Retracted: Physiochemical and Phytochemical Properties of Wax Apple (Syzygium samarangense [Blume] Merrill & L. M. Perry var. Jambu Madu) as Affected by Growth Regulator Application

The Scientific World Journal has retracted the article titled “Physiochemical and Phytochemical Properties of Wax Apple (Syzygium samarangense [Blume] Merrill & L. M. Perry var. Jambu Madu) as Affected by Growth Regulator Application” [1] due to unreliable data and redundant publication.

The results show inconsistent overlaps with the authors' other articles published from 2011–15:

1. Mohammad Moneruzzaman Khandaker, Abm Sharif Hossain, Normaniza Osman, and Amru Nasrulhaq Boyce, “Growth, yield and quality responses to gibberellic acid (GA3) of wax apple Syzygium samarangense var. Jambu air madu fruits grown under field conditions,” African Journal of Biotechnology, vol. 10, no. 56, pp. 11911–11918, September 26, 2011, https://doi.org/10.5897/AJB.9000278 [2].

2. Mohammad Moneruzzaman Khandaker, Amru Nasrulhaq Boyce, Normaniza Osman, Faruq Golam, M. Motior Rahman and Sofian-Azirun, M., “Fruit development, pigmentation and biochemical properties of wax apple as affected by localized application of GA3 under field conditions,” Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, vol. 56, no. 1 Curitiba Jan./Feb. 2013, https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-89132013000100002 [3].

3. Mohammad Moneruzzaman Khandaker, Abm Sharif Hossain, Normaniza Osman, Nashriyah Mat, and Amru Nasrulhaq Boyce, “Growth, yield and postharvest quality of wax apple as affected by naphthalene acetic acid Application,” Revista Brasileira de Fruticultura, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 410–422, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1590/0100-2945-062/14 [4].

4. Mohammad Moneruzzaman Khandaker, Ali Majrashi, and Amru Nasrulhaq Boyce, “The influence of gibberellic acid on the chlorophyll fluorescence, protein content and PAL activity of wax apple (Syzygium samarangense var. jambu madu) fruits,” Australian Journal of Crop Science, vol. 9, no. 12, pp. 1221–1227, 2015, http://www.cropj.com/khandaker_9_12_2015_1221_1227.pdf [5].

5. Mohammad Moneruzzaman Khandaker, Normania Osman, Abm Sharif Hossain, Golam Faruq, and Amru Nasrulhaq Boyce, “Effect of 2,4-D on Growth, Yield and Quality of Wax Apple (Syzygium samarangense, (Blume) Merrill & L. M. Perry cv. Jambu Madu), Fruits,” Sains Malaysiana, vol. 44, no. 10, pp. 1431–1439, 2015, http://www.ukm.my/jsm/pdf_files/SM-PDF-44-10-2015/08%20Mohammad%20Moneruzzaman.pdf [6].

Table 1 in [1] shows the same results as follows:

1. Table 2 in [2] for fruit juice (mL/100 g) values and variance, except for the value for GA₃ 100 (78 and 80, respectively)

2. Table 1 in [3] for TSS (°Brix) values and variance, except for the value for GA₃ 50 (11.5 vs. 10.5, respectively)

3. Table 1 in [3] for titratable acidity (%) variances

4. Table 3 in [4] for pH, expect for the value for control (4.90 and 4.92, respectively)

5. Table 3 in [4] for TSS (°Brix) values for control and NAA 10

6. Table 3 in [4] for TA values

Table 2 in [1] shows the same results as follows:

1. Table 2 in [3] for total sugar (mg/100 g)

Table 3 in [1] shows the same results as follows:

1. Table 2 in [2] for phenol mg GAE/100 g values and variances, except the value for GA₃ 100 (552 vs. 752, respectively)

2. Table 3 in [2] for chlorophyll (mg/L) values and variances

3. Table 3 in [2] for carotenoid (μg/g) values and variances, with the same variances but not the same values also appearing in Table 3 in [3]

4. Table 2 in [3] for flavonoids (mg CE/100 g) values and variances, with the variances for the control and GA₃ 20 also appearing in Table 2 in [2]

5. Table 2 in [3] for anthocyanin values and variances (mg/100 g and mg/L, respectively), with the decimal places of the control and GA₃ 20 values and variances and of the GA₃ 50 and GA₃ 100 values also being the same in Table 3 in [2]

Table 1 in [2] also shows the same results as follows:

1. Table 1 in [3] for yield (kg) values and variances

2. Table 1 in [3] for fruit drop (%) variances and GA₃ 50 value

3. Table 1 in [3] for average fruit weight (g) for variances

4. Table 1 in [3] for fruit set (%) for control variance and GA₃ 20 value and variance

Table 2 in [2] also shows the same results as follows:

1. Table 1 in [3] for K+ content (mg/kg) variances

The studies [1, 5] report one season of overlapping data on GA₃ treatment affecting chlorophyll and anthocyanin, i.e., December 2010–May 2011 in Banting.

The studies [1, 6] report experiments using 2,4-D during the same period (2008–11) in the same places (Klang and Banting). The only common outcome is total sugar, reported in [1] as mg/100 g and in [6] as g/100 g pulp, but the values are not the same. The corresponding author said that total fruit was used in [1] and edible fruit pulp in [6].

The corresponding author said that some data were reused due to premature fruit drop in some experiments, but the underlying data are no longer available.