Pomology/Fruit and its importance

Part of the Department of Pomology, Tropical and Subtropical Pomology I.

• Last lesson: Introduction and data sources
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This lesson is in preparation --Juan 18:19, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

Fruits and their importance

Berberis vulgaris (European barberry)/(Jaundice berry)/(Ambarbaris)/(Barberry) is a shrub in the family Berberidaceae, native to central and southern Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia. Fruit are shown. Credit: Arnstein Rønning.{{free media}}

Coffea racemosa berries are shown. Credit: Ton Rulkens.{{free media}}

Since the seed in the fruit is attached to the pericarp, the whole fruit is often mistakenly called "seed". Credit: Howcheng{{free media}}

Ripe sour cherries are shown on a branch. Credit: Rklz2{{free media}}

The dried fruit of Berberis vulgaris (barberry) is used in herbal medicine. The chemical constituents include isoquinolone alkaloids, especially berberine, with a full list of phytochemicals compiled.

"Carotenoids, which are generally present in leaf, flower, fruit, and shoot of plants, play an important role in the stabilization of lipid membranes, the photosynthesis, and the protecion against strong radiation and photooxidative processes. Experiments with coffee species also showed that the transcript levels of enzymes involved in the synthesis of carotenoids increased under stress conditions [34]."

"Coffee seeds are rich in biologically active substances and polyphenols such as kaempherol, quercetin, ferulic, sinapic, nicotinic, quinolic, tannic, and pyrogallic acids which possess antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipidaemic effects [41], [42], [43], [44], [45], [46], [47], [48], [49]. Besides the cis-isomers of chlorogenic acid in Arabic coffee [50], caffeic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, ferulic, and sinapic acids, as well as rutin, quercetin, kaempferol, and isoquercitrine were detected in its fruit and that of Bengal coffee [51]."

Fennel is widely cultivated, both in its native range and elsewhere, for its edible, strongly flavored leaves and fruits. Its aniseed or liquorice flavor comes from anethole, an aromatic compound also found in anise and star anise, and its taste and aroma are similar to theirs, though usually not as strong.

The aromatic character of fennel fruits derives from essential oil (volatile oils) imparting mixed aromas, including trans-anethole and estragole (resembling liquorice), fenchone (mint and camphor), limonene, 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom). Other phytochemicals found in fennel fruits include polyphenols, such as rosmarinic acid and luteolin, among others in minor content.

Prunus cerasus (sour cherry, tart cherry, or dwarf cherry) a species of Prunus in the subgenus Prunus subg. Cerasus (cherries), native to much of Europe and southwest Asia is closely related to the sweet cherry (Prunus avium), but has a fruit that is more acidic. Its sour pulp is edible.

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See also

• Agronomy
• Alcohols
• Aquaculture
• Forestry
• Fruit and its importance
• Horticulture
• Medicine
• Minerals
• Neutraceuticals
• Oils
• Plants
• Pomology
• Waxes