Comparative Evaluation of Boron Sorption Dynamics on Zeolites in Irrigation Waters: An Isothermal Modeling Approach.

Efficient boron removal from irrigation waters is crucial for sustainable agriculture, as elevated levels of boron can be toxic to many plants, limiting growth and crop productivity. In this context, the present study investigated the sorption equilibrium of boron using zeolites in two types of aqueous matrices: a synthetic solution containing only boron and natural irrigation waters. Through the application of various isothermal sorption models (Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips, Toth, Jovanovic, Temkin, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Redlich-Peterson), the efficacy of zeolite for boron removal under controlled and real conditions was evaluated. The results indicated a notable difference in sorption behavior between the two matrices, reflecting the complexity and heterogeneity of interactions in the boron-zeolite system. In the synthetic solution, the Freundlich model provided the best fit (R2 = 0.9917), suggesting heterogeneous and multilayer sorption, while the Sips model showed high efficacy in describing the sorption in both matrices, evidencing its capability to capture the complex nature of the interaction between boron and zeolite under different environmental conditions. However, in natural irrigation waters, the Jovanovic model demonstrated the most accurate fit (R2 = 0.999), highlighting the importance of physical interactions in boron sorption. These findings underscore the significant influence of the water matrix on the efficacy of zeolite as a boron removal agent, emphasizing the need to consider the specific composition of irrigation water in the design of removal treatments. Additionally, the results stress the importance of selecting the appropriate isothermal model to predict boron sorption behavior, which is crucial for developing effective and sustainable treatment strategies. This study provides a basis for optimizing boron removal in various agricultural and industrial applications, contributing to the design of more efficient and specific water treatment processes.

Accurate Botanical Nomenclature: Pomegranate and the 'Aril' Misconception.

The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) attracts attention in studies for its nutritional and medicinal properties. However, a recurring issue in the literature arises due to the multidisciplinary nature of these studies, leading to a mistaken repetition of basic botanical terms. The problem stems from the misapplication of the term "aril" to the pomegranate seed, despite the fruit being exariled, signifying the absence of an aril. This confusion may be attributed to the sarcotesta's appearance, resembling a complete aril, coupled with a lack of awareness in fields such as medicine, pharmacy, and cosmetics. This study specifically examines the Kingdom-variety pomegranate, due its economic importance in the fruit market. The fruits were evaluated at different developmental stages-initial, intermediate, and commercial. Magnification photography techniques were used to study the development state of the pomegranate fruits. The physiological studies confirm that the pomegranate seed constitutes the complete grain, with the juicy, sweet part surrounding it identified as the testa, not an aril. The findings underscore a persistent error in the existing literature, emphasizing the necessity for dissemination and education in future studies. A thorough grasp of pomegranate anatomy and precise use of terminology are indispensable for ensuring accuracy and rigor in scientific communication.

Effects of marine sediment as agricultural substrate on soil microbial diversity: an amplicon sequencing study.

BACKGROUND: The soil microbiota has a direct impact on plant development and other metabolic systems, such as the degradation of organic matter and the availability of microelements and metabolites. In the context of agricultural soils, microbial activity is crucial for maintaining soil health and productivity. Thus, the present study aimed to identify, characterize, and quantify the microbial communities of four types of substrates with varying proportions of marine port sediment used for cultivating lemons. By investigating microbial diversity and relative abundance, the work aimed to highlight the importance of soil microbial communities in agriculture when alternative culture media was used. RESULTS: The composition and structure of the sampled microbial communities were assessed through the amplification and sequencing of the V3-V4 variable regions of the 16 S rRNA gene The results revealed a diverse microbial community composition in all substrate samples, with a total of 41 phyla, 113 classes, 266 orders, 405 families, 715 genera, and 1513 species identified. Among these, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Planctomycetota, Patescibacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteriota, Acidobacteriota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Gemmatimonadota accounted for over 90% of the bacterial reads, indicating their dominance in the substrates. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of the substrate origin on the diversity and relative abundace of the microbiota was confirmed. The higher content of beneficial bacterial communities for plant development identified in peat could explain why is considered an ideal agricultural substrate. Development of "beneficial for plants" bacterial communities in alternative agricultural substrates, regardless of the edaphic characteristics, opens the possibility of studying the forced and specific inoculation of these culture media aiming to be agriculturally ideals.

Influence of Different Rootstocks on Fruit Quality and Primary and Secondary Metabolites Content of Blood Oranges Cultivars.

Blood oranges have high concentrations of bioactive compounds that are beneficial to health. In Europe, the cultivation of blood oranges is increasing due to their excellent nutritional properties. In Citrus crops, rootstocks play an important role in juice and can increase the content of bioactive compounds. The morphological, qualitative and nutritional parameters were analyzed in cultivars 'Tarocco Ippolito', 'Tarocco Lempso', 'Tarocco Tapi' and 'Tarocco Fondaconuovo' grafted onto Citrus macrophylla and Citrus reshni. 'Tarocco Lempso' grafted onto Citrus macrophylla obtained the highest values of weight (275.78 g), caliber (81.37 mm and 76.79 mm) and juice content (162.11 g). 'Tarocco Tapi' grafted onto Citrus reshni obtained the most interesting qualitative parameters (15.40 °Brix; 12.0 MI). 'Tarocco Lempso' grafted onto Citrus reshni obtained the most intense red juice (a* = 9.61). Overall, the highest concentrations of primary metabolites were in proline, aspartate, citric acid, and sucrose. The results showed that 'Tarocco Ippolito' juice grafted onto Citrus reshni had the highest levels of total hydroxycinnamic acids (263.33 mg L-1), total flavones (449.74 mg L-1) and total anthocyanins (650.42 mg L-1). To conclude, 'Tarocco Lempso' grafted onto Citrus macrophylla obtained the best values of agronomic parameters, and the cultivars grafted onto Citrus reshni obtained significantly higher concentrations in primary and secondary metabolites.

Metabolomic Approach to Study the 'Purple Queen' Pomegranate Cultivar Response to Alternative Culture Media and Phenological Stages.

The increasingly evident threat of depletion of world peat bogs is encouraging the search for and study of alternative agricultural substrates that can fully or partially replace peat, guaranteeing food supply (quality and quantity). On the other hand, the identification of the potential for the reuse of waste from relevant economic activities has increased in recent years, mainly motivated by the change to a sustainable circular economy, as is the case of port sediments. Taking into account that significant volumes of dredged port sediments are generated annually so that ports can maintain their economic activity, it is necessary to find objective, sustainable and safe reuse alternatives. In this sense, the objective of this study was to study the response of the "Purple Queen" pomegranate when grown with dredged port sediment. For this, the fruit production (kg), number of fruits (fruits tree-1), fruit weight (g), and seed yield (%) aiming to verify the correct tree development were evaluated. In addition, a 1H-NMR foliar metabolomic study for the three most relevant phenological phases was performed (flowering, fruit development, and post-harvest) to identify metabolic changes in trees. In total, 29 metabolites were identified; among them, 11 were amino acids, 6 organic acids, 5 sugars, and 7 secondary metabolites. The good agronomical development of the trees and fruits indicated the potential for using the dredged sediment as an agricultural substrate. On the other hand, the results revealed that the greatest variability in the metabolomic study occurred between the phenological phases and a lower variability is explained by the substrates used.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Substrate Mixes Containing Port Sediments for Sustainable 'Verna' Lemon Production.

The increase in maritime trade and its global economic importance have forced port management actors to carry out the periodic dredging of their sediments to maintain an adequate depth for the passage of large ships to maintain their operation and competitiveness. During the dredging process, large volumes of port sediment are generated. Dredged port sediment is currently considered a waste material and its disposal is regulated. Finding ways to safely reuse port sediments is necessary for sustainable development. In this study, a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was applied to identify the environmental impact of port sediments when used as a culture medium for lemon trees. A total of 90 lemon trees (Citrus limon L. Burm var 'Verna') were used in the trial. The trees were grown under controlled conditions using three substrates, with different portions of peat and port sediment (25%, 50%, and 75%) to identify the real impacts of the culture media on the growth process. The LCA was calculated and analyzed according to the ISO 14040:2006 standard, using the SimaPro v. 9.3 software (PRé Sustainability B.V, Amersfoort, The Netherlands). The functional unit defined for the three-culture media was 1 kg of lemons. The LCA results showed a significant increase in the environmental impact of lemon cultivation proportional to port sediment content (75%), due to the decrease in fruit production caused by the sediment. However, the least impact was identified for the culture medium at 50% peat and 50% port sediment. The greatest impacts were more related to crop management rather than the port sediment content. The results showed that the use of the port sediment, mixed with other substrates as an agricultural medium amendment, is a viable option for lemon growers.

Physico-Chemical Attributes of Lemon Fruits as Affected by Growing Substrate and Rootstock.

Due to its high content of bioactive compounds, the lemon is considered one of the most relevant species around the world. Its great economic importance is motivated, in addition to its fresh consumption, by its applications in the medical, pharmaceutical, and food industries, etc. However, the chemical and nutritional composition of lemon is not constant and can be influenced by external factors such as variety, weather conditions, crop management, etc. Determining the compositional variations of the fruit, essential to defining its potential use, was the main objective of this study. The physicochemical characteristics of the 'Verna' lemon were studied as a function of two controlled variables, the growing substrate and the rootstock. For this, 90 lemon trees were cultivated in three rootstocks and three different culture media. Lemon trees cultivated with 50% sediment/peat mix substrate presented a higher total production (590 lemons and 90.53 kg) while this production was 80% lower on trees cultivated with 75% marine sediment. Citrus macrophylla and Citrus aurantium/Citrus sinensis rootstocks showed a significantly higher production than the Citrus aurantium. All the fruits presented a predominantly yellow color appropriate for the market (0 < CI < +5). Nutritional and chemical parameters were consistent with data reported for the 'Verna' clones. All the obtained lemons were suitable for marketing and consumption both in fresh and processed forms. The results indicated the limited influence that the studied variables have on the quality parameters of lemon fruits, but they also could confirm the potential of marine sediment as a culture substrate.

Breba Fruits Characterization from Four Varieties (Ficus carica L.) with Important Commercial Interest in Spain.

Although most of the published articles generalize with the fruit of the fig tree (Ficus carica L.), the differentiation between fig and breba is increasingly common in the bibliography. In this regard, keep in mind that the fig tree generally produces two crops a year, the parthenocarpic breba, also called as early fig, and the main non-parthenocarpic crop, the fig proper. In this study, four brebas varieties ('Colar', 'SuperFig1', 'Cuello de Dama Negro' and 'San Antonio') were selected in order to identify compositional, nutritional, and chemical diversity. These varieties were chosen for their commercial relevance in Spain. Color (internal and external), fruit and peel weight, size, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), maturity index (MI), sugar, and organic content were determined for all the breba fruits samples. In addition, polyphenolic profile, amino acids, and volatile aromatic compounds were also identified. The varieties 'Colar' and 'SuperFig1' showed the highest fruit weight and size, while 'Cuello de Dama Negro' presented the higher pulp yield. The higher organic acid and sugar contents were determined for 'SuperFig1' and 'Cuello de Dama Negro', respectively. Although in low concentrations, the phenolic compound quercetin 3-(6-O-acetyl-beta-glucoside) and the amino acid tyrosine were only detected in the ''Cuello de Dama Negra' and 'SuperFig1' fruits, respectively. Of the eighty volatile aromatic compounds identified, only eight were common in four varieties. An important knowledge gap was identified in relation to the characterization of the two Ficus carica L. crops, that is, the differentiation and specification in the literature when working with brebas and/or figs.

A new combined sensory-instrumental tool for pomegranate seed hardness determination.

BACKGROUND: Scanning electron microscopy was assayed and linked with previous data with respect to obtaining a new combined sensory-instrumental tool for pomegranate seed hardness determination. The present study aimed to develop an effective tool for the prediction of sensory properties via instrumental determinations. RESULTS: Simple regression analysis determined a high correlation within descriptive seed hardness and thickness of the wall, as well as descriptive wood perception and thickness of the wall, with values of 0.71 in both cases. Multiple regression analysis improved correlations when (i) descriptive seed hardness correlated with instrumental seed hardness and wood index (0.94); (ii) descriptive wood perception correlated with instrumental seed hardness and wood index (0.79); (iii) descriptive seed hardness correlated with instrumental seed hardness and thickness of the seed wall (0.96); and (iv) descriptive wood perception correlated with instrumental seed hardness and thickness of the seed wall (0.82). The same trend was found when (i) seed hardness satisfaction degree correlated with instrumental seed hardness and wood index (0.92); (ii) wood perception satisfaction degree correlated with instrumental seed hardness and wood index (0.82); (iii) seed hardness satisfaction degree correlated with instrumental seed hardness and thickness of the wall (0.99); and (iv) wood perception satisfaction degree correlated with instrumental seed hardness and thickness of the wall (0.99). CONCLUSION: Regarding mechanical properties, the results of the present study confirm that texture analysis and scanning electron microscopy are an effective tool for obtaining reliable information. This research led to establish an objective tool allowing prediction of the consumer acceptance of pomegranate cultivars worldwide. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Fatty acids compositional variations between the edible and non-edible fruit part of seven pomegranate varieties.

The biological importance of fatty acids in different metabolic routes and/or specific activities with medical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical interest makes it increasingly necessary to know in detail the lipid composition of foods. The objective of this work was to identify and characterize the fatty acids profile of seven pomegranate varieties with commercial interest, differentiating between its edible (seeds) and non-edible (peel plus carpellary membranes) parts, aiming to have a holistic and characteristic vision. The results confirmed the compositional fatty acids variations of the pomegranate, both between different varieties and the parts of the fruit. 29-101 variety presents a fatty acid profile with a higher potential for antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties. The content of punicic acid in the Kingdom variety makes it the most pomegranate varieties interesting for its nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, food and medical applications. The specific fatty acid content could define the best pomegranate variety depending on its potential use/application.

Potential of dredged bioremediated marine sediment for strawberry cultivation.

For the maintenance of the economic activity of the ports, it is necessary to dredge the marine sediments in order to guarantee their depth. These sediments, considered by European legislation as residues, present relevant limitations of use and generate environmental and economic problems concerning their final disposal. In this context, the present work aims to identify the phytoremediated dredged sediments potential as an alternative to the traditional substrate (peat) in horticultural growing through two-years controlled strawberry cultivation. The growing media mixes used were: (1) 100% peat (Pt) as a control substrate; (2) 100% dredged remediated sediment (DRS); (3) 50% each (Pt-DRS). The dredged sediment, plant drainage and strawberry plant parts (leaves, stems, roots, and fruits) were analyzed to mineral elements, heavy metal contents, and pesticide residues (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and specific fumigants) during the experimental period. Only seven (Mn, Fe, Zn, Mo, Al, Mn and Ni) of the twenty-two metals and two (nitrates and fluorene) of the six hundred-thirteen pesticides analyzed were detected in the strawberry fruits. In all the cases, values detected were under the Spanish and European legal limit. The suitability of strawberry fruits for fresh and/or processed consumption with no risk was confirmed. Based on the results, can be affirmed that the dredged remediated sediment can be used as a culture substrate, alone or mixed with other substrates. Additional researches should be carried out to confirm the sediment characteristics and compare with other substrates to improve the physical and chemical properties.

Physiological, Nutritional and Metabolomic Responses of Tomato Plants After the Foliar Application of Amino Acids Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid and Alanine.

Agriculture is facing a great number of different pressures due to the increase in population and the greater amount of food it demands, the environmental impact due to the excessive use of conventional fertilizers, and climate change, which subjects the crops to extreme environmental conditions. One of the solutions to these problems could be the use of biostimulant products that are rich in amino acids (AAs), which substitute and/or complement conventional fertilizers and help plants adapt to climate change. To formulate these products, it is first necessary to understand the role of the application of AAs (individually or as a mixture) in the physiological and metabolic processes of crops. For this, research was conducted to assess the effects of the application of different amino acids (Aspartic acid (Asp), Glutamic acid (Glu), L-Alanine (Ala) and their mixtures Asp + Glu and Asp + Glu + Ala on tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L.). To understand the effect of these treatments, morphological, physiological, ionomic and metabolomic studies were performed. The results showed that the application of Asp + Glu increased the growth of the plants, while those plants that received Ala had a decreased dry biomass of the shoots. The greatest increase in the growth of the plants with Asp + Glu was related with the increase in the net CO2 assimilation, the increase of proline, isoleucine and glucose with respect to the rest of the treatments. These data allow us to conclude that there is a synergistic effect between Aspartic acid and Glutamic acid, and the amino acid Alanine produces phytotoxicity when applied at 15 mM. The application of this amino acid altered the synthesis of proline and the pentose-phosphate route, and increased GABA and trigonelline.

Use of a remediated dredged marine sediment as a substrate for food crop cultivation: Sediment characterization and assessment of fruit safety and quality using strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) as model species of contamination transfer.

A harbour sediment, previously remediated, was tested for soilless strawberry cultivation (Camarosa and Monterey cultivars), as an innovative, cost-effective and environment-friendly approach of sediment management. Sediments were tested as such (TS100) and mixed 1/1 (v/v) with a peat-based commercial substrate (TS50), using the peat-based medium as control (TS0). Substrates were characterized for some physicochemical properties (e.g. density, porosity and water capacity). Minerals (P, Ca, K, Na and Fe), heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cr, Pb and Cd), aliphatic hydrocarbons (C > 12), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans were analysed in substrates and fruits. Sugars and organic acids, including the ascorbic, were also determined in fruits, as quality indicators. Notwithstanding remediation, sediments showed concentrations of Zn (206 mg kg-1), C > 12 (86 mg kg-1) and PAHs (47 mg kg-1) exceeding the limits established by the Italian L.D. 152/2006, regulating the contamination of soil in green areas, thus making its relocation in the environment not permitted as such. No evidence of fruit contamination by Cr, Pb and Cd was highlighted. Moreover, Cu, Zn and Ni fruit concentrations were comparable among treatments. Conversely, Mn showed statistically higher concentrations in TS0 fruits (56-57 mg kg-1) compared to those grown in sediment-based substrates (8-20 mg kg-1). Among organic contaminants, only dioxin-like PCBs were determined in fruits, at toxic equivalent concentrations fourfold lower than the limit established by the European Union. TS100 fruits showed a yield reduction from 40 to 70% for Camarosa and Monterey, but higher sugar and ascorbic acid contents.

Selenium impedes cadmium and arsenic toxicity in potato by modulating carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism.

Past studies have already determined that selenium (Se) is very effective in alleviating cell oxidative damage caused by various abiotic stresses in plants. Past studies have also indicated other physiological pathways by which Se may benefit plants. In order to better understand the full array of potential applications for Se in agriculture, this study investigated the influence of Se on carbohydrate and nitrogen (N) metabolism in potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Sante) grown under cadmium (Cd) and/or arsenic (As) toxicity. Potato plants were grown in a growth chamber and fertigated with Hoagland nutrient solution with or without Se (9 µM). After 48-d of growth under Cd (40 µM) and/or As (40 µM) stress, carbohydrate and N metabolism in leaves, roots and stolons were measured. For carbohydrate metabolism, various sugars-i.e., sucrose, starch, glucose, fructose, and total soluble sugar contents (TSSC)-and the activities of enzymes associated with sucrose metabolism and glycolysis-i.e., acid invertase (AI), neutral invertase (NI), sucrose-synthetase (SS), sucrose phosphatesynthetase (SPS), fructokinase (FK), hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), and pyruvatekinase (PK)-were measured. For N metabolism, NO3-, NO2- and NH4+ contents along with the enzymatic activities of nitrate reductase (NRA), nitrite reductase (NiRA), glutamine-synthetase (GS), and glutamate-synthetase (GOGAT) were measured. Overall, Cd and/or As treatments had reduced plant growth relative to those plants grown without heavy metal toxicity, due to hindered photosynthesis and alterations in N metabolism and glycolysis. Regarding N metabolism, heavy metal toxicity caused a reduction in NO3- and NO2- content and NRA and NiRA enzymatic activity and enhanced NH4+ content and GDH activity in leaves, roots and stolons. Regarding glycolysis, the activity of enzymes of glycolysis-i.e., FK, HK, PFK, and PK-were also reduced. In the C metabolism study, plants combatted Cd and As toxicity naturally by an adaptation mechanism which caused an increase in soluble sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose) by increasing NI, SS and SSP enzymatic activity. Supplementation with Se in the Cd and/or As treatments in the carbohydrate and N metabolism studies improved plant growth. Selenium supplementation in the Cd and As treatments decreased Cd and/or As content in the plant tissue and alleviating the Cd- and/or As-induced toxicity by enhancing the C-metabolism adaptation mechanism. Applying Se to Cd and As treatments also decreased nitrogen losses by hindering Cd- and As-induced changes in the N-metabolism. Se also limited Cd and As accumulation in the plant tissue by the antagonistic effect between Cd/Se and As/Se in the roots. The results of this study indicate that in the presence of Cd and/or As. soil toxicity, Se may be a powerful tool for promoting plant growth.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis improves tolerance of Carrizo citrange to excess boron supply by reducing leaf B concentration and toxicity in the leaves and roots.

This study explores the possibility of using mycorrhization as a novel technique for diminishing the negative effects of boron (B) in the nutrient solution on seedlings of Carrizo citrange rootstock plants. For this, an experiment was planned for studying the physiological (gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters), morphological (vegetative growth parameters), nutritional (organic solutes, carbohydrates) and oxidative stress responses of seedlings that were either mycorrhized (+AM, Rhizophagus irregularis; previously known as Glomus intraradices) or not mycorrhized (-AM), and irrigated with water containing different concentrations of B (0.5, 5 and 10 mg L-1). It was observed that an excess of B in the nutrient solution decreased the vegetative growth in both +AM and -AM plants, but this decrease was greater in -AM plants. Mycorrhized plants (+AM) under high B concentration accumulated less B in the leaves, and had a smaller reduction of net assimilation rate of CO2 and lower MDA concentration than non-mycorrhized plants. Thus, it can be concluded that mycorrhization increased the tolerance to high boron concentration in the irrigation water of citrange Carrizo seedlings by reducing both the B concentration in the plant tissue and the B toxicity in the physiological processes. The study of organic solutes and carbohydrates also pointed to a different response model between +AM and -AM plants that could be related to the different tolerance observed between these plants.

Antioxidant activity, volatile composition and sensory profile of four new very-early apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.).

BACKGROUND: Very-early apricot cultivars are interesting owing to the fact that they will be available in markets before any other cultivar. In order to achieve good fruit quality, very-early apricots require appropriate size, weight and color, good balance of sugars and organic acids, proper content of bioactive compounds, relatively strong apricot aroma as well as acceptable sensory quality. RESULTS: Physical, chemical, antioxidant and sensory properties showed important variations among apricot cultivars. These differences were basically attributed to genetic reasons. Four very-early apricot cultivars were studied, namely 'Mirlo Blanco', 'Mirlo Anaranjado', 'Colorao' and 'Mogador'. All of them showed proper size and weight, but their contents of organic acids, sugars and bioactive compounds were low and the number of volatile compounds was also low. However, very-early apricots showed an appropriate sensory profile for fresh consumption. CONCLUSION: Regarding physical, chemical and volatile composition and sensory properties, very-early apricot cultivars could be recommended for fresh consumption. However, future research must be focused on increasing their contents of sugars, organic acids and bioactive and volatile compounds, perhaps via cultural practices such as deficit irrigation and/or mulching.

Bioactive compounds and sensory quality of black and white mulberries grown in Spain.

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare, for the first time, white and black mulberry species in terms of main phytochemical, volatile composition and sensory profile characteristics in eight Spanish clones. The results showed that black and white mulberry species displayed significant different characteristics. PLS analysis has allowed grouping of the clones into four groups (i) MA1, MA2 and MN2, (ii) MN3 and MN4, (iii) MA3 and MA4, and (iv) MN1. Experimental results proved that Spanish mulberries have potential for fresh consumption due to their high antioxidant capacity (10.7-86.1 mg Trolox 100 g(-1)), polyphenol (76.7-180 mg gallic acid 100 g(-1)) and ellagic acid content (8.7-15.5 mg 100 g(-1)) as well as considerable amount of volatile compounds (35) with desirable attributes, which were scored high by a trained panel. Cultivars from the Morus nigra species seem to provide fruits with higher content of bioactive compounds and better aptitude for fresh consumption than Morus alba. Differences among the species should be attributed to genetics because they were cultivated under same conditions.