fruits and vegetables a red/orange color. As an intermediate metabolite of β-carotene biosynthesis, lycopene represents one of the major carotenoids. This work studies the gene expression pattern of lycopene biosynthesis/catabolism transcripts and the accumulation pattern of lycopene/β-...

The origin and distribution of hexavalent chromium, Cr (VI) over four seasonal cycles was investigated through a conceptual model that included three aquifer systems in Cyprus. An extensive water sampling grid covered two sea water intruded coastal aquifers, namely the Kokkinochoria (A1) and Kiti-Pervolia (A2) aquifers and the Troodos massif (A3)....

Plants exposed to toxic Cr(VI) concentrations show reduced biomass production and yield. The present study examined (1) the impacts of increasing Cr(VI) exposure (0.05, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 mg L-1 K2Cr2O7 in irrigation water) on the growth and development, yield, and stress physiology of two important crop species, such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)...

Heavy metals are the cause of one of the most significant biosphere contamination problems worldwide, as they can be highly reactive and toxic according to their oxidation levels. Their toxic effects are correlated with the elevated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative cellular damage occurring in plants. The aim of the present...

Chromium has been proven to be extremely phytotoxic. This study explored the impacts of increasing Cr(VI) exposure (up to 10 mg L-1 K2Cr2O7) in the growth and development of alfalfa plants and adaptation responses employed, in an environmentally relevant context. The threshold concentration of K2Cr2O7 in irrigation water beyond which stress respons...

Loquat marketability is affected by purple spot (PS), a preharvest physiological disorder, evident as skin discoloration with depressed surface. The intensity and severity of PS in three loquat cultivars ('Morphitiki', 'Karantoki' and 'Obusa') was phenotypically monitored during successive on-tree fruit developmental stages. At harvest. 'Obusa' fru...

- Vitamin E is a general term used to describe a group of eight lipophilic compounds known as tocochromanols. These vitamin E variants are chemically categorized into two classes formed by α-, β-, γ-, and δ- tocopherols and tocotrienols isoforms, respectively. - The present study describes the concurrent regulation of genes and metabolites orchestr...

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) released in agroecosystems have been found to be taken up by and accumulated in the edible parts of crop plants. By employing simulated hydroponic cultivation under controlled conditions, the present study aimed at evaluating 1) the uptake and bioaccumulation of three common PhACs (diclofenac, DCF; sulfamet...

One of the most significant biosphere contamination problems worldwide is derived from heavy metals. Heavy metals can be highly reactive and toxic according to their oxidation levels. Their toxic effects are associated with the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cellular damage induced in plants. The present study focuses on...

Fruits and vegetables are the main source of health promoting phytonutrients, including vitamins, dietary fibers and phytochemicals. Vitamins are key bioactive compounds with strong antioxidant potential including both water-soluble (vitamins B and C) and lipid-soluble (vitamins A, E and K) compounds, and are thought to limit the risk of several ch...

Consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of developing numerous chronic diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular disease, due to the presence of multiple antioxidants. Horticultural produce consumed in Cyprus include a large variety of fruits and vegetables, most of which are common components of a Mediterranean-style...

Reactive oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur species are key signalling molecules involved in multiple physiological processes that can be examined in qualitative and quantitative manners. Here, we describe simple spectrophotometric assays that allow the quantification of hydrogen peroxide, nitrite-derived nitric oxide and hydrogen sulphide from plant tis...

The aim of this study was to understand the antioxidant metabolic changes of peach (cvs. 'Royal Glory', 'Red Haven' and 'Sun Cloud') and nectarine fruits (cv. 'Big Top') exposed to different combinations of low-temperature storage (0, 2, 4 weeks storage at 0 °C, 90% R.H.) and additional ripening at room temperature (1, 3 and 5 d, shelf life, 20 °C)...

Background Carotenoids are the main colouring substances found in orange-fleshed loquat fruits. The aim of this study was to unravel the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway of loquat fruit (cv. ‘Obusa’) in peel and flesh tissue during distinct on-tree developmental stages through a targeted analytical and molecular approach. Results Substantial change...

The term vitamin E refers to a group of eight lipophilic compounds known as tocochromanols. The tocochromanols are divided into two groups, that is, tocopherols and tocotrienols, with four forms each, namely α-, β-, γ-, and δ-. In order to explore the temporal biosynthesis of tocochromanols in olive (Olea europaea cv. ‘Koroneiki’) fruit during on-t...

The aim of this work was to generate a high resolution temporal mapping of the biosynthetic pathway of vitamin E in olive fruit (Olea europaea cv. “Koroneiki”) during 17 successive on-tree developmental stages. Fruit material was collected from the middle of June until the end of January, corresponding to 6–38 weeks after flowering (WAF). Results r...

The present study aimed to assess seven tomato genotypes (commercial cultivars and local landraces) with respect to yield potential, physicochemical and sensory properties when cultivated under organic conditions, over two growing seasons. Traits like yield ingredients and fruit quality were measured whereas, the morphological traits were assessed...