YIELD AND QUALITY OF YELLOW PASSION FRUITS ACCORDING TO ORGANIC FERTILIZATION AND ALTERNATIVE PHYTOSANITARY MANAGEMENT

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Anália Lúcia Vieira Pacheco

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Growing yellow passion fruit is a profitable activity, with a high demand for labor, and it is practiced especially by family-based farmers. However, the production cost is rather high and a significant part of this cost is associated with the expenses related to fertilization and phytosanitary treatments necessary for obtaining satisfactory yields and high commercial quality fruit. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of using organic compound in fertilization of plants and alternative products in phytosanitary treatments on the yield and quality of fruits. Yellow passion fruits were submitted to three types of fertilization (mineral, organic and organic-mineral and two types of phytosanitary treatment (‘conventional’ and ‘alternative’. This experiment evaluated fruit yield (kg/plant and fruit quality by using the following evaluations: seedless pulp yield, soluble solids content (SS, titratable acidity (TA, SS/TA ratio and vitamin C content. The different types of fertilization did not interfere in fruit yield, however, plants under conventional phytosanitary treatment displayed higher yields. The SS content and TA of the fruits were influenced only by fertilization, where plants that received mineral and organic-mineral fertilization produced fruit with higher contents of SS and TA. Pulp yield, SS/TA ratio and vitamin C content were not influenced by any of the evaluated factors. Regarding cultivation of passion fruit, it is possible to substitute some mineral fertilizers for organic fertilizers with no negative effects on the fruit yield or quality. However, the substitution of pesticides for alternative products compromises fruit yield.

Effects of different irrigation practices using treated wastewater on tomato yields, quality, water productivity, and soil and fruit mineral contents.

Science.gov (United States)

Demir, Azize Dogan; Sahin, Ustun

2017-11-01

Wastewater use in agricultural irrigation is becoming a common practice in order to meet the rising water demands in arid and semi-arid regions. The study was conducted to determine the effects of the full (FI), deficit (DI), and partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation practices using treated municipal wastewater (TWW) and freshwater (FW) on tomato yield, water use, fruit quality, and soil and fruit heavy metal concentrations. The TWW significantly increased marketable yield compared to the FW, as well as decreased water consumption. Therefore, water use efficiency (WUE) in the TWW was significantly higher than in the FW. Although the DI and the PRD practices caused less yields, these practices significantly increased WUE values due to less irrigation water applied. The water-yield linear relationships were statistically significant. TWW significantly increased titratable acidity and vitamin C contents. Reduced irrigation provided significantly lower titratable acidity, vitamin C, and lycopene contents. TWW increased the surface soil and fruit mineral contents in response to FW. Greater increases were observed under FI, and mineral contents declined with reduction in irrigation water. Heavy metal accumulation in soils was within safe limits. However, Cd and Pb contents in fruits exceeded standard limits given by FAO/WHO. Higher metal pollution index values determined for fruits also indicated that TWW application, especially under FI, might cause health risks in long term.

Market and trade of organic fruits in Serbia

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Prodanović Radivoj

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of paper is to investigate the market and traffic flows of organic fruit, respectively factors that determine demand, customer attitudes and their motives for purchase. From methods that are applied, the key methods are questionnaire and interview, and statistical, graphical and logical methods are used. Organic fruits market has begun to be developed in recent years, there is a demand, but on a small scale. Sustainability and further development of organic fruit production is largely caused by demand. Employed woman, with good financial condition, with children, higher or high educated, ages between 30 and 50 years, with a place of residence in the city, buys organic fruits. Health safety, quality, production area and care for the environment are the most important motives for purchase of organic fruits. Certificate, recommendations, appearance and taste of product, curiosity and packaging have secondary importance. The key factors, because of which the customers do not buy organic fruits, are unavailability in sales channels, high price, lack of confidence in organic products and low incomes.

Relationship Between Seed Yield And Some of Fruit Traits in Iranian Squash (Cucurbita pepo L. Accissions

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R. Barzegar

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluation of squash (Cucurbita pepo seed yield per fruit and its relations with other characteristics of fruit include: length, diameter, length: diameter ratio (fruit shape, flesh thickness, thousand seed weight and fruit weight, an experiment was conducted using 24 accessions of squash as a randomized complete-block design with three replications. Morphological traits were evaluated according to UPOV descriptor and UPGMA clustering algorithm clustered the accessions in 4 groups (predominantly on the basis of fruit shape. Correlation, regression and path analysis were done for mentioned characteristics in 4 type-fruit groups. There was negative correlation between seed yield of individual fruit and its length and fruit length: diameter ratio. But fruit weight, fruit diameter, and thousand seeds weight had positive correlation with seed yield. Seed weight: fruit weight ratio had negative relationship with fruit weight. Therefore small size fruit is more suitable for seed yield per area. Path analysis was showed fruit weight had the most positive direct effect on seed yield per fruit in all groups.

Assessment of genetic diversity in tomato for fruit morphology, composition and yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaif, K.; Amjad, M.; Saeed, A.

2016-01-01

Postharvest losses are of great concern in vegetable crops, including tomato, due to their perishable nature. Damage to tomato fruit during transportation is related to its shape besides other factors. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess genetic diversity in the available tomato germplasm (35 genotypes) for fruit morphology, biochemical composition and yield. Considerable variation was observed for all studied traits except number of locules per fruit, TSS and reducing sugars, for which very low range was recorded. While, moderate level of variation existed for stem-end blockiness, blossom-end blockiness and elongated shape which suggested that fruit of most of the varieties could belong to more than one category of fruit shape. Fruit length and diameter had significantly positive correlation with heart shape of tomato, while later was also correlated with blossom-end-blockiness. Heart shape of tomato fruit was also correlated with stem-end blockiness. Yield showed significantly positive correlation with number of inflorescence per plant. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed PC-I to PC-VI had Eigen values >1, which contributed 73.86% of total variability for different traits. The highest factor loading values for blossom-end-blockiness, stem-end-blockiness, heart shape and elongated shape was recorded in PC-6, PC-4, PC-6 and PC-2, respectively. Thirty five genotypes were grouped into three clusters. Higher yield and stem-end-blockiness was observed in genotypes from cluster II, while higher values for blossom-end-blockiness, heart shape and elongated shape were noticed in cluster I followed by cluster III. So, it can be assumed that genotypes in cluster II showed higher yield and also possessed blocky fruit, a desirable character for transportation and processing purpose. Moreover, it is suggested that genotypes of cluster I and cluster II can be crossed to find heterosis for yield and fruit shape related traits. (author)

Neem ( Azadirachta indica a. Juss) fruit yield determination in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study determined fruit yield of Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) in the guinea savanna of Nigeria at Makurdi. Fifteen mature neem trees which had no overlapping canopies and had not been previously pruned were purposively selected out of 207 stands growing at the study site. All ripped fruits felling from the ...

Effects of temperature sum on vitamin C concentration and yield of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides fruit: optimal time of fruit harvest

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Yingmou Yao

1993-12-01

Full Text Available To investigate the effects of temperature sum on vitamin C concentration (Vc, yield and maturity of sea buckthorn fruit (Hippophae rhamnoides L. and to predict the optimal harvest time, berries were collected from eight genotypes at an interval of about one week from August 16 to December 2. Maturity was visually observed, berry weight measured and Vc determined. Berries matured at 1165-1316 degree-days (d.d.. Vc reached maximum at about 1229 d.d., while fruit size and yield reached maximum at 1380 d.d.. Mathematical models of polynomial equations were highly significant for predicting the effects of temperature sum on Vc, maturity and fruit yield. Optimal harvest time for maximizing Vc, yield or economic income could be determined according to differential equations. Great variations in Vc, fruit maturity and fruit size suggested good opportunities for selection and breeding. Low rank correlations in vitamin C concentration during fruit maturity, however, call for special attention in selection and breeding.

Potential link between fruit yield, quality parameters and phytohormonal changes in preharvest UV-C treated strawberry.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yanqun; Charles, Marie Thérèse; Luo, Zisheng; Roussel, Dominique; Rolland, Daniel

2017-07-01

Preharvest ultraviolet-C (UV-C) treatment of strawberry is a very new approach, and little information is available on the effect of this treatment on plant growth regulators. In this study, the effect of preharvest UV-C irradiations at three different doses on strawberry yield, fruit quality parameters and endogenous phytohormones was investigated simultaneously. The overall marketable yield of strawberry was not affected by the preharvest UV-C treatments, although more aborted and misshapen fruits were found in UV-C treated groups than in the untreated control. The fruits in the high dose group were firmer and had approximately 20% higher sucrose content and 15% higher ascorbic acid content than the control, while fruits from the middle and low dose groups showed no significant changes in these parameters. The lower abscisic acid (ABA) content found in the fruits in the high UV-C group may be associated with those quality changes. The citric acid content decreased only in the low dose group (reduction of 5.8%), with a concomitant 37% reduction in jasmonic acid (JA) content, compared to the control. The antioxidant status of fruits that received preharvest UV-C treatment was considered enhanced based on their oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. In terms of aroma, three volatile alcohols differed significantly among the various treatments with obvious activation of alcohol acyltransferase (AAT) activity. The observed synchronous influence on physiological indexes and related phytohormones suggests that preharvest UV-C might affect fruit quality via the action of plant hormones. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Experimental and feasibility assessment of biogas production by anaerobic digestion of fruit and vegetable waste from Joburg Market.

Science.gov (United States)

Masebinu, S O; Akinlabi, E T; Muzenda, E; Aboyade, A O; Mbohwa, C

2018-05-01

Substrate-induced instability of anaerobic digestion from fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) results in low biogas yield. In this study, substrate management through fruit to vegetable mix ratio in a two-stage semi-continuous digester was investigated as a pathway for optimality of yield. The experiment conducted over 105 days with 62.52 kg of FVWs sourced from Joburg Market, South Africa showed that a stable process was achieved at a fruit to vegetable waste mix ratio of 2.2:2.8. At this ratio, optimal organic loading rate ranged between 2.68 and 2.97 kg VS/m 3 -d which resulted in a specific biogas yield of 0.87 Nm 3 /kg VS with 57.58% methane on average. The results of the experimental study were used as a feasibility assessment for a full-scale 45 tonnes/d plant for Joburg Market considering three energy pathways. The plant will produce 1,605,455 Nm 3 /y of biogas with the potential for offsetting 15.2% of the Joburg Market energy demand. Conversion of all biogas to biomethane was the most economically attractive energy pathway with a net present value of $2,428,021, an internal rate of return of 16.90% and a simple payback period of 6.17 years. This route avoided the greenhouse gas emission of 12,393 tonnes CO 2 , eq. The study shows that the anaerobic digestion of FVWs as sole substrate is possible with financial and environmental attractiveness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

31 CFR 351.10 - What do I need to know about market yields, or market bid yields, to understand redemption value...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What do I need to know about market yields, or market bid yields, to understand redemption value calculations in this subpart? 351.10 Section... Provisions § 351.10 What do I need to know about market yields, or market bid yields, to understand...

Performance of Wild Fruit Marketing in Nigeria: A Case Study of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Performance of Wild Fruit Marketing in Nigeria: A Case Study of African Star Apple ( Chrysophllum ... This study examined marketing of wild fruits in Nigeria using African Star Apple as a case study. ... EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT

LA RELACIÓN HOJA: FRUTO AFECTA LA PRODUCCIÓN, EL CRECIMIENTO Y LA CALIDAD DEL FRUTO EN DURAZNERO (Prunus persica L. Batsch, cv. ‘Rubidoux’ LEAF TO FRUIT RATIO AFFECTS YIELD, FRUIT GROWTH AND FRUIT QUALITY OF PEACH (Prunus persica L. Batsch, cv. ‘Rubidoux’

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fánor Casierra-Posada

2007-06-01

Full Text Available El raleo de frutos es un práctica agrícola común en los árboles de melocotón con miras a una cosecha moderada a abundante. Sin embargo, a pesar de las muchas ventajas del raleo, demostradas a lo largo de años de experiencia en la zona templada, esta práctica es a menudo una de las operaciones conducidas de manera ineficiente en el cultivo del duraznero. Árboles de duraznero (Prunus persica L. Batsch cv. ‘Rubidoux’ se ralearon manualmente con el objeto de mejorar la calidad comercial del fruto. Se evaluaron los cambios en el crecimiento del fruto, los sólidos solubles totales, la relación pulpa: semilla, la producción, la calidad del fruto y el diámetro de la fruta, durante una temporada de crecimiento de los frutos según el efecto de la relación hoja: fruto (10; 20; 30; 40 y 50 hojas por fruto, en Guasca - Cundinamarca - Colombia. El raleo se realizó 85 días después de plena floración. Los árboles del tratamiento control no se ralearon. Se observaron diferencias en las curvas de crecimiento del fruto, en el promedio de fruto cosechado, en el peso fresco de los frutos y en su calidad comercial. El contenido de sólidos solubles totales en los frutos y la relación pulpa:semilla aumentaron con el raleo. Al momento de la cosecha, la producción se redujo en los árboles raleados, pero se mejoró la cantidad del fruto comercial. Los tratamientos con 40 y 50 hojas por fruto tuvieron la mayor proporción de frutos de mejor calidad en comparación con los árboles control.Fruit thinning is a standard practice on peach trees carrying a moderate to heavy crop. However, in spite of the many benefits from thinning demostrated through long years of experience in the temperate zone, fruit thinning is too often one of the most unefficiently conducted operations in peach growing. With a view to improve marketable yield and fruit quality, trees of peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch cv. ‘Rubidoux’ were subjected to hand thinning. Changes

Multilevel systematic sampling to estimate total fruit number for yield forecasts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wulfsohn, Dvora-Laio; Zamora, Felipe Aravena; Tellez, Camilla Potin

2012-01-01

procedure for unbiased estimation of fruit number for yield forecasts. In the Spring of 2009 we estimated the total number of fruit in several rows of each of 14 commercial fruit orchards growing apple (11 groves), kiwifruit (two groves), and table grapes (one grove) in central Chile. Survey times were 10...

[Dynamics of Amomum villosum growth and its fruit yield cultivated under tropical forests].

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Zheng; Gan, Jianmin; Feng, Zhili; Meng, Ying

2004-01-01

Investigations on the dynamics of Amomum villosum growth and its fruit yield cultivated under tropical ravine rainforest and secondary forest at different elevations in Xishuangbanna showed that the yield of A. villosum was influenced by the site age, sun light level of understorey, and water stress in dry season. The fruit yield and mature plant density decreased with increasing age of the A. villosum site. The fruit yield increased with sun light level when the light level in understorey was under 35% of full sun light (P forest was not significant. Planned cultivation of A. villosum in the secondary forest of the shifting cultivation land by ravine from 800-1000 m elevation instead of customary cultivation in the ravine rainforest, could not only resolve the problem of the effect of light deficiency in understorey and water stress in the dry season on A. villosum fruit yield, but also be useful to protect the tropical ravine rain forest.

Effect of gamma rays on the fruit characters and yield of Capsicum annum L

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Z.H.; Vasti, S.M.; Khanzada, S.; Sheikh, M.A.

1985-01-01

The paper reports the effects of gamma rays on number of fruits per plant, fruit size and yield per plant. Number of fruits per plant was significantly (p=0.01) low in the radiated population. Fruit length increased significantly (p=0.05) at 15 kr. Fruit breadth also increased significantly (p=0.01) in yield at 250 R was also noted. The studies suggest that gamma rays can be successfully used for inducing mutations in Capsicum annum L. (authors)

EARLY SPRING APPLICATION OF AMINOETHOXYVINILGLYCINE (AVG INCREASES FRUIT SET AND YIELD OF ‘ROCHA’ PEARS

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MATEUS DA SILVEIRA PASA

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The low fruit set is one of the main factors leading to poor yield of pear orchards in Brazil. Ethylene is associated with abscission of flowers and fruitlets. Then, the application of ethylene synthesis inhibitors, such as AVG, is a potential tool to increase fruit set of pears. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of AVG, sprayed at different rates and timings, on fruit set, yield and fruit quality of ‘Rocha’ pear. The study was performed in a commercial orchard located in the municipality of São Joaquim, SC, during the growing seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. Plant material consisted of ‘Rocha’ pear trees grafted on quince rootstock ‘BA29’. AVG was tested at different rates (60 mg L-1 and 80 mg L-1 and timings [full bloom, one week after full bloom (WAFB, and two WAFB, either alone or in combination. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design, with at least five single-tree replications. The fruit set, number of fruit per tree, yield, estimated yield, fruit weight, return bloom, and fruit quality attributes were assessed. Fruit set and yield were consistently increased by single applications of AVG at 60 and 80 mg L-1 at both one and two weeks after full bloom, without negatively affecting fruit quality attributes and return bloom.

FOLIAR NUTRIENT CONTENTS AND FRUIT YIELD IN CUSTARD APPLE PROGENIES

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Paulo Sérgio Lima e Silva

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Foliar nutrient contents are evaluated in several fruit trees with many objectives. Leaf analysis constitutes a way of evaluating the nutritional requirements of crops. Due to the positive impact that fertilizers have on crop yields, researchers frequently try to evaluate the correlations between yield and foliar nutrient contents. This work's objective was to present fruit yields from the 4th to the 6th cropping seasons, evaluate foliar nutrient contents (on the 5th cropping season, and estimate the correlations between these two groups of traits for 20 half-sibling custard apple tree progenies. The progenies were evaluated in a random block design with five replicates and four plants per plot. One hundred leaves were collected from the middle third of the canopy (in height of each of four plants in each plot. The leaves were collected haphazardly, i.e., in a random manner, but without using a drawing mechanism. In the analysis of variance, the nutrient concentrations in the leaves from plants of each plot were represented by the average of four plants in the plot. Fruit yield in the various progenies did not depend on cropping season; progeny A4 was the most productive. No Spearman correlation was found between leaf nutrient concentrations and fruit yield. Increased nutrient concentrations in the leaves were progeny-dependent, i.e., with regard to Na (progenies FE5 and JG1, Ca (progeny A4, Mg (progeny SM7, N (progeny A3, P (progeny M, and K contents (progeny JG3. Spearman's correlation was negative between Na-Mg, Na-Ca, and Mg-P contents, and positive between Mg-Ca and N-K contents.

Effects of different irrigation regimes on vegetative growth, fruit yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ONOS

2010-09-06

Sep 6, 2010 ... This study was conducted during five growing seasons from 2004 to 2008 to investigate effects of different irrigation regimes on vegetative growth, fruit yield and quality of Salak apricot trees in semi- arid climatic conditions. ... is very important to know the critical stages of fruit development and the final ...

Assessing Differentiating Aspects of Karaj Citizens' Orientation to Buy from Fruits and Vegetables Market and Its Parallel Market

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H. Aghasafari

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The main objective of the present study is to assess distinct aspects of citizens' intention to buy fruits and vegetables from municipal markets and its parallel markets within Karaj city. The required data was collected by completing 150 questionnaires from Karaj citizens in 2013. Using the multi-Group discriminant analysis, analysis ofthe study results within the three groups including buyers from municipal markets, local shops and fruit pickups show that possibility for non-cash payment, presenting printed purchase receipts, a higher quality of product, degree of fruit importance in the household basket, seller’s behaviour, more openning hours, use the benefit of the more familiar seller, and length of time allocated to buy fruit play the greatest role in making a distinction between two groups of buyers including buyers from local shops and buyers from municipal markets against buyers from fruit pickups. In addition, the results of this study indicate that monthly household expenditures, number of monthly fruit purchase, possibility for customers to select his desired items , a reasonable price comapared to the product’s quality, appropriate packing, education, how often a household buy fruits in a month a wide variety of products, trust to the offered prices, distance to the market play the greatest role in making a distinction between two groups of buyers from local shops and buyers from municipal markets, respectively. Ultimately, it is suggested to train sellers how to behave properly withcustomers. In addition, it should be paid more attention to appropriate packing and to make it possible for the citizens to select their desired items themselves.

The positive influence of state agricultural marketing programs on adults' fruit and vegetable consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Howlett, Elizabeth A; Burton, Scot; Newman, Christopher L; Faupel, Michel A

2012-01-01

To assess whether state-sponsored agricultural marketing programs had a positive influence on adult consumers' fruit and vegetable consumption. Differences in fruit and vegetable consumption between 2000 and 2005 in states that initiated marketing campaigns during this period and those that did not were examined. A representative sample (n  =  237,320) of adults aged 18 and older from states with and without marketing programs was used. The study used data from the 2000 and 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The number of fruit and vegetable servings per week and the percentage of respondents consuming five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day were examined. Between-subjects analysis of variance and logistic regression. In the absence of a marketing campaign, there was a significant decrease in fruit and vegetable consumption between 2000 and 2005. In states with campaigns, consumption remained stable or increased. Marketing effects were stronger for women than for men. Conclusions . State-sponsored agricultural marketing programs had favorable effects on consumers' consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Effect of environmental change on yield and quality of fruits and vegetables: two systematic reviews and projections of possible health effects

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, P.; Scheelbeek, P.; Bird, F.; Green, R.; Dangour, A.

2017-12-01

Background - Environmental changes—including climatic change, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss—threaten agricultural production and pose challenges to global food security. In this study, we review the evidence of the effects of environmental change on the yield and quality of fruits and vegetables - a food group that plays a highly important role in our diets - and assess possible implications for nutrition and health outcomes. Methods - We undertook two systematic reviews of the published literature on the effect of 8 different environmental stressors on yields and nutritional quality of (1) fruits and (2) vegetables, measured in greenhouse and field studies. We combined the review outcomes with Food Balance Sheet data to assess the potential consequences of changed availability and quality of fruits and vegetables for global nutrient deficiencies and related chronic diseases. Findings - Overall, fruits were affected more prominently by changing environmental patterns than vegetables. In tropical countries, there were largely adverse effects on yield of increased temperature and changing precipitation patterns, although in more temperate zones some beneficial effects were reported. In contrast, the effects on nutritional quality were mostly positive, especially in fruit crops, with higher vitamin and mineral content measured in most crops. Increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations had a predominantly positive effect on yield, especially in legumes, but a negative effect on nutritional quality of both fruits and vegetables. Adverse nutritional implications were estimated to be largest in areas characterised by high vulnerability to environmental change, high dependency on local markets, and high rates of food insecurity. Interpretation - Our study identified effects of environmental change on yields and quality of fruits and vegetables that might pose threats to population health, especially in areas vulnerable to climate-change and food insecurity. To

Marketing system analysis of vegetables and fruits in Amhara ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study attempted to analyze the different aspects of marketing system of vegetable and fruit in Raya Kobo and Harbu woredas, Amhara regional state using different indicators. Probit estimation for determinant of participation probability in vegetable and fruit production and OLS estimation technique were also applied for ...

Plant probiotic bacteria Bacillus and Paraburkholderia improve growth, yield and content of antioxidants in strawberry fruit.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Mosaddiqur; Sabir, Abdullah As; Mukta, Julakha Akter; Khan, Md Mohibul Alam; Mohi-Ud-Din, Mohammed; Miah, Md Giashuddin; Rahman, Mahfuzur; Islam, M Tofazzal

2018-02-06

Strawberry is an excellent source of natural antioxidants with high capacity of scavenging free radicals. This study evaluated the effects of two plant probiotic bacteria, Bacillus amylolequefaciens BChi1 and Paraburkholderia fungorum BRRh-4 on growth, fruit yield and antioxidant contents in strawberry fruits. Root dipping of seedlings (plug plants) followed by spray applications of both probiotic bacteria in the field on foliage significantly increased fruit yield (up to 48%) over non-treated control. Enhanced fruit yield likely to be linked with higher root and shoot growth, individual and total fruit weight/plant and production of phytohormone by the probiotic bacteria applied on plants. Interestingly, the fruits from plants inoculated with the isolates BChi1 and BRRh-4 had significantly higher contents of phenolics, carotenoids, flavonoids and anthocyanins over non-treated control. Total antioxidant activities were also significantly higher (p < 0.05) in fruits of strawberry plants treated with both probiotic bacteria. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of significant improvement of both yield and quality of strawberry fruits by the application of plant probiotic bacteria BChi1 and BRRh-4 in a field condition. Further study is needed to elucidate underlying mechanism of growth and quality improvement of strawberry fruits by probiotic bacteria.

Farmers’ market use is associated with fruit and vegetable consumption in diverse southern rural communities

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background While farmers’ markets are a potential strategy to increase access to fruits and vegetables in rural areas, more information is needed regarding use of farmers’ markets among rural residents. Thus, this study’s purpose was to examine (1) socio-demographic characteristics of participants; (2) barriers and facilitators to farmers’ market shopping in southern rural communities; and (3) associations between farmers’ market use with fruit and vegetable consumption and body mass index (BMI). Methods Cross-sectional surveys were conducted with a purposive sample of farmers’ market customers and a representative sample of primary household food shoppers in eastern North Carolina (NC) and the Appalachian region of Kentucky (KY). Customers were interviewed using an intercept survey instrument at farmers’ markets. Representative samples of primary food shoppers were identified via random digit dial (RDD) cellular phone and landline methods in counties that had at least one farmers’ market. All questionnaires assessed socio-demographic characteristics, food shopping patterns, barriers to and facilitators of farmers’ market shopping, fruit and vegetable consumption and self-reported height and weight. The main outcome measures were fruit and vegetable consumption and BMI. Descriptive statistics were used to examine socio-demographic characteristics, food shopping patterns, and barriers and facilitators to farmers’ market shopping. Linear regression analyses were used to examine associations between farmers’ market use with fruit and vegetable consumption and BMI, controlling for age, race, education, and gender. Results Among farmers’ market customers, 44% and 55% (NC and KY customers, respectively) reported shopping at a farmers’ market at least weekly, compared to 16% and 18% of NC and KY RDD respondents. Frequently reported barriers to farmers’ market shopping were market days and hours, “only come when I need something”, extreme

Marketing novel fruit products: Evidence for diverging marketing effects across different products and different countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Riet, J.P. van 't; Onwezen, M.C.; Bartels, J.; Lans, I.A. van der; Kraszewska, M.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the influence of four different marketing claims and price information on consumers’ product choices for novel fruits and novel fruit products, using a choice experiment. In total, 1,652 people in Greece (n = 400), the Netherlands (n = 419), Poland (n = 423),

Impact of humic substances and nitrogen fertilising on the fruit quality and yield of custard apple

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Marcelo dos Santos Cunha

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The custard apple (Annona squamosa L., also known as the sugar apple, is a fruit species native to Brazil that has been poorly studied, especially in relation to the effect of humic substances on its fruit quality and yield. An experiment was conducted from December 2010 to November 2011 to evaluate the fruit quality and yield of the custard apple as a function of nitrogen fertilising and the use of humic substances. The experimental design consisted of randomised blocks, with treatments distributed in a factorial arrangement (4 x 2, using four nitrogen doses (0, 100, 175 and 250 g of N plant-1 and two humic substance applications (with and without humic substances, with four replications. The fruit yield and fruit characteristics, such as fruit mass, titratable acidity (TA, soluble solids (SS, pulp pH and SS/TA ratio, were recorded. The humic substances and the nitrogen levels significantly affected the soluble solids, titratable acidity and SS/TA ratio, while the pH pulp was only influenced by the humic substances. The humic substances promoted a quantitative increase in the fruit yield of 0.63 ton ha-1. The fruit quality and yield of the custard apple depend on the nitrogen fertiliser and the interaction of the humic substances. Nitrogen fertilising of 100 g per plant, associated with humic substances, could be recommended for use in the production of custard apples.

Yield and fruit quality traits of atemoya hybrids grown in Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

As consumers seek healthy and more diverse food products the demand for tropical fruits has increased significantly during the past 15 years. There is a lack of formal experimentation to determine yield performance and fruit quality traits of atemoya (Annona squamosa x A. cherimola) hybrids. Six a...

Fruit Yield Responses of Eggplant ( Solanum melongena ) to Single ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A study was carried out in the experimental farm of the Department of Crop ... 2003. and February 2004 to determine the effect of different rates of poultry manure and ... Fruit yield/ha increased by 54.03% 90.65% and 145.97% as manure was ...

Yield and Fruit Quality Traits of Atemoya Cultivars Grown in Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

The demand for tropical fruits has increased more than 33% during the last decade as consumers seek healthy and more diverse food products. There is a lack of formal experimentation to determine yield performance and fruit quality traits of atemoya (Annona squamosa x A. cherimola) cultivars. Six a...

The influence of organic amendment and nickel pollution on tomato fruit yield and quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Palacios, G; Carbonell-Barrachina, A; Gómez, I; Mataix, J

1999-01-01

The effects of organic fertilization (sludge application) and/or different levels of Ni pollution on tomato fruit yield, quality, nutrition, and Ni accumulation were investigated. The mass loading of sewage sludge solids used in this study for the amendment of a calcareous soil with low organic matter content was 2% (w/w). A control with no sewage sludge amendment was also included (S). Nickel was added to the sludge amended soil at 0, 60, 120 and 240 mg kg-1 concentrations. Sewage sludge addition to the calcareous soil significantly increased fruit yield but did not adversely affect the quality and nutritional status of the tomato fruit. The results demonstrated that sewage sludge could be successfully used as a horticultural fertilizer. Only the highest addition rate of Ni (240 mg kg-1) to an organic amended calcareous soil had negative effects on fruit yield and quality, and caused a Ni accumulation in fruit that could be considered as a hazard for human health. Thus, no toxic problems will be encountered in tomato fruit due to Ni pollution provided the total Ni (soil Ni plus Ni incorporated with sludge amendment) concentration is kept below the maximum concentration of Ni allowed for agricultural alkaline soils in Spain (112 mg Ni kg-1).

Hormonal and metabolic regulation of tomato fruit sink activity and yield under salinity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albacete, Alfonso; Cantero-Navarro, Elena; Balibrea, María E.

2014-01-01

Salinization of water and soil has a negative impact on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) productivity by reducing growth of sink organs and by inducing senescence in source leaves. It has been hypothesized that yield stability implies the maintenance or increase of sink activity in the reproductive...... structures, thus contributing to the transport of assimilates from the source leaves through changes in sucrolytic enzymes and their regulation by phytohormones. In this study, classical and functional physiological approaches have been integrated to study the influence of metabolic and hormonal factors...... sucrolytic activities (mainly cwInv and sucrose synthase), sink strength, and fruit weight, whereas the ethylene-releasing compound ethephon had a negative effect in equivalent non-stressed fruits. Fruit yield was increased by both the constitutive expression of CIN1 in the fruits (up to 4-fold) or IPT...

Genotype X Environment Interaction for Yield of Pickling Cucumber in 24 U.S. Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dia Mahendra

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Reliable yield performance is important in cucumber because seed companies prefer to market cultivars adapted to multiple rather than single regions of the U.S. Also, growers benefit by using a cultivar that performs well in many environments. Future performance of cultivars is also important. The objectives of the study were to (i evaluate the yield of cucumber genotypes over successive years and in different locations, and (ii identify cucumber genotypes with high stability for yield. A diverse set of 22 pickling genotypes was evaluated over 3 years (1986, 1987 and 1988 and in 7 locations across the United States. Yield traits were evaluated using once-over harvest and counting the number of fruit that were marketable, culled or oversize. Total yield, marketable yield (total minus culled fruit, early yield (number of oversize fruit, percent culls and fruit per plant were calculated. Data were analyzed with SASGxE and RGxE programs using SAS and R programming languages, respectively. There were strong effects of environment(E as well as genotype(G xE interaction for all traits. Genotypes ‘Regal F1’, ‘Calypso F1’, ‘Carolina F1’, ‘Gy 3’, ‘Gy 14’ and ‘Fremont F1’ had high marketable yield and medium to high stability for all traits. There was an advantage of hybrids over inbreds for trait performance. Hybrids fell into a single cluster with large prediction intervals. Based on the stability statistics and divisive clusters, it appears possible to breed stable cucumber genotypes with high yield. The genotype with highest performance for marketable yield, greatest stability for yield, lowest 1-R2 ratio value (diverse and representative were ‘Marbel F1’ and Gy 14.

The Effect of Different Fertilizer Applications on Plant and Fruit Yield in Greenhouse Organic Tomato Growing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Funda Ulusu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Greenhouse tomato production is in the first place in Turkey, 34% of total tomato production (3.614.472 tonnes is under greenhouse conditions. The increase in yield in Turkey is due to the spread of undergrowth cultivation besides the use of qualified varieties and seeds. Synthetic fertilizers can’t be used to obtain economic efficiency in underground organic tomato growing Therefore, the application of alternative fertilizers (barn stubble, green manure, organic fertilizer, vermicompost etc. needs to be improved. For this purpose, effect of the eight different fertilizer combination including organic and worm liquid fertilizer, humic acid and mycorrhizae applications on tomato plant and fruit yield were investigated in the study. Negative check without any fertilizer application growing and a positive check; a synthetic liquid fertilizer application was included. Experiment was set up according to completely randomised block design with 3 replications under greenhouse conditions. Tomato fruit length, diameter and weight was determined as fruit yield and fresh and dry weight as plant yield. There was not any statistical difference among fertilizer applications for fruit and plant yield. However, the highest tomato fruit yield was obtained in the treatments of organic (7.17 kg/ plot and worm fertilizers (4,80 kg/ plot in combination with mycorrhizae. The results were similar for fruit diameter and length. Plant fresh and dry weight was between 2.01 to 5.92 and 0.368 to 1.153 kg, respectively. The highest plant weight was belong to mycorrhizae and organic fertilizer application.

Impact of organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth, fruit yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Akanbi W B

2015-08-05

Aug 5, 2015 ... TC and control (non-fertilized plant) on the growth, fruit yield, nutritional and lycopene contents of .... and gaps of 1 m separated all the sub and main plots. ..... Solanum macrocarpon to plant spacing and maize stover compost.

A Community-Based Marketing Campaign at Farmers Markets to Encourage Fruit and Vegetable Purchases in Rural Counties With High Rates of Obesity, Kentucky, 2015-2016.

Science.gov (United States)

DeWitt, Emily; McGladrey, Margaret; Liu, Emily; Peritore, Nicole; Webber, Kelly; Butterworth, Brooke; Vail, Ann; Gustafson, Alison

2017-08-31

Availability of farmers markets may increase fruit and vegetable consumption among rural residents of the United States. We conducted a community-based marketing campaign, Plate it Up Kentucky Proud (PIUKP), in 6 rural communities over 2 years to determine the association between exposure to the campaign and fruit and vegetable purchases, adjusted for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipient status. Logistic regression was used to examine the odds of the PIUKP campaign influencing purchases. Awareness of the PIUKP marketing campaign was significantly associated with a willingness to prepare fruits and vegetables at home. Using marketing strategies at farmers markets may be an effective way to improve fruit and vegetable purchases in rural communities.

Effects of rootstocks on fruit yield and some quality traits of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rana Kurum

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this study the effects of rootstocks on watermelon fruit quality and yield were investigated by comparing grafted plants with non-grafted and self-grafted ones in open field conditions in over two consecutive years (2013-2014. The watermelon cultivar Crimson Tide was grafted onto Ferro RZ, Maximus, Nun 9075, RS 841, No:3, Strong Tosa and TZ 148 rootstocks. Non-grafted and self-grafted plants were used as control. Grafting increased the average fruit yield between 17.45% and 52.56% compared to non-grafted treatment. It was concluded that among the tested rootstocks No:3 along with Nun 9075 and TZ 148 rootstocks can be advised due to the increase in fruit yield, total soluble solids and taste panel test values and that the use of grafted plants can be advantageous alternative in watermelon production for producers.

Using multilevel systematic sampling to study apple fruit (Malus domestica Borkh.) quality and its variability at the orchard scale

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martínez Vega, Mabel V.; Wulfsohn, Dvoralai; Clemmensen, Line Katrine Harder

2013-01-01

sample of ‘Granny Smith’ (Malus x domestica cv. ‘Granny Smith’) apples obtained from a 17 ha orchard based on a final sample of 74 fruit. Estimates of fruit marketable yield and fruit size distribution agreed well with packing house records. The estimated marketable yield was 356.6 ± 89.2 t compared...... recommended sample sizes to accurately describe the distribution of various quality variables of apples at the orchard scale....

Pesticides residue levels in selected fruits from some Ghanaian markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bempah, K.C.

2009-02-01

The amount of some pesticide residues in fruits was monitored at five (5) Accra Metropolis markets. Locally produced fruits (pawpaw and tomato) and imported apples were purchased from two supermarkets and three urban markets in Accra metropolis and analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with electron capture detector for pesticide residues. A total of 220 samples of fruits were extracted and analyzed for pesticide residues, mainly organochlorines (γ-HCH, δ-HCH, aldrin, heptachlor, γ-chlordane, heptachlor epoxide, α-endosulfan, p,p'-DDE, endrin, β-endosulfan, o,p'-DDT, endrin aldehyde, p,p'- DDT, endrin ketone and methoxychlor). The data showed that most of the fruit samples analyzed contain residues of the monitored pesticides above the accepted maximum residue limit (MRL) as adopted by the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The results obtained showed that 38.6 % fruit samples showed results above the MRL, 48.7 % were below the MRL and 12.7 % contained no detectable level of the monitored pesticides. Data analysis of health risk estimates indicated that, particularly γ-HCH, δ-HCH, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE or p,p'-DDT do not pose a direct hazard to human health, although present in the three fruits (pawpaw, tomato and apple). However, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, endrin aldehyde, and endrin ketone levels exceeded the reference dose, indicating a great potential for systemic toxicity, especially in children who are considered to be the most vulnerable population subgroup. Lastly, the public is aware of pesticide residues in fruits and advocates for the curtailing of pesticide use on horticulture produce or strong educational programmes for farmers on control and safer use of pesticides. (au)

Effect of Seed Pretreatment on Germination Parameters, Growth, and Fruit Yield of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo var reticulates L..

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T. Moghbeli

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Seed pretreated with plant growth regulators can improve germination parameters, growth, and yield of crops. Thus, in two greenhouse and field experiments, effects of seed treatment with 0.1 mM salicylic acid (SA, 1µM methyl jasmonate (MJ, 1.5% humic acid (HA, and water (as Control on germination parameters, seedling growth, and also growth and fruit yield were studied. In the first experiment which was conducted on two cultivars (Semsuri and Shahpasandi, all the treatments improved most of parameters the recorded, and the response of two cultivars was rather similar for most parameters. In the second experiment which was conducted on one cultivar (Shahpasandi in the field, all the treatments improved most of parameters the recorded. Compared with the control, SA, MJ and HA increased total plant fresh weight (19, 41 and 19%, fruit number (30, 35 and 20% and fruit yield (31, 45 and 31, respectively. Significant correlations were found between fruit yield and relative water content (r = -0.95*, ion leakage (r = -0.93*, final plant shoot fresh weight (r = 0.99** and fruit number (r = 0.93*, indicating that treatments could increase fruit yield by improving ion leakage and relative water content.

The nutritional composition of fruit jams in the Malaysian market

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M.N. Mohd Naeem

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Fruit jams are preserved fruits and sugars normally canned or sealed for long-term storage. Jam making involves the disruption of the fruit tissue followed by heating with added water and sugar to activate its pectin before being put into containers. Processes that expose foods to high levels of heat may cause some nutrient loss. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional composition of four commonly consumed fruit jams that are available in the Malaysian market. Different brands (n = 6 of each type of fruit jams (grape, apricot, blueberry and strawberry were sampled from supermarkets in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The sampling method used was stratified random sampling. The fruit jams were analyzed for the presence of 27 important nutrients using Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC official methods of analysis. This study showed that fruit jams are a good source of energy and carbohydrate. The fruits jams have very low levels of fatty acids. Fruit jams may provide an affordable and convenient source of energy and carbohydrate. The data can be utilized to contribute to the enhancement of Malaysia Food Composition Database.

Oil palm fruit fibre promotes the yield and quality of Lentinus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

aghomotsegin

fruit fibre proved a better substrate for the production of mushrooms with higher yields and protein content (30.10 g/kg ... techniques which in turn affect the chemical compositions ... potentials of this group of fungi, there is need for better.

Effect of irrigation and fertilization on crop yield and fruit quality of the Tahiti lime Citrus latifolia Tanaka (Rutaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Dorado Guerra

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In a seven years old citrus grove of Tahiti lime Citrus latifolia Tanaka (Rutaceae located in El Espinal, Tolima, Colombia, which has a predominantly negative water balance throughout the year, we evaluated the effect of irrigation and fertilization on yield and fruit quality in 2009 and 2011. Trees were subjected to three levels of water based on the evapotranspiration reference (ETo: L1=100 %, L2=70 % and L3=50 %. We applied three nitrogen treatments: N1=nitrogen required by the nutritional balance, N2=twice the level of nitrogen used in N1, and N3=fertilizer application used by the common farmer. We evaluated the performance, fruit weight, polar and equatorial diameter of fruit, shell thickness, weight and percentage of juice, acidity, soluble solids and vitamin C. The experiment was conducted under a randomized complete block design in a split plot arrangement; the variance and means of the data were statistically analyzed with SAS. And optimal response is between irrigation and fruit quality interaction was obtained with irrigation L1 and fertilization N2. We obtained the highest values in the response variables when the highest amount of water was applied L1, regardless of fertilizer applications, indicating that a lower water supply not only affects the performance of the plant, but also the quality of the fruit, minimizing market opportunities.

An FSPM approach for modeling fruit yield and quality in mango trees

OpenAIRE

Boudon , Frédéric; Persello , Severine; Jestin , Alexandra; Briand , Anne-Sarah; Fernique , Pierre; Guédon , Yann; Léchaudel , Mathieu; Grechi , Isabelle; Normand , Frédéric

2016-01-01

International audience; Research focus-Mango (Mangifera indica L.), the fifth most cultivated fruit in the world, is mainly produced in tropical and subtropical regions. Its cultivation raises a number of issues: (i) mango yield is irregular across years, (ii) phenological asynchronisms within and between trees maintain long periods with phenological stages susceptible to pests and diseases, and (iii) fruit quality and maturity are heterogeneous at harvest. To address these issues, we develop...

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ON THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES MARKET

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Istudor Nicolae

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In the past years the intensification of competition has changed the way in which companies communicate with their customers. The main challenge doesn’t represent anymore to create good products but also to be able to sell them. The best marketing strategy of a company can be best developed if the needs and the behavior of the consumer are known. In this paper there are analyzed the results of a research about the behavior of consumer towards fruits and vegetables. The research was done in the period December 2010 – February 2011 on 146 respondents regarding the buying behavior of consumers at retailers. The focus in the research is put on the cognitive and emotional reactions consumers have when they make the buying decision and consisted out of an observation and a survey. In this article there are presented both aspects regarding the observed behavior towards fruits and vegetables and the motives which led to this behavior. Depending on these results, there are presented the implications of this behavior on the marketing strategy of a company.

Impact of organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth, fruit yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fruit yield obtained with Ogbomoso local was 45 and 56% higher than what was obtained for Roma VF and Califonia wonder, respectively. In terms of vitamin C content, Roma VF fertilized with 50% NPK + 50% TC gave the highest value which is 23 to 67% higher than values obtained from the other treatment combinations.

Evaluation of Tomato Yield and Quality under Deficit Irrigation conditions and Simultaneous Application of Superabsorbent Polymer, Shading and Mulches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam Bostani

2017-12-01

% probability level. Results and Discussion Analysis of variances revealed that effects of irrigation intervals, treatments and their interactions were highly significant on total yield, potential yield, marketable yield, blossom end rotten fruits yield, sunburned fruits yield, cracked fruits yield, average weight of fruits and number of main and lateral branches. Also, effects of treatments on number of days to 50 percent flowering, plant height and fruit wall thickness and effects of irrigation intervals on fruit shape index were significant at 5 percent of probability level. Results showed that increasing irrigation intervals decreased yield and its important components and increased blossom end rot, and cracked fruits. Increasing irrigation intervals from 3 to 9 days decreased 50 percent of total and marketable yield and quadrupled percentage of blossom end rotten fruits. Although shading improved total and marketable yield, but recording the highest number of days to 50 percent flowering for plants grown under shade of Saran® clothes, proved that shading delays harvesting of tomato. The maximum of total and potential yields produced by superabsorbent + shading + mulch treatment and the highest percentage of marketable fruits recorded for superabsorbent, mulches and shading + mulch, respectively. Application of shading clothes alone or along with mulches or superabsorbent minimized the percentage of sunburned fruits. The biggest fruits produced by treatments in which mulches were participated. Increasing irrigation intervals to six and nine days extremely decreased percentage of marketable and blossom rotten fruits, while increased cracked fruits. Conclusion Generally, for short irrigation intervals, superabsorbent + shading + mulch compound treatment and for extreme water deficit conditions and irrigation intervals more than six days adding superabsorbent A200 (10 g.plant-1, mixing into 30 cm depth of soil is recommended to improve yield and quality of tomato crop.

Effects of different irrigation regimes on vegetative growth, fruit yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was conducted during five growing seasons from 2004 to 2008 to investigate effects of different irrigation regimes on vegetative growth, fruit yield and quality of Salak apricot trees in semiarid climatic conditions. There were six irrigation treatments, five of which (S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5) were based on adjustment ...

Improving fruit and vegetable consumption among low-income customers at farmers markets: Philly Food Bucks, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Candace R; Aquilante, Jennifer L; Solomon, Sara; Colby, Lisa; Kawinzi, Mukethe A; Uy, Nicky; Mallya, Giridhar

2013-10-03

We evaluated whether Philly Food Bucks, a bonus incentive program at farmers markets, is associated with increased fruit and vegetable consumption and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) sales at farmers markets in low-income areas. A convenience sample of 662 customers at 22 farmers markets in low-income neighborhoods in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was surveyed via face-to-face interviews. Questions addressed shopping characteristics, self-reported change in fruit and vegetable consumption, whether customers tried new fruits or vegetables, use of Philly Food Bucks, and demographic information. Market-level SNAP sales and Philly Food Bucks redemption data were also collected to monitor sales patterns. Philly Food Bucks users were significantly more likely than nonusers to report increasing fruit and vegetable consumption (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.6-3.7; P < .001) and to report trying new fruits or vegetables (OR 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.7; P = .006). At the market level, average SNAP sales more than doubled at farmers markets in low-income areas in the first 2 years of the Philly Food Bucks program. At the city's largest farmers market in a low-income area, the program was associated with an almost 5-fold higher increase in annual SNAP sales compared with baseline. Results from this study demonstrate that a bonus incentive program tied to SNAP was associated with self-reported increases in fruit and vegetable consumption and increased SNAP sales at participating farmers markets in low-income communities. More research is warranted to evaluate the long-term impact of bonus incentives on farmers market use, dietary behaviors, and health outcomes.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation, Organic and Mineral Fertilizers on Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Sweet Pepper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fath El-Bab, T.Sh.

2014-01-01

Field experiment was carried out for two successive seasons 2011 and 2012, on sweet pepper ( Capsicum annuum L. ) cv. California wonder in the Research Station of Atomic Energy Authority at Inshas, Egypt. This research aimed to evaluate response of sweet pepper to chemical and organic manure (poultry or sheep) fertilizers. Organic manures were treated with gamma rays at the dose of 10 KGy to keep it free from pathogenic organism pests and weed seeds. Growth characters such as plant height, num - ber of leaves, number of stems and dry weight per plant in the two seasons were significantly respond to tested factors. The highest vegetative growth characters were induced by 100% mineral fertilizer. Meanwhile, the lowest vegetative growth characters were recorded by using 100% organic manure as compared to mineral fertilizer. On the other hand dry weight of plants treated with organic manure treatment significantly decreased as compared to mineral fertilizer in the two seasons. Furthermore, using organic manure had enhanced or improved the quality of sweet pepper fruits. In conclusion, mineral fertilizers combined with organic fertilizers were the best treatment resulted in the highest vegetative growth, yield and fruit quality of sweet pepper. This treatment resulted in not only higher total chlorophyll in leave content compared to control plants, but also the highest chemical properties values of fruits, total soluble solids, acidity, vitamin C. and carotenoids in the two seasons. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content non significantly increased with all treatments except that of 100% chemical fertilizer. The improvement of plant growth and production recorded with the irradiated organic manure as compared to the unirradiated one. All parameters were higher in sweet pepper fertilized with poultry manure as compared to that fertilized with sheep manure. Although the treatment of organic manure only gave to some extent, less total yield, it has great impact on the

Fruit and vegetable intake among participants in a District of Columbia farmers' market incentive programme.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellegrino, Sara; Bost, Anna; McGonigle, Meghan; Rosen, Lillie; Peterson-Kosecki, Amelia; Colon-Ramos, Uriyoan; Robien, Kim

2018-02-01

Limited research is available on whether participation in healthy food incentive programmes is associated with higher fruit and vegetable intake. The objective of the present study was to determine fruit and vegetable intake among participants in the Produce Plus Program, a farmers' market-based healthy food incentive programme in Washington, DC, and identify demographic and behavioural factors associated with higher fruit and vegetable intake. Using a cross-sectional survey, programme participants were interviewed at markets across DC between June and September 2015. Questions included the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) fruit and vegetable module. Fruit and vegetable intake among 2013 DC BRFSS participants reporting annual household incomes of ≤$US 35 000 was calculated for context. Washington, DC, USA. Participants (n 288) in the Produce Plus Program. On average, participants reported consuming both fruits (interquartile range: 1·0-3·0) and vegetables (interquartile range: 1·3-3·5) two times/d. Participants who reported eating home-cooked meals ≥3 times/week also reported higher median fruit (2·0 v. 0·8) and vegetable (2·3 v. 1·3) intake compared with those eating home-cooked meals less frequently. No statistically significant differences in reported median fruit or vegetable intake were observed over the course of the farmers' market (June v. August/September) season. Produce Plus Program participants reported higher median fruit and vegetable intake compared with DC BRFSS respondents with similar incomes, but still below recommended levels. More frequent home-cooked meals were associated with higher fruit and vegetable intake. Thus, efforts to increase home cooking may represent an opportunity to increase fruit and vegetable intake among healthy food incentive participants.

Real-time yield estimation based on deep learning

Science.gov (United States)

Rahnemoonfar, Maryam; Sheppard, Clay

2017-05-01

Crop yield estimation is an important task in product management and marketing. Accurate yield prediction helps farmers to make better decision on cultivation practices, plant disease prevention, and the size of harvest labor force. The current practice of yield estimation based on the manual counting of fruits is very time consuming and expensive process and it is not practical for big fields. Robotic systems including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV), provide an efficient, cost-effective, flexible, and scalable solution for product management and yield prediction. Recently huge data has been gathered from agricultural field, however efficient analysis of those data is still a challenging task. Computer vision approaches currently face diffident challenges in automatic counting of fruits or flowers including occlusion caused by leaves, branches or other fruits, variance in natural illumination, and scale. In this paper a novel deep convolutional network algorithm was developed to facilitate the accurate yield prediction and automatic counting of fruits and vegetables on the images. Our method is robust to occlusion, shadow, uneven illumination and scale. Experimental results in comparison to the state-of-the art show the effectiveness of our algorithm.

Effects of regulated deficit irrigation on physiology, yield and fruit quality in apricot trees under Mediterranean conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Pérez-Sarmiento

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Scarce water resources mainly in arid and semi-arid areas have caused an increasing interest for applying irrigation protocols aiming to reduce water spends. The effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI on the performance of apricot trees (Prunus armeniaca L. cv. “Búlida” were assessed in Murcia (SE Spain, during three consecutive growing seasons (2008-2010. The hypothesis was that RDI would not restrict yield but increase fruit quality while saving water. Two irrigation treatments were established: i control, irrigated to fully satisfy crop water requirements (100% ETc and ii RDI, that reduced the amount of applied water to: a 40% of ETc at flowering and stage I of fruit growth; b 60% of ETc during the stage II of fruit growth and c 50% and 25% of ETc during the late postharvest period (from 60 days after harvest. Stem water potential, gas exchanges, trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA, fruit diameter, yield and fruit quality traits were determined. Vegetative growth was decreased by the use of RDI (12% less TCSA on average for the three years, whereas yield was unaffected. In addition, some qualitative characteristics of the fruits, such as the level of soluble solids, sweetness/acidity relation and fruit colour, were improved by the use of RDI. These results and average water savings of approximately 30%, lead us to conclude that RDI strategies are a possible solution for irrigation management in areas with water shortages, such as arid and semi-arid environments.

Effects of regulated deficit irrigation on physiology, yield and fruit quality in apricot trees under Mediterranean conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pérez-Sarmiento, F.; Mirás-Avalos, J.M.; Alcobendas, R.; Alarcón, J.J.; Mounzer, O.; Nicolas, E.

2016-01-01

Scarce water resources mainly in arid and semi-arid areas have caused an increasing interest for applying irrigation protocols aiming to reduce water spends. The effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) on the performance of apricot trees (Prunus armeniaca L. cv. “Búlida”) were assessed in Murcia (SE Spain), during three consecutive growing seasons (2008-2010). The hypothesis was that RDI would not restrict yield but increase fruit quality while saving water. Two irrigation treatments were established: i) control, irrigated to fully satisfy crop water requirements (100% ETc) and ii) RDI, that reduced the amount of applied water to: a) 40% of ETc at flowering and stage I of fruit growth; b) 60% of ETc during the stage II of fruit growth and c) 50% and 25% of ETc during the late postharvest period (from 60 days after harvest). Stem water potential, gas exchanges, trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), fruit diameter, yield and fruit quality traits were determined. Vegetative growth was decreased by the use of RDI (12% less TCSA on average for the three years), whereas yield was unaffected. In addition, some qualitative characteristics of the fruits, such as the level of soluble solids, sweetness/acidity relation and fruit colour, were improved by the use of RDI. These results and average water savings of approximately 30%, lead us to conclude that RDI strategies are a possible solution for irrigation management in areas with water shortages, such as arid and semi-arid environments.

Effects of regulated deficit irrigation on physiology, yield and fruit quality in apricot trees under Mediterranean conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pérez-Sarmiento, F.; Mirás-Avalos, J.M.; Alcobendas, R.; Alarcón, J.J.; Mounzer, O.; Nicolas, E.

2016-07-01

Scarce water resources mainly in arid and semi-arid areas have caused an increasing interest for applying irrigation protocols aiming to reduce water spends. The effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) on the performance of apricot trees (Prunus armeniaca L. cv. “Búlida”) were assessed in Murcia (SE Spain), during three consecutive growing seasons (2008-2010). The hypothesis was that RDI would not restrict yield but increase fruit quality while saving water. Two irrigation treatments were established: i) control, irrigated to fully satisfy crop water requirements (100% ETc) and ii) RDI, that reduced the amount of applied water to: a) 40% of ETc at flowering and stage I of fruit growth; b) 60% of ETc during the stage II of fruit growth and c) 50% and 25% of ETc during the late postharvest period (from 60 days after harvest). Stem water potential, gas exchanges, trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), fruit diameter, yield and fruit quality traits were determined. Vegetative growth was decreased by the use of RDI (12% less TCSA on average for the three years), whereas yield was unaffected. In addition, some qualitative characteristics of the fruits, such as the level of soluble solids, sweetness/acidity relation and fruit colour, were improved by the use of RDI. These results and average water savings of approximately 30%, lead us to conclude that RDI strategies are a possible solution for irrigation management in areas with water shortages, such as arid and semi-arid environments.

MARKETING MIX FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE DESIRE TO PURCHASE FRUIT BEVERAGES IN THE CITY OF BOGOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iffatul Ulfah

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this research were 1 to analyze marketing mix factors that influence the desire to purchase fruit beverages, 2 to formulate the marketing strategies of fruit beverages at restaurant based on fruit beverages in the city of Bogor. This research was conducted by using descriptive methods through survey approach. Data was collected in questionnaires, using non probability sample approach with convenience sampling technique. Variables measured  were 7P’s marketing mix factors, namely product, place, price, promotion, physical evidence, process and people. The analysis that were used were descriptive analysis and discriminant analysis. The result of this research shows that price and physical evidence were two factors that discriminate consumer behaviour. This means that the purchase intention (desire between consumers who buy and consumers who do not buy fruit beverages were affected by price and physical evidence factors. The discriminant function that discriminate consumers purchase intention is D = -3,339+0,619Physical+0,899Price and cut-off value -0,18624. This means that if discriminant value (Dis higher than -0,18624, the consumer belongs to the group of consumer who will buy the fruit beverages and vice versa.Keywords: consumer behaviour, purchase intention, marketing mix, discriminant analysis

Impacts of a farmers' market incentive programme on fruit and vegetable access, purchase and consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsho, Lauren Ew; Payne, Gayle Holmes; Walker, Deborah Klein; Baronberg, Sabrina; Jernigan, Jan; Abrami, Alyson

2015-10-01

The present study examines the impact of Health Bucks, a farmers' market incentive programme, on awareness of and access to farmers' markets, and fruit and vegetable purchase and consumption in low-income New York City neighbourhoods. The evaluation used two primary data collection methods: (i) an on-site point-of-purchase survey of farmers' market shoppers; and (ii) a random-digit-dial telephone survey of residents in neighbourhoods where the programme operates. Additionally, we conducted a quasi-experimental analysis examining differential time trends in consumption before and after programme introduction using secondary Community Health Survey (CHS) data. New York City farmers' markets and communities. Farmers' market shoppers (n 2287) completing point-of-purchase surveys in a representative sample of New York City farmers' markets in 2010; residents (n 1025) completing random-digit-dial telephone survey interviews in 2010; and respondents (n 35 606) completing CHS interviews in 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2009. Greater Health Bucks exposure was associated with: (i) greater awareness of farmers' markets; (ii) increased frequency and amount of farmers' market purchases; and (iii) greater likelihood of a self-reported year-over-year increase in fruit and vegetable consumption. However, our CHS analysis did not detect impacts on consumption. While our study provides promising evidence that use of farmers' market incentives is associated with increased awareness and use of farmers' markets, additional research is needed to better understand impacts on fruit and vegetable consumption.

Parameters influencing the yield and composition of the essential oil from Cretan Vitex agnus-castus fruits.

Science.gov (United States)

Sørensen, J M; Katsiotis, S T

2000-04-01

Mature and immature fruits of a Cretan Vitex agnus-castus L. population were chosen to investigate different parameters such as comminution, maturity, distillation period and extraction method influencing the essential oil yield and composition. The effect of the comminution and the maturity of the plant material showed highly significant differences in yield and composition of the essential oils obtained, as well as the distillation duration from one to five hours and the method applied (hydrodistillation and simultaneous distillation extraction). The variation of 36 essential oil components due to the parameters applied was studied. The results showed that many different essential oil qualities can be obtained from the same plant material according to the parameters employed in its extraction. Entire fruits hydrodistilled for one hour yielded an oil much richer in monoterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds whereas the best combination to obtain an oil rich in less volatile compounds is by SDE of comminuted fruits for five hours. For mature fruits the main components varied as follows due to the parameters studied: sabinene 16.4-44.1%, 1,8-cineole 8.4-15.2%, beta-caryophyllene 2.1-5.0%, and trans-beta-farnesene 5.0-11.7%.

Influence of Inter-Intra Row Spacing on Yield Losses of Tomato ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Data on major yield loss agents such as, blossom end rot, decay, insect, disease, sunburn, crack, catface and others minor disorders were collected; as well as total yield, percent of marketable and unmarketable fruit yield parameters were analyzed. Results of the study showed that inter-intra row spacing and cultivar had a ...

Responses of wild husk tomato, Physalis angulata L. to growth regulators and gamma rays on chlorophyll content and fruit yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raghava, R.P.; Raghava, Nisha

1994-01-01

Effect of different growth regulators and gamma rays on the total chlorophyll content and fruit yield were studied in wild species of husk tomato and concluded that indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) 200 and kinetin (KIN) 10 ppm showed remarkable enhancement in both total chlorophyll content and fruit yield, while maleic hydrazide (MH) 100, 200 ppm and coumarin (COU) in all the treatments enhanced total chlorophyll content. Gamma ray treatments significantly enhanced both the parameters. Amongst all the treatments maximum fruit yield was in 20 kR of gamma rays. (author). 31 refs., 1 tab

The Influence of Different Interstock Lengths of Minneola Tanjelo on Photosynthetic Parameters and Fruit Yield of Star Ruby Grapefruit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bilge Yılmaz

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In this study, Minneola Tangelo hybrid, a cross of grapefruit and mandarin (Duncan grapefruit x Dancy mandarin, used as interstock to Star Ruby grapefruit with different lengths. Effects of different interstock lengths on fruit yield and quality, plant development and photosynthetic parameters were investigated. According to the results, different interstock lengths significantly affected fruit yield and size. The highest fruit yield was determined in T-M20-S whereas the lowest was on T-M5-S. The highest fruit size were determined in Star Ruby fruits on T-M5-S and T-M40-S whereas the lowest on T-M20-S and T-S (control. T-M40-S and T-M20-S treatments markedly reduced stem diameter and tree canopy in comparison to other treatments and control. Usage of different interstock lengths did not significantly affected some of fruit quality traits, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, leaf transpiration rate, leaf water usage efficiency and leaf chlorophyll concentration. In regards to seasonal changes, net photosynthetic rate were higher in spring and summer seasons then winter and fall seasons.

Nutritional status, yield and composition of peach fruit subjected to the application of organic compost

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George Wellington Bastos de Melo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional state, yield and composition of peaches on peach trees subjected to the application of organic compost to the soil. This experiment was conducted during the 2008 and 2009 cropping season in an orchard containing Chimarrita cultivars grafted onto Capdeboscq rootstocks and Haplumbrept soils in the municipality of Farroupilha (RS, Brazil. The treatments included 0, 9, 18, 36, 72 and 144 liters of organic compost per plant-1 year-1. The total nutrient contents in the leaves, yield components, yields per plant and hectare and compositions of the fruits were evaluated in 2008 and 2009 soon after harvest and after 30 days of storage. The application of organic compost to the soil increased the yield components and the yields per plant and hectare in the two treatments with the highest compost additions, which indicated that the addition of 72 L of compost per plant-1 is ideal economically. The organic compost had little effect on the composition of the peach fruit after harvest and after 30 days of storage.

Correlations between yield and fruit quality characteristics of fresh market tomatoes Correlações entre caracteres de produção e qualidade de frutos de tomate de mesa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lívia M de Souza

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Genotypic, phenotypic and environmental correlations were estimated for all possible pairs among eleven characters of tomatoes. Fifteen treatments including five parents and ten hybrids of Instituto Agronômico (IAC tomato breeding program were evaluated using a randomized complete block experimental design, with tree replications in Itatiba, São Paulo state, Brazil, during 2005/2006. The following traits were evaluated: fruit yield per plant (FP, fruit number per plant (FN, average fruit weight (FW, cluster number per plant (CN, fruit number per cluster (FC, number of locules per fruit (NL, fruit length (FL, fruit width (WI, fruit wall thickness (FT, total soluble solids (SS, and total titratable acidity (TA. The genotypic (rG, phenotypic (rF and environmental correlations (rA for two pairs of plant traits were estimated using the Genes© program. High similarity was found among the estimates of genotypic and phenotypic correlations. Positive and high phenotypic and genotypic correlations were observed between FP and the traits FN, FW and FT, and these associations contributed for yield increasing. FW and FT contributed to yield increase and should be considered together as primary yield components in tomato. Positive values of the genotypic and phenotypic correlations revealed that FP influenced FN with high direct effect and significant positive correlation. These traits may be included as the main selection criteria for tomato yield improvement.Correlações fenotípica, genotípica e ambiental foram estimadas entre todos os possíveis pares de onze caracteres de tomate de mesa. Quinze tratamentos, incluindo cinco parentais e dez híbridos do programa de melhoramento de tomate do Instituto Agronômico (IAC foram testados no delineamento em blocos casualizados completos, em Itatiba-SP, em 2005/2006. Os seguintes caracteres foram avaliados: produção (FP, número (FN e peso médio do fruto (FW, número de pencas por planta (CN, número de

Economics of Harvesting and Marketing Selected Indigenous Fruits in Mwingi District, Kenya

OpenAIRE

Mwema, C. M.; Lagat, J.K.; Mutai, B. K.

2013-01-01

Constant droughts especially in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) have led to recurrent crop failures and livestock losses. Households have therefore resulted to other alternatives which can provide both food and income. Trade in indigenous fruits contributes to livelihoods through income generation and as a safety net for consumption and income smoothing. This paper presents the analysis of economic returns from harvesting and marketing indigenous fruits and the socio economic factors that...

Elevated and super-elevated CO2 differ in their interactive effects with nitrogen availability on fruit yield and quality of cucumber.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Jinlong; Xu, Qiao; Gruda, Nazim; Chu, Wenying; Li, Xun; Duan, Zengqiang

2018-02-25

Elevated carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and nitrogen (N) availability can interactively promote cucumber yield, but how the yield increase is realized remains unclear, whilst the interactive effects on fruit quality are unknown. In this study, cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Jinmei No. 3) were grown in a paddy soil under three CO 2 concentrations - 400 (ambient CO 2 ), 800 (elevated CO 2 , eCO 2 ) and 1200 µmol mol -1 (super-elevated CO 2 ) - and two N applications - 0.06 (low N) and 0.24 g N kg -1 soil (high N). Compared with ambient CO 2 , eCO 2 increased yield by 106% in high N but the increase in total biomass was only 33%. This can result from greater carbon translocation to fruits from other organs, indicated by the increased biomass allocation from stems and leaves, particularly source leaves, to fruits and the decreased concentrations of fructose and glucose in source leaves. Super-elevated CO 2 reduced the carbon allocation to fruits thus yield increase (71%). Additionally, eCO 2 also increased the concentrations of fructose and glucose in fruits, maintained the concentrations of dietary fiber, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, copper, molybdenum and sodium, whilst it decreased the concentrations of nitrate, protein, iron, and zinc in high N. Compared with eCO 2 , super-elevated CO 2 can still improve the fruit quality to some extent in low N availability. Elevated CO 2 promotes cucumber yield largely by carbon allocation from source leaves to fruits in high N availability. Besides a dilution effect, carbon allocation to fruits, carbohydrate transformation, and nutrient uptake and assimilation can affect the fruit quality. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Performance, body measurements, carcass and cut yields, and meat quality in lambs fed residues from processing agroindustry of fruits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darcilene Maria de Figueiredo

2015-02-01

Full Text Available This research was conducted with the objective to evaluate the use of residue dry matter (DM from pineapple (Ananas comosus L., banana (Musa sp., mango (Mangifera indica and passion fruit (Passiflora spp. in feeding of the feedlot on productive performance, carcass yield and qualitative and quantitative characteristics of meat. Twenty-five crossbred lamps with Santa Inês breed and mixed breed were used. The treatments consisted of the replacement of 75% of sorghum silage by respective residue DM, whereas in the control treatment forage had only sorghum silage the diets had a houghageto- concentrate ratio of 40:60 interns of DM being isonitrogenous and isoenergetics. The animals were slaughtered at 32 kg liveweight. Before slaughter were obtained biometric measurements, after the same, was performed the hot carcasses weight and morphometric measurements. After 24 hours in a cold chamber at 4 ° C, was determined the cold carcass weight and yield calculation. The left half carcass was divided into five sections: neck, shoulder, shank, rib and loin, by performing the calculation of income cuts. Analyses meat quality such as pH, color (L, a, b, chroma and Ho, by cooking weight loss, water retention capacity and shear strength were carried out in the Longissimus dorsi sample. The completely randomized design was adapted. The data were interpreted using analysis of variance with the test a Tukey 5% probability. There was no effect of diet (P> 0.05 according to the parameters: growth performance, body measurements, and meat quality of lambs. There was also no effect of the diets (P> 0.05 on the loin eye area assuming that carcasses remained similar muscularity important fact to market acceptance standard. It is concluded that replacing up to 75% of sorghum silage by residues fruit (pineapple, banana, mango and passion fruit in lambs feeding becomes feasible not to change the productive performance, body measurements, yields carcass and cuts and meat

The US Stock Market Leads the Federal Funds Rate and Treasury Bond Yields

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Kun; Zhou, Wei-Xing; Cheng, Si-Wei; Sornette, Didier

2011-01-01

Using a recently introduced method to quantify the time-varying lead-lag dependencies between pairs of economic time series (the thermal optimal path method), we test two fundamental tenets of the theory of fixed income: (i) the stock market variations and the yield changes should be anti-correlated; (ii) the change in central bank rates, as a proxy of the monetary policy of the central bank, should be a predictor of the future stock market direction. Using both monthly and weekly data, we found very similar lead-lag dependence between the S&P 500 stock market index and the yields of bonds inside two groups: bond yields of short-term maturities (Federal funds rate (FFR), 3M, 6M, 1Y, 2Y, and 3Y) and bond yields of long-term maturities (5Y, 7Y, 10Y, and 20Y). In all cases, we observe the opposite of (i) and (ii). First, the stock market and yields move in the same direction. Second, the stock market leads the yields, including especially the FFR. Moreover, we find that the short-term yields in the first group lead the long-term yields in the second group before the financial crisis that started in mid-2007 and the inverse relationship holds afterwards. These results suggest that the Federal Reserve is increasingly mindful of the stock market behavior, seen as key to the recovery and health of the economy. Long-term investors seem also to have been more reactive and mindful of the signals provided by the financial stock markets than the Federal Reserve itself after the start of the financial crisis. The lead of the S&P 500 stock market index over the bond yields of all maturities is confirmed by the traditional lagged cross-correlation analysis. PMID:21857954

The US stock market leads the federal funds rate and treasury bond yields.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kun Guo

Full Text Available Using a recently introduced method to quantify the time-varying lead-lag dependencies between pairs of economic time series (the thermal optimal path method, we test two fundamental tenets of the theory of fixed income: (i the stock market variations and the yield changes should be anti-correlated; (ii the change in central bank rates, as a proxy of the monetary policy of the central bank, should be a predictor of the future stock market direction. Using both monthly and weekly data, we found very similar lead-lag dependence between the S&P 500 stock market index and the yields of bonds inside two groups: bond yields of short-term maturities (Federal funds rate (FFR, 3M, 6M, 1Y, 2Y, and 3Y and bond yields of long-term maturities (5Y, 7Y, 10Y, and 20Y. In all cases, we observe the opposite of (i and (ii. First, the stock market and yields move in the same direction. Second, the stock market leads the yields, including especially the FFR. Moreover, we find that the short-term yields in the first group lead the long-term yields in the second group before the financial crisis that started in mid-2007 and the inverse relationship holds afterwards. These results suggest that the Federal Reserve is increasingly mindful of the stock market behavior, seen as key to the recovery and health of the economy. Long-term investors seem also to have been more reactive and mindful of the signals provided by the financial stock markets than the Federal Reserve itself after the start of the financial crisis. The lead of the S&P 500 stock market index over the bond yields of all maturities is confirmed by the traditional lagged cross-correlation analysis.

The US stock market leads the federal funds rate and treasury bond yields.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Kun; Zhou, Wei-Xing; Cheng, Si-Wei; Sornette, Didier

2011-01-01

Using a recently introduced method to quantify the time-varying lead-lag dependencies between pairs of economic time series (the thermal optimal path method), we test two fundamental tenets of the theory of fixed income: (i) the stock market variations and the yield changes should be anti-correlated; (ii) the change in central bank rates, as a proxy of the monetary policy of the central bank, should be a predictor of the future stock market direction. Using both monthly and weekly data, we found very similar lead-lag dependence between the S&P 500 stock market index and the yields of bonds inside two groups: bond yields of short-term maturities (Federal funds rate (FFR), 3M, 6M, 1Y, 2Y, and 3Y) and bond yields of long-term maturities (5Y, 7Y, 10Y, and 20Y). In all cases, we observe the opposite of (i) and (ii). First, the stock market and yields move in the same direction. Second, the stock market leads the yields, including especially the FFR. Moreover, we find that the short-term yields in the first group lead the long-term yields in the second group before the financial crisis that started in mid-2007 and the inverse relationship holds afterwards. These results suggest that the Federal Reserve is increasingly mindful of the stock market behavior, seen as key to the recovery and health of the economy. Long-term investors seem also to have been more reactive and mindful of the signals provided by the financial stock markets than the Federal Reserve itself after the start of the financial crisis. The lead of the S&P 500 stock market index over the bond yields of all maturities is confirmed by the traditional lagged cross-correlation analysis.

Access to Street Markets and Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables by Adolescents Living in São Paulo, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

de Aguiar, Breno Souza; Barrozo, Ligia Vizeu; Goldbaum, Moisés; Cesar, Chester Luiz Galvão; Alves, Maria Cecilia Goi Porto

2018-01-01

Food environment and income act as determinants of diet, and consequently, of the consumption of fruits and vegetables. The objective of this study is to investigate the association between fruit and vegetable consumption, income, and street market density in adolescents living in São Paulo, Brazil. Data from 521 adolescents (12 to 19 years) participating in the 2015 Health Survey of São Paulo were used. Buffers (500, 1000, and 1500 m) were drawn around the households and the street markets were counted in each zone. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between fruit and vegetable consumption, income, and street market density. The main results showed that the presence of a street market in the zone closest to the households (500 m) was associated with higher consumption of fruits and vegetables (OR: 1.73; CI 95% 1.01–3.00). Higher family income was associated with a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables for models of 500 m buffer (OR: 2.56; CI 95% 1.47–4.45), 1000 m (OR: 2.30; CI 95% 1.33–3.96), and 1500 m (OR: 2.32; CI 95% 1.35–4.00). These results support the implementation of public policies that jointly consider income and the availability of street markets or healthy food environments. PMID:29538324

Yield in almond is related more to the abundance of flowers than the relative number of flowers that set fruit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio Tombesi

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Almond tree yield is a function of the number of flowers on a tree and the percentage of flowers that set fruit. Almonds are borne on spurs (short proleptic shoots that can have both leaves and flowers. Almond tree spur dynamics research has documented that previous year spur leaf area is a predictive parameter for year-to-year spur survival, spur flowering and to a lesser extent spur fruiting, while previous year fruit bearing has a negative impact on subsequent year flowering. However, a question remained about whether yields are more dependent on flower numbers or relative fruit set of the flowers that are present. The aim of the present work was to compare the importance of flower abundance with that of relative fruit set in determining the productivity of a population of tagged spurs in almond trees over a 6-year period. Overall tree yield among years was more sensitive to total number of flowers on a tree rather than relative fruit set. These results emphasize the importance of maintaining large populations of healthy flowering spurs for sustained high production in almond orchards.

Economic Analysis of the Marketing of Fruit in Lagos State of Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Economic Analysis of the Marketing of Fruit in Lagos State of Nigeria (A case study of Oyingbo, Oshodi and Ikotun ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... This implies a wide gap in prices between wholesalers and retailers.

Finding uncontested markets for European Fruit and Vegetables through applying the Blue Ocean Strategy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wubben, E.F.M.; Düsseldorf, S.; Batterink, M.H.

2012-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discover an uncontested market space in the European fruit and vegetables industry (EFVI), and thereby assess the ex-ante applicability of the Blue Ocean Strategy of Kim and Mauborgne. Design/methodology/approach – The search for an untapped market space

The Impact of the Agricultural Trade Liberalization on the Elements of the Marketing Mix of Fruit and Vegetables in BIH

OpenAIRE

Dončić, Dalibor; Nastić, Rade

2013-01-01

In this paper, we analyzed in detail elements of the marketing mix of fruit and vegetables, therefore this product, price, distribution, promotion and people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, after seven years of liberal market within CEFTA. Each element of the marketing mix is analyzed for the most important vegetable species (cabbage, onions, peppers, tomatoes) and fruit species (apple, pear, plum). The analyzed elements of the marketing mix are compared with the characteristics of the elements of...

Use of almond shell and almond hull as substrates for sweet pepper cultivation. Effects on fruit yield and mineral content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valverde, M.; Madrid, R.; Garcia, A. L.; Amor, F. M. del; Rincon, L.

2013-05-01

The use of almond by products as substrate in greenhouses for growing vegetables has a great economic interest. The objective of this work was to assess the use of two almond by-products (almond shell-AS and almond hull-AH), which had been previously conditioned without composting, as substrates for pepper (cv. Caprino F1) production and to study their effects on the yield, fruit size, and fruit mineral content. Physical, physico-chemical, and chemical characteristics of the almond by-products were determined both initially and during the pepper growing season. Initially, all values of the parameters studied ? except sulfur and iron ? differed significantly between the two substrates. During cultivation, the 18 substrate parameters and variables tested - except bulk density - exhibited significant variations with time for AS; the same occurred for AH, exceptions being pH, total nitrogen Nt, N-NH4, bulk density, and manganese. The changes in both substrates for the K, N, and S concentrations were significant. The nutrient levels in AH were higher than for AS. The almond shell and almond hull substrates produced slight decreases in total fruit yield with respect to the control (0.79 and 3.22 for AS and AH, respectively), with a lesser decrease for AS, due to reductions in the number of fruits per plant rather than to reductions in individual fruit weight. The plants grown on the AS and AH substrates showed a decrease in total fruit yield, due to reductions in the number of fruits per plant rather than reductions in individual fruit weight. (Author) 37 refs.

PINK TOMATO CETUS F1 – PROSPECTS OF THE RUSSIAN MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Yu. Barbaritskiy

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Pink tomato due to their high taste quality is particularly important crop for consumers in Russia. Pink tomato seeds become more popular in the market every year. Breeders have accomplished to combine high fruit taste quality with good transportation abilities and fruit denseness. One of the latest breeding achievement is Cetus F1. A successful combination of good fruit taste with transportability and yield makes this variety a potential leader in Russian market. This is confirmed by growers' trials in various regions of South of Russia. 

Consumer Preference Towards Fruit Leather Attributes of Madurese Exotic Tropical Fruits

OpenAIRE

Elys Fauziyah

2018-01-01

Madura island has high potential for producing tropical fruits, but it still not being well managed especially concerning with the value added Fruit leather is a product created by using various fruits and simple technology application. Fruit leather is categorized as new product on the market, therefore it is important to know consumer preference towards fruit leather attributes so that producer can design an acceptable product in the market. The research investigated attributes within the l...

Construction of an ultrahigh-density genetic linkage map for Jatropha curcas L. and identification of QTL for fruit yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Shengkui; Wen, Mingfu; Lu, Cheng; Sun, Yufang; Zou, Meiling; Wang, Wenquan

2018-01-01

As an important biofuel plant, the demand for higher yield Jatropha curcas L. is rapidly increasing. However, genetic analysis of Jatropha and molecular breeding for higher yield have been hampered by the limited number of molecular markers available. An ultrahigh-density linkage map for a Jatropha mapping population of 153 individuals was constructed and covered 1380.58 cM of the Jatropha genome, with average marker density of 0.403 cM. The genetic linkage map consisted of 3422 SNP and indel markers, which clustered into 11 linkage groups. With this map, 13 repeatable QTLs (reQTLs) for fruit yield traits were identified. Ten reQTLs, qNF - 1 , qNF - 2a , qNF - 2b , qNF - 2c , qNF - 3 , qNF - 4 , qNF - 6 , qNF - 7a , qNF - 7b and qNF - 8, that control the number of fruits (NF) mapped to LGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8, whereas three reQTLs, qTWF - 1 , qTWF - 2 and qTWF - 3, that control the total weight of fruits (TWF) mapped to LGs 1, 2 and 3, respectively. It is interesting that there are two candidate critical genes, which may regulate Jatropha fruit yield. We also identified three pleiotropic reQTL pairs associated with both the NF and TWF traits. This study is the first to report an ultrahigh-density Jatropha genetic linkage map construction, and the markers used in this study showed great potential for QTL mapping. Thirteen fruit-yield reQTLs and two important candidate genes were identified based on this linkage map. This genetic linkage map will be a useful tool for the localization of other economically important QTLs and candidate genes for Jatropha .

Yield, fruit quality, contents and sensory quality of old apple varieties trained as slender spindle under organic and integrated cultivation conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Wurm, Lothar; Gössinger, Manfred; Wendelin, Silvia; Martina, Kieler; Thomas, Rühmer; Walter, Brandes; Kathrin, Sigl

2015-04-01

Between 2006 and 2013 the old apple varieties 'Ananas Reinette', 'llzer Rosenapfel', 'Kronprinz Rudolf', 'Steirischer Maschanzker', 'Goldparmäne', 'Roter Boskoop', 'Ribston Pepping', 'Steirische Schafnase', 'Winterbananenapfel', 'Lavanttaler Bananenapfel', 'Himbeerapfel' and 'Florianer Rosmarin' (from 2009 on also 'Roter Berlepsch', 'Cox Orange' and 'Kanada Reinette') were tested for their fresh market suitability at the experimental orchard Haschhof of the HBLA and BA für Wein- und Obstbau Klosterneuburg under organic and integrated cultivation (IP) conditions trained as slender spindle. In 2010 the effect of an organic and a combined "integrated-organic summer" plant protection strategie on fruit quality and pesticide residues was tested in addition. No pesticide residues were detected in fruits of both plant protection strategies, expect on fruits of "integrated-organic summer" Schafnase in 2010. At harvest 2010 the bio-variant showed a significantly higher percentage of fruits with skin defects. The losses due to parasitic diseases during storage were strongly depending on the cultivar, but hardly affected by the plant protection strategy in this year. Looking at the entire experimental period, most of the varieties in the organic plot showed a comparable fruiting performance as those in the IP plot. The best fruiting performances were found with 'Winterbananenapfel', 'Roter Boskoop' and 'Kronprinz Rudolf', while the cumulative yield of 'Florianer Rosmarin', 'Himbeerapfel' and 'Lavanttaler Bananenapfel' remained below average. With respect to external fruit quality and storability 'Winterbananenapfel', 'Steirischer Maschanzker', 'Roter Boskoop', 'Kronprinz Rudolf' and 'Ilzer Rosenapfel' showed comparatively good results. With 'Ananas Reinette' the significantly lowest total phenolics contents were determined. 'Kanada Reinette', 'Roter Boskoop' and 'Ananas Reinette' showed a high acidity. High contents of soluble solids were found with 'Goldparmäne', 'Roter

Fruit and Vegetable Prices and Perceptions in Mercalaspalmas Wholesale Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santiago Rodríguez-Feijoó

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper studies the behavior of fruit and vegetable prices in a wholesale market. Its aims are: a to examine price behavior and changes; and b to identify statistically significant factors in the perception of prices and to quantify the effect of these factors on the market price. For this purpose, daily data were obtained on modal prices at the Mercalaspalmas wholesale market from 2006 until mid-2010. The results obtained show there is a similar degree of flexibility in price increases and decreases, and show the product to be the determinant element in setting prices. There was found to be a strong degree of price permanence, in the sense that changes take place slowly and following a lag. The following significant factors were identified in the perception of prices: the length of time a price has remained unchanged in the market; the period during which a product has been absent from the market; the quantities traded at a given price; and the index of market prices. However, the quantitative effect of this body of factors on the perceived price is very limited.

[Effects of different patterns surface mulching on soil properties and fruit trees growth and yield in an apple orchard].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yi; Xie, Yong-Sheng; Hao, Ming-De; She, Xiao-Yan

2010-02-01

Taking a nine-year-old Fuji apple orchard in Loess Plateau as test object, this paper studied the effects of different patterns surface mulching (clean tillage, grass cover, plastic film mulch, straw mulch, and gravel mulch) on the soil properties and fruit trees growth and yield in this orchard. Grass cover induced the lowest differentiation of soil moisture profile, while gravel mulch induced the highest one. In treatment gravel mulch, the soil moisture content in apple trees root zone was the highest, which meant that there was more water available to apple trees. Surface mulching had significant effects on soil temperature, and generally resulted in a decrease in the maximum soil temperature. The exception was treatment plastic film mulch, in which, the soil temperature in summer exceeded the maximum allowable temperature for continuous root growth and physiological function. With the exception of treatment plastic film mulch, surface mulching increased the soil CO2 flux, which was the highest in treatment grass cover. Surface mulching also affected the proportion of various branch types and fruit yield. The proportion of medium-sized branches and fruit yield were the highest in treatment gravel mulch, while the fruit yield was the lowest in treatment grass cover. Factor analysis indicated that among the test surface mulching patterns, gravel mulch was most suitable for the apple orchards in gully region of Loess Plateau.

Repeated applications of CPPU on highbush blueberry cv. Duke increase yield and enhance fruit quality at harvest and during postharvest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge B Retamales

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Applications of N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl-N'-phenylurea (CPPU can increase blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. yield and fruit size, but their impact on postharvest is unknown. We studied repeated CPPU applications effects on yield and quality (harvest, postharvest, over 2 yr on mature 'Duke' plants in South-Central Chile. The first year, 5 or 10 mL L-1 CPPU was applied at 3, 10, and/or 17 d after full bloom (DAFB plus a non-sprayed control. The second year, 5 or 10 mL L-1 CPPU were sprayed 10 and 17 DAFB plus a control. The first year, only 10 mL L-1 CPPU sprayed 3+17 DAFB increased yield (32.5% > control; 10 mL L-1 CPPU applied 10 or 3+17 DAFB had highest fruit diameter; and 10 mL L-1 CPPU at 17 DAFB or at 3+10+17 DAFB had highest soluble solids. Overall, 10 mL L-1 CPPU applied 3+17 DAFB, was the best treatment for year one, since it increased fruit yield and diameter, while soluble solids and postharvest weight loss were similar to control. The second year, 10 mL L-1 CPPU reduced fruit coloration (blue color coverage index: BCCI and soluble solids, but not firmness at harvest. This rate increased berry weight (24.2% and fruit wax (59% > wax coverage index: WCI at harvest. Harvest and postharvest WCI increased consistently as CPPU rate increased. CPPU reduced fruit rotting (15% at 45+5 evaluation. During storage, CPPU-treated-fruit had a slower decrease in firmness (30.5% < control at 30+1, but no difference at 30+5. CPPU-treated-fruit usually had higher post harvest soluble solids. Ten mL L-1 CPPU retarded color evolution at harvest and at 30+1, but not at 30+5, 40+1 or 40+5.

Produtividade e qualidade de frutos de melão em resposta à cobertura do solo com plástico preto e ao preparo do solo Yield and quality of melon fruits in response to plastic mulch and soil tillage

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Neyton O. Miranda

2003-09-01

Full Text Available Determinou-se o efeito da intensidade do preparo e da cobertura do solo com plástico preto sobre a produção e qualidade de frutos de melão irrigado por gotejamento. O experimento foi conduzido em Mossoró, no delineamento blocos ao acaso em esquema fatorial com parcela subdividida, com três repetições. Foram avaliados o tipo de preparo do solo (área total ou em faixas e profundidade de preparo (20; 30; 40 e 50 cm, com parcelas divididas em com ou sem cobertura do solo. Os frutos foram classificados em tipo exportação, mercado interno e refugo para determinar peso de frutos de cada tipo, número total de frutos e seu peso médio. Foram determinados a firmeza de polpa, o teor de sólidos solúveis totais (SST, espessura da polpa e formato do fruto. A qualidade dos frutos de melão foi reduzida pela cobertura do solo apenas em termos de firmeza de polpa. O preparo do solo em faixas não influenciou as características estudadas. Maiores profundidades de preparo aumentaram a produção de frutos tipo exportação, entretanto diminuíram a produção para o mercado interno.The effect of black polyethylene mulch and soil tillage intensity was determined on yield and quality of drip irrigated melon. The field trial was carried out in Mossoró, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized complete block in a factorial scheme with three replications. Two soil tillage methods were evaluated (strip tillage or tillage of the entire area and tillage depth (20; 30; 40 and 50 cm, with split plots with or without mulch. Fruits were classified in export type, internal market type and rejected, to determine total yield and the yield of each type, number of fruits and fruit mean weight. Pulp firmness, total soluble solids, pulp thickness and fruit shape were determined. Results showed a decrease in pulp firmness with black plastic mulch. Strip tillage did not influence any studied characteristic. Yield of both export type and internal market melons was

Effect of cow manure and empty fruit bunches application treated with different fertilizers on growth and yield of chili (Capsicum annum)

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazali, Mohd Rashdan; Mutalib, Sahilah Abd.; Abdullah, Aminah

2016-11-01

Study on the comparison of cow manure (CM) and empty fruit bunches (EFB) compost application as planting medium was conducted using four different treatments of fertilizer (without fertilizer, chemical fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and both fertilizer) on growth and yield of chili (Capsicum annum). The experiment started on August until December 2014 which consisted of eight treatments and were laid in a completely randomized block design (CRBD) with three replications. Variety chili that was used was Cilibangi 3. The seed was planted inside the tray for one week and transferred into the polybag containing growth media consisted of soil, compost (CM or EFB compost) and sand with ratio 3:2:1. Treatments without fertilizer were acted as a control. Throughout the study, plant growth performance and yield were recorded. The highest height of the plants for CM compost was 100.8 cm using chemical fertilizer and have significant different between the groups. For EFB compost was 92.7 cm using also chemical fertilizer but no significant different between the groups. The highest fruits weight per plant for CM compost was 485.67 g treated with both fertilizers and for EFB compost was 420.17 g treated with chemical fertilizer. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) table stated that fruits weight per plant has significant different for both planting medium with the fertilizer treatment. For the highest total fruits per plant, CM compost recorded about average 55 fruits per plant using both fertilizers and EFB compost recorded around 45 fruit per plant using chemical fertilizer. There was significantly different for total fruits per plant for both planting medium with the fertilizer treatment according to the ANOVA table. For CM, the ripening time was around 102-112 days and for EFB compost was around 96-110 days. Thus, application of CM compost treated with both chemical and organic fertilizers demonstrated better growth and fruit yield. While EFB compost was better growth and fruit

Differential metabolite profiles during fruit development in high-yielding oil palm mesocarp.

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Huey Fang Teh

Full Text Available To better understand lipid biosynthesis in oil palm mesocarp, in particular the differences in gene regulation leading to and including de novo fatty acid biosynthesis, a multi-platform metabolomics technology was used to profile mesocarp metabolites during six critical stages of fruit development in comparatively high- and low-yielding oil palm populations. Significantly higher amino acid levels preceding lipid biosynthesis and nucleosides during lipid biosynthesis were observed in a higher yielding commercial palm population. Levels of metabolites involved in glycolysis revealed interesting divergence of flux towards glycerol-3-phosphate, while carbon utilization differences in the TCA cycle were proven by an increase in malic acid/citric acid ratio. Apart from insights into the regulation of enhanced lipid production in oil palm, these results provide potentially useful metabolite yield markers and genes of interest for use in breeding programmes.

Association Study Reveals Novel Genes Related to Yield and Quality of Fruit in Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.).

Science.gov (United States)

García-Arias, Francy L; Osorio-Guarín, Jaime A; Núñez Zarantes, Victor M

2018-01-01

Association mapping has been proposed as an efficient approach to assist plant breeding programs to investigate the genetic basis of agronomic traits. In this study, we evaluated 18 traits related to yield, (FWP, NF, FWI, and FWII), fruit size-shape (FP, FA, MW, WMH, MH, HMW, DI, FSI, FSII, OVO, OBO), and fruit quality (FIR, CF, and SST), in a diverse collection of 100 accessions of Physalis peruviana including wild, landraces, and anther culture derived lines. We identified seven accessions with suitable traits: fruit weight per plant (FWP) > 7,000 g/plant and cracked fruits (CF) peruviana .

Yield and fruit quality of industrial tomato under saline irrigation Rendimento e qualidade de fruto do tomate tipo industrial sob irrigação salina

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Carlos Alberto Brasiliano Campos

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Industrial tomato is the most important vegetable crop of the Brazilian agribusiness. Few researches have evaluated the tolerance of this crop to saline stress. In this study, the effects of five levels of salinity of the irrigation water (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 dS m-1 and two equivalent proportions of Na:Ca:Mg (1:1:0.5 and 7:1:0.5 were tested on yield and quality of fruits of industrial tomato, cultivar IPA 6. Seedlings were transplanted in rhizotrons and grown under plastic covering until fruit ripening. Volume of water for daily irrigations was determined by the difference between the applied and drained volume in the previous irrigation. Unitary increase of water salinity above 1 dS m-1 reduced the commercial and total yield by 11.9 and 11.0%, respectively, and increased the concentration of soluble solids and the titratable acidity of the fruits by 13.9 and 9.4%, respectively. The increase of the proportion of sodium reduced the total and marketable yield, the number of marketable fruits and pulp yield. Water of moderate salinity, with low concentration of sodium, can be used in the irrigation of the industrial tomato, without significant yield losses.O tomate para processamento industrial é a hortaliça mais importante da agroindústria brasileira. Poucas pesquisas têm sido desenvolvidas para avaliar a tolerância da cultura ao estresse salino. Neste estudo, foram testados os efeitos de cinco níveis de salinidade da água de irrigação (1, 2, 3, 4 e 5 dS m-1 e duas proporções equivalentes de Na:Ca:Mg (1:1:0,5 e 7:1:0,5 sobre a produção e a qualidade dos frutos de tomateiro tipo industrial, cultivar IPA 6. As mudas foram transplantadas em rhizotrons e o cultivo foi conduzido sob cobertura plástica até a maturação dos frutos. O volume de água necessário para irrigações diárias foi determinado pela diferença entre o volume aplicado e o drenado na irrigação anterior. O aumento unitário da salinidade da água acima de 1 dS m-1

Effects of Gibberellic Acid and Putrescine Treatments on Marketable and Some Quality Attributes Certains of Citrus Fruit (Citrus sinensis Cv. Hamlen

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H. Azh

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Citrus fruit quality preserve the post harvest cause marketability increased. In this research, the effect of putrescin and gibberellic acid concentrations on storage life of sweet orange fruit (Hamlen cultivar was studied to in factorial design (3*3*6=54based on randomized complete block with six replications. Putrescin at three concentrations( 0, 1 and 2 mM and three level of gibberellic acid (0, 50 and 100 mg/L were sprayed on the tree at the physiological maturation stage and two weeks pre harvest. Fruit firmness, marketability, vitamin C, total acidity, total soluble solids (TSS and ratio of total soluble solids (TSS to total acidity were evaluated. The results showed that putrescin spraying at 1 mM significantly prevented fruit softening and preserved fruit firmness. Also putrescin treatment (1 mM preserved ideal marketability and was superior than other treatments. Gibberellic acid significantly preserved total acidity and total soluble solids. The interaction of gibberellic acid and putrescine also preserved significantly vitamin C. Therefore, the application of putrescine at 1 mM and gibberellic at 100 mg/L was recommended for preserve marketability, appearance and quality of citrus sinensis cv. Hamlen.

Evaluation of Hail Simulated Damage on Marketable Tuber Yield of Potato Agria Cultivar in Ardabil Region

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D. Hassanpanah

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted at Ardabil Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Station during the year of 2010. A factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with four replications and two factors were used to evaluate the effect of simulated hail damage to foliage at different growth stages of potato Agria cultivar on marketable tuber yield. The first factor consisted of six levels of foliar damage (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 percent and the second factor of five levels of plant growth stages (2, 5, 8, 11 and 15 weeks after the growing. Analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences among plants for levels and times of hail damage and their interactions in terms of marketable tuber yield. Percentage of marketable yield reduction at early stages of vegetative growth (2 weeks after growing was minimal. Occurrence of hail damage at the tuberization and bulking stages (5, 8 and 11 weeks after growing severely reduced marketable tuber yield. While, its damage at late growing stages of (14 weeks after growing on tuber yield was not appreciable. Times of hail damage on marketable tuber yield reduction was calculated through the regression. Relative reduction of marketable tuber yield at the early stages of vegetative growth, due to hail damage, against non-marketable tuber yield was higher than of bulking stage.

Simulation of fruit-set and trophic competition and optimization of yield advantages in six Capsicum cultivars using functional-structural plant modelling.

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Ma, Y T; Wubs, A M; Mathieu, A; Heuvelink, E; Zhu, J Y; Hu, B G; Cournède, P H; de Reffye, P

2011-04-01

Many indeterminate plants can have wide fluctuations in the pattern of fruit-set and harvest. Fruit-set in these types of plants depends largely on the balance between source (assimilate supply) and sink strength (assimilate demand) within the plant. This study aims to evaluate the ability of functional-structural plant models to simulate different fruit-set patterns among Capsicum cultivars through source-sink relationships. A greenhouse experiment of six Capsicum cultivars characterized with different fruit weight and fruit-set was conducted. Fruit-set patterns and potential fruit sink strength were determined through measurement. Source and sink strength of other organs were determined via the GREENLAB model, with a description of plant organ weight and dimensions according to plant topological structure established from the measured data as inputs. Parameter optimization was determined using a generalized least squares method for the entire growth cycle. Fruit sink strength differed among cultivars. Vegetative sink strength was generally lower for large-fruited cultivars than for small-fruited ones. The larger the size of the fruit, the larger variation there was in fruit-set and fruit yield. Large-fruited cultivars need a higher source-sink ratio for fruit-set, which means higher demand for assimilates. Temporal heterogeneity of fruit-set affected both number and yield of fruit. The simulation study showed that reducing heterogeneity of fruit-set was obtained by different approaches: for example, increasing source strength; decreasing vegetative sink strength, source-sink ratio for fruit-set and flower appearance rate; and harvesting individual fruits earlier before full ripeness. Simulation results showed that, when we increased source strength or decreased vegetative sink strength, fruit-set and fruit weight increased. However, no significant differences were found between large-fruited and small-fruited groups of cultivars regarding the effects of source

EFFECT OF THE TIME OF POULTRY MANURE APPLICATION AND GENOTYPE ON THE GROWTH, YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY OF PLANTAINS (MUSA spp. AAB

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Okorie Ndukwe

2010-11-01

Full Text Available The influence of time of poultry manure application: no application, at planting, 1, 2 and 3 months after planting (MAP were determined on the growth, yield and fruit quality of two plantain (Musa spp. AAB cultivars (PITA 17 and French Reversion. PITA 17 significantly produced more standing leaves, fruits with longer green and shelf life. French Reversion significantly produced taller plants, heavier bunches and fruits, wider and longer fruits. Dry matter partitioning to the pulp, pulp degree of lightness and redness were also higher for French Reversion than PITA 17. The application of poultry manure at 2 MAP produced heaviest bunches and the highest yield components while pulp dry matter and fruit shelf life duration were highest with manure application at 3 MAP. Bunch and fruit weights were heaviest in French Reversion plots applied with poultry manure at 2 MAP whereas shelf life was longest with PITA 17 that received manure application at planting.

Ozone Effects on Fruit Productivity and Photosynthetic Response of Two Tomato Cultivars in Relation to Stomatal Fluxes

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Giacomo Gerosa

Full Text Available An Open-Top Chamber experiment on two tomato cultivars (cv. Oxheart and cv. San Marzano was carried out in Curno (Northern Italy between June and September 2007. Two ozone treatments were applied for a 3.5 months period: Non-Filtered OTC (NF-OTC, 95% of ambient ozone and Charcoal-Filtered OTC (CF-OTC, 50% of ambient ozone. Diurnal cycles of porometry measurements were performed during the season and allowed to draw a stomatal conductance model for each cultivar in order to calculate the ozone stomatal fluxes taken up by plants. Assessments on fruits yield were performed during the season, taking into account the number of fruits, their fresh weight and their marketability. In addition, measurements on the chlorophyll fluorescence of photosystems were carried out to assess possible negative effects on photosynthetic efficiency. Despite the two cultivars absorbed a similar ozone stomatal dose during the season (with an 8% difference, their responses to ozone treatments were totally divergent in relation to both fruits yield and photosynthetic efficiency. Plants of cv. Oxheart grown in NF-OTCs showed significant yield loss in the total weight of fruits (-35.9% which is exclusively related to a decrease in the number of fruits produced (-35.7% of total fruits; -30.6% of marketable fruits, since mean fresh weight of fruits remained unaffected. Moreover the same plants displayed low values (in comparison to CF-OTCs plants of the photosynthetic efficiency index (PIabs during the most intense period of ozone stress (July occurred in the flowering stage of plants and at the beginning of fructification. Plants of the cv. San Marzano had an opposite response behaviour with an increase of the mean fresh weight of fruits in plants grown in NF-OTC (even if not statistically significant and no difference in the number of fruits produced and in the values of photosynthetic efficiency.

Influence of rootstocks on growth, yield, fruit quality and leaf mineral element contents of pear cv. 'Santa Maria' in semi-arid conditions

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Ali Ikinci

2014-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Rootstocks play an essential role to determining orchard performance of fruit trees. Pyrus communisand Cydonia oblonga are widely used rootstocks for European pear cultivars. The lack of rootstocks adapted to different soil conditions and different grafted cultivars is widely acknowledged in pear culture. Cydonia rootstocks (clonal and Pyrus rootstocks (seedling or clonal have their advantages and disadvantages. In each case, site-specific environmental characteristics, specific cultivar response and production objectives must be considered before choosing the best rootstock. In this study, the influence of three Quince (BA 29, Quince A = MA, Quince C = MC and a local European pear seedling rootstocks on the scion yield, some fruit quality characteristics and leaf macro (N, P, K, Ca and Mg and micro element (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and B content of 'Santa Maria' pear (Pyrus communis L. were investigated. RESULTS: Trees on seedling rootstock had the highest annual yield, highest cumulative yield (kg tree−1, largest trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA, lowest yield efficiency and lowest cumulative yield (ton ha−1 in the 10th year after planting. The rootstocks had no significant effect on average fruit weight and fruit volume. Significantly higher fruit firmness was obtained on BA 29 and Quince A. The effect of rootstocks on the mineral element accumulation (N, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and B was significant. Leaf analysis showed that rootstocks used had different mineral uptake efficiencies throughout the early season. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the rootstocks strongly affected fruit yield, fruit quality and leaf mineral element uptake of 'Santa Maria' pear cultivar. Pear seedling and BA 29 rootstock found to be more prominent in terms of several characteristics for 'Santa Maria' pear cultivar that is grown in highly calcareous soil in semi-arid climate conditions. We determined the highest N, P (although insignificant, K, Ca, Mg, Fe

Antioxidant Capacity and Metal Content of Physalis Peruviana L. Fruit Sold in Markets

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Ayse Eken

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: The dietary intake of medicinal food with antioxidant activity and required amounts of trace elements is important to pursue good healthy life. In our study, we aimed to determine the antioxidant capacity and metal content of goldenberry (Physalis peruviana L. fruit sold in markets in Kayseri. Material and Method: The antioxidant capacity of P. peruviana fruit was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH free radical scavenging assay. The DPPH radical scavenger capacity of the methanol extract of fruit was compared with known antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, gallic acid, and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT as references. The metal content of P. peruviana fruit was measured by using atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS. Results: The fruit of P. peruviana was found to possess DPPH free radical scavenging activity but the antioxidant capacity was lower than the standard substances. Inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50 values of P. peruviana, ascorbic acid, gallic acid, and BHT were determined as 32 mg/ml, 3.8 mg/ml, 3.51 mg/ml, and 1.21 mg/ml, respectively. As a result of the analysis by AAS, it was observed that P. peruviana fruit contented plentiful trace elements and the content of heavy metal was small amount or not detected. Discussion: These observations suggest that the fruit of P. peruviana has a potential source of antioxidant and trace elements of natural origin.

Consumer Preference Towards Fruit Leather Attributes of Madurese Exotic Tropical Fruits

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Elys Fauziyah

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Madura island has high potential for producing tropical fruits, but it still not being well managed especially concerning with the value added Fruit leather is a product created by using various fruits and simple technology application. Fruit leather is categorized as new product on the market, therefore it is important to know consumer preference towards fruit leather attributes so that producer can design an acceptable product in the market. The research investigated attributes within the levels that become consumer preference in purchasing fruit leather product. There were 60 samples respondents taken accidentally at Bangkalan Plaza Shopping area. Method being used was conjoint analysis. Result showed that fruit leather being chosen by consumers as preference are gummy, mixed fruit taste, yellow color small roll shape, at 100 grams and in a plastic tube package.

Effect of micronutrients (zn, cu and b) on photosynthetic and fruit yield attributes of citrus reticulata blanco var. kinnow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilyas, A.; Hussain, M.

2015-01-01

In this investigation, influence of foliar application of micronutrients (Zn, Cu and B) was studied on the improvement in photosynthetic and fruit yield attributes of citrus (Kinnow) plants. Experiments were conducted in two districts of Punjab (Sargodha and Toba Tek Singh), Pakistan varying in soil properties and agro-climatic conditions. Plants at both sites were subjected to foliar spray of three different levels (i.e. 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3%) of each Zn, Cu and B at three different fruit developmental stages while macronutrients (NPK) were applied at recommended rates as soil amendment. Micronutrients (Zn, Cu and B) application caused a significant improvement in net photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs), Chlorophyll a, b, total, and caroteniods in both the citrus orchards. However, effect of micronutrients i.e. Zn, Cu and B was more pronounced at the levels of 0.3, 0.1 and 0.2%, respectively. These levels of nutrients were also effective in improving fruit yield with better fruit quality. (author)

EFFECT OF DEFOLIATION ON THE YIELD AND QUALITY OF ‘PRATA COMUM’ BANANA FRUITS

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JULIANA DOMINGUES LIMA

Full Text Available ABSTRACT With the advent of black sigatoka in commercial banana crops in the “Vale do Ribeira” region, state of São Paulo, the monitoring the severity and chemical control of the disease in susceptible varieties have become more frequent in order to avoid leaf loss. This study simulated the effect of defoliation caused by the disease on the yield and quality of ‘Prata Comum’ banana fruits, depending on the formation period and fruit position in the bunch. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 x11 factorial scheme (period of bunch formation x number of leaves at flowering, 6-16 leaves at flowering in two periods of bunch formation with six replicates. In Period 1, flowering occurred at 04/15/13 and in Period 2 at 01/07/14, although in Period 1, bunch mass was higher and in Period 2, higher average maximum and minimum daily temperatures, precipitation and radiation were observed. Regardless of formation period, the number of leaves at flowering affected bunch mass, which ranged from 18 to 23 kg plant-1. Defoliation affected the size of fruits of hand 1 and last hand of the bunch, but not the variability in fruit size due to the position the fruit occupies in the bunch and physicochemical characteristics.

Effect of edible co-polymers coatings using γ-irradiation on Hyani date fruit behavior during marketing.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Dein, Asmaa Ezz; Khozemy, Ehab E; Farag, Serag A; Abd El-Hamed, N; Dosoukey, I M

2018-05-24

The present work introduces a preparation of coating fruits film from natural biodegradable materials with evaluation of its efficiency in keeping the quality of fresh date fruits. Triple blend (Tb) which involved PVA, chitosan (Cs) and tannic (TA) acids was studied in preservation of Rutab (Hyani) date. Antimicrobial characters besides decay of fruits during a cold storage were determined. The blend solutions were exposed to the γ-irradiation (5.0 to 20 kGy) before casting or use. The effects of polymer composition and irradiation dose on the mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties were studied. The obtained results showed that γ-irradiation and the addition of tannic acid (TA) increased the mechanical properties of the films and the shelf-life of Rutab (Hyani) date during the marketing period (12 ± 2 °C, 98%, RH) from one week to one month of marketing period for consumers with accepted freshness and quality. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of safe environmental pre and post harvest treatments and irradiation on handling of some fruits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nawito, M.A.A.

2008-01-01

The present study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2005 and 2006 seasons on M ontakhab El-Kanater g uavas and H achiya p ersimmons.two different experiments were studied, the first one for pre harvest and second post harvest. Regarding pre harvest experiment,hand or chemical flower thinning by urea or ethrel and date of fruit picking (maturity) were evaluated on both guavas and persimmons.All flower thinning treatments increased fruit set,total yield,average fruit weight and decreased fruit abscission.However,a great effect on fruit quality and chemical compositions were also found with flower thinning treatments. Chemical flower thinning was more effective than hand thinning in improving yield and quality in M ontakhab El-Kanater g uavas and H achiya p ersimmons. However,early maturation(120 and 150 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced poor fruit quality.Whereas, medium maturity(130 and 180 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced fruit with high quality.However,late picking(140 and 210 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced fruits with less marketability. On the other side, post harvest treatments including irradiation of fruits with or without pre-cooling process at 0.2,0.4,and 0.8 K.Gy for guavas and 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 K.Gy for persimmons. Also,hot water at 45 degree C, fungicide at 0.5 and 1.0 g/L.and ethanol vapor at 25 and 50% were evaluated on both fruits. The obtained data were evaluated on discarded fruits %, weight loss %, fruit firmness,fruit marketability, total soluble solids,acidity,L-ascorbic acid (guava), tannins (persimmon), total sugars and fruit respiration. All supplementary refrigeration treatments improved fruit quality during cold storage but ethanol vapor either 25 or 50 % were more effective than other treatments

Effect of safe environmental pre and post harvest treatments and irradiation on handling of some fruits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nawito, M A.A. [National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

2008-07-01

The present study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2005 and 2006 seasons on{sup M}ontakhab El-Kanater{sup g}uavas and{sup H}achiya{sup p}ersimmons.two different experiments were studied, the first one for pre harvest and second post harvest. Regarding pre harvest experiment,hand or chemical flower thinning by urea or ethrel and date of fruit picking (maturity) were evaluated on both guavas and persimmons.All flower thinning treatments increased fruit set,total yield,average fruit weight and decreased fruit abscission.However,a great effect on fruit quality and chemical compositions were also found with flower thinning treatments. Chemical flower thinning was more effective than hand thinning in improving yield and quality in {sup M}ontakhab El-Kanater{sup g}uavas and {sup H}achiya{sup p}ersimmons. However,early maturation(120 and 150 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced poor fruit quality.Whereas, medium maturity(130 and 180 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced fruit with high quality.However,late picking(140 and 210 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced fruits with less marketability. On the other side, post harvest treatments including irradiation of fruits with or without pre-cooling process at 0.2,0.4,and 0.8 K.Gy for guavas and 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 K.Gy for persimmons. Also,hot water at 45 degree C, fungicide at 0.5 and 1.0 g/L.and ethanol vapor at 25 and 50% were evaluated on both fruits. The obtained data were evaluated on discarded fruits %, weight loss %, fruit firmness,fruit marketability, total soluble solids,acidity,L-ascorbic acid (guava), tannins (persimmon), total sugars and fruit respiration. All supplementary refrigeration treatments improved fruit quality during cold storage but ethanol vapor either 25 or 50 % were more effective than other treatments.

Yield Traits and Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiencies of Bell Pepper Grown in Plastic-Greenhouse

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Vincenzo Candido

2009-09-01

Full Text Available We report the results of a two-year study assessing the effects of nitrogen fertilization and irrigation regimes on yield traits and on water and nitrogen use efficiency of greenhouse-grown bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.. The trials involved the combination of four N doses (0, 100, 200, 300 kg ha-1 with two irrigation regimes (100% restitution of ETc; repeated cycles of water stress starting from fruit set. In the second year, the crop was transplanted one month earlier than in the first year and was mulched with plastic sheeting. The highest yield in both years was obtained by associating 100% restitution of ETc and the N dose of 200 kg ha-1. The marketable yields were 37 and 72 t ha-1 in 1998 and 1999, respectively. Doubling of the yield in the second year was probably due to the earlier transplantation and mulching, confirming the numerous benefits of the latter technique. The water deficit imposed during the late flowering-early fruit set phase had negative effects on the crop, with declines of the marketable yield of up to 44% due to the reduced number and weight of the fruit and the increased waste, mainly peppers with blossom-end rot, cracking, sun-burn and malformations. The peppers grown under water stress were richer in dry matter and soluble solids. The yield declines due to water deficit varied in relation to the N dose, as confirmed by the numerous interactions recorded between irrigation regime and nitrogen level.Without nitrogen fertilization, the quantity and quality of the fruits remained unchanged, while the maximum dose (300 kg ha-1 enhanced the negative effects of the water deficit on the number (-52% and weight (-161% of marketable peppers. Moreover, the waste peppers reached 31% of the total production (by weight, with over 21% affected by blossom-end rot. Water stress led to a drastic reduction of the total above-ground dry biomass (40% and a significant decrease of nitrogen absorption by the plant (54% with preferential

Farm and product carbon footprints of China's fruit production--life cycle inventory of representative orchards of five major fruits.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Ming; Cheng, Kun; Yue, Qian; Yan, Yu; Rees, Robert M; Pan, Genxing

2016-03-01

Understanding the environmental impacts of fruit production will provide fundamental information for policy making of fruit consumption and marketing. This study aims to characterize the carbon footprints of China's fruit production and to figure out the key greenhouse gas emissions to cut with improved orchard management. Yearly input data of materials and energy in a full life cycle from material production to fruit harvest were obtained via field visits to orchards of five typical fruit types from selected areas of China. Carbon footprint (CF) was assessed with quantifying the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the individual inputs. Farm and product CFs were respectively predicted in terms of land use and of fresh fruit yield. Additionally, product CFs scaled by fruit nutrition value (vitamin C (Vc) content) and by the economic benefit from fruit production were also evaluated. The estimated farm CF ranged from 2.9 to 12.8 t CO2-eq ha(-1) across the surveyed orchards, whereas the product CF ranged from 0.07 to 0.7 kg CO2-eq kg(-1) fruit. While the mean product CFs of orange and pear were significantly lower than those of apple, banana, and peach, the nutrition-scaled CF of orange (0.5 kg CO2-eq g(-1) Vc on average) was significantly lower than others (3.0-5.9 kg CO2-eq g(-1) Vc). The income-scaled CF of orange and pear (1.20 and 1.01 kg CO2-eq USD(-1), respectively) was higher than apple, banana, and peach (0.87~0.39 kg CO2-eq USD(-1)). Among the inputs, synthetic nitrogen fertilizer contributed by over 50 % to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, varying among the fruit types. There were some tradeoffs in product CFs between fruit nutrition value and fruit growers' income. Low carbon production and consumption policy and marketing mechanism should be developed to cut down carbon emissions from fruit production sector, with balancing the nutrition value, producer's income, and climate change mitigation.

Fruit irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

Food spoilage is a common problem when marketing agricultural products. Promising results have already been obtained on a number of food irradiating applications. A process is described in this paper where irradiation of sub-tropical fruits, especially mangoes and papayas, combined with conventional heat treatment results in effective insect and fungal control, delays ripening and greatly improves the quality of fruit at both export and internal markets

Pre-Harvest Application of a New Biocontrol Formulation Induces Resistance to Post-Harvest Anthracnose and Enhances Fruit Yield in Mango

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R. Vivekananthan

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Pre-harvest application of biocontrol formulations consisting of 1. the two plant growth promoting rhizobacterial strains FP7 and Pf1 of Pseudomonas fluorescens; 2. a strain of Bacillus subtilis Bs-1; and 3. a strain (Sc-1 of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, given at fortnightly or monthly intervals and with or without a chitin amendment, were evaluated in two trials for their ability to reduce anthracnose in mango caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Growth of C. gloeosporioides in vitro was significantly reduced by strain FP7 and in both field trials the bacterial strain in combination with chitin significantly reduced infection. Pre-harvest application of these formulations at fortnightly intervals also significantly improved flower initiation, yield parameters (mean number of fruits and fruit yield and fruit quality (total soluble solids, ascorbic acid, free acidity, total, reducing and non- reducing sugar content. The delay in latent symptom expression increased by 15 days under stored conditions. The highest levels of phenolic content, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase on mango leaves, flowers and fruits were achieved with FP7 +chitin.

Quantitative Effects of Early and Late Blights on Tomato Yields in Cameroon

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Fontem, DA.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Early blight caused by Alternaria solani and late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans are the major diseases of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum in Cameroon. The effect of both diseases on fruit yield was evaluated during the 1995 growing season in Dschang, Cameroon.Ten varieties were planted in the first trial (March-July and nine in the second (July- November. In both trials, plots were sprayed weekly with Ridomil Plus (2.0 kg/ha before flowering and with maneb (1.6 kg/ha after flowering. Early blight was more severe in the early part of the first trial, while late blight caused most damage during the second. Marketable yields varied according to variety. High yields in sprayed plots were obtained in Dona F1 (61.63 t/ha and Heinz 1370 (68.24 t/ha during the first trial, and in Fline (58.35 t/ha, Mecline (64.25 t/ha, and Moboline (55.16 t/ha during the second trial. Percent fruit infection in sprayed plots caused by both diseases varied according to variety from 12 to 65% in the first season and from 14 to 52% in the second, while losses in marketable yields for both blights were as high as 100% in unsprayed plots.

Constraints to obtaining consistent annual yields in perennial tree crops. I: Heavy fruit load dominates over vegetative growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Harley M; Samach, Alon

2013-06-01

Farmers lack effective methods to achieve and maintain stable production from year to year in many commercial fruit crops. Annual fruit yield within a region often alternates between high and low fruit load and is termed alternate bearing. The underlying cause of alternate bearing is the negative impact of high fruit load on vegetative growth and next year's flowering. In this review, we emphasize common responses of diverse perennials to heavy crop load. We present botanical, ecological and horticultural perspectives on irregular bearing. The later part of this review focuses on understanding how high fruit load dominates over vegetative growth. We discuss sink strengths and putative mobile signals (hormones), perhaps seed-derived. We highlight gaps in current understanding of alternate bearing, and discuss new approaches to better understand fruit load dominance. Assuming the effect of high fruit load may be related to other mechanisms of sink partitioning, other forms of dominance are presented such as apical, first fruit and king fruit dominance. Dominance seems to be enforced, in independent cases through the establishment of a polar auxin transport system from the stronger sink. Once established this somehow perturbs the transport of auxin out of weaker sinks. Possibly, fruit derived auxin may alter the polar auxin transport system of the shoot to inhibit shoot growth. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of irradiating Washington fruits and vegetables for Asian export markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eakin, D.E.; Hazelton, R.F.; Young, J.K.; Prenguber, B.A.; O' Rourke, A.D.; Heim, M.N.

1987-05-01

US agricultural export marketing opportunities are limited by the existence of trade barriers in many overseas countries. For example, Japan and South Korea do not permit the importation of apples due to their stated concern over codling moth infestation. One of the purposes of this study was to evaluate the potential of exporting irradiated fruits and vegetables from Washington State to overcome existing trade barriers and prevent the establishment of future barriers. The Asian countries specifically evaluated in this study are Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Another purpose of this project was to determine the feasibility of locating an irradiation facility in Washington State. Advantages that irradiated agricultural products would bring in terms of price and quality in export markets were also evaluated.

Root treatment with rhizobacteria antagonistic to Phytophthora blight affects anthracnose occurrence, ripening, and yield of pepper fruit in the plastic house and field.

Science.gov (United States)

Sang, Mee Kyung; Kim, Jeong Do; Kim, Beom Seok; Kim, Ki Deok

2011-06-01

We previously selected rhizobacterial strains CCR04, CCR80, GSE09, ISE13, and ISE14, which were antagonistic to Phytophthora blight of pepper. In this study, we investigated the effects of root treatment of rhizobacteria on anthracnose occurrence, ripening, and yield of pepper fruit in the plastic house and field in 2008 and 2009. We also examined the effects of volatiles produced by the strains on fruit ripening and on mycelial growth and spore development of Colletotrichum acutatum and Phytophthora capsici in the laboratory, identifying the volatile compounds by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In the house tests, all strains significantly (P anthracnose incidence on pepper fruit; strains GSE09 and ISE14 consistently produced higher numbers of pepper fruit or increased the fresh weight of red fruit more than the controls in both years. In the field tests, all strains significantly (P anthracnose occurrence on either green or red pepper fruit; strain ISE14 consistently produced higher numbers or increased fresh weights of red fruit more than the controls in both years. In the laboratory tests, volatiles produced by strains GSE09 and ISE13 only stimulated maturation of pepper fruit from green (unripe) to red (ripe) fruit; the volatiles of certain strains inhibited the growth and development of C. acutatum and P. capsici. On the other hand, GC-MS analysis of volatiles of strains GSE09 and ISE13 revealed 17 distinct compounds in both strains, including decane, dodecane, 1,3-di-tert-butylbenzene, tetradecane, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, and hexadecane. Among these compounds, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol only stimulated fruit ripening and inhibited growth and development of the pathogens. Taken together, strains GSE09 and ISE14 effectively reduced anthracnose occurrence and stimulated pepper fruit ripening and yield, possibly via bacterial volatiles. Therefore, these two strains could be potential agents for controlling Phytophthora blight and anthracnose, and for

Understanding Emerging Market Sovereign Bond Yield Spread: Role of Default and Non-Default Determinants

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Adelia Surya Pratiwi

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper is motivated by the fact that emerging market assets size has been expanding and trying to use sovereign debt market as part of capital market as main research focus. It is highlighting the distinction between default and non-default determinants and examining their significance in explaining emerging market sovereign bond yield spread. Using Cross-Sectional Fixed-Effect Panel Estimator, we found that both default (as proxied by Credit Rating and Outlook Index and non-default (as proxied by 3-month Fed Funds Futures determinants has significant explanatory power to sovereign bond yield spread. Extensively, we also found the significance to add volatility of 3-month Fed Funds Futures and Fed Target Rate basis and volatility of advanced stock markets as variables to stand for non-default determinants in the model. The significance of the latter model is strengthened by higher forecasting as well as indicates the significant role of US market to emerging market sovereign bond market.

Effect of extraction method on the yield of furanocoumarins from fruits of Archangelica officinalis Hoffm.

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Waksmundzka-Hajnos, M; Petruczynik, A; Dragan, A; Wianowska, D; Dawidowicz, A L

2004-01-01

Optimal conditions for the extraction and analysis of furanocoumarins from fruits of Archangelica officinalis Hoffm. have been determined. The following extraction methods were used: exhaustive extraction in a Soxhlet apparatus, ultrasonication at 25 and 60 degrees C, microwave-assisted solvent extraction in open and closed systems, and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). In most cases the yields of furanocoumarins were highest using the ASE method. The effects of extracting solvent, temperature and time of extraction using this method were investigated. The highest yield of furanocoumarins by ASE was obtained with methanol at 100-130 degrees C for 10 min. The extraction yields of furanocoumarins from plant material by ultrasonication at 60 degrees C and microwave-assisted solvent extraction in an open system were comparable to the extraction yields obtained in the time- and solvent-consuming exhaustive process involving the Soxhlet apparatus.

Effect of gibberellin, auxin and kinetin treatments combined with foliar applied NPK on the yield of Capsicum annuum L. fruits and their capsaicin content

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Tomasz J. Nowak

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The Wrocław version of hydroponic culture was applied. Under optimal conditions of root fertilization the plants were sprayed with growth regulators sueh as gibberellins, auxins and kinetins, and .their mixtures. Each growth regulator treatment was applied with or without NPK added. The influence of these treatments on the fresh and dry weight of the fruit, percentage of ripe fruits and content and yield of capsaicin was studied. The highest yield of fruits and capsaicin. was obtained from plants sprayed with gibberellic acid and kinetin (in concentrations of 10 and 5 mg/l, respectively together with NPK foliar application. No influence of ,growth regulators and foliar-applied NPK was noted on capsaicin content and dry weight of fruits.

A possible dose-response association between distance to farmers' markets and roadside produce stands, frequency of shopping, fruit and vegetable consumption, and body mass index among customers in the Southern United States.

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Jilcott Pitts, Stephanie B; Hinkley, Jedediah; Wu, Qiang; McGuirt, Jared T; Lyonnais, Mary Jane; Rafferty, Ann P; Whitt, Olivia R; Winterbauer, Nancy; Phillips, Lisa

2017-01-11

The association between farmers' market characteristics and consumer shopping habits remains unclear. Our objective was to examine associations among distance to farmers' markets, amenities within farmers' markets, frequency of farmers' market shopping, fruit and vegetable consumption, and body mass index (BMI). We hypothesized that the relationship between frequency of farmers' market shopping and BMI would be mediated by fruit and vegetable consumption. In 15 farmers' markets in northeastern North Carolina, July-September 2015, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 263 farmers' market customers (199 provided complete address data) and conducted farmers' market audits. To participate, customers had to be over 18 years of age, and English speaking. Dependent variables included farmers' market shopping frequency, fruit and vegetable consumption, and BMI. Analysis of variance, adjusted multinomial logistic regression, Poisson regression, and linear regression models, adjusted for age, race, sex, and education, were used to examine associations between distance to farmers' markets, amenities within farmers' markets, frequency of farmers' market shopping, fruit and vegetable consumption, and BMI. Those who reported shopping at farmers' markets a few times per year or less reported consuming 4.4 (standard deviation = 1.7) daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and those who reported shopping 2 or more times per week reported consuming 5.5 (2.2) daily servings. There was no association between farmers' market amenities, and shopping frequency or fruit and vegetable consumption. Those who shopped 2 or more times per week had a statistically significantly lower BMI than those who shopped less frequently. There was no evidence of mediation of the relationship between frequency of shopping and BMI by fruit and vegetable consumption. More work should be done to understand factors within farmers' markets that encourage fruit and vegetable purchases.

A possible dose–response association between distance to farmers’ markets and roadside produce stands, frequency of shopping, fruit and vegetable consumption, and body mass index among customers in the Southern United States

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Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The association between farmers’ market characteristics and consumer shopping habits remains unclear. Our objective was to examine associations among distance to farmers’ markets, amenities within farmers’ markets, frequency of farmers’ market shopping, fruit and vegetable consumption, and body mass index (BMI. We hypothesized that the relationship between frequency of farmers’ market shopping and BMI would be mediated by fruit and vegetable consumption. Methods In 15 farmers’ markets in northeastern North Carolina, July–September 2015, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 263 farmers’ market customers (199 provided complete address data and conducted farmers’ market audits. To participate, customers had to be over 18 years of age, and English speaking. Dependent variables included farmers’ market shopping frequency, fruit and vegetable consumption, and BMI. Analysis of variance, adjusted multinomial logistic regression, Poisson regression, and linear regression models, adjusted for age, race, sex, and education, were used to examine associations between distance to farmers’ markets, amenities within farmers’ markets, frequency of farmers’ market shopping, fruit and vegetable consumption, and BMI. Results Those who reported shopping at farmers’ markets a few times per year or less reported consuming 4.4 (standard deviation = 1.7 daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and those who reported shopping 2 or more times per week reported consuming 5.5 (2.2 daily servings. There was no association between farmers’ market amenities, and shopping frequency or fruit and vegetable consumption. Those who shopped 2 or more times per week had a statistically significantly lower BMI than those who shopped less frequently. There was no evidence of mediation of the relationship between frequency of shopping and BMI by fruit and vegetable consumption. Conclusions More work should be done to understand

Effects of low nitrogen supply on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit yield and quality with special emphasis on sugars, acids, ascorbate, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Bénard, Camille; Gautier, Hélène; Bourgaud, Frédéric; Grasselly, Dominique; Navez, Brigitte; Caris-Veyrat, Catherine; Weiss, Marie; Génard, Michel

2009-05-27

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of lowering nitrogen supply from 12 to 6 or 4 mM NO(3)(-) on tomato fruit yield and quality during the growing season. Lowering nitrogen supply had a low impact on fruit commercial yield (-7.5%), but it reduced plant vegetative growth and increased fruit dry matter content, improving consequently fruit quality. Fruit quality was improved due to lower acid (10-16%) and increased soluble sugar content (5-17%). The content of some phenolic compounds (rutin, a caffeic acid glycoside, and a caffeic acid derivate) and total ascorbic acid tended to be higher in fruit with the lowest nitrogen supply, but differences were significant in only a few cases (trusses). With regard to carotenoids, data did not show significant and univocal differences related to different levels of nitrogen supply. Thus, reducing nitrogen fertilization limited environmental pollution, on the one hand, and may improve, on the other hand, both growers' profits, by limiting nitrogen inputs, and fruit quality for consumers, by increasing tomato sugars content. It was concluded that primary and secondary metabolites could be affected as a result of a specific response to low nitrogen, combined with a lower degree of vegetative development, increasing fruit irradiance, and therefore modifying fruit composition.

Fruit yield and root system distribution of 'Tommy Atkins' mango under different irrigation regimes

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Marcelo R. dos Santos

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the fruit yield and the distribution of 'Tommy Atkins' mango root system under different irrigation regimes in the semiarid region of Bahia. The experimental design was completely randomized with five treatments and three replicates: 1 - Irrigation supplying 100% of ETc in phases I, II and III; 2 - Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI supplying 50% of ETc in phase I (beginning of flowering to early fruit growth; 3 - RDI supplying 50% ETc in phase II (start of expansion until the beginning of physiological maturity; 4 - RDI supplying 50% ETc in phase III (physiological mature fruits; 5 - No irrigation during all three phases. The regulated deficit irrigation supplying 50% of the ETc during phase I and II provided larger root length density of 'Tommy Atkins' mango. Regardless of management strategy, the roots were developed in all evaluated soil volume and the highest density is concentrated from 0.50 to 1.50 m distance from the trunk and in 0.20 to 0.90 m depth in the soil, that suggests this region to be the best place for fertilizer application as well for soil water sensor placement. The application of RDI during fruit set does not influence either root distribution or production. Root system and crop production is significantly reduced under no irrigation conditions.

MARKET BASKET SURVEY FOR SOME PESTICIDES RESIDUES IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FROM GHANA

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Crentsil Kofi Bempah

2012-12-01

Full Text Available A study was conducted to investigate the organochlorine, organophosphorus and synthetic pyrethroid pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables from markets in Ghana. For this purpose, a total of 309 fruits and vegetable samples, were collected and analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detector. The obtained results showed that the predominance of organochlorine followed by organophosphorus and synthetic pyrethroid pesticides in most of the analyzed samples. The detected concentrations of them were most significant in vegetable samples. The results obtained showed that 39.2 % of the fruits and vegetable samples analyzed contained no detectable level of the monitored pesticides, 51.0 % of the samples gave results with trace levels of pesticide residues below the maximum residue limit (MRL, while 9.8 % of the samples were above the MRL. The findings point to the urgent need to establish reliable monitoring programs for pesticides, so that any exceedance in concentration over environmental quality standards can be detected and appropriate actions taken.

FRUITFUL: Integrated supply-chain information system for fruit produce between South Africa and the Netherlands

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Polderijk, JJ

2006-03-01

Full Text Available and improved quality performance, which would strengthen the market position of South-African fruit and that of related fruit supply 130 J.J. POLDERDIJK ET AL. chains on the world market. As a result of this, stakeholders in the fruit export supply chain... choice between an overarching system that would replace existing systems and a decentralized system focusing on interfaces between existing facilities. SOUTH-AFRICAN FRUIT EXPORT INDUSTRY South Africa’s climate and soil condition provide ideal...

Yield and fruit quality traits of dragon fruit lines and cultivars grown in Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

Dragon fruit or pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus and Selenicereus megalanthus) is a member of the Cactaceae family and native to the tropical forest regions of Mexico, Central, and South America. The fruit was practically unknown 15 years ago but it occupies a growing niche in Europe’s exotic fruit mar...

Regulated deficit irrigation effects on yield, fruit quality and vegetative growth of Navelina citrus trees

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gasque, M.; Granero, B.; Turegano, J. V.; Gonzalez-Altozano, P.

2010-07-01

An experiment on regulated deficit irrigation (Redi) was performed during two growing seasons (2007 and 2008) in a drip-irrigated orchard of Navelina/Cleopatra in Senyera (Valencia, Spain). Two RDI treatments, where water application was reduced to 40% and 60% of the irrigation dose (ID), were carried out during the initial fruit enlargement phase (Stage II, 17th July to 2nd September). The rest of the year they were irrigated at 110% ID. These treatments were compared with a control, where irrigation was applied without restriction during the whole year at 110% ID. The ID was obtained from the evapotranspiration data, as well as from the characteristic variables of drip irrigation for the specific experimental orchard. The effects of the treatments on yield, fruit quality, and vegetative growth are discussed in relation to tree water status (midday stem water potential, ?st). Minimal ?st values reached in the treatment with the highest stress intensity were -1.71 and - 1.60 MPa in 2007 and 2008 respectively. These ?st values reached as a consequence of the water reduction in the RDI summer treatments applied in this study did not affect yield or fruit quality, allowing water savings between 16% and 23%. In conclusion, water restriction during summer, and once June drop has finished, favours the better use of water resources by Navelina citrus trees, achieving an increase of water use efficiency (between 14% and 27% in this case), provided that an appropriate irrigation in autumn allows for tree recovery. (Author) 39 refs.

Influence of the extraction mode on the yield of some furanocoumarins from Pastinaca sativa fruits.

Science.gov (United States)

Waksmundzka-Hajnos, Monika; Petruczynik, Anna; Dragan, Anna; Wianowska, Dorota; Dawidowicz, Andrzej L; Sowa, Ireneusz

2004-02-05

Analysis of plant material is an important task in chemotaxonomical investigations, in search of plants with pharmacological activity or in standardisation of plant drugs. The choice of optimal conditions for the analysis of plant material and effect of extraction method on the yield of furanocoumarins from Pastinaca sativa fruits were examined. The following extraction methods were used in experiments: exhaustive extraction in Soxhlet apparatus, ultrasonification (USAE) at 25 and 60 degrees C, microwave-assisted solvent extraction in open and closed system (MASE) and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). In most cases, the yield of furanocoumarins was highest by use of ASE method as well as by ultrasonification at 60 degrees C.

Determination of polysaccharide yield from the fruiting bodies and mycelium of selected mushroom species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaiful Azuar Mohamad; Mat Rasol Awang

2006-01-01

Numerous polysaccharides and polysaccharides-protein complexes have been isolated from mushrooms and used as a source of therapeutic agents. The mycelium of Pleurotus sajor caju, Pleurotus tuber-regium, black ganoderma, and the fruiting bodies of Pleurotus sajor caju and Pleurotus florida were used to determine the percentage of polysaccharides obtained from the mushroom raw material. Hot water extraction method was used followed by refrigerated centrifuge and lyophilization. The yield from the various species will be compared. (Author)

Vigor, produtividade e qualidade de frutos de quatro tangerineiras e híbridos sobre quatro porta-enxertos Vegetative growth, yield and fruit quality of four mandarin and hybrid cultivars on four rootstocks

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Eduardo Sanches Stuchi

2008-09-01

to 2006. The experiment was installed in Bebedouro, SP, Brazil, in 1997. Data collected included: annual and total accumulated fruit production in all cultivars for all years (2000-2006, fruit quality in 2005 and 2006 (fruit mass, total soluble solids, total acids, ratio, scion volume, scion trunk diameter, yield efficiency (Kg fruits/m³ scion, and alternate bearing index. Cumulative yield and fruit quality of all cultivars were not influenced by the rootstocks. 'Swingle' citrumelo induced reduced size trees in most of scion cultivars. 'Nova' tangelo has adequate characteristics and potential as a fresh fruit market cultivar. 'Swatow' mandarin had similar fruit quality with those of 'Ponkan' mandarin. 'Ellendale' tangor and 'Fortune' tangerine had low and irregular yield.

Selection Criteria for Improving Yield in Chili (Capsicum annuum

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S. Chakrabarty

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The present investigation was carried out to estimate the genetic variability and character association. Significant differences were observed among the genotypes for all the 15 traits for 20 chili genotypes. The highest genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation were found for ten edible fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, ten dry fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width, and weight of seeds per fruit. High heritability coupled with very high genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for ten edible fruit weight, ten dry fruit weight, fruit length, number of fruits per plant, and fruit yield per plant. Phenotypic correlation coefficient among different traits indicated that fruit yield per plant at green stage had significant and positive association with ten edible green fruit weight, number of primary branches, harvest duration, and first fruit maturity and significant negative correlation with days to first picking. The path coefficient analysis revealed that days to first picking had the maximum positive direct effect on fruit yield per plant followed by harvest duration, ten edible fruit weight, ten dry fruit weight, hundred-seed weight, number of fruits per plant, first fruit maturity, and number of primary branches. Days to first picking had the maximum positive direct effect but significant negative effect with fruit yield per plant which indicated that the trait should be selected to expunge the undesirable indirect effect in order to make use of the direct effect. Therefore, selection should be practiced for ten edible fruit weight, ten dry fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, harvest duration, and hundred-seed weight for direct improvement of fruit yield per plant.

QTL mapping in multiple populations and development stages reveals dynamic quantitative trait loci for fruit size in cucumbers of different market classes.

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Weng, Yiqun; Colle, Marivi; Wang, Yuhui; Yang, Luming; Rubinstein, Mor; Sherman, Amir; Ophir, Ron; Grumet, Rebecca

2015-09-01

QTL analysis in multi-development stages with different QTL models identified 12 consensus QTLs underlying fruit elongation and radial growth presenting a dynamic view of genetic control of cucumber fruit development. Fruit size is an important quality trait in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) of different market classes. However, the genetic and molecular basis of fruit size variations in cucumber is not well understood. In this study, we conducted QTL mapping of fruit size in cucumber using F2, F2-derived F3 families and recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from a cross between two inbred lines Gy14 (North American picking cucumber) and 9930 (North China fresh market cucumber). Phenotypic data of fruit length and diameter were collected at three development stages (anthesis, immature and mature fruits) in six environments over 4 years. QTL analysis was performed with three QTL models including composite interval mapping (CIM), Bayesian interval mapping (BIM), and multiple QTL mapping (MQM). Twenty-nine consistent and distinct QTLs were detected for nine traits from multiple mapping populations and QTL models. Synthesis of information from available fruit size QTLs allowed establishment of 12 consensus QTLs underlying fruit elongation and radial growth, which presented a dynamic view of genetic control of cucumber fruit development. Results from this study highlighted the benefits of QTL analysis with multiple QTL models and different mapping populations in improving the power of QTL detection. Discussion was presented in the context of domestication and diversifying selection of fruit length and diameter, marker-assisted selection of fruit size, as well as identification of candidate genes for fruit size QTLs in cucumber.

The influence of bird netting on yield and fruit, juice, and wine composition of Vitis vinifera L.

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Vinay Pagay

2013-03-01

Significance and impact of the study: Use of bird netting is becoming more prevalent by grape growers worldwide due to changing migratory patterns of birds that feed on grapes. This study shows that bird netting is not detrimental to yield and fruit and wine quality especially when applied early in the growing season.

Unused natural variation can lift yield barriers in plant breeding.

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Amit Gur

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Natural biodiversity is an underexploited sustainable resource that can enrich the genetic basis of cultivated plants with novel alleles that improve productivity and adaptation. We evaluated the progress in breeding for increased tomato (Solanum lycopersicum yield using genotypes carrying a pyramid of three independent yield-promoting genomic regions introduced from the drought-tolerant green-fruited wild species Solanum pennellii. Yield of hybrids parented by the pyramided genotypes was more than 50% higher than that of a control market leader variety under both wet and dry field conditions that received 10% of the irrigation water. This demonstration of the breaking of agricultural yield barriers provides the rationale for implementing similar strategies for other agricultural organisms that are important for global food security.

Influence of foliar applications of humic acids on yield and fruit quality of table grape cv. Italia

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Giuseppe Ferrara

2008-06-01

Significance and impact of study: This study gives new information about the positive effects of foliar application of humic acids, active components of soil and compost organic matter, on yield and fruit quality of table grape. In organic viticulture humic acids may find a valid and appropriate application for a technical and economical use.

Stock density and fruit yield of African walnut, Plukenetia conophora Mull-Arg (Syn. Tetracarpidium conophorum in tropical lowland rainforests of southwest Nigeria

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TO Amusa

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Despite the huge socio-economic potentials of the African walnut, Plukenetia conophora Mull-Arg, there is a dearth of information on stock density and yield studies under different site conditions. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the stock density and fruit yields of P. conophora in three different habitats (i.e. less disturbed natural forest, recently disturbed natural forest and plantation forest within Omo Forest Reserve (OFR and Shasha Forest Reserve (SFR of Nigeria. Stratified random sampling technique was used to carry out inventory survey. Fruit yields were determined by collecting fruit falls through double sampling approach. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in analyzing the data at P = 0.05. Stock densities of P. conophora were 5.33+1.7stands/ha, 14.67+2.05stands/ha and 16.00+2.94stands/ha in OFR, while they were 7.33+0.47stands/ha, 14.67+1.25stands/ha and 10.67+04.7stands/ha in SFR for recently disturbed forest, less disturbed forest and plantation forest respectively. There were significant differences in number and distribution of species by forest types, but not between forest reserves. The mean yield of P. conophora/ha/yr was estimated at 7,800.00kg for OFR and 6,534.00kg for SFR. Yields from plantation area contributed more in OFR, while yields from less disturbed natural forest area were higher in SFR. Yields from recently disturbed natural forest were consistently lower in the two reserves. These results show that P. conophora thrives better in plantation and old re-growth forests. This information is pertinent towards improving the management of the species, increase its productivity and enhance benefits in a more sustainable manner to the rural populace.

[Effects of different nitrogen application rates on 15N-urea absorption, utilization, loss and fruit yield and quality of dwarf apple].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qian; Ding, Ning; Peng, Ling; Ge, Shun Feng; Jiang, Yuan Mao

2017-07-18

Seven-year-old 'Yanfu3'/M 26 /M. hupehensis Rehd. seedlings and 15 N trace technique were used to explore the characteristics of 15 N-urea absorption, utilization, loss and fruit yield and quality under different nitrogen application rates (N 100 , N 200 and N 300 ). The main results were as follows: the plant growth, 15 N absorption, utilization and loss differed significantly under different treatments. The plant leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD value), photosynthetic rate (P n ), total N content of leaves and the biomass, as well as the root-shoot ratio of N 200 treatment were obviously higher than the N 100 and N 300 treatments. Significant differences were observed in the 15 N derived from fertilizer (Ndff value) of different organs under different nitrogen application rates. The Ndff of fruits (flowers), leaves, one-year-old branch, and perennial branches in each measurement period was N 100 >N 200 ＞N 300 , while that of the roots at full-bloom and spring shoot growing slowly stage was N 100 >N 200 ＞N 300 , and in a trend of N 200 >N 100 ＞N 300 at autumn shoot growing stage, fruit rapid-swel-ling stage and fruit maturity stage. At fruit maturity stage, plant 15 N nitrogen utilization ratio of N 200 treatment was 23.6%, which was obviously higher than the N 100 (16.3%) and N 300 (14.4%) treatments, with the 15 N loss rate of 56.4%, obviously lower than the N 100 (60.6%) and N 300 (66.1%) treatments. There were significant differences among the treatments in fruit mass, yield per plant, soluble solid, fruit firmness, soluble sugar, titratable acids and sugar-acid ratio of different nitrogen rates, and the N 200 treatment showed the best performance, followed by the N 300 treatment, and then the N 100 treatment.

Brave new fruits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hurter, N.

1982-01-01

Gamma rays are being used for artificially inducing mutations in deciduous fruits, so that improvements in characteristics and quality can be developed and new fruit cultivars sent out to compete on international markets. Progress in this field of research at Stellenbosch is described

Increased exposure to community-based education and 'below the line' social marketing results in increased fruit and vegetable consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Glasson, Colleen; Chapman, Kathy; Wilson, Tamara; Gander, Kristi; Hughes, Clare; Hudson, Nayerra; James, Erica

2013-11-01

To determine if localised programmes that are successful in engaging the community can add value to larger fruit and vegetable mass-media campaigns by evaluating the results of the Eat It To Beat It programme. The Eat It To Beat It programme is a multi-strategy intervention that uses community-based education and ‘below the line’ social marketing to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in parents. This programme was evaluated by a controlled before-and-after study with repeat cross-sectional data collected via computer-assisted telephone interviews with 1403 parents before the intervention (2008) and 1401 following intervention delivery (2011). The intervention area was the Hunter region and the control area was the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Parents of primary school-aged children (Kindergarten to Year 6). The programme achieved improvements in knowledge of recommended intakes for fruit and vegetables and some positive changes in knowledge of serving size for vegetables. Exposure to the programme resulted in a net increase of 0.5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily for those who recalled the programme compared with those who did not (P = 0.004). Increased intake of fruit and vegetables was significantly associated with increasing exposure to programme strategies. The Eat It To Beat It programme demonstrates that an increase in consumption of fruit and vegetables can be achieved by programmes that build on the successes of larger mass-media and social-marketing campaigns.This suggests that funding for localised, community-based programmes should be increased.

Influence of Pre- and Postharvest Summer Pruning on the Growth, Yield, Fruit Quality, and Carbohydrate Content of Early Season Peach Cultivars

Science.gov (United States)

Ikinci, Ali

2014-01-01

Winter and summer pruning are widely applied processes in all fruit trees, including in peach orchard management. This study was conducted to determine the effects of summer prunings (SP), as compared to winter pruning (WP), on shoot length, shoot diameter, trunk cross sectional area (TCSA) increment, fruit yield, fruit quality, and carbohydrate content of two early ripening peach cultivars (“Early Red” and “Maycrest”) of six years of age, grown in semiarid climate conditions, in 2008 to 2010. The trees were grafted on GF 677 rootstocks, trained with a central leader system, and spaced 5 × 5 m apart. The SP carried out after harvesting in July and August decreased the shoot length significantly; however, it increased its diameter. Compared to 2009, this effect was more marked in year 2010. In general, control and winter pruned trees of both cultivars had the highest TCSA increment and yield efficiency. The SP increased the average fruit weight and soluble solids contents (SSC) more than both control and WP. The titratable acidity showed no consistent response to pruning time. The carbohydrate accumulation in shoot was higher in WP and in control than in SP trees. SP significantly affected carbohydrate accumulation; postharvest pruning showed higher carbohydrate content than preharvest pruning. PMID:24737954

Vermicompost as a soil supplement to improve growth, yield and fruit quality of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum).

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez-Miceli, Federico A; Santiago-Borraz, Jorge; Montes Molina, Joaquín Adolfo; Nafate, Camerino Carlos; Abud-Archila, Miguel; Oliva Llaven, María Angela; Rincón-Rosales, Reiner; Dendooven, Luc

2007-11-01

The effects of earthworm-processed sheep-manure (vermicompost) on the growth, productivity and chemical characteristics of tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum) (c.v. Rio Grande) were investigated in a greenhouse experiment. Five treatments were applied combining vermicompost and soil in proportions of 0:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5 (v/v). Growth and yield parameters were measured 85 days and 100 days after transplanting. Addition of vermicompost increased plant heights significantly, but had no significant effect on the numbers of leaves or yields 85 days after transplanting. Yields of tomatoes were significantly greater when the relationship vermicompost:soil was 1:1, 1:2 or 1:3, 100 days after transplanting. Addition of sheep-manure vermicompost decreased soil pH, titratable acidity and increased soluble and insoluble solids, in tomato fruits compared to those harvested from plants cultivated in unamended soil. Sheep-manure vermicompost as a soil supplement increased tomato yields and soluble, insoluble solids and carbohydrate concentrations.

Regulation of sex expression, fruit set, pollen sterility and yield in Lagenaria scieraria standle as affected by gamma radiation and chlorflurecolmethylester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Indra; Kaushik, M.P.; Singh, K.P.; Bhardwaj, R.R.; Panwar, D.R.

1983-01-01

The present investigations were undertaken to study the combined effect of gamma radiation and chlorflurecol methylester on growth, sex expression and yield in Langenaria scieraria standle var. 'Pusa Summer Prolific Long'. Healthy, selected dry seeds were exposed to gamma rays at the dose rate of 1000 rad. Solutions of chlorflurecol methylester were applied at 1,10 and 100 mg/1 with hand atomizer. The treatments shifted the position of node having first staminate/pistillate flower bud. The first staminate flower bud appeared later and at higher node than first pistillate flower bud. The number of staminate flowers decreased whereas the number of pistillate flowers increased significantly. Pollen sterility increased progressively at all treatments. The length of vine increased only in 1 mg/1 treatment while number of lateral branches increased gradually. The number and weight of fruit increased significantly at all treatments whereas length and diameter of fruits increased in 1 mg/1 and 100 mg/1 treatment. The treatment also increased the yield of fruit qualitatively as well. (author)

Yield risks in global maize markets: Historical evidence and projections in key regions of the world

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelson B. Villoria

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Simultaneous worldwide crop failures stemming from a more unstable climate may reduce the scope for international trade to compensate food shortages and stabilize food prices across the various regions of the world. Understanding the effects of changes in crop productivity on global markets requires knowledge about the extent to which crop yields may be systematically related across producing and consuming centers. This short communication contributes to this knowledge by investigating the potential changes in the strength of two key sources of supply risks in global maize markets: yield variance and cross-country yield correlation. We focus on the largest producing and consuming countries of the world. We capitalize on yield projections from the Global Gridded Crop Model Intercomparison project. Exploratory analysis of the skill of the underlying GGCMI models in reproducing key moments of the distribution of observed yields reveals that they overstate observed variances but faithfully reproduce observed patterns of cross-country correlations. We find no evidence of an increase in the degree of cross-country dependency of maize yields. We also find a higher incidence of what would be considered extremely low maize yields by present-time standards stemming from the projected downward trend in yields levels toward mid-century. The weak dependency of maize yields across countries, an the possibility of reducing the higher incidence of extremes through policies aimed to reverse the climate-induced downward trends in yields, suggest that international trade can become a valuable tool to ameliorate the effects of more unstable crop yields. Keywords: Extremely low yields, Maize markets, Food prices, Agricultural yields, Systemic risk in agriculture, Global agriculture, AgMIP, Global gridded crop model intercomparison

Deficit Irrigation Effects on Yield, Yield Components and Seed Production of Three Cultivas of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb Matsum and Nakai

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P. Jafari

2015-09-01

Full Text Available A two-year study (2005 - 2006 was carried out to explore the effect of deficit irrigation treatments according to evaporation from a class A basin, including ET= 1 (T1, ET = 0.75 (T2, and ET = 0.5 (T3, on yield, yield components and seed yield of three varieties of watermelon (Charleston Gray, Sugar Baby and Crimson Suite in the Varamin Agricultural Research Center of Iran. A randomized complete block design with a split plot arrangement with four replications was used. The results showed that fruit yield, yield components and seed yield were not significantly different in T1 and T2 treatments in contrary to T3 treatment. Among the yield components, number of fruits per plant most suffered from the negative impact of severe water stress (T3 (1.20 fruit per plant. Rind thickness, percent soluble solids in fruit and seed yield were not affected by water stress. According to phenotypic traits, and correlation coefficients, a significant positive correlation (1% probability level was observed between the weighted average, and the number of fruit with the fruit yield. Crimson Suite cultivar produced the highest yield (2533 kg ha-1 compared to the cultivars Charleston Gray and Sugar Baby. Sugar Baby and Crimson Suite cultivars, with 311.7 and 298.2 kg ha-1, respectively, produced the highest amount of seed. Crimson Suite cultiavr had the highest percentage of soluble solids in fruit (1.35. Rind thickness in Crimson Suites, Charleston Gray and Sugar Baby cultivars were 1.35, 1.13 and 1.10 cm, respectively. The results of this study showed that under a moderate moisture stress condition (ET = 0.75, fruit and seed yield could be similar to the no-water stress conditions.

Developing a Hybrid Solar/Wind Powered Drip Irrigation System for Dragon Fruit Yield

Science.gov (United States)

Widiastuti, I.; Wijayanto, D. S.

2017-03-01

Irrigation operations take a large amount of water and energy which impact to total costs of crop production. Development of an efficient irrigation supplying precise amount of water and conserving the use of energy can have benefits not only by reducing the operating costs but also by enhancing the farmland productivity. This article presents an irrigation method that promotes sustainable use of water and energy appropriate for a developing tropical country. It proposes a drip irrigation system supported by a combined solar-wind electric power generation system for efficient use of water in dragon fruit cultivation. The electric power generated is used to drive a water pump filling a storage tank for irrigating a 3000 m2 dragon fruit yield in Nguntoronadi, Wonogiri, Indonesia. In designing the irrigation system, the plant’s water requirement was identified based on the value of reference evapotranspiration of the area. A cost/benefit analysis was performed to evaluate the economic feasibility of the proposed scheme. The installation of this solar and wind drip irrigation helps provide sufficient quantity of water to each plant using renewable energy sources which reduce dependence on fossil fuel.

Modeling dependence structure between stock market volatility and sukuk yields: A nonlinear study in the case of Saudi Arabia

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Nader Naifar

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to investigate the dependence structure between sukuk (Islamic bonds yields and stock market (returns and volatility in the case of Saudi Arabia. We consider three Archimedean copula models with different tail dependence structures namely Gumbel, Clayton, and Frank. This study shows that the sukuk yields exhibit significant dependence only with stock market volatility. In addition, the dependence structure between sukuk yields and stock market volatility are symmetric and linked with the same intensity.

Effect of harvest methods on yield and quality of Marketable flowers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was carried out to determine the effects of harvest methods (proximal and median harvests) on yield and quality of marketable flowers of greenhouse hybrid tea rose (Rosa hybrida L.) cultivars of different growth habits. The cultivar Grant Galla represented cultivars of vigorous growth habit whereas 'Vivaldi' ...

From Farms to Markets: Gram-Negative Bacteria Resistant to Third-Generation Cephalosporins in Fruits and Vegetables in a Region of North Africa

OpenAIRE

Mesbah Zekar, Ferielle; Granier, Sophie A.; Marault, Muriel; Yaici, Lydia; Gassilloud, Benoit; Manceau, Charles; Touati, Abdelaziz; Millemann, Yves

2017-01-01

The role of food in human exposure to antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is a growing food safety issue. The contribution of fruits and vegetables eaten raw to this exposure is still unclear. The evaluation of contamination levels of fruits, vegetables and the agricultural environment by third-generation cephalosporin (3GC)-resistant Gram-negative bacteria was performed by analyzing 491 samples of fruits and vegetables collected from 5 markets and 7 farms in Bejaia area, north-eastern Mediterra...

How does petroleum price and corn yield volatility affect ethanol markets with and without an ethanol use mandate?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, Wyatt; Meyer, Seth; Westhoff, Pat

2009-01-01

The recent increase in ethanol use in the US strengthens and changes the nature of links between agricultural and energy markets. Here, we explore the interaction of market volatility and the scope for policy to affect this interaction, with a focus on how corn yields and petroleum prices affect ethanol prices. Mandates associated with new US energy legislation may intervene in these links in the medium-term future. We simulate stochastically a structural model that represents these markets, and that includes mandates, in order to assess how shocks to corn or oil markets can affect ethanol price and use. We estimate that the mandate makes ethanol producer prices more sensitive to corn yields and less sensitive to changes in petroleum prices overall. We note a discontinuity in these links that is caused by the mandate. Ethanol use can exceed the mandate if petroleum prices and corn yields are high enough, but the mandate limits downside adjustments in ethanol use to low petroleum prices or corn yields

Yield and fruit quality traits of rambutan cultivars grafted onto a common rootstock and grown at two locations in Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

The globalization of the economy, increased ethnic diversity and a greater demand for healthy and more diverse food products have opened a window of opportunity for the commercial production and marketing of tropical fruit, including rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum). There is a lack of formal experim...

Advances in Non-Destructive Early Assessment of Fruit Ripeness towards Defining Optimal Time of Harvest and Yield Prediction—A Review

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Bo Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Global food security for the increasing world population not only requires increased sustainable production of food but a significant reduction in pre- and post-harvest waste. The timing of when a fruit is harvested is critical for reducing waste along the supply chain and increasing fruit quality for consumers. The early in-field assessment of fruit ripeness and prediction of the harvest date and yield by non-destructive technologies have the potential to revolutionize farming practices and enable the consumer to eat the tastiest and freshest fruit possible. A variety of non-destructive techniques have been applied to estimate the ripeness or maturity but not all of them are applicable for in situ (field or glasshouse assessment. This review focuses on the non-destructive methods which are promising for, or have already been applied to, the pre-harvest in-field measurements including colorimetry, visible imaging, spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging. Machine learning and regression models used in assessing ripeness are also discussed.

VARIABILITY OF YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS IN “EGUSI ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

journal

Estimate of expected genetic advance in seed yield plant-1 ranged between. 25.90-48.40%. ..... values in fruit and seed yield characters have been reported in culinary melon, ... and Khund, A. 2004. Extent of heterosis and heritability in some.

Cultivar e adubação NPK na produção de tomate salada Cultivar and NPK fertilization on yield of fresh market tomato

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Paulo Renato Z. Santos

2001-03-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o efeito de cultivar, da adubação NPK e da interação desses fatores na produção de tomate salada tutorado. O experimento foi conduzido em Pelotas (RS no ano agrícola 1995/96. Foram utilizadas cinco cultivares (Flora-Dade, Max, Empire, Pacific e Diva e três níveis (2,0, 3,5 e 5,0 t/ha de adubação NPK (3,6-7,2-10. Os tratamentos foram dispostos sob esquema fatorial em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com três repetições. As cultivares Empire e Pacific apresentaram frutos com maior peso médio do que Flora-Dade, Max e Diva. O número de frutos por planta aumentou com a elevação do nível de adubação de 2,0 para 3,5 t/ha, enquanto que o peso médio de frutos diminuiu, sem alterar a produção. As cultivares apresentaram respostas diferenciais aos níveis de adubação, em relação ao peso médio de frutos.The objective of this work was to study the effect of cultivar, NPK fertilization and the interaction on yield components of fresh market tomatoes. The experiment was carried out in Pelotas, Brazil, in 1995/96 season. Five cultivars (Flora-Dade, Max, Empire, Pacific and Diva and three fertilization levels (2.0, 3.5 and 5.0 t/ha of NPK (3.6-7.2-10 were used. The treatments were displayed under a factorial scheme, in a randomized complete block design, with three repetitions. Empire and Pacific cultivars showed higher average fruit weight than Flora-Dade, Max and Diva. The number of fruits per plant increased with the elevation of fertilization levels from 2.0 to 3.5 t/ha, while the average fruit weight diminished, without changing yield. The cultivars showed differential response to fertilization levels, in relation to average fruit weight.

Yield and fruit quality of peach scion by using rootstocks propagated by air layering and seed

OpenAIRE

Picolotto,Luciano; Fachinello,José Carlos; Bianchi,Valmor João; Manica-Berto,Roberta; Pasa,Mateus da Silveira; Schmitz,Juliano Dutra

2010-01-01

In rootstock propagation, several methods can be used; however few practices are adopted due to the lack of information about the behavior of stionic combinations at field. The work aimed to compare the propagation method by air layering with the traditional propagation system by seeds using the scion peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] cultivar Granada. The following variables were measured: yield, fruit weight and size, skin color, flesh firmness, total soluble solids content (TSS) and titat...

Increasing plant density in eastern United States broccoli production systems to maximize marketable head yields

Science.gov (United States)

Increased demand for fresh market broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) has led to increased production along the eastern seaboard of the United States. Maximizing broccoli yields is a primary concern for quickly expanding eastern commercial markets. Thus, a plant density study was carried ...

Linkages among U.S. Treasury Bond Yields, Commodity Futures and Stock Market Implied Volatility: New Nonparametric Evidence

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Vychytilova Jana

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to explore specific cross-asset market correlations over the past fifteen- yearperiod-from January 04, 1999 till April 01, 2015, and within four sub-phases covering both the crisis and the non-crisis periods. On the basis of multivariate statistical methods, we focus on investigating relations between selected well-known market indices- U.S. treasury bond yields- the 30-year treasury yield index (TYX and the 10-year treasury yield (TNX; commodity futures the TR/J CRB; and implied volatility of S&P 500 index- the VIX. We estimate relative logarithmic returns by using monthly close prices adjusted for dividends and splits and run normality and correlation analyses. This paper indicates that the TR/J CRB can be adequately modeled by a normal distribution, whereas the rest of benchmarks do not come from a normal distribution. This paper, inter alia, points out some evidence of a statistically significant negative relationship between bond yields and the VIX in the past fifteen years and a statistically significant negative linkage between the TR/J CRB and the VIX since 2009. In rather general terms, this paper thereafter supports the a priori idea- financial markets are interconnected. Such knowledge can be beneficial for building and testing accurate financial market models, and particularly for the understanding and recognizing market cycles.

Effect of rate and time of nitrogen application on fruit yield and accumulation of nutrient elements in Momordica charantia

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Mostafa Heidari

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Cucurbitaceae is one of the largest families in vegetable kingdom consisting of largest number of edible type species. Momordica charantia is one such important vegetable that belongs to the family of Cucurbitaceae. In order to evaluate the effect of rate and time of nitrogen application on M. charantia, a field experiment was conducted at the University of Zabol in Iran during 2011 growing season. The experiment was laid out as split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Three levels of nitrogen rates consisting of: N1 = 75, N2 = 150 and N3 = 225 kg N ha−1 as main plot and three time application including: T1 = 1/2 at 3 and 4 leaves and 1/2 before flowering, T2 = 1/2 at 3 and 4 leaves and 1/2 after fruit to start, and T3 = 1/3 at 3 and 4 leaves, 1/3 before flowering, and 1/3 after fruit to start were used as sub plot. The results revealed that both rate and time of nitrogen application had a significant effect on fruit yield. The highest fruit yield was recorded at the rate of N3 and time of nitrogen application in T3 treatment. In this study, by increasing nitrogen levels from 75 to 225 kg N ha−1, the values of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in fruit increased. The time of nitrogen application and interaction between rate and time of nitrogen treatments had no significant effect on the amounts of these three elements. Nitrogen level had a significant effect on the amounts of calcium, manganese and zinc elements. The highest values of calcium and zinc were obtained at N2 and manganese at N3 nitrogen level. Time of nitrogen application treatment in this experiment had only significant effect on the amounts of calcium and zinc elements and had no significant effect on the other elements.

Systematic selection for increased fruit yield in populations derived from hybridization only, F1 irradiation, and hybridization following parental irradiation in peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emery, D.A.; Wynne, J.C.

1976-01-01

Three hybrid peanut populations involving a single pair of high yielding parents were developed to determine the effects of irradiation prior to and after hybridization on the response to selection for fruit yield. The control-hybrid population was produced by making reciprocal crosses between the two parents. The pre-hybrid-irradiated population was initiated by making reciprocal crosses between the M 1 plants of the two parents irradiated as seeds. The post-hybrid-irradiated population was developed by irradiating the mature F 1 embryos of crosses between the same parents. Each of the three original populations consisted of 55 F 1 plants. Ten F 2 plants were grown from each F 1 and one F 3 plant from each F 2 was used to initiate the yield tests. Selection for increased yield was practiced systematically and uniformly in each population over the F 3 to F 5 generations until the number of lines derived from single F 1 plants was reduced to five and the number of sublines descended from particular F 2 plants to three per line for yield trials in the F 6 generation. The mean yields of the F 1 derived lines of the irradiated populations were considerably below that of the control hybrid population when selection began but they reached 99% of the control mean in the F 6 generation. Selection gains in the irradiated populations appeared to result from the removal of inferior yielding sublines since greatest progress was made by raising the lower extremities of mean F 2 derived subline ranges rather than by extending the upper extremities of the ranges. The three highest yielding lines in the F6 generation occurred in the irradiated populations while the three highest yielding sublines were found in the hybrid-control population. No incidental association between size and yield of fruit was noted and a wide range of fruit sizes was found among the high yielding lines and sublines in all populations. (author)

Pesticide contamination of fruits and vegetables - A market basket survey from selected regions in Ghana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asiedu, Eric

2013-07-01

A market - basket survey was carried out with the aim of determining the concentration levels of pesticides, in lettuce, garden eggs, pineapple and mango from some selected regions in Ghana and to assess the potential health risk associated with exposure to the pesticide residues from fruits and vegetables consumption. A total of 192 fresh samples of fruits and vegetables were randomly collected under normal purchase conditions from 12 major towns and cities in the three regions of Ghana. The samples were extracted and analyzed for organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids and organo chlorine pesticides. The percentage of samples of fruits and vegetables with pesticide residues in Lettuce, Garden eggs, Pineapple and Mango were 52%, 40%, 45%, 48% respectively and concentrations of pesticides did not vary significantly in samples as well as the sampling areas (p>0.05) even though there were differences in residual concentrations of pesticides . The differences in residual concentrations of pesticides could be due to different agricultural practices adopted by farmers and also accessibility of the pesticides. The average residue concentrations range from 0.01-0.45 mg/kg, 0.01-0.30 mg/kg and 0.01-1.27 mg/kg for organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids and organo chlorine pesticides respectively. Lindane, chloropyrifos and cypermethrin were the most frequent organo chlorine, organophosphate and synthetic pyrethroid pesticides respectively while lettuce was the most frequently contaminated sample. Comparing the concentration levels of organo chlorine pesticides residue with the maximum residue limits (MRLs) adopted by the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarious Commission shows that some of the fruits and vegetables sold on Ghanaian markets are contaminated even though the levels are generally low. Health risk analysis indicates that heptachlor in particular may be of public concern since its concentration levels exceeded the reference dose in all the four different types of samples

REGULATED DEFICIT IRRIGATION AND DIFFERENT MULCH TYPES ON FRUIT QUALITY AND YIELD OF WATERMELON

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KLEITON ROCHA SARAIVA

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to assess the pulp resistance, soluble solids and yield of watermelon fruits grown under different irrigation managements (determined by the ISAREG model and mulches, and their interactions. After a survey carried out on local producers, two experiments were conducted, using a completely randomized block design in split - plot arrangement with four replications, in the Teaching, Research and Extension Unit (UEPE of the Federal Institute of Ceara (IFCE, Jaguaribe - Apodi Irrigation District (DIJA, State of Ceara, Brazil. The treatments consisted of four irrigation managements in the plots, M1 (100% of the available - water capacity (AWC of the soil, M2 (80%, M3 (60% and M4 (average water depth used by local producers and four mulch types in the sub - plots, without mulching (C0 with rice husk (C1, white plastic (C2 and black plastic (C3 as mulches. The results were subjected to analysis of variance, and significant results were subjected to regression (irrigation managements, average test (mulches and trend graphs (interaction between the factors. The irrigation management practiced during the watermelon crop cycle by the local producers of the Irrigation District of Jaguaribe - Apodi (DIJA in the State of Ceara, Brazil, is not appropriated, since they usually apply more water than the highest water depth determined by the ISAREG model (100% of the AWC. The plants grown under irrigation water depth of 365.20 mm (M1 and soils with mulches of rice husk or white plastic had the highest yields and fruits with better quality of soluble solids and pulp resistance.

Influence of pollen source and pollination frequency on fruit drop, yield and quality of date palm (phoenix dactylifera l.) cv. Dhakki

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shafique, M.; Khan, A.S.; Malik, A.U.; Shahid, M.; Rajwana, I.A.; Saleem, B.A.; Amin, M.; Ahmad, I.

2011-01-01

The study was undertaken to determine the influence of pollen sources and pollination frequency on fruit drop, yield and quality of date palm cv. 'Dhakki'. Three 'Dhakki' female trees and three different male trees (M-1, M-2 and M-3) were selected for the experiment. On each female tree six spathes were chosen and were pollinated with pollens collected from one of the selected male parent. Out of six, three spathes were pollinated once and other three were pollinated twice (second pollination was done two days after first pollination). Data were collected for physico-chemical characteristics of the fruit including fruit drop, fruit weight, flesh weight, seed weight, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), TSS: TA ratio, sugars, level of ascorbic acid and total phenols. The results indicated that pollen source significantly affected the fruit drop percentage as minimum fruit drop was observed from the tree pollinated with M-3. Physical properties of the fruit like fruit weight, flesh weight and seed weight were significantly improved with pollination from M-1 compared to other male trees. After harvest chemical quality parameters like TSS and TSS: TA ratio, ascorbic acid contents, and reducing sugars were highest in fruit pollinated with M-3 and M-2 respectively. Whereas lowest level of TA was recorded in fruits pollinated with M-3. Pollen source and number of pollinations did not significantly affect the level of total phenols in the date palm fruit. Total and non-reducing sugars were significantly higher in the fruit pollinated twice. In conclusion, the pollen source had significant impact on the physicochemical properties of date palm cv. 'Dhakki'. The results suggested that best pollen source (male trees) should be selected for their respective female trees to get most desired characteristics. (author)

Isolation and identification of fungi associated with spoilt fruits vended in Gwagwalada market, Abuja, Nigeria

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Samuel Mailafia

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Aim: Annual reports have shown that 20% of fruits and vegetables produced are lost to spoilage. This study was undertaken to isolate and identify fungi that are associated with spoilt fruits commonly sold in Gwagwalada market, Abuja, and recommend appropriate control measure. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in Gwagwalada metropolis, Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. A total of 100 spoilt fruits which include pawpaw (Carica papaya, orange (Citrus sinensis, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, pineapple (Ananas comosus, and watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris were purchased and examined for the presence of fungal organisms using standard methods. The data collected were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics (frequency and mean and analysis of variance (p<0.05. Results: Aspergillus niger had the highest occurrence in pineapple, watermelon, oranges, pawpaw, and tomatoes with a frequency of 38%. Fusarium avenaceum followed with the frequency of occurrence of 31% in fruits such as pineapple, watermelon, oranges, pawpaw, and tomatoes while Penicillium digitatum and Rhizopus stolonifer had the least frequency of 4% each in tomato; and orange and tomato, respectively. Other fungal species were identified as yeast (Saccharomyces species (10%, Fusarium solani (8%, and Aspergillus flavus (5%. The highest prevalence rate was 70% of A. niger from orange followed by F. avenaceum of which 65% isolates were recovered from pawpaw. Other fungal organisms such as yeast (Saccharomyces species, P. digitatum and R. stolonifer were isolated with varying prevalence (40%, 20%, and 5% from watermelon, tomato, and orange, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the fungal load of the various fruits studied (analysis of variance=478.2857, p<0.05, F=4.680067 and df=34. Conclusion: The pathogenic fungi species associated with fruits spoilage in this study are of economical and public health

Determination of total aflatoxines in dryed and nuted fruits present in macedinian market

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Hajrulai-Musliu Zehra

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Humans and animals are exposed to aflatoxins by consuming foods contaminated with products of fungal growth. Such exposure is difficult to avoid because fungal growth in foods is not easy to prevent. Even though heavily contaminated food supplies are not distributed at market in developed countries, concern still remains for the possible adverse effects as a consequence of long-term exposure to low levels of aflatoxins in the food supply. Thence the aim of this study was determination of total aflatoxins in dry fruits and nuts. Only products in the open market places such as peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds and raisins, were analysed. Nineteen of 30 analysed samples (63.33% were over the detection limit, whereas 11 of analysed samples (36,6% were the same limit.The highr then allowed value of aflatoxins concentration was determined only in one sample of walnut (21 µg/kg.

7 CFR 906.120 - Fruit exempt from regulations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing... manufacture of any orange or grapefruit product which has been converted into sectioned fruit or into fresh... grown in the production area are mixed with other types of fruit; (ii) Such oranges and/or grapefruit...

Effects of Different Irrigation Programs on Fruit, Trunk Growth Rates, Quality and Yield of Grapefruit Trees

OpenAIRE

KANBER, Rıza; KÖKSAL, Harun; YAZAR, Attila; ÖZEKİCİ, Bülent; ÖNDER, Sermet

1999-01-01

Long-term field experiments were carried out between 1985 and 1988 to determine the effect of different irrigation intervals and pan coefficients on the fruit and trunk growth rates and yield of mature grapefruit trees grown in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey in a medium-light textured soil. Two different irrigation intervals (I 1 =15 and I 2 =25 days), and pan coefficients (k 1 =0.60 and k 2 =1.00) were used. Higher evapotranspiration values were obtained from the treatments with ...

Reducing Food Insecurity and Improving Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Farmers' Market Incentive Program Participants.

Science.gov (United States)

Savoie-Roskos, Mateja; Durward, Carrie; Jeweks, Melanie; LeBlanc, Heidi

2016-01-01

To determine whether participation in a farmers' market incentive pilot program had an impact on food security and fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake of participants. Participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were eligible to receive a dollar-per-dollar match up to $10/wk in farmers' market incentives. The researchers used a pretest-posttest design to measure F&V intake and food security status of 54 adult participants before and after receiving farmers' market incentives. The 6-item Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaire and US Household Food Security Survey Module were used to measure F&V intake and food security, respectively. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare scores of F&V intake. After receiving incentives, fewer individuals reported experiencing food insecurity-related behaviors. A significantly increased intake (P market incentive program was positively related to greater food security and intake of select vegetables among participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mercado de frutas frescas no município de Mineiros-GO Fruit marketing in Mineiros, Goiás State, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro Brasil Sias Tofanelli

2007-08-01

Full Text Available A eficiência na comercialização de frutas necessita de estudos constantes nos mercados para fornecer informações que possam servir de suporte à elaboração de estratégias e execuções de ações para melhorias do contexto mercadológico. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar levantamento do mercado de frutas frescas no município de Mineiros-GO, a fim de fornecer informações de mercado que possam auxiliar em ações específicas ao setor. Para isso, foram realizadas pesquisas em estabelecimentos comerciais (equipamentos varejistas: supermercados, quitandas/sacolões e feira-livre, entre dezembro de 2005 e janeiro de 2006, mediante aplicação de questionários em cada equipamento. Dentre as frutas relacionadas pelos resultados da pesquisa, a laranja foi a que apresentou o maior volume de comercialização (7.196 kg semana-1, seguida da banana (2.812 kg semana-1 e maçã (2.526 kg semana-1. Os resultados demonstraram que os supermercados e as quitandas são os principais responsáveis pelo comércio de frutas em Mineiros. A deficiência na produção local de frutas em Mineiros pôde ser sugerida quando ficou demonstrado que 93,3% dos estabelecimentos de frutas comercializadas neste município são abastecidos pelos Ceasas e apenas 6,7% por produtores locais.The efficiency in the commercialization of fruits needs constant studies in the markets to supply information that can serve of support to the elaboration of strategies and executions of action for improvements of the marketing context. The present work had as objective to carry through survey of the market of fresh fruit in the city of Mineiros (State of Goiás, Brazil in order to supply market information that can assist in specific actions to the sector. For this, research in commercial establishments had been carried through. For this, retail equipment had been carried through research in commercial establishments (supermarkets, grocery stores/retail shops and street

Flavors of the city: access to regional fruit and fruit consumption in the State of Acre, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Carolina Barbosa de Lima

Full Text Available In 2010 more than 70% of the population in the Brazilian Amazon was living in urban centers. This article looks at the effect of urbanization on market availability and consumption of regional fruits in the state of Acre. The east and west region were used as proxies for urbanization, and quantitative and qualitative methods were combined in interviews with regional fruit vendors and consumers. Open markets in large cities provided a greater variety of regional fruits for purchase, yet fruit consumption was more diverse in the less urbanized west, than in the east. This pattern reveals the importance of fruit tree diversity in home gardens and urban forested fragments, as well as of non-monetary exchanges of goods as promoters of variety in fruit consumption. Findings suggest that children may be benefiting the most from this consumption. Also, certain regional fruits have gained a 'cultural marker' status and are widely consumed regardless of the urbanization rates. Nevertheless, this article demonstrates how urbanization affects the diversity of fruit consumption in different social groups, and how this process is mediated by access, income level, and health concerns.

Quality characterization of Andean blackberry fruits (Rubus glaucus Benth. in different maturity stages in Antioquia, Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catarina Pedro Carvalho

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Product quality and safety are two essential characteristics for the fruit market, making it necessary to normalize and standardize processes in order to improve their commercialization. In this study, the quality of two Andean blackberry cultivars grown in two regions of Antioquia (Envigado and Guarne, Colombia, from different maturity stages as defined by the Norma Tecnica Colombiana 7146 (NTC Spanish was characterized. The parameters that were found suitable for the fruit quality characterization were: weight, total solid soluble content (TSS, titratable acidity (TA, maturity index (MI, color index (CI and firmness (F. The equatorial diameter (ED maintained its importance relative to the standard and the market, along with the juice yield (JY. The quotient a*/b* presented the best correlation with the visual color scale as defined in the standard. The TSS ranges defined in NTC 4106 were not verified in this studied for fruits grown in the agro-climatic conditions of Antioquia. Linear regression models are a useful tool for making quick and easy comparisons and estimations of the quality parameters.

Grower perception of the significance of weaver ants as a fruit fly deterrent in Tanzanian smallholder mango production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkegaard, Nina; Msogoya, Theodosy; Offenberg, Joachim

2017-01-01

Managed populations of weaver ants in mango trees have been used successfully in Australia, SE Asia and parts of Western Africa to deter fruit flies from ovipositing in ripening fruits. The presence of indigenous weaver ants in mango trees of smallholder growers in Tanzania offers the possibility...... of exploiting them as an affordable, environmentally -friendly method to improve marketable fruit yield and quality. In a preliminary interview study in a mango-growing region of rural Tanzania, the farmers were not convinced of any beneficial, deterrent effect attributable to the indigenous weaver ants...... the development of a significant proportion of any deposited eggs. Subsequent field studies supported the grower perceptions as they recorded only an erratic and limited deterrent effect....

Ionizing energy treatment of fruit and vegetables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rigney, C.J.

1983-01-01

The potential of ionising energy treatment of fresh fruit and vegetables may be considered within four major use areas. The shelf life of such fruits as bananas, mangoes and pawpaws can be extended by a direct physiological effect on the fruit. This treatment renders the fruit less sensitive to ethylene, a natural senescence-promoting chemical, and retards the onset of the climactric rise in respiration which is associated with fruit ripening. Postharvest decay caused by radio-sensitive organisms can also be controlled by low irradiation treatments, although this is only applicable in cases where the host fruit is less sensitive to the treatment than the decay causing organism. The sprouting of onions and potatoes can be controlled by a single low dose treatment which has a direct effect on the meristematic tissue. By killing insects of quarantine significance the interstate and export marketing of Australian fresh fruit may be expanded, with a consequent expansion of these horticultural industries. Ionising energy treatment of fruit and vegetables is therefore a valuable postharvest tool to improve the quality of fresh produce on local and export markets

Associations between access to farmers’ markets and supermarkets, shopping patterns, fruit and vegetable consumption and health indicators among women of reproductive age in eastern North Carolina, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Pitts, Stephanie B Jilcott; Wu, Qiang; McGuirt, Jared T; Crawford, Thomas W; Keyserling, Thomas C; Ammerman, Alice S

2013-01-01

Objective We examined associations between access to food venues (farmers’ markets and supermarkets), shopping patterns, fruit and vegetable consumption and health indicators among women of reproductive age in eastern North Carolina, USA. Design Access to food venues was measured using a Geographic Information System incorporating distance, seasonality and business hours, to quantify access to farmers’ markets. Produce consumption was assessed by self-report of eating five or more fruits and vegetables daily. BMI and blood pressure were assessed by clinical measurements. Poisson regression with robust variance was used for dichotomous outcomes and multiple linear regression was used for continuous outcomes. As the study occurred in a university town and university students are likely to have different shopping patterns from non-students, we stratified analyses by student status. Setting Eastern North Carolina. Subjects Low-income women of reproductive age (18–44 years) with valid address information accessing family planning services at a local health department (n 400). Results Over a quarter reported ever shopping at farmers’ markets (114/400). A larger percentage of women who shopped at farmers’ markets consumed five or more fruits and vegetables daily (42·1%) than those who did not (24·0%; P<0·001). The mean objectively measured distance to men reported shopping was 11·4 (SD 9·0) km (7·1 (SD 5·6) miles), while the mean distance to the farmers’ market closest to the residence was 4·0 (SD 3·7) km (2·5 (SD 2·3) miles). Conclusions Among non-students, those who shopped at farmers’ markets were more likely to consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Future research should further explore potential health benefits of farmers’ markets. PMID:23701901

Evaluation of Fermentative Hydrogen Production from Single and Mixed Fruit Wastes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julius Akinbomi

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The economic viability of employing dark fermentative hydrogen from whole fruit wastes as a green alternative to fossil fuels is limited by low hydrogen yield due to the inhibitory effect of some metabolites in the fermentation medium. In exploring means of increasing hydrogen production from fruit wastes, including orange, apple, banana, grape and melon, the present study assessed the hydrogen production potential of singly-fermented fruits as compared to the fermentation of mixed fruits. The fruit feedstock was subjected to varying hydraulic retention times (HRTs in a continuous fermentation process at 55 °C for 47 days. The weight distributions of the first, second and third fruit mixtures were 70%, 50% and 20% orange share, respectively, while the residual weight was shared equally by the other fruits. The results indicated that there was an improvement in cumulative hydrogen yield from all of the feedstock when the HRT was five days. Based on the results obtained, apple as a single fruit and a fruit mixture with 20% orange share have the most improved cumulative hydrogen yields of 504 (29.5% of theoretical yield and 513 mL/g volatile solid (VS (30% of theoretical yield , respectively, when compared to other fruits.

Influence of Changing Rainfall Patterns on the Yield of Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L. and Selection of Genotypes in Known Drought-tolerant Fruit Species for Climate Change Adaptation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablito M. Magdalita

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In fruit crop production, rainfall, water stress, temperature, and wind are key variables for success, and the present changes in rainfall patterns could affect the flowering and yield of the rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L. Other fruit species like macopa (Syzygium samarangense, siniguelas (Spondias purpurea, and native santol or cotton fruit (Sandoricum koetjape remain productive despite extreme climatic changes. This study assessed the influence of rainfall on rambutan yield and evaluated and selected tree genotypes of known drought-tolerant fruit species. Rambutan yield in a selected farm in Calauan, Laguna, Philippines, dropped remarkably from 152.2 kg/tree in 2008 to 8.6 kg/tree in 2009. This reduction could be attributed to the high rainfall in April 2009 at 334.4 mm, and possibly other environmental factors like temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and strong wind. Furthermore, wet months in 2009 also inhibited the flowering of rambutan. However, a low yield obtained in 2010 at 45.5 kg/tree could be partly attributed to the very low rainfall in May 2010 at only 9.1 mm. On the other hand, in relation to changing climate, selection of tree genotypes for use as varieties in known drought- and flood-tolerant fruit species based on important fruit qualities like sweetness, juiciness, and high edible portion was done. Among 103 macopa genotypes, Mc-13, 43, and 91 were selected and the best (i.e. , Mc-13 had sweet (7.15 °Brix and crispy fruits weighing 49.44 g, creamy white (RHCC 155 A, and had high edible portion (EP, 93.22%. Among 114 siniguelas genotypes, Sg-41, 42 and 105 were selected and the best selection (i.e., Sg-41, had sweet (12.50 °Brix and juicy fruit weighing 20.42 g, ruby red (RHCC 59 A, and had high EP (83.27%. Among 101 native santol genotypes, Sn-47, 59, and 74 were selected and the best selection (i.e. , Sn-59 had relatively sweet (5.56 °Brix and juicy fruits weighing 51.96 g, maize yellow (RHCC 21 B, and had

Differential inheritance of pepper (capsicum annum) fruit pigments results in black to violet fruit color

Science.gov (United States)

Color and appearance of fruits and vegetables are critical determinants of product quality and may afford high-value market opportunities. Exploiting the rich genetic diversity in Capsicum, we characterized the inheritance of black and violet immature fruit color and chlorophyll, carotenoid and ant...

Optimum yields of dibenzylbutyrolactone-type lignans from Cynareae fruits, during their ripening, germination and enzymatic hydrolysis processes, determined by on-line chromatographic methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Szokol-Borsodi, Lilla; Sólyomváry, Anna; Molnár-Perl, Ibolya; Boldizsár, Imre

2012-01-01

Dibenzylbutyrolactone-type lignans are the physiologically active constituents of the achene fruits of Cynareae. These lignans occur in glycoside/aglycone forms: in the highest quantity of the arctiin/arctigenin, matairesinoside/matairesinol and tracheloside/trachelogenin pairs found in the fruits of Arctium lappa L., Centaurea scabiosa L. and Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. To optimise the extraction yield of the arctiin/arctigenin, matairesinoside/matairesinol and tracheloside/trachelogenin glycoside/aglycone pairs, from the fruits of Arctium lappa, Centaurea scabiosa and Cirsium arvense, under the ripening, germination and enzymatic hydrolysis processes of the fruits. Identification and quantification of lignans were performed with on-line gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), both with UV and mass selective detections (HPLC-UV/MS). As novelties to the field it was confirmed that: (i) the unripe fruits provide a high amount of lignans, similar to the ripe fruit; (ii) the fruits of Arctium lappa and Cirsium arvense do have glycosidase activity to hydrolyse their lignan glycosides into free lignans; (iii) the glycosidase of Centaurea scabiosa fruit becomes activated under its germination process only; and (iv) the overwhelming part of the fruits lignan contents (80-94%) in all three species are accumulated in the embryo. The best sources of (i) lignan aglycones are the enzyme-hydrolysed embryos, separating spontaneously during the germination process, and (ii) lignan glycosides are the unripe fruits. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Consumption patterns and demographic factors influence on fruit ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The consumption pattern variables (Table 3) of the different fruit juice classifications were ..... Elepu G, Nabisubi J, Sserunkuuma D. Segmentation of processed fruit juice consumers in urban .... Liquid fruit market report. [homepage on the ...

Fruit-Growing in Latvia – Industry and Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaufmane Edīte

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In all times, fruit trees for family use have been grown at Latvian farms. Yet these fruits obtained market value only after the land ownership reform in 19th century. This facilitated rapid area increase of different fruit crops, allowing supply with fruits not only the local market, but also for export to the largest cities of Russia. Especially fast development of fruit-growing was observed during the first independent republic (1919–1940. The demand for planting material increased, and plants were imported from Western Europe. Choice of unsuitable cultivars and rootstocks was the main reason of the massive orchard area loss during the following severe winters. After the Second World War, the Soviet powers supported only the establishment of large orchards for processing needs, 200-300 ha, which were unsuitable for the Latvian climate and terrain. At the same time, numbers of allotment gardens rapidly increased and part of their produce was sold also on the market. After regaining of independence and private property, interest in fresh fruit and berry production for market, as well as processing, renewed. It was hindered by lack of continuity in experience and knowledge. Diversity of terrain, soils and climate all demand considerate choice of suitable orchard location and cultivars. Direct use of foreign experience often led to failure. At present, development of the fruit industry is most of all hindered by lack of qualified specialists of different levels, which does not allow to establish an appropriate consulting system. Cooperation of growers for easier marketing also is developing too slowly. Insufficient economic and market research does not allow to balance the demand with increase of plantation area, especially for large-scale processing and export, so strategic guidance of the fruit industry is not possible. Development of fruit-growing is hindered also by a lack of continuous long-term support to horticultural science. As a

Phloem unloading follows an extensive apoplasmic pathway in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit from anthesis to marketable maturing stage.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Liping; Sun, Huihui; Li, Ruifu; Zhang, Lingyun; Wang, Shaohui; Sui, Xiaolei; Zhang, Zhenxian

2011-11-01

The phloem unloading pathway remains unclear in fruits of Cucurbitaceae, a classical stachyose-transporting species with bicollateral phloem. Using a combination of electron microscopy, transport of phloem-mobile symplasmic tracer carboxyfluorescein, assays of acid invertase and sucrose transporter, and [(14)C]sugar uptake, the phloem unloading pathway was studied in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruit from anthesis to the marketable maturing stage. Structural investigations showed that the sieve element-companion cell (SE-CC) complex of the vascular bundles feeding fruit flesh is apparently symplasmically restricted. Imaging of carboxyfluorescein unloading showed that the dye remained confined to the phloem strands of the vascular bundles in the whole fruit throughout the stages examined. A 37 kDa acid invertase was located predominantly in the cell walls of SE-CC complexes and parenchyma cells. Studies of [(14)C]sugar uptake suggested that energy-driven transporters may be functional in sugar trans-membrane transport within symplasmically restricted SE-CC complex, which was further confirmed by the existence of a functional plasma membrane sucrose transporter (CsSUT4) in cucumber fruit. These data provide a clear evidence for an apoplasmic phloem unloading pathway in cucumber fruit. A presumption that putative raffinose or stachyose transporters may be involved in soluble sugars unloading was discussed. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effects of cane girdling on yield, fruit quality and maturation of (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Flame Seedless

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soltekin Oguzhan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to determine the effects of cane girdling on coloration, maturation, yield and some quality characteristics of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Flame Seedless table grape variety. Cane girdling practices were treated at pea-size stage (G2 and veraison period (G1 over two growing seasons, 2013–2014, at the facility of Manisa Viticultural Research Institute in Turkey. Cane girdling was performed on the canes after first shoot was left from the bottom and 4 mm-wide ring of bark was completely removed with a doubleded knife. On the other hand control vines were left untouched. Statistical analyses showed that TSS, berry length, colour parameters, CIRG index and anthocyanin content of Flame Seedless was significantly affected by the cane girdling treatments in both years, 2013 and 2014. In addition it was detected that any effect of girdling treatments cannot be determined statistically significant on total yield, marketable yield, titrable acidity and 50 berry weight. Total and marketable yields of girdled vines had higher value than control vines although they were not statistically significant. Furthermore it was observed 9 and 12 days earliness with G2 treatments compare to the control vines in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Marketable yield of onion under different irrigation depths, with and without mulch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel F. de Carvalho

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to obtain the onion crop coefficients and evaluate the influence of different irrigation depths (0, 22, 45, 75 and 100% of crop evapotranspiration on marketable yield and quality of onion bulbs cultivated with and without mulch of elephant grass. The experiment was carried out in Seropédica, RJ, Brazil, from May to September 2012, in a Red Yellow Argisol. The experimental design was in randomized blocks in split plots, with 10 treatments and seven replicates. Irrigation management was performed through soil water balance using the Time Domain Reflectometry technique, with probes installed horizontally at 7.5 and 22.5 cm depths. The use of mulch allowed the application of smaller irrigation depths, leading to lower crop coefficient (18% in stage II and 3% in stage III in comparison to the crop without mulch. Irrigation depths associated with the use of mulch influenced the evaluated production variables, proving to be an alternative to increase marketable yield and quality of onion bulbs, with lower irrigation depth.

Performance of mushroom fruiting for large scale commercial production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mat Rosol Awang; Rosnani Abdul Rashid; Hassan Hamdani Mutaat; Mohd Meswan Maskom

2012-01-01

The paper described the determination of mushroom fruiting yield, which is vital to economics of mushroom production. Consistency in mushroom yields enabling an estimation to be made for revenues and hence profitability could be predicted. It has been reported by many growers, there are a large variation in mushroom yields over different times of production. To assess such claims we have run four batches of mushroom fruiting and the performance fruiting body productions are presented. (author)

EFFECT OF SPACING AND NPK 20:10:10 FERTILIZER ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF WATER MELON (CITRULLUS LANATUS IN ENUGU, SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2016-11-01

Full Text Available A field experiment to investigate the effect of spacing and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer on the growth and yield of watermelon was conducted at the teaching and Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, Enugu State University of Science and Technology. The experiment was carried out in a 2 x 3 factorial in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD with six (6 treatments replicated three (3 times using and ldquo;crimson sweet and rdquo; as a test crop. Parameters measured were vine length, number of fruits per plant, days to 50% flowering, fruit yield (ton/ha, and number of marketable fruits. 400kg/ha fertilizer in spacing 30cm x 30cm plots recorded the highest vine length of 193.8 cm which significantly deferred from the other treatment means. This was followed by 200kg/ha fertilizer in spacing of 30 cm x 30 cm which recorded vine length of 151.50 cm that significantly deferred from the rest of the treatment means. There were no significant differences between 400kg/ha fertilizer in 15 cm x 15 cm plots and 200kg/ha fertilizer in 15 cm x 15cm plots, O kg/ha fertilizer in 30 cm x 30 cm pots and O kg/ha fertilizer in 15cm x 15 cm plots on vine length. 400kg/ha fertilizer in 30 cm x 30 cm plots recorded the highest mean number of 34.33 fruits per plant which deferred significantly from the rest of the treatment means. The following treatments produced the same effects on the number of fruits per plant and ndash; 200kg/ha fertilizer in 30 cm x 30 cm plots and 400kg/ha fertilizer in 15 cm x 15 cm plots, O kg/ha fertilizer in 30 cm x 30 cm plots and O kg/ha fertilizer in 1 5cm x 15cm plots. On fruit yield (ton/ha 400kg/ha fertilizer in 30cm x 30cm plots, and 200kg/ha fertilizer in 30 cm x 30 cm plots produced the highest yield of 13.44 ton/ha and 13.22 ton/ha respectively which were not significantly different except the controls and ndash; O kg/ha fertilizer in 15cm x 15cm and O kg/ha fertilizer in 30 cm x 30 cm plots which

Marketing de banana: preferências do consumidor quanto aos atributos de qualidade dos frutos Marketing of banana: consumer preferences relating to fruit quality attributes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando César Akira Urbano Matsuura

2004-04-01

Full Text Available O Brasil produz aproximadamente seis milhões de toneladas por ano de banana (Musa spp., com consumo médio da ordem de 35 kg/ habitante / ano. A aceitação da banana deve-se, principalmente, a seus aspectos sensoriais, valor nutricional e conveniência. A identificação das necessidades e desejos dos clientes consiste em uma atividade crítica do marketing. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de pesquisar as preferências do consumidor de um mercado local (município de Cruz das Almas - Estado da Bahia considerando os atributos de qualidade dos frutos frescos de banana madura. A metodologia utilizada foi a da pesquisa descritiva por método estatístico. Os dados foram coletados por questionário, na forma de entrevista pessoal com 400 pessoas. Os atributos de qualidade (variáveis questionados e avaliados foram relacionados com a aparência, cor, textura, aroma, sabor e vida útil esperada dos frutos de banana. De acordo com a preferência dos consumidores entrevistados, o fruto de banana maduro ideal deve apresentar características como: penca contendo 10 a 12 dedos (frutos, dedos de tamanho médio ou grande, diâmetro médio, quina presente, ausência de pintas pretas na casca, cor da polpa amarelo-clara ou média, textura firme, aroma e sabor de intensidade média, mediamente doce e vida útil de 7 a 10 dias em condição ambiente. O sabor, vida útil e aparência dos frutos de banana são considerados os mais importantes atributos na escolha ou compra da banana, segundo os consumidores entrevistados.Brazil has an approximate production of six million annual tons of banana (Musa spp., with a consumption close to 35 kg / inhabitant / year. The acceptance of the banana fruit is due, mainly, to its sensorial aspects, nutritional value and convenience. The identification of the customers' needs and desires consists of a critical activity of the marketing. The objective of this work was to research the consumer preferences of a local market (Cruz

Rheological properties of strawberry fruit coating with methylcellulose

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z Nadim

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The maintenance of the quality of fresh products is still a major challenge for the consumers. The most important quality attributes contributing to the marketability of fresh fruit include appearance, color, texture, flavor, nutritional value and microbial safety. Strawberry fruits should be firm but not crunchy. Decreased quality during postharvest handling is most often associated with water loss and decay. The postharvest life of strawberries can be extended by coating technique combined with refrigeration. Application of edible coatings is a conventional method to increase shelf life and maintain fruit quality. Edible coatings can provide an alternative to enlarge fresh fruits’ postharvest life. In this study, the effects of application of methyl cellulose edible coatings and storage time on some mechanical properties, including: the yield stress, yield strain, energy of rupture and modulus of elasticity and also, the viscoelastic behavior of the strawberry fruit was investigated. Materials and Methods: MC (Methocel, Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI coating was prepared by solubilizing MC powder (3.0 g per 100 mL in a water–ethyl alcohol mixture (2:1 at 75ºC under the high speedmixer (900 rpm for 15 min. Coatings were used directly on the fruit surface. The physical and mechanical characteristics of fruits were analyzed on 2, 5, 8 and 11 days of storage. The puncture test and relaxation test were done using a texture analyzer (Zwick/Roell Model BT1_FR0.5TH.D14, Zwick GmbH Co., Ulm, Germany; using Xforce HP model of loadcell with capacity of 500 N, by 2 mv/v characteristic. General Maxwell model is widely used to analyze experimental results of the stress tests applied for relaxation. The obtained model coefficients were determined and evaluated from relaxation stress curves. Residues were determined using the sequential model. Usually, multicomponent models can properly describe the actual behavior of agricultural

Desenvolvimento de uma salada de frutas: da pesquisa de mercado à tecnologia de alimentos Fruit salad development: from market research to food technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilton Soares Cardoso

2010-06-01

Full Text Available O entendimento das necessidades dos clientes e a utilização de tecnologia dos alimentos podem tornar uma ideia em um produto inovador. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar, por meio de uma pesquisa de mercado, a oportunidade de um novo produto e, posteriormente, elaborar uma salada de frutas frescas, utilizando técnicas de processamento mínimo com métodos combinados. A pesquisa de mercado foi realizada na região metropolitana de Belo Horizonte - MG para estudar o mercado potencial e avaliar a aceitação de uma salada de frutas pronta e embalada. No processo de desenvolvimento do produto, foram selecionadas três formulações, para avaliação sensorial, avaliadas a cada sete dias, durante 21 dias de armazenamento. Na análise de mercado, o produto salada de frutas foi aprovado, enquanto ideia, sendo considerada como ótima e original. Os clientes potenciais se apresentam como abertos a novidades de mercado e a novas marcas. Considera ainda como atributos de decisão de compra, em ordem de prioridade: preço, referência, necessidade, composição e ingredientes, valores nutricionais. No desenvolvimento da salada de frutas, todos os três tipos foram aceitos em análise sensorial com até 21 dias de armazenamento.Understanding the customers' needs and the use of food technology can make an idea become an innovative product. The goals of this study were to investigate, through a market research, the opportunity for a new product, and, subsequently, prepare an acceptable and fresh ready-to-eat fruit salad using minimal processing and combined methods. The market research was carried out in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte - MG, Brazil to study the potential market and to assess the market opportunities for a packed, ready-to eat fruit salad. After the development of the product, three types of fruit salad were prepared and a sensory evaluation was carried out every seven days during 21 days of storage. The market research revealed

[Nutrition value of tropical and subtropical fruits].

Science.gov (United States)

Dubtsov, G G; Bessonov, V V; Baĭkov, V G; Makhova, N N; Sheviakova, L V; Bogachuk, M N; Baĭgarin, E K; Iao Bru, Lazar

2013-01-01

The article is devoted to the study of the chemical composition of tropical and subtropical fruit (avocado, papaya and mango), which are now in great numbers are on the appeared on the Russian market. Due to use technology tropical and subtropical fruits can be implemented in almost all areas and regions of the country. Relatively low cost makes these products quite popular among the people. In domestic scientific literature there are no systematic data describing the chemical composition of these tropical and subtropical fruits sold in the domestic market, while the information needed to calculate food and energy value of diets and culinary products derived from tropical and subtropical fruit. Avocado fruits are sources of insoluble dietary fiber content of which was equal to 12.2%, as well as minerals. The study of the fatty acid composition of lipids avocados showed high content of oleic acid fruit, which accounts for 53.2% of total fatty acids in these fruits. Which makes them a valuable source of unsaturated fatty acids.

Associations between access to farmers' markets and supermarkets, shopping patterns, fruit and vegetable consumption and health indicators among women of reproductive age in eastern North Carolina, U.S.A.

Science.gov (United States)

Jilcott Pitts, Stephanie B; Wu, Qiang; McGuirt, Jared T; Crawford, Thomas W; Keyserling, Thomas C; Ammerman, Alice S

2013-11-01

We examined associations between access to food venues (farmers’ markets and supermarkets), shopping patterns, fruit and vegetable consumption and health indicators among women of reproductive age in eastern North Carolina, U.S.A. Access to food venues was measured using a Geographic Information System incorporating distance, seasonality and business hours, to quantify access to farmers’ markets. Produce consumption was assessed by self-report of eating five or more fruits and vegetables daily. BMI and blood pressure were assessed by clinical measurements. Poisson regression with robust variance was used for dichotomous outcomes and multiple linear regression was used for continuous outcomes. As the study occurred in a university town and university students are likely to have different shopping patterns from non-students, we stratified analyses by student status. Eastern North Carolina. Low-income women of reproductive age (18–44 years) with valid address information accessing family planning services at a local health department (n 400). Over a quarter reported ever shopping at farmers’ markets (114/400). A larger percentage of women who shopped at farmers’ markets consumed five or more fruits and vegetables daily (42.1%) than those who did not (24.0%; P women reported shopping was 11.4 (SD 9.0) km (7.1 (SD 5.6) miles), while the mean distance to the farmers’ market closest to the residence was 4.0 (SD 3.7) km (2.5 (SD 2.3) miles). Among non-students, those who shopped at farmers’ markets were more likely to consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Future research should further explore potential health benefits of farmers’ markets.

Comparison of the nutrient content of fresh fruit juices vs commercial fruit juices.

Science.gov (United States)

Densupsoontorn, Narumon; Jirapinyo, Pipop; Thamonsiri, Nuchnoi; Wongarn, Renu; Phosuya, Panarat; Tritiprat, Amornrat; Patraarat, Siriphan; Pidatcha, Pannee; Suwannthol, Lerson

2002-08-01

To compare the types and quantities of carbohydrate, electrolytes, pH and osmolarity of fresh fruit juices and commercial fruit juices. Forty kinds of fresh fruits available in Thai markets were analyzed for types and quantities of carbohydrate, electrolyte, pH and osmolarity and compared with previously obtained data for commercial fruit juices. Most fresh fruit juices did not contain sucrose, whereas, commercial fruit juices mostly have sucrose in the range of 3-112 g/L. Although both fruit juices were acidic (pH varied from 3.6-6.7 and 3.2-5.8 of fresh juice and commercial juice), fresh fruit juices had a more neutral pH than commercial fruit juices. Apple, guava, orange, pear, and pineapple juices from commercial fruit juices had a high osmolarity compared with fresh fruit juices. All types of fresh fruit juices contained less sodium than commercial ones, whereas, most fresh fruit juices contained more potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium than commercial fluids. The nutrient content of fresh fruit juices and commercial fruit juices from the same kinds of fruits are not the same, possibly due to the manufacturing process. Therefore, physicians should know the composition of fruit juices in order to advise patients properly.

Influence of wholesale lamb marketing options and merchandising styles on retail yield and fabrication time.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenzen, C L; Martin, A M; Griffin, D B; Dockerty, T R; Walter, J P; Johnson, H K; Savell, J W

1997-01-01

Lamb carcasses (n = 94) from five packing plants, selected to vary in weight class and fat thickness, were used to determine retail yield and labor requirements of wholesale lamb fabrication. Carcasses were allotted randomly according to weight class to be fabricated as whole carcasses (n = 20), three-piece boxes (n = 22), or subprimals (n = 52). Processing times (seconds) were recorded and wholesale and retail weights (kilograms) were obtained to calculate retail yield. Subprimals were fabricated into bone-in retail cuts or boneless or semi-boneless retail cuts. Retail yield for subprimal lamb legs decreased from 85.3 +/- .6% for bone-in to 68.0 +/- .7% for a completely boneless retail product. Correspondingly, processing times increased from 126.1 +/- 5.4 s to 542.0 +/- 19.2 s for bone-in and boneless legs, respectively. For all subprimals, retail yield percentage tended to decrease and total processing time increase as cuts were fabricated to boneless or semi-boneless end points compared with a bone-in end point. Percentage retail yield did not differ (P > .05) among whole carcass, three-piece box, and subprimal marketing methods. Total processing time was shorter for subprimals (P < .05) than for the other two marketing methods.

Relationship between fruit traits of custard apple trees (Annona squamosa L.

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Keny Henrique Mariguele

2010-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to estimate simple and partial coefficients of correlation, as well as to divide their effects into direct and indirect using path analysis for custard apple tree traits. Twenty half-sibling progenies were evaluated in a randomized block design with five replicates, and plots consisting of four plants. Six traits were evaluated in the first cropping season (mean number of seeds per fruit and mean weight of the pericarp, pulp, pedicel, seeds per fruit, and the whole fruit, while five traits were evaluated in the first three cropping seasons (mean fruit length and width, total number of fruits ha-1, mean fruit weight (in both types of analyses, and fruit yield in kg ha-1. The results of this work led to the conclusion that doing selection based on simple correlation estimates may not be convenient, since not always a cause and effect relationship can be verified between two traits. Positive correlations were obtained between number of seeds and seed weight, and between number of fruits and yield. The greatest direct effects were those obtained for pulp weight on fruit weight and for mean number and weight of fruits on fruit yield. The most important indirect effects were obtained for number of seeds and pericarp weight, obtained via pulp weight, on fruit weight, and for fruit length and width, obtained via mean fruit weight, on fruit yield.

Potential of deficit irrigation, irrigation cut-offs, and crop thinning to maintain yield and fruit quality with less water in northern highbush blueberry

Science.gov (United States)

Drought and mandatory water restrictions are limiting the availability of irrigation water in many important blueberry growing regions, including Oregon, Washington, and California. New strategies are needed to maintain yield and fruit quality with less water. Three potential options, including defi...

The Effect of Green Pruning on the Yield and Fruit Quality of the Crawling Grape Vines Cultivar Keshmeshy in the Climatic Conditions of Shirvan

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F. Sadeghian

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Green pruning or summer pruning completes winter pruning, and it is conducted during the growing season. The purpose of green pruning is to maximize yield of high quality grapes. Green pruning in fruit trees improves light penetration and increases the quality of fruits. The objectives of this research were to determine the influence of green pruning on fruit quantitative and qualitative attributes in grapevine cultivar 'keshmeshi'. Materials and Methods: The present research was undertaken in Shirvan, Northern Khorasan province. The vines were highly uniform, 17 years old and all had equal vegetative growth strength.The planting distances were 3 × 3 m. The present study was conducted on cultivar 'Keshmeshi' that is considered to be one of the best grapevine cultivars mostly used for raisin production as well as table fresh fruits. In order to evaluate the effect of green pruning on different quantitative and qualitative attributes of fruits in cultivar "keshmeshi", the experiment was carried out in two way randomized complete block design with 12 treatments and three replications. Vines were pruned three times including full bloom, two weeks after full bloom and veraison (eight weeks after full bloom. Pruning was carried out in three levels including tipping after two, four or six nodes above the final cluster. The characteristics studied were cluster weight, berry weight, cluster length and width, berry length and width, number of cluster and berry, vine yield, leaf area, soluble solid, total acidity, pH, berry color, berry sunscald and number of shot berry. The SAS software (SAS, version 9.1 was used for statistical analysis of the recorded data. The mean comparison was performed based on Duncan's multiple range tests at %5 and %1 levels. Results and Discussion: The results of this study indicate that the severity of green pruning has no significant effect on the number and width of berries. This treatment also had no

Association Study Reveals Novel Genes Related to Yield and Quality of Fruit in Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.

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Francy L. García-Arias

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Association mapping has been proposed as an efficient approach to assist plant breeding programs to investigate the genetic basis of agronomic traits. In this study, we evaluated 18 traits related to yield, (FWP, NF, FWI, and FWII, fruit size-shape (FP, FA, MW, WMH, MH, HMW, DI, FSI, FSII, OVO, OBO, and fruit quality (FIR, CF, and SST, in a diverse collection of 100 accessions of Physalis peruviana including wild, landraces, and anther culture derived lines. We identified seven accessions with suitable traits: fruit weight per plant (FWP > 7,000 g/plant and cracked fruits (CF < 4%, to be used as parents in cape gooseberry breeding program. In addition, the accessions were also characterized using Genotyping By Sequencing (GBS. We discovered 27,982 and 36,142 informative SNP markers based on the alignment against the two cape gooseberry references transcriptomes. Besides, 30,344 SNPs were identified based on alignment to the tomato reference genome. Genetic structure analysis showed that the population could be divided into two or three sub-groups, corresponding to landraces-anther culture and wild accessions for K = 2 and wild, landraces, and anther culture plants for K = 3. Association analysis was carried out using a Mixed Linear Model (MLM and 34 SNP markers were significantly associated. These results reveal the basis of the genetic control of important agronomic traits and may facilitate marker-based breeding in P. peruviana.

Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L processing alternatives for the profit of the fruits unsuitable for the marketing fresh

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Adriana María Castro Sánchez

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The use of unsuitable fruits for marketing in fresh, represents an area with great economic potential. In the regions of Colombia where is produced cape gooseberry it is necessary to consider and develop processing alternatives of this fruit, because the losses in harvest and postharvest of gooseberry in the country, can reach up to 45% of the total production. In this research, it was developed pulp, jam and nectar of cape gooseberry ecotype Colombia with cracked and soft fruits, from Ventaquemada and Cienega, municipalities of the department of Boyaca. The results of this research have applications for the producing regions of cape gooseberry in Colombia that suffer from loss of fruit by cracking and softening. There were three formulations of each by-product, by varying the content of pulp in the final product and the physiochemical characterization, microbiological and sensorial. Finally, it was calculated the cost of each most accepted by-product by the panel. The results showed that at a microbiological l and physic-chemical level, the sub-products meet the regulations. At sensory level, the most widely accepted pulp pasteurized with sugar, the most accepted nectar was the formulation with 20% of pulp and the most widely accepted jam was the formulation with 50% of pulp. The cost to process 1 kg of fruit was 3,11 USD for pulp, 3,36 USD for nectar and 3,66 USD for jam.

Effects of chronic elevated ozone concentration on the redox state and fruit yield of red pepper plant Capsicum baccatum.

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Bortolin, Rafael Calixto; Caregnato, Fernanda Freitas; Divan, Armando Molina; Reginatto, Flávio Henrique; Gelain, Daniel Pens; Moreira, José Cláudio Fonseca

2014-02-01

Ozone (O3) is one of the most harmful air pollutants to crops, contributing to high losses on crop yield. Tropospheric O3 background concentrations have increased since pre-industrial times reaching phytotoxic concentrations in many world regions. Capsicum peppers are the second most traded spice in the world, but few studies concerning the O3 effects in this genus are known. Thereby, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of chronic exposure to elevated O3 concentrations in red pepper plant Capsicum baccatum L. var. pendulum with especial considerations on the leaf redox state and fruit yield. Fifteen C. baccatum plants were exposed to O3 in open-top chambers during fruit ripening (62 days) at a mean concentration of 171.6 µg/m(3) from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. We found that O3 treated plants significantly decreased the amount and the total weight of fruits, which were probably a consequence of the changes on leaf oxidative status induced by ozone exposure. Ozone exposed plants increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels on the leaves, which may be associated with the observed decrease on the activity of enzymatic antioxidant defense system, as well with lower levels of polyphenol and reduced thiol groups. Enhanced ROS production and the direct O3 reaction lead to biomacromolecules damages as seen in the diminished chlorophyll content and in the elevated lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation levels. Through a correlation analysis it was possible to observe that polyphenols content was more important to protect pepper plants against oxidative damages to lipids than to proteins. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Radiation preservation of foods of plant origin. Part V. Temperate fruits: pome fruits, stone fruits, and berries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, P.

1986-01-01

The current status of research on the application of ionizing radiation for improving the storage of temperate fruits, i.e., apple, pear, peach, nectarine, apricot, cherry, plum, strawberry, bilberry, cranberry, raspberry, and black currant, is reviewed. Changes in fruit metabolism, chemical composition, texture, and organoleptic quality attributes are discussed with reference to the irradiation dose. The feasibility of using radiation either alone or in conjunction with heat treatment, refrigeration, and controlled atmospheres (CA) for the control of storage decay caused by fungal pathogens is considered. Areas of further research are suggested before irradiation could be considered for practical application in some of these temperate fruits. The recent trends in the possible use of irradiation for disinfestation of certain pome and stone fruits and the prospects for the commercial utilization of irradiation for improving the market life of strawberries are discussed. 156 references

Parasitic contamination of raw vegetables and fruits collected from selected local markets in Arba Minch town, Southern Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekele, Fitsum; Tefera, Tamirat; Biresaw, Gelila; Yohannes, Tsegaye

2017-03-07

One way that people get infected with intestinal parasites is through the consumption of contaminated vegetables and fruits. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and predictors of parasitic contamination of fruits and vegetables collected from four local markets in Arba Minch town, Southern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 to 21 September 2014 to determine the level of parasitic contamination of fruits and vegetables sold in Arba Minch town. A total of 360 samples of different types of fruits and vegetables were soaked in physiological saline, followed by vigorous shaking with the aid of a mechanical shaker for 15 minutes and then examined using the sedimentation concentration technique. Out of the 360 samples examined, 196 (54.4%) were contaminated with at least one type of parasite. Ascaris lumbricoides (20.83%) was the most frequently detected parasite and Isospora belli (3.06%) was the least frequently detected one. It was also observed that decreased parasitic contamination was significantly associated with washing the products before displaying it for selling (P parasitic infections from the consumption of raw vegetables and fruits in Arba Minch, Ethiopia. The authors believe that an effort should be made by the relevant bodies to reduce the rate of contamination of products with medically important parasites by educating the vendors and the community.

Growth, mineral composition, fruit yield, and mycorrhizal colonization of feijoa in response to lime and phosphorus application

OpenAIRE

Nava, Gilberto; Santos, Karine Louise dos; Costa, Murilo Dalla; Ciotta, Marlise Nara

2016-01-01

Abstract: The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of liming and phosphorus fertilization on the growth, mineral composition of the leaves, fruit yield, and mycorrhizal colonization of young feijoa (Acca sellowiana) plants. Treatments consisted of four liming levels - 0, 25, 50, and 100% of the dose required to raise the soil pH to 6.5 - and of five levels of P - 0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg ha-1 P2O5 -, placed in a randomized complete block design, in a split-plot arrangement,...

The influence of different electrical conductivity values in a simplified recirculating soilless system on inner and outer fruit quality characteristics of tomato.

Science.gov (United States)

Krauss, Sandra; Schnitzler, Wilfried H; Grassmann, Johanna; Woitke, Markus

2006-01-25

Irrigation with saline water affects tomato fruit quality. While total fruit yield decreases with salinity, inner quality characterized by taste and health-promoting compounds can be improved. For a detailed description of this relationship, the influence of three different salt levels [electrical conductivity (EC) 3, 6.5, and 10] in hydroponically grown tomatoes was investigated. Rising salinity levels in the nutrient solution significantly increased vitamin C, lycopene, and beta-carotene in fresh fruits up to 35%. The phenol concentration was tendentiously enhanced, and the antioxidative capacity of phenols and carotenoids increased on a fresh weight basis. Additionally, the higher EC values caused an increase of total soluble solids and organic acids, parameters determining the taste of tomatoes. Total fruit yield, single fruit weight, and firmness significantly decreased with rising EC levels. Regression analyses revealed significant correlations between the EC level and the dependent variables single fruit weight, total soluble solids, titrable acids, lycopene, and antioxidative capacities of carotenoids and phenols, whereas vitamin C and phenols correlated best with truss number, and beta-carotene correlated best with temperature. Only pressure firmness showed no correlation with any of the measured parameters. As all desirable characteristics in the freshly produced tomato increased when exposed to salinity, salinity itself constitutes an alternative method of quality improvement. Moreover, it can compensate for the loss of yield by the higher inner quality due to changing demands by the market and the consumer. This investigation is to our knowledge the first comprehensive overview regarding parameters of outer quality (yield and firmness), taste (total soluble solids and acids), nutritional value (vitamin C, carotenoids, and phenolics), as well as antioxidative capacity in tomatoes grown under saline conditions.

Golden Haidegg, a new apple mutant clone with improved marketing value

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strempl, F.; Keppl, H.; Brunner, H.

1988-01-01

Full text: Golden Delicious and its derivatives are the leading apple cultivars in Austria. Traits limiting the economic yield are susceptibility to russeting, a heterogenous fruit assortment score and consumer preferences. Mutation breeding was started in 1972. Dormant five bud scions of Golden Delicious were irradiated with 40, 50 or 60 Gy gamma rays at a dose rate of 20 Gy min -1 and grafted on rootstocks M9. M 1 V 1 survival rates were 78% (40 Gy), 36% (50 Gy) and 6% (60 Gy). Surviving scions produced, on the average, two primary shoots from which three to five buds were used for summer budding. Primary shoots were pruned back to force M 1 V 2 shoots from the lower secondary buds. An incidental occurrence of viruses and mycoplasms was overcome by thermotherapy, but delayed completing procedures of selection, re-selection and confirmation of the selected traits till the M 1 V 6 generation. Desirable mutations in shoot vigor, growth type, fruit size and fruit quality characters were obtained from the 40 and 50 Gy treatments only, while 60 Gy produced generally grossly aberrant phenotypes. A mutant with smooth sheen fruits associated with a more flat shape and non-russeting was selected from the 50 Gy treatment. Smooth sheen and non-russeting are evidently independent traits. Among 18 different mutant clones tested in microtrials, only the russet-free, smooth sheen clone was superior to the parent cultivar in market value. This clone, named Golden Haidegg, was tested during four years in different environments, compared with other clones derived from Golden Delicious, i.e. Lysgolden, Belgolden, Supergolden, Cloden, Golden 1972, Golden s.r E9, Golden clone A and B, Golden Shay, Golden Missouri, Charden, Mutsu and Smoothe. All trees were virus free, grafted on rootstock M9 and trained as slender spindle; applied field management conditions were identical. The evaluation concerned yield, russeting, fruit-shape, colour, weight, assortment and cold-storability. Clone

Heterosis for flower and fruit traits in tomato (Lycopersicon ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ONOS

2010-07-05

Jul 5, 2010 ... heterosis; LSD, least significant difference; CV, co-variance. ... The North West Frontier Province of the country .... Mean squares for flowers per cluster, fruits per cluster, fruit length, fruit width, fruit weight and yield per plant.

Market problems of agricultural products in Albania

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Merita Marku

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The production of fruits and vegetables in our country still faces challenges, including informality in sector of planting material, high costs of inputs purchased and fuel (especially affecting the green houses with heating, low productivity and high losses of post-harvest, especially in the case of fruit. Fresh fruit and vegetable marketing is different in many respects from the marketing of other agricultural and nonagricultural products. Hundreds of individual commodities comprise the total group. Each product has its own special requirements for growing and handling, with its own quality attributes, merchandising methods, and standards of consumer acceptance (How, R. B. 2012, 1. Food safety standards of fruits and vegetables their compliance with key standards and certification as a prerequisite and a challenge to be addressed in order to increase Albanian exports of agricultural products to European markets. Concerning vegetables and fruits, Albanian farmers face important marketing problems. Such problems are encountered at all stages of the production system-provision of inputs, both in terms of processing, promotion and other market incentives, which directly assist in the efficient realization of the sale of fruits and vegetables.

Evaluation of fruit vegetable wastes (FV) from a market place as a alternative deed stuffs in dairy cattle diets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angulo, J.; Yepes, S. A.; Yepes, A. M.; Bustamante, G.; Mahecha, L.

2009-01-01

Solid food residues from market places represent about 10% to 20% of the total wastes of a city. A big proportion comes from the overproduction of fruits and vegetables in some production steps, its low price and abundance, turning them into potential contaminants, particularly since not always there is an appropriate knowledge and experience in its alternative use. (Author)

Assessment of some heavy metals in fruit from local market in Khartoum state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omer, M. B.

2013-01-01

Fruits play important role in providing the individuals daily needs from vitamins iron, potassium and metals that need in the daily food as dietary supplementation or as an important elements that from some hormones or enzymes in small concentrations, if exists in high concentrations become toxic with bad effects. This study aims to detect some of metals and find this elements their concentrations in some fruits that is most consumed in Sudan which are: bananas, oranges, tomatoes and watermelons. These fruits were randomly collected from local markets in Khartoum state from the three localities: Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman. Another sample was collected from the original farm to represent the samples. That's to compare was dried and pressured into pulled to be analyze it. The following metals were detecting: Br, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Zn in ppm K, Ca and Fe measured in g/kg. It was found that the mean concentration of these metals in banana: 52.66, 28.01, 50.31, 15.79, 0.57, 31.98, 60.92, 10,07, 1.42, 18.41, 5.37 and 19.22 respectively. And the mean concentration of them in orange: 6.80, 9.83, 19.00, 52.88, 0.35, 26.54, 13.05, 41.53, 1.74, 49.80, 14.85, and 15.41, respectively. The mean concentration of them in tomato: 39.30, 5.45, 50.52, 20.03, 0.88, 62.45, 82.13, 9.44, 1.79, 59.78, 26.38, and 41.31, respectively. The mean concentration of metals watermelon: 33.00, 6.96, 26.08, 14.30, 1. 32, 43.93, 52,67, 6.01, 1.69. 38.51, 43.90, and 25,45, respectively. It is noted that these concentrations were far higher than the concentrations in other countries underwent the same study. The statistics showed in some fruits that the significant ratio between the case and the control was p < 0.05 i.e. the significant is different and may be caused by pollution.(Author)

Yield and fruit quality of four sweet corn hybrids (Zea mays) under conventional and integrated fertilization with vermicompost.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazcano, Cristina; Revilla, Pedro; Malvar, Rosa Ana; Domínguez, Jorge

2011-05-01

Vermicompost has been proposed as a valuable fertilizer for sustainable agriculture. The effects of vermicompost on yield and quality of sweet corn were evaluated in this study. In two field trials, sweet corn plants were grown under (i) a conventional fertilization regime with inorganic fertilizer, and integrated fertilization regimes in which 75% of the nutrients were supplied by the inorganic fertilizer and 25% of the nutrients were supplied by either (ii) rabbit manure, or (iii) vermicompost. All three types of fertilization regime were supplied at two doses. Two pairs of nearly isogenic sweet corn hybrids homozygous for sugary1 and shrunken2 mutants were included in the trials to explore fertilizer × genotype interactions. Growth, yield and ear quality of the plants were evaluated in relation to the three fertilization regimes. In general, the integrated regimes yielded the same productivity levels as the conventional treatment. Moreover, both vermicompost and manure produced significant increases in plant growth and marketable yield, and also affected the chemical composition and quality of the marketable ear. Nevertheless, most of the observed effects of the organic fertilizers were genotype-dependent. The results confirm that the use of organic fertilizers such as vermicompost has a positive effect on crop yield and quality. Nevertheless, these effects were not general, indicating the complexity of the organic amendment-plant interactions and the importance of controlling genetic variation when studying the effects of vermicompost on plant growth. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Role of Brassinosteroid on Qualitative Characteristics Improvement of Strawberry Fruit cv. Paros

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soheila mohammadrezakhani

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Recently, strawberry growers have been mostly interested in growing cultivars for the fresh market because of its profitability, but on the other hand it requires more complicated technologies and well-educated workers. High quality of the fruit for the fresh market is an important factor attracts customers and determines their choice and prices. Fruit production cost for the fresh market needs to be calculated and efficient methods and technologies also should be taken into consideration. New environmentally friendly mineral-organic fertilizers can improve fruit quality and yield of dessert strawberry cultivars. The desired effects was obtained through the activity of fertilizer’s components, which very often belong to different groups of natural hormones, elicitors, vitamins, flavonoids, amino acids, etc. Numerous breeding programs have been aimed at improving strawberry taste and disease resistance. Three major components of fruit organoleptic quality are flavor, sweetness, and acidity. Several studies have been devoted to strawberry aroma. Fruit with intense flavor also have high titratable acidity and high soluble solids. Numerous studies have addressed strawberry sweetness and acidity. Fruit soluble solids, sugars, titratable acidity, and organic acids at maturity are quantitatively inherited. Moreover, there appears to be genetic variations for these fruit quality traits. Numerous biochemical changes are observed during strawberry development and especially during fruit ripening. The major soluble constituents of maturing and ripe strawberries are soluble sugars and organic acids. The major soluble sugars in strawberries are glucose, fructose, and sucrose. The major organic acid is citric acid. This acid contributes greatly to fruit titratable acidity, which declines gradually during fruit development. The sugar/ organic acid ratio is a major parameter of strawberry taste. Brassinosteroids (BRs are a class of poly hydroxyl

Effect of heat treatment around the fruit set region on growth and yield of watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai].

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, Jaejong; Kim, Jeong Man; Sheikh, Sameena; Lee, So Geun; Lim, Jeong Hyeon; Seong, Moon Ho; Jung, Gi Tai

2013-10-01

The present experiment was aimed to study the effect of imposing modulated temperature treatments 14 °C and 18 °C, around the fruiting region of watermelon plants, and to estimate the economic feasibility of the temperature treatments based on energy consumption for heating. Watermelon cultivar 'Sambok-gul' was selected and sown on perlite beds in a plastic house under controlled conditions at Watermelon Farm, Jeongeup-Jeonbuk, longitude 35° 31' 47.51N, 126° 48'48.84E, altitude 37 m during the early spring season (2010-2011). The findings revealed that the temperature treatment at 18 °C caused significant increase in weight (2.0 kg plant(-1)), fruit weight (8.3 kg plant(-1)), soluble solid content (11.5 %), and fruit set rate (96.5 %) at harvest stage. Higher contents of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) ions were observed in the 1st upper leaf of the fruit set node (79.3 mg L(-1)) and the 1st lower leaf of the fruit set node (12.0 mg L(-1)), respectively at 14 °C. The power consumption and extra costs of the temperature treatment 18 °C were suggested as affordable and in range of a farmer's budget (41.14 USD/22 days). Hence, it was concluded that modulating temperature treatments could be utilized successfully to optimize the temperature range for enhancing the fruit yield and quality in the winter watermelon crops.

Produtividade e rendimento das duas classes de plantas existentes no Café "Mundo Novo" Fruit and seed yields of two classes of Mundo Novo coffee plants

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A. J. T. Mendes

1955-01-01

increased number of empty fruit locules ; b homozygotes (DD in which this abnormal type of endosperm doesn't occur and which only rarely form empty fruit locules. Fruit and seed yields, and percentage of empty locules of various progenies of Mundo Novo coffee were reported by others. These data were regrouped by the authors so as to permit a comparison of the fruit and seed yields of the two above-mentioned genetical classes of plants. The mean yield of fruits produced by Dd plants was higher than that given by DD plants. Since, however, those plants had a higher percentage of empty locule, seed yield was reduced and there was actually no statistically significant difference in the net weight of seeds produced by the two groups. The presence of Dd trees in coffee plantings is undesirable because they have to bear more fruit to produce the same amount of seed given by DD plants, thus increasing labor in harvesting and processing. There has been a great demand for Mundo Novo seed in recent years, and many coffee growers have established small plantings to produce seed. In lots planted with random unselected seed there is usually a tendency for reduction in number of plants with high percentage of empty locules (Dd because of the usual increase in homozygosity of the populations. If, however, seed for the plantings is picked from plants that produced high yields of fruits, the frequency of plants with the defect in the plantings made with such seed will be increased. When fruit and seed yields are taken into account, and seeds from heterozygous plants are discarded, the planting for seed will be practically free of trees bearing fruits with empty locules. The examination of a small number of fruits per tree to detect presence or absence of empty locules with discoid endosperm provides a quick test for heterozygous (Dd plants. At present only seeds from plantings certified by the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas are guaranteed to be reasonably free from possessing the factors

Yield and quality of pectins extractable from the peels of thai mango cultivars depending on fruit ripeness.

Science.gov (United States)

Sirisakulwat, Suparat; Nagel, Andreas; Sruamsiri, Pittaya; Carle, Reinhold; Neidhart, Sybille

2008-11-26

Pectins, recovered from the peels of four mango ( Mangifera indica L.) cultivars by mimicking industrial techniques, were evaluated in terms of yield, composition, macromolecular properties, and technofunctional quality. Freeze-dried peels of mature-green fruits, after major mesocarp softening, and at full ripeness were extracted using hot acid. The pectins were precipitated in propan-2-ol and their crude yields quantified as alcohol-insoluble substance. Like apple pomace, the dried peels provided hardly acetylated (DAc implied by arabinose/galactose ratios of 8-15 and 33-56 mol/100 mol, respectively. Limited galacturonic acid contents made the mango peel pectins less valuable than commercial apple pectins with regard to gelling capacity and thickening properties. Whereas starch and matrix glycan fragments almost completely degraded during ripening, depolymerization of pectins and galactans was insignificant. Technofunctional properties, modulated by extraction at different pH values, were ascribed to structural differences influencing macromolecular entanglements.

The effects of planting methods and head pruning on seed yield and yield components of medicinal pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo subsp. Pepo convar. Pepo var. styriaca) at low temperature areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahrami, R Nikkhah; Khodadadi, M; Pirivatlo, S Piry; Hassanpanah, D

2009-03-15

This experiment carried out to evaluate the effects of planting methods (seed sowing and transplanting) and head pruning (no pruning, pruning after 12th node and pruning after 16th node) on yield and yield components such as number of branches (sub-branches) per plant, fruits per plant, growth, fruit size, weight of fresh fruit, weight of seeds per fruit, number of seeds per fruit and seed yield of medicinal pumpkin. The experiment was carried out based of factorial experiment with Randomized Completely Blocks Design (RCBD) by three replications in Ardabil Agricultural and Natural Resources Researches Station at 2007. Seedlings were grown in heated greenhouse. When the climatic condition became suitable and seedlings were at the four leaves stage, both seeds and seedlings were planted at the same time in the farm. Maintenance operations were done during the growth season. Head pruning treatments were done the forecast time. The results showed that the planting methods had significant effect on the number of ripen fruits per plant, fruits diameter, weight of seeds per fruit, weight of 1000 seeds and seed yield and had no significant effect on the other traits. Also the results indicated that head pruning treatments had significant effects on the number of branches per plant, growth and seed yield and no significant on the other traits. In this experiment the most seed yield (997.8 kg ha(-1)) obtained from transplanting method with head pruning after 12th node and the least seed yield obtained from control.

Stochastic dynamic simulation of fruit abortion: a case study of sweet pepper

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wubs, A.M.; Heuvelink, E.; Hemerik, L.; Marcelis, L.F.M.

2011-01-01

Abortion of reproductive organs diminishes yields in many crops. In indeterminate greenhouse crops, alternating periods of fruit abortion and fruit set exist, resulting in fluctuations in fruit yield. Factors affecting the level of abortion are e.g., the supply and demand for assimilates (source and

Bond yield curve construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kožul Nataša

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In the broadest sense, yield curve indicates the market's view of the evolution of interest rates over time. However, given that cost of borrowing it closely linked to creditworthiness (ability to repay, different yield curves will apply to different currencies, market sectors, or even individual issuers. As government borrowing is indicative of interest rate levels available to other market players in a particular country, and considering that bond issuance still remains the dominant form of sovereign debt, this paper describes yield curve construction using bonds. The relationship between zero-coupon yield, par yield and yield to maturity is given and their usage in determining curve discount factors is described. Their usage in deriving forward rates and pricing related derivative instruments is also discussed.

Increasing Community Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: A Case Study of the Farm Fresh Market Pilot Program in Cobb County, Georgia, 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodruff, Rebecca C; Coleman, Anne-Marie; Hermstad, April K; Honeycutt, Sally; Munoz, Jennifer; Loh, Lorna; Brown, Agnes F; Shipley, Rebecca; Kegler, Michelle C

2016-03-10

Ecological models of health suggest that to effectively prevent chronic disease, community food environments must support healthy eating behaviors. However, disparities in access to healthy foods persist in the United States. The Farm Fresh Market (FFM) was a fruit and vegetable market that sold low-cost fresh produce in Cobb County, Georgia in 2014. This case study describes the development of the FFM through a community engagement process and presents evaluation results from the project's pilot implementation. Community engagement strategies included forming a community advisory board, conducting a needs assessment, and contracting with a community-based organization to implement the FFM. In the pilot year, the FFM served an average of 28.7 customers and generated an average of $140.20 in produce sales per market day. Most returning customers lived in the local community and reported a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Most returning customers strongly agreed that the FFM made it easier (69.0%) and less expensive (79.0%) for them to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, reported that they ate more vegetables (65.0%) and fruit (55.0%) as a result of the FFM, and reported that they were very satisfied with the FFM overall (92.0%). Results from this community case study underscore the importance of engaging communities in the development of community food environment interventions. Results also suggest that the FFM initiative was a feasible and acceptable way to respond to the community-identified public health priority of increasing access to healthy foods.

Genetic control of late blight, yield and some yield related traits in tomato (lycopersicon esculentum mill.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saleem, M.Y.; Asghar, M.; Khan, A.R.; Iqbal, Q.

2011-01-01

Genetic control of late blight (LB) and some economic traits was assessed to identify genotypes suitable for the hybrids were derived from crossing of 2 male sterile lines viz., development of late blight resistant hybrids in tomato. 10 F/sub 1/ hybrid were derived from crossing of 2 male sterile lines viz., TMS1 and TMS2 with 5 elite lines viz., Nagina, Riogrande, Roma, 88572 and Picdenato according to line x tester technique. Disease resistance was measured using detached leaf and whole plant assay techniques. Data were also recorded for days to maturity, number of fruit per plant, single fruit weight and yield per plant. The analysis of variance showed significant differences among crosses, lines, testers and line x tester interaction for almost all parameters. Estimate of genetic components indicated preponderance of additive type of gene action for detached leaf assay, whole plant assay, number of fruit per plant and yield per plant whereas non-additive type of gene action for days to maturity and single fruit weight. Among parents, TMS2, Nagina, Roma and Picdenato showed significant favorable general combing ability (GCA) effects for disease rating traits while TMS1 and Riogrande indicated desirable GCA effects for yield and some yield related traits. Among hybrids, TMS2 x Roma and TMS1 x Riogrande had significant specific combing ability (SCA) effects for detached and whole plant assays. However, hybrid TMS2 x Roma appeared as good combination of LB resistance as it had both parents with desirable GCA effects. All hybrids showed average type of SCA effects for yield and yield components. Genetic control of LB revealed that a multiple crossing program involving genotypes with high GCA effects would be rewarding to identify LB resistant genotypes in early generations. (author)

Evaluation of agronomic and fruit quality traits of fig tree varieties (Ficus carica L.) grown in Mediterranean conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pereira, C.; Serradilla, M.J.; Pérez-Gragera, F.; Martín, A.; Villalobos, M. C.; López-Corrales, M.

2017-07-01

In this work, the agronomic behaviour and fruit quality of ten varieties of common fig were evaluated for the establishment of new commercial orchards destined for fresh consumption. The following traits were measured: annual yield, cumulative yield, trunk cross sectional area (TCSA) and yield efficiency of each variety, as well as weight, width, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, titratable acidity (TA) and maturation index (MI) of brebas and figs. The results show that ‘Banane’ and ‘Brown Turkey’ were the earliest to enter into production, and ‘Banane’ showed the highest annual yield in the 7th green (2014), with 76 kg/tree, followed by ‘Brown Turkey’ (57.6 kg/tree), ‘Cuello Dama Blanco’ (52 kg/tree) and ‘Colar Elche’ (39 kg/tree). On the other hand, 'Cuello Dama Blanco' and 'De Rey' exhibited the better organoleptic traits, with TSS and MI values ranged from 18.7 ºBrix and 203.3 MI (‘Cuello Dama Blanco’) to 20.4 ºBrix and 187.1 MI (‘De Rey’) for brebas and from 21.4 ºBrix and 278.7 (‘Cuello Dama Blanco’) to 23.3 ºBrix and 255.6 (‘De Rey’) for figs. This study will allow the fruit grower to select the most interesting and appropriate range of varieties based on market needs taking into account the ripening season (early, middle or late) and fruit colour (green, purple or black).

Evaluation of agronomic and fruit quality traits of fig tree varieties (Ficus carica L.) grown in Mediterranean conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, C.; Serradilla, M.J.; Pérez-Gragera, F.; Martín, A.; Villalobos, M. C.; López-Corrales, M.

2017-01-01

In this work, the agronomic behaviour and fruit quality of ten varieties of common fig were evaluated for the establishment of new commercial orchards destined for fresh consumption. The following traits were measured: annual yield, cumulative yield, trunk cross sectional area (TCSA) and yield efficiency of each variety, as well as weight, width, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, titratable acidity (TA) and maturation index (MI) of brebas and figs. The results show that ‘Banane’ and ‘Brown Turkey’ were the earliest to enter into production, and ‘Banane’ showed the highest annual yield in the 7th green (2014), with 76 kg/tree, followed by ‘Brown Turkey’ (57.6 kg/tree), ‘Cuello Dama Blanco’ (52 kg/tree) and ‘Colar Elche’ (39 kg/tree). On the other hand, 'Cuello Dama Blanco' and 'De Rey' exhibited the better organoleptic traits, with TSS and MI values ranged from 18.7 ºBrix and 203.3 MI (‘Cuello Dama Blanco’) to 20.4 ºBrix and 187.1 MI (‘De Rey’) for brebas and from 21.4 ºBrix and 278.7 (‘Cuello Dama Blanco’) to 23.3 ºBrix and 255.6 (‘De Rey’) for figs. This study will allow the fruit grower to select the most interesting and appropriate range of varieties based on market needs taking into account the ripening season (early, middle or late) and fruit colour (green, purple or black).

Occurrence, characterization and management of fruit rot of immature cucumber fruits under arid greenhouse conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ABDULLAH M AL-SADI

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A study was undertaken to characterize and manage pathogens associated with fruit rot of immature cucumber fruits in greenhouses in Oman. A survey over 5 growing seasons from 2008 to 2010 in 99 different greenhouses in Oman showed that the disease is prevalent in 91 (92% greenhouses and results in losses of 10 to 60% (avg. 33% of immature fruits per plant. Incidence of the disease was not found to be affected by growing seasons, which could be attributed to the limited fluctuations in ambient temperatures in greenhouses. Isolations from diseased cucumber fruits yielded Alternaria alternata (isolation frequency = 52%, Fusarium equiseti (40%, Cladosporium tenuissium (27%, Botrytis cinerea (6%, Fusarium solani (6%, Corynespora cassiicola (3%, Aspergillus spp. (2%, Curvularia sp. (1% and Bipolaris sp. (1%. With the exception of Curvularia and Bipolaris species, all other fungi were pathogenic on cucumber fruits, with Fusarium equiseti being the most aggressive, followed by Corynespora cassiicola, Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria alternata. Cladosporium and Aspergillus spp. were found to be weakly pathogenic. Comparing the efficacy of foliar and soil applications of carbendazim fungicide on fruit rot of cucumber showed that foliar applications significantly reduced fruit rot and increased cucumber yield when compared to soil application or to control (P < 0.01. This appears to be the first report of the association of Corynespora cassiicola and Fusarium equiseti with fruit rot of immature greenhouse cucumbers. This is also the first report in Oman for the association of Cladosporium tenuissimum with fruit rot of immature cucumbers. Findings are discussed in terms of factors affecting disease control in greenhouses using carbendazim.

Understanding the effects of slip pruning on pineapple fruit quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fassinou Hotegni, V.N.; Lommen, W.J.M.; Agbossou, E.K.; Struik, P.C.

2016-01-01

Pineapple fruit quality is important especially when fruits are exported to international markets. Fruits should meet minimum requirements such as a weight of at least 0.7 kg, a ratio between the crown length and infructescence (fruit without the crown) length ranging from 0.5 to 1.5, and a Brix

Tomato yield and potassium concentrations in soil and in plant petioles as affected by potassium fertirrigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FONTES PAULO CEZAR REZENDE

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Santa Clara was grown on a silt clay soil with 46 mg dm-3 Mehlich 1 extractable K, to evaluate the effects of trickle-applied K rates on fruit yield and to establish K critical concentrations in soil and in plant petioles. Six potassium rates (0, 48, 119, 189, 259 and 400 kg ha-1 K were applied in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Soil and plant K critical levels were determined at two plant growth stages (at the beginning of the second and fourth cluster flowering. Total, marketable and weighted yields increased with K rates, reaching their maximum of 86.4, 73.4, and 54.9 ton ha-1 at 198, 194, and 125 kg ha-1 K , respectively. At the first soil sampling date K critical concentrations in the soil associated with K rates for maximum marketable and weighted yields were 92 and 68 mg dm-3, respectively. Potassium critical concentrations in the dry matter of the petioles sampled by the beginning of the second and fourth cluster flowering time, associated with maximum weighted yield, were 10.30 and 7.30 dag kg-1, respectively.

Enhanced Preservation of Fruits Using Nanotechnology (CIFSRF ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Taking new technologies to market Research on scaling up will identify suitable, ... volumes of fruits -packaging for different market requirements -extending the ... A new IDRC-supported project will help improve water conservation and use for ...

Impact of the asset purchase programme on euro area government bond yields using market news

OpenAIRE

De Santis, Roberto

2016-01-01

Assessing the impact of the Asset Purchase Programme (APP) by the European Central Bank (ECB) on euro area sovereign yields is challenging, because the monetary policy announcement in January 2015 was already implicitly communicated to the market in the second half of 2014. Therefore, to identify the APP for the euro area, we rely upon Bloomberg news on euro area APP. The econometric results suggest that the impact of APP on euro area long-term sovereign yields is sizeable, albeit the program...

EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF WATERMELON, CV. TOP GUN

OpenAIRE

RODRIGO HIYOSHI DALMAZZO NOWAKI; ARTHUR BERNARDES CECÍLIO FILHO; ROGÉRIO TEIXEIRA DE FARIA; ANDERSON FERNANDO WAMSER; JUAN WALDIR MENDONZA CORTEZ

2017-01-01

Nitrogen (N) is the second most important nutrient required by watermelons that can limit their growth and affect fruit quality when deficient. We evaluated the soil (N-nitrate) and foliar N contents and soluble-solid content of the watermelon 'Top Gun' in Brazil at six rates of N fertilization (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg ha-1). N-nitrate and foliar N levels increased linearly with rate. Number of total and marketable fruit, weight of total and marketable fruit and total and marketable y...

Responses of apple fruit size to tree water status and crop load.

Science.gov (United States)

Naor, A; Naschitz, S; Peres, M; Gal, Y

2008-08-01

The combined effects of irrigation rate and crop load on apple yield and fruit size were examined in two commercial apple orchards (cv. Golden Delicious) in a semi-arid zone. The irrigation rates applied were 1, 3 and 7 mm day(-1), and the two fruit thinning treatments involved adjusting crop load to 100 and 300 fruits per tree at Ortal and 50 and 150 fruits per tree at Matityahu. Unthinned trees served as the control. The fruit from each tree was picked separately, and fruit size distribution was determined with a commercial grading machine. Midday stem water potentials varied from -0.9 to -2.8 MPa, crop load varied from 80,000 to 1,900,000 fruit ha(-1) and crop yield varied from 10 to 144 Mg ha(-1). Midday stem water potential decreased with increasing crop load in all irrigation treatments at Matityahu, but only in the 1 mm day(-1) treatment at Ortal. The extent of the lowering of midday stem water potential by crop load decreased with increasing soil water availability. At both orchards, a similar response of total crop yield to crop load on a per hectare basis was observed. Mean fruit mass and relative yield of fruit > 70 mm in diameter increased with midday stem water potential, with the low crop loads having similar but steeper slopes than the high crop load. The responses of mean fruit mass and relative yield of fruit > 70 mm in diameter to midday stem water potential were similar at both orchards, perhaps indicating that thresholds for irrigation scheduling are transferable to other orchards within a region. Factors that may limit the transferability of these thresholds are discussed.

Effect of Seed Priming, Sowing methods and Bio-fertilizers on Yield and Yield Components of Seedy Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Zarandi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus is one of the most important fresh fruits in Iran particularly during summer. After China, in terms of production and cultivation area, Iran placed second in the world. Research conducted in different regions (especially in arid and semi-arid regions, like Iran indicated that poor germination and establishment of seedlings in the field causes low yield, particularly in vegetables. Seed priming, (to increase the percentage and rate of germination and transplanting to increase plant establishment and use of bio-fertilizers to increase food availability during the growing season are inevitable to transfer to ecological agriculture. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of seeds osmopriming, transplanting and bio-fertilizers on watermelon grain yield. Materials and Methods This experiment was conducted at split plot based on complete block design with three replications in the Laboratory, Greenhouse and the Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2013. First factor was seed priming in two levels (unprimed and primed, the second factor was transplanting in two levels (direct sowing and transplantation and the third factor was bio-fertilizers containing pseudomonas and Azotobacter in two levels (non bio-fertilizers and bio-fertilizers. Leaf area index (LAI, number of fruits per plant, number of seeds per fruit, 1000 seed weight, grain yield and total dry matter were determined. Results and Discussion Transplants produced using osmoprimed seeds that had been sprayed with bio-fertilizers on the field (T2P2K2 had higher LAI than the other treatments (Table 3. Bio-fertilizers in both transplanting and direct sowing produced more LAI, but osmopriming of seeds with PEG 6000 had little impact on LAI (Table 3. LAI is one of the growth parameters which had a great effect to achieve maximum yield that needs to be at higher level before flowering. Izadkhah et al. (2010 and

Radiation-induced pollen germination, tube growth, its localized cytochemical constituents, fruit set and fruit size in alkaloid yielding species Solanum torvum L

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chauhan, Y.S.; Katiyar, S.R.

1990-01-01

The volume of pollen, total number of pollen/flower, the percent of pollen germination and tube growth of long-styled flower were higher than the short-styled flowers in S. torvum. In addition, the pollination studies were conducted among the four selected sets for optimum fruit set investigation. Fruit set was not seen in both the first and second sets (female shorts-short male and female short-long male). However, the maximum fruit set was obtained in the fourth set (female long-male long). Pollen grains of long-styled flowers irradiated with 1-800 krad were germinated in the basal medium. The percent of pollen germination and the tube growth was stimulated over the control with 1 and 50 krad dose exposures, but increasing dose rates inhibited both the above processes. Utilization of insoluble polysaccharides, and the synthesis of RNA and protein were enhanced over the control with the effect of 50 krad. The higher (800 krad) dose exposures inhibited all the above cytochemical constituents. Various dose-treated pollens were used to pollinate the stigma surface of the long-styled flowers. The fruit set, fruit volume, fresh and dry weight of fruits, and the number of seed set/fruit, were enhanced over the control by 1 and 50 krad, while the higher doses caused inhibitory effect. Interestingly, the fruit set was not caused by radiation doses 400 krad and above. (author)

Tropical Fruit Irradiation-From Research to Commercial Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moy, James H.

2005-09-01

Food irradiation is an emerging technology for the 21st century. Extensive research and development worldwide in the past 40 years have proved the versatility and efficacy. With low, medium to high dose, and using either a gamma, electrons, or x-ray source, radiation can: 1) disinfest plant products and spices; 2) extend shelf life of tubers, bulbs, and selected tropical fruits; 3) decontaminate meats and seafood; 4) sterilize spices and special meals; and 5) improve product utilization. Criteria for testing its efficacy include effectiveness, efficiency, and the ability to retain product quality. The use of irradiation as a quarantine treatment of tropical fruits is potentially attractive to countries growing these fruits. A two-prong research plan should aim at proving radiation's effectiveness in preventing emergence of all insect pests that might be on a fruit, and determining that all quality attributes of a host fruit are retained after irradiation, subsequent storage and shipment. ommercial application involves conducting an economical feasibility study; market research and testing; selection of radiation source and irradiator type; training of personnel for plant operations, radiation safety and dosimetry monitoring; designing of packages and choosing the most cost-effective means of transporting treated fruits to market destinations. When all of hese are achieved, it should lead to a continuous and profitable operation. Researchers at the University of Hawaii using a gamma irradiator from the mid-1960s to early 2000s had amassed a volume of data to prove the efficacy of radiation disinfestations. And installation of a commercial x-ray irradiator in 2000 on the Island of Hawaii has enabled fruit farmers and packers to use this technology for exporting tropical fruits to distant markets

Electronic-nose applications for fruit identification, ripeness, and quality grading

Science.gov (United States)

Manuela Baietto; Dan Wilson

2015-01-01

Fruits produce a wide range of volatile organic compounds that impart their characteristically distinct aromas and contribute to unique flavor characteristics. Fruit aroma and flavor characteristics are of key importance in determining consumer acceptance in commercial fruit markets based on individual preference. Fruit producers, suppliers and retailers traditionally...

Grower Perception of the Significance of Weaver Ants as a Fruit Fly Deterrent in Tanzanian Smallholder Mango Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkegaard, Nina; Msogoya, Theodosy; Offenberg, Hans Joachim

2017-01-01

of exploiting them as an affordable, environmentally -friendly method to improve marketable fruit yield and quality. In a preliminary interview study in a mango-growing region of rural Tanzania, the farmers were not convinced of any beneficial, deterrent effect attributable to the indigenous weaver ants...... in their trees and were sceptical of any likely value as a biological control technique. Additionally, fruit fly infestation was not seen as a priority problem and subsequent enquiry and investigation showed that, fortuitously, traditional, local practices for storage and enhancing ripening prevented...... the development of a significant proportion of any deposited eggs. Subsequent field studies supported the grower perceptions as they recorded only an erratic and limited deterrent effect....

Evaluation of the Tung’s fruits as a possible source of sustainable energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelson Zornitta

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Tung’s fruits (Aleurites fordii produce oil of great applicability in the market of painting and covering due to its drying characteristics. Tung’s oil may be an alternative for the production of new biofuels. In this study, it was evaluated the energetic potential of the fruit, oil and biodiesel obtained from the Tung. The average yielding of the extracted seed oil was 50.6%, a value similar to those presented in literature. Moreover, its density presented a value of 931.5 g L-1 and its acid index, 4.5 mg KOH g-1. In the last step of this study, biodiesel was produced by basic methyl route using potassium hydroxide. The specific mass of the produced biodiesel was 909.2 kg m-3 at 20°C; its acid index was 0.473 mg KOH g-1 and its flash point was 178°C. The values of heating values in natura and the low level of ashes in the residual biomass makes the Tung’s fruits a promising renewable clean source of energy of second generation fuel.

Effect of Black and Clear Polyethylene Mulch on Yield and Yield Components of Melon in Salinity Stress Condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peyman Jafari

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The term of Mulch, is the German word (Molsh means the soft, however, not soft, and made of plant debris or synthetic substances. Many positive effects attributed to the use of plastic mulch such as adjusting the temperature in the root environment, conserve moisture, reduce weeds, increase root growth, reduce soil erosion, and soil condensation and improve germination and early plant establishment. The use of mulch can reduce the harmful effects of salt in plants. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the effects of black and clear polyethylene mulch on yield and yield components of melon in salinity stress condition, a study was conducted in 2011 using split plot randomized based on complete block design with three replications in Varamin region. Three salinity levels of irrigation water of 2, 5 and 8 dS-1 as main factor and three plastic mulch treatments (no mulch, clear mulch and black mulch were considered as sub-plots. At harvest and after determining the yield and number of fruits harvested from each plot, the average number of fruits per plant was measured and fruit pulp thickness was recorded with calipers. Results Discussion The results showed interactive effects of salinity and mulch on fruit yield, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, fruit length, days to first harvest and fruit soluble solids percentage were statistically significant. In salinity levels of 2, 5 and 8 dS m-1, fruit yield increased, respectively, 19.6, 59, and 45.4 %in clear mulch compared to control. Similarly these increases for the black mulch were equal to 15.7, 41.9, and 21.4 percent, respectively. With 2, 5 and 8 dS m-1 salinity levels, fruit yield in the first harvest were 7.44, 7.72, and 6.98 t ha -1, respectively, which was significantly higher than without mulch and black mulch. Mulch can reduce evaporation and increase the level of moisture in the soil and thereby dilute the salt and reduce the harmful effects of salinity. Some

Economic feasibility of fruit and vegetable irradiation in Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beattie, B.B.; Wiblin, B.

1983-01-01

The cost of treatment of fruit and vegetables in an Ionising Radiation Treatment (IRT) facility can be quite low. However, other circumstances mitigate against its overall economic feasibility. Research has determined that irradiation treatments are technically successful in three general areas. These are: prevention of fungal wastage in strawberries, prevention of sprouting in potatoes and onions, and disinfestation of fruit and vegetables from insect pests. The strawberry industry in Australia is very small and marketing of the crop will continue regardless of the availability of an IRT facility. On the other hand the potato industry is large but does not see sprouting as a marketing problem. The third area is disinfestation against Queensland fruit fly for interstate and export markets. Recent changes in Victorian quarantine legislation give a much greater number of alternatives for produce going into that State

Genetic variability, correlation and path coefficients of yield and its components analysis in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch Ex Poir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GM Mohsin

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Genetic variability, correlation and path coefficient were studied for yield and yield component traits in twenty one diverse genotypes of pumpkin. Highest genotypic coefficient of variation was recorded for fruit length (cm, single fruit weight (kg, Brix (% and yield per plant (kg. Heritability estimates in broad sense were higher for almost all the characters. The characters namely, fruit length, single fruit weight, yield per plant and brix% had high genotypic coefficient of variation coupled with heritability gave high genetic advance expressed as percentage of mean ranged from 76.84 to 96.06 which indicated that these characters were less influenced by environment confirming additive gene action, and therefore, selection of these characters would be more effective for yield improvement of pumpkins. Total six traits likely fruit length, fruit diameter, flesh thickness, single fruit weight and number of fruits per plant were positively and significantly associated with yield per plant. Path coefficient analysis also revealed maximum contribution of single fruit weight (0.869 to yield and this was followed by the contribution of number of fruit per plant (0.527 at genotypic level.

Influence of shoot topping on yield and quality of Vitis vinifera L.

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-10-20

Oct 20, 2008 ... Key words: Vitis vinifera L., shoot topping, yield, quality, canopy management, shoot topping, fruit set, yield components, fruit .... Sensory characteristics were under the interaction effect of year and topping level. Berry weight was influenced separately by the year and topping (Table 2 and 3). Yield per vine ...

75 FR 8038 - Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-23

... Agricultural Commodities Act program, marketing agreements, food safety, local farmer/education initiatives... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Doc. No. AMS-FV-10-0017; FV-09-378] Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION...

Yields, market values and n use efficiency in flue-cured tobacco influenced by time of basal n fertilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Zhijian; Tu Shuxin; Li Jinping; Xu Rubing; Chen Zhenguo; Wang Xuelong

2010-01-01

A field experiment with 15 N isotope tracing micro-plots was carried out to study the effects of basal N fertilizer application time (0 d, 15 d, 30 d before the transplanting) on the yields, market values and N uptake, utilization and distribution in different organs of flue-cured tobacco (FCT) in two ecological tobacco production areas (Zhaojiashan and Laowan) of Xiangfan City, Hubei Province. The results showed that supplying N fertilizer significantly increased the yields and market values of FCT by 13% ∼ 40% and 14% ∼ 35% for the experimental site of Zhaojiashan (lower altitude) and Laowan (higher altitude), respectively. Compared to applying basal fertilizer at 0 d before transplanting, applying basal fertilizer at 15 d or 30 d before transplanting increased the market values by 10% ∼ 30% (P < 0.05). And early application of basal N fertilizer (30 d before transplanting) increased N accumulation by 8% ∼ 26% as compared with that of applying basal N fertilizer at 0 d or 15 d before transplanting in the two ecological areas. There was no significant effects of basal N application time on N fertilizer efficiency in lower altitude site, but increasing by 3% ∼ 6% in higher altitude site. These results indicated that properly earlier (15 d for example) supplication of basal N fertilizer could improve the N fertilizer efficiency, and thus increase the yields and market values of FCT, especially in higher altitude areas with less sunshine and lower temperature. (authors)

Evaluation of sources of organic manure on the growth and yield of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Moringa 20 t ha1 produce the highest dry matter of the plants. The least fruit number of fruits per plant than Kumba and fruit yield in t ha-1 was higher in Gilo. There was no significant interaction between varieties and manure. Yield of both varieties was higher in Makurdi than Obubra Moringa Oleifera leaf biomas and poultry ...

Effect of fertilization methods on growth of pear trees, yielding and fruit quality

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Tomasz Lipa

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The experiment was carried out in the commercial orchard near Lublin on five-year old pear trees of two cultivars: ‘Conference’and ‘Lukasowka’, planted on Quince MA. The objective of the study was evaluated the reaction of pear on the method of application of fertilizers. In the early spring the surface broadcasting of fertilizers was used (N – 71,5 kg, P 2O5 – 33,0 kg, K 2 O – 114,0 kg and from the May to the middle of August the fertigation was applied (N – 76,4 kg, P 2O5 – 49,5 kg, K 2 O – 84,2 kg. Method of fertilizer’s applications had no significant effect on the growth of evaluated trees. There were no differences in quantity of yield in dependence on the method of fertilization. In the case of cv. ‘Lukasowka’the beneficial influence of the way of fertilization on morphology of fruits (their diameter, height and mass was stated. Such an effect was not observed in the case of the ‘Conference’.

A dose-response relationship for marketable yield reduction of two lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivars exposed to tropospheric ozone in Southern Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Marzuoli, Riccardo; Finco, Angelo; Chiesa, Maria; Gerosa, Giacomo

2017-12-01

The present study investigated the response to ozone (O 3 ) of two cultivars (cv.'Romana' and cv. 'Canasta') of irrigated lettuce grown in an open-top chamber (OTC) experiment in Mediterranean conditions. Two different levels of O 3 were applied, ambient O 3 in non-filtered OTCs (NF-OTCs) and -40% of ambient O 3 in charcoal-filtered OTCs (CF-OTCs), during four consecutive growing cycles. At the end of each growing cycle, the marketable yield (fresh biomass) was assessed while during the growing periods, measurements of the stomatal conductance at leaf level were performed and used to define a stomatal conductance model for calculation of the phytotoxic ozone dose (POD) absorbed by the plants.Results showed that O 3 caused statistically significant yield reductions in the first and in the last growing cycle. In general, the marketable yield of the NF-OTC plants was always lower than the CF-OTC plants for both cultivars, with mean reductions of -18.5 and -14.5% for 'Romana' and 'Canasta', respectively. On the contrary, there was no statistically significant difference in marketable yield due to the cultivar factor or to the interaction between O 3 and cultivar in any of the growing cycle performed.Dose-response relationships for the marketable relative yield based on the POD values were calculated according to different flux threshold values (Y). The best regression fit was obtained using an instantaneous flux threshold of 6 nmol O 3 m -2  s -1 (POD 6 ); the same value was obtained also for other crops. According to the generic lettuce dose-response relationship, an O 3 critical level of 1 mmol O 3 m -2 of POD 6 for a 15% of marketable yield loss was found.

Effect of Bioregulators on Apple Yield and Quality Attributes | Ouma ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Experiments were conducted in 1995 and 1996 to investigate the effect of the two bioregulators; Accel and Carbaryl, sprayed two weeks before bloom on Apple fruit set, yield and quality and to relate the degree of fruit set reduction to the yield of three Apple cultivars namely, \\'Empire`, \\'Jon-A-Red\\' and `Braeburn\\'.

heritability and number of genes controlling seed yield in bottle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2018-05-10

May 10, 2018 ... For seed yield per plant, 100-seed weight per fruit, and number of seeds per fruit, a positive hypothetical heterosis was observed when calabash type was a maternal parent. ...... genes controlled fruit weight in watermelon.

EFEKTIFITAS WORD OF MOUTH TERHADAP MINAT BELI KONSUMEN PRODUK JIGAR FRUIT SALAD DI PLAZA SEMANGGI

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Suhendra Suhendra

2015-05-01

Full Text Available There are many ways to convey the message to promote, so that the target market right on target. To promote the growing consumer interest in buying that nominal required no small amount of good to advertise in print media, TV, internet, radio. This probably would not have happened if it can maximize the promotion by using the Word Of Mouth. It is applied by Jigar Fruit Salad which is a culinary business. Varian products include Mayo Fruit Salad, Yogurt Fruit Salad, Pickled Fruit Salad, Fruit Salad Rojak Caramel, honey Dazzling Fruit Salad, Fruit Rojak Serut Salad, Fruit Salad and Mango Fruit Toast. Jigar Fruit Salad has a target market aged 19-40 years, male and female students and employees, SES B, a healthy lifestyle. Jigar Fruit Salad is located in Plaza Semanggi Mall foodcourt with minimal skills possessed to start the promotion, Fruit Salad Jigar select Word of Mouth as a way to intensify the promotion, establish a commercially viable product and consumption with positioning as a healthy food and fresh as the most basis for intensifying Word of Mouth to reach consumers to buy the product Jigar fruit salad.   Ada banyak cara untuk menyampaikan pesan untuk berpromosi, agar target market tepat sasaran. Untuk berpromosi sehingga minat beli konsumen tumbuh dibutuhkan nominal yang tidak sedikit untuk mengiklankan baik di media cetak, TV, internet, radio. Hal ini mungkin tidak akan terjadi jika dapat memaksimalkan promosi dengan menggunakan Word Of Mouth. Hal tersebut diaplikasikan oleh Jigar Fruit Salad yang merupakan satu bisnis kuline. Varian produknya antara lain Fruit Salad Mayo, Fruit Salad Yogurt, Fruit Salad Asinan, Fruit Salad Rujak Caramel, Fruit Salad honey Dazzling, Fruit Salad Rujak Serut, Fruit Manggo Salad dan Roti Panggang Buah.Jigar Fruit Salad mempunyai target market umur 19 – 40 tahun, laki- laki dan perempuan mahasiswa dan karyawan, SES B , bergaya hidup sehat. Jigar Fruit Salad terletak di Foodcourt Mall Plaza Semanggi

Exploring the potential of an Andean fruit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Olivares Tenorio, Mary Luz

2017-01-01

Cape gooseberry is a fruit cultivated in Andean countries. Currently it is available some international markets, besides the domestic Andean market. Colombia is the major producer and export country at the moment. The value chain of cape gooseberry faces several barriers of technological and

Perdas de frutas frescas no comércio varejista de Mineiros-GO: um estudo de caso Fresh fruit losses at the retail markets in Mineiros, state of Goiás, Brazil

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Mauro Brasil Dias Tofanelli

2007-01-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar levantamento das perdas de frutas frescas nos mercados varejistas do município de Mineiros-GO, bem como suas causas e providências a serem tomadas. Para isso, foram realizadas pesquisas mediante visitação aos equipamentos varejistas (supermercados, quitandas/sacolões e feira livre para aplicação de questionário. Os resultados demonstraram que, semanalmente, são perdidos 3,2% do volume de frutas comercializado em Mineiros e que os supermercados, por serem os principais mercados varejistas, são predominantes no volume de perdas. Os mercados varejistas citaram o armazenamento inadequado (falta de refrigeração e as más condições de transporte (rodovias sob condições ruins de conservação como as principais causas das perdas de frutas frescas. O controle de estoque, a educação do consumidor final e a melhoria da qualidade das frutas são medidas prioritárias a serem tomadas conforme a rede varejista. Conclui-se que os mercados varejistas de Mineiros precisam desenvolver ações mais enérgicas e apresentar atitudes a fim de diminuir as perdas dos produtos frutícolas.The present work had as objective to carry through survey the losses of fresh fruits in the retail markets of the city of Mineiros-GO, as well as its causes and steps to be taken. For this research, visitation to the retail markets (supermarkets, groceries stores and street market for an application of a questionnaire was realized. The results showed that 3.2% of the volume of fruits commercialized in Mineiros are lost weekly and that the supermarkets, being the main retail markets, are predominant in the volume of losses. The retail markets had cited the inadequate storage (refrigeration lack and the bad conditions of transport (highways under bad conditions of conservation as the main causes of the losses of fresh fruits. Supplying control, the education of the consumer, and fruit quality improvement are priority

Safeguarding fruit crops in the age of agricultural globalization

Science.gov (United States)

The expansion of fruit production and markets into new geographic areas provides novel opportunities and challenges for the agricultural and marketing industries. In today’s competitive global market environment, growers need access to the best material available in terms of genetics and plant heal...

From Farms to Markets: Gram-Negative Bacteria Resistant to Third-Generation Cephalosporins in Fruits and Vegetables in a Region of North Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Mesbah Zekar, Ferielle; Granier, Sophie A.; Marault, Muriel; Yaici, Lydia; Gassilloud, Benoit; Manceau, Charles; Touati, Abdelaziz; Millemann, Yves

2017-01-01

The role of food in human exposure to antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is a growing food safety issue. The contribution of fruits and vegetables eaten raw to this exposure is still unclear. The evaluation of contamination levels of fruits, vegetables and the agricultural environment by third-generation cephalosporin (3GC)-resistant Gram-negative bacteria was performed by analyzing 491 samples of fruits and vegetables collected from 5 markets and 7 farms in Bejaia area, north-eastern Mediterranean coast of Algeria. Ninety soil samples and 45 irrigation water samples were also sampled in farms in order to assess them as potential inoculum sources. All samples were investigated at the same time on ceftazidime-containing selective media for 3GC-resistant Gram-negative bacteria detection and on Hektoen media, for Salmonella spp. presence. The bacteria isolated (n = 30) from fruits and vegetables, soil and irrigation water collected in the farms were almost all non-fermenting bacterial species (Stenotrophomonas, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Ochrobactrum) except one strain of Enterobacter cloacae and two strains of Citrobacter murliniae, isolated on one cucumber and two tomato samples in the same farm. Greater diversity in bacterial species and antimicrobial resistance profiles was observed at markets: Enterobacteriaceae (n = 41) were as strongly represented as non-fermenting bacteria (n = 37). Among Enterobacteriaceae, E. cloacae (n = 21), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 13) were the most common isolates. Most of the K. pneumoniae isolates were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers (n = 11). No Salmonella spp. was recovered in any sample. This study showed that fruits and vegetables including those which may be eaten up raw constitute a reservoir of 3GC-resistant Gram-negative bacteria and multi-drug resistant-bacteria in general that can be transferred to humans through food. The general public should be informed of this hazard for health in order to encourage

From Farms to Markets: Gram-Negative Bacteria Resistant to Third-Generation Cephalosporins in Fruits and Vegetables in a Region of North Africa

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Ferielle Mesbah Zekar

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The role of food in human exposure to antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is a growing food safety issue. The contribution of fruits and vegetables eaten raw to this exposure is still unclear. The evaluation of contamination levels of fruits, vegetables and the agricultural environment by third-generation cephalosporin (3GC-resistant Gram-negative bacteria was performed by analyzing 491 samples of fruits and vegetables collected from 5 markets and 7 farms in Bejaia area, north-eastern Mediterranean coast of Algeria. Ninety soil samples and 45 irrigation water samples were also sampled in farms in order to assess them as potential inoculum sources. All samples were investigated at the same time on ceftazidime-containing selective media for 3GC-resistant Gram-negative bacteria detection and on Hektoen media, for Salmonella spp. presence. The bacteria isolated (n = 30 from fruits and vegetables, soil and irrigation water collected in the farms were almost all non-fermenting bacterial species (Stenotrophomonas, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Ochrobactrum except one strain of Enterobacter cloacae and two strains of Citrobacter murliniae, isolated on one cucumber and two tomato samples in the same farm. Greater diversity in bacterial species and antimicrobial resistance profiles was observed at markets: Enterobacteriaceae (n = 41 were as strongly represented as non-fermenting bacteria (n = 37. Among Enterobacteriaceae, E. cloacae (n = 21, and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 13 were the most common isolates. Most of the K. pneumoniae isolates were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL producers (n = 11. No Salmonella spp. was recovered in any sample. This study showed that fruits and vegetables including those which may be eaten up raw constitute a reservoir of 3GC-resistant Gram-negative bacteria and multi-drug resistant-bacteria in general that can be transferred to humans through food. The general public should be informed of this hazard for health in order

Geohelminth contamination of some common fruits and vegetables ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The degree of contamination by helminths of some common vegetable and fruits sold in markets in Enugu metropolis was assessed between January and April 2002. The vegetables and fruits were bought directly from the rural farmers and checked for helminthes and larvae by the formalin-ether concentration method.

ZNJPrice/Earnings Ratio Model through Dividend Yield and Required Yield Above Expected Inflation

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Emil Mihalina

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Price/earnings ratio is the most popular and most widespread evaluation model used to assess relative capital asset value on financial markets. In functional terms, company earnings in the very long term can be described with high significance. Empirically, it is visible from long-term statistics that the demanded (required yield on capital markets has certain regularity. Thus, investors first require a yield above the stable inflation rate and then a dividend yield and a capital increase caused by the growth of earnings that influence the price, with the assumption that the P/E ratio is stable. By combining the Gordon model for current dividend value, the model of market capitalization of earnings (price/earnings ratio and bearing in mind the influence of the general price levels on company earnings, it is possible to adjust the price/earnings ratio by deriving a function of the required yield on capital markets measured by a market index through dividend yield and inflation rate above the stable inflation rate increased by profit growth. The S&P 500 index for example, has in the last 100 years grown by exactly the inflation rate above the stable inflation rate increased by profit growth. The comparison of two series of price/earnings ratios, a modelled one and an average 7-year ratio, shows a notable correlation in the movement of two series of variables, with a three year deviation. Therefore, it could be hypothesized that three years of the expected inflation level, dividend yield and profit growth rate of the market index are discounted in the current market prices. The conclusion is that, at the present time, the relationship between the adjusted average price/earnings ratio and its effect on the market index on one hand and the modelled price/earnings ratio on the other can clearly show the expected dynamics and course in the following period.

Limits of selection against cheaters: birds prioritise visual fruit advertisement over taste.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhen; Schaefer, H Martin

2014-04-01

The concept of biological markets aims to explain how organisms interact with each other. Market theory predicts that organisms choose the most rewarding partner in mutualisms. However, partner choice may also be influenced by advertisement which may not be reliable. In seed dispersal mutualism, we analysed whether seed dispersers prioritise taste cues over visual advertisement to select the most rewarding fruits and whether they select against partners with unreliable advertisement. We conducted experiments on black elder (Sambucus nigra), a species of which the colours of the peduncles match the sugar content of their fruits. We created infructescences the colours of which matched or mismatched the sugar content of their fruits. There was no selection against cheaters in the field or by captive blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) as seed dispersers. Blackcaps were constrained to select against unreliable advertisement because they swallowed fruits entirely and thus did not obtain an immediate feedback by taste. Instead, blackcaps selected fruits according to the colour variation of red peduncles. Overall, we suggest that the concept of constraints should be incorporated into biological markets. We further contend that biological markets can be more complex than currently acknowledged because a moderate degree of reliability occurred in black elder even in the absence of selection against cheaters.

Radiation preservation and test marketing of fruits and vegetables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Zhicheng; Cai Dong; He Fuying; Zhao Deyao

1993-01-01

To develop the technology for radiation preservation of fruits and vegetables, many varieties of fruits and vegetables had been researched. Results showed that low dose irradiation is useful to preserve fruits and vegetables. On the basis of research, 1900 tons of garlic, 950 tons onion, 500 tons potatoes, 710 tons apples and 1000 kg litchi had been irradiated on a commercial scale. The quality control standards of irradiated garlic, onion and potato had been established and used for commercial scale irradiation. In order to collect consumers in-store response to irradiated foods, a special counter was set up for selling irradiated apples in Nan Jing Road (W), Shanghai. 634 sheets of consumer in-store response investigation forms have been returned and analysed. These results showed that when consumer understands the benefit of irradiation preservation such as higher quality, greater safety, longer shelf-life, wide product availability, or good prices for value, consumer would willingly buy irradiated food. (author)

Radiation preservation and test marketing of fruits and vegetables

Science.gov (United States)

Zhicheng, Xu; Dong, Cai; Fuying, He; Deyao, Zhao

1993-07-01

To develop the technology for radiation preservation of fruits and vegetables, many varieties of fruits and vegetables had been researched. Results showed that the low dose irradiation is useful to preservation of fruits and vegetables. On the besis of research, 1900 tons garlic, 950 tons onion, 500 tons potatoes, 710 tons apples and 1000 kg litchi had been irradiated in commercial scale. The quality control standards of irradiated garlic, onion and potato had been established and used for commercial scale irradiation. In order to collect consumers in store response to irradiated foods, a special counter was set up for selling irradiated apples in Nan Jing Road (W), Shanghai. 634 sheets of consumer in-store respense investigation forms have been returned and analysed. These results showed that when consumer understands the benefit of irradiation preservation such as higher quality, greater safety, longer shelf-live, wide product availability, or good prices for value, consumer would willingly buy irradiated food.

Future Warming Increases Global Maize Yield Variability with Implications for Food Markets

Science.gov (United States)

Tigchelaar, M.; Battisti, D. S.; Naylor, R. L.; Ray, D. K.

2017-12-01

If current trends in population growth and dietary shifts continue, the world will need to produce about 70% more food by 2050, while earth's climate is rapidly changing. Rising temperatures in particular are projected to negatively impact agricultural production, as the world's staple crops perform poorly in extreme heat. Theoretical models suggest that as temperatures rise above plants' optimal temperature for performance, not only will mean yields decline rapidly, but the variability of yields will increase, even as interannual variations in climate remain unchanged. Here we use global datasets of maize production and climate variability combined with CMIP5 temperature projections to quantify how yield variability will change in major maize producing countries under 2°C and 4°C of global warming. Maize is the world's most produced crop, and is linked to other staple crops through substitution in consumption and production. We find that in warmer climates - absent any breeding gains in heat tolerance - the Coefficient of Variation (CV) of maize yields increases almost everywhere, to values much larger than present-day. This increase in CV is due both to an increase in the standard deviation of yields, and a decrease in mean yields. In locations where crop failures become the norm under high (4°C) warming (mostly in tropical, low-yield environments), the standard deviation of yields ultimately decreases. The probability that in any given year the most productive areas in the top three maize producing countries (United States, China, Brazil) have simultaneous production losses greater than 10% is virtually zero under present-day climate conditions, but increases to 12% under 2°C warming, and 89% under 4°C warming. This has major implications for global food markets and staple crop prices, affecting especially the 2.5 billion people that comprise the world's poor, who already spend the majority of their disposable income on food and are particularly vulnerable

Social capital and mango marketing in Odo-oba and Fiditi markets of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study evaluated the role of social capital in marketing of mango fruits in order to improve the marketing services and efficiency of the marketers in Oyo State, Nigeria. Primary data for the study were collected using structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and least square regression were used to analyze ...

Mandarin fruit quality: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldenberg, Livnat; Yaniv, Yossi; Porat, Ron; Carmi, Nir

2018-01-01

During the last decade, there has been a continuous rise in consumption and global marketing of fresh, easy-to-peel mandarins, with current annual production of nearly 29 million tons. Nevertheless, most of the existing knowledge on quality traits of citrus fruit comes from research conducted on oranges and grapefruit, which are the main products for the citrus juice manufacturing industry; relatively little is yet known regarding the unique fruit quality traits of mandarins, nor about the great diversity in these traits among the various natural sub-groups and varieties of mandarins. In the present review we discuss the physiological, biochemical, and molecular factors governing key fruit quality attributes of mandarins, including fruit colour, size and shape, ease of peeling, seedlessness, flavour, and nutritional quality. Fruit colour, size, and shape contribute to external appearance; peelability and seedlessness to ease of consumption; and flavour and nutritional quality to internal quality. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of irrigation regime and salinity on soil characteristics and yield of tomato

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita Leogrande

2012-03-01

Full Text Available A field experiment was conducted in Mediterranean conditions to evaluate the effects of different irrigation volumes and water quality on yield performance of tomato crop. The tomato crop was irrigated re-establishing 50 (I1, 75 (I2 and 100% (I3 of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc with two water quality: fresh water with EC 0.9 dS m-1 (FW and saline water with EC 6 dSm-1 (SW. At harvest, total and marketable yield, weight, number, , total soluble solids (TSS and dry matter of fruit were calculated, The results showed no statistical differences among the three different irrigation volumes on tomato yield and quality. The salinity treatment did not affect yield, probably because the soil salinity in the root zone on average remained below the threshold of tomato salt tolerance. Instead, salinity improved fruit quality parameters as dry matter and TSS by 13 and 8 %, respectively. After the first field application of saline water, soil saturated extract cations (SSEC, electrical conductivity of soil paste extract (ECe, sodium absorption ratio (SAR and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP cations increased; the largest increase of cations, in particular of Na, occurred in the top layer. At the end of the experiment, the absolute value of SSEC, ECe and SAR, for all the effects studied, were lower than those recorded in 2007. This behavior was suitable to the reduced volumes of treatments administered in 2009 in respect to the 2007. Furthermore, the higher total rainfall recorded in 2009 increased the leaching and downward movement of salts out of the sampling depth.

Shopper marketing nutrition interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Collin R; Niculescu, Mihai; Just, David R; Kelly, Michael P

2014-09-01

Grocery stores represent a context in which a majority of people's food purchases occur. Considering the nutrition quality of the population's food intake has dramatically decreased, understanding how to improve food choice in the grocery store is paramount to healthier living. In this work, we detail the type of financial resources from which shoppers could draw (i.e., personal income and benefits from government food assistance programs to low income populations) and explain how these financial resources are allocated in the grocery store (i.e., planned, unplanned, error). Subsequently, we identify a conceptual framework for shopper marketing nutrition interventions that targets unplanned fruit and vegetable purchases (i.e., slack, or willingness to spend minus list items). Targeting slack for fresh fruit and vegetable purchases allows retailers to benefit economically (i.e., fruit and vegetables are higher margin) and allows shoppers to improve their nutrition without increasing their budgets (i.e., budget neutrality). We also provide preliminary evidence of what in-store marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables could entail by modifying grocery carts and grocery floors to provide information of what is common, normal, or appropriate fruit and vegetable purchases. In each example, fresh fruit and vegetable purchases increased and evidence suggested shopper budget neutrality. To provide context for these results, we detail measurement tools that can be used to measure shopper behaviors, purchases, and consumption patterns. Finally, we address theoretical, practical, and policy implications of shopper marketing nutrition interventions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of plastic mulch on growth and yield of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.

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M Ashrafuzzaman

2011-04-01

Full Text Available In this work a field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of coloured plastic mulch on growth and yield of chilli from October 2005 to April 2006. The plastic mulches were transparent, blue, and black and bare soil was the control. Different mulches generated higher soil temperature and soil moisture under mulch over the control. Transparent and blue plastic mulches encouraged weed population which were suppressed under black plastic. Plant height, number of primary branches, stem base diameter, number of leaves and yield were better for the plants on plastic. At the mature green stage, fruits had the highest vitamin-C content on the black plastic. Mulching produced the fruits with the highest chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents and also increased the number of fruits per plant and yield. However, mulching did not affect the length and diameter of the fruits and number of seeds per fruit. Plants on black plastic mulch had the maximum number of fruits and highest yield. Thus, mulching appears to be a viable tool to increase the chilli production under tropical conditions.

A comprehensive survey of fruit grading systems for tropical fruits of Maharashtra.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoje, Suchitra A; Bodhe, S K

2015-01-01

It is said that the backbone of Indian economy is agriculture. The contribution of the agriculture sector to the national GDP (Gross Domestic Products) was 14.6% in the year 2010. To attain a growth rate equivalent to that of industry (viz., about 9%), it is highly mandatory for Indian agriculture to modernize and use automation at various stages of cultivation and post-harvesting techniques. The use of computers in assessing the quality of fruits is one of the major activities in post-harvesting technology. As of now, this assessment is majorly done manually, except for a few fruits. Currently, the fruit quality assessment by machine vision in India is still at research level. Major research has been carried out in countries like China, Malaysia, UK, and Netherlands. To suit the Indian market and psychology of Indian farmers, it is necessary to develop indigenous technology. This paper is the first step toward evaluating the research carried out by the research community all over world for tropical fruits. For the purpose of survey, we have concentrated on the tropical fruits of the state of Maharashtra, while keeping in focus of the review image processing algorithms.

Fruit Sorting Using Fuzzy Logic Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Elamvazuthi, Irraivan; Sinnadurai, Rajendran; Aftab Ahmed Khan, Mohamed Khan; Vasant, Pandian

2009-08-01

Fruit and vegetables market is getting highly selective, requiring their suppliers to distribute the goods according to very strict standards of quality and presentation. In the last years, a number of fruit sorting and grading systems have appeared to fulfill the needs of the fruit processing industry. However, most of them are overly complex and too costly for the small and medium scale industry (SMIs) in Malaysia. In order to address these shortcomings, a prototype machine was developed by integrating the fruit sorting, labeling and packing processes. To realise the prototype, many design issues were dealt with. Special attention is paid to the electronic weighing sub-system for measuring weight, and the opto-electronic sub-system for determining the height and width of the fruits. Specifically, this paper discusses the application of fuzzy logic techniques in the sorting process.

Harvester development for new high yielding SRC crops and markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paulson, Mark

2005-07-01

This report describes the development of harvesting equipment for short rotation cultivation (SRC) crops produced in the UK that can produce fuel to a required specification in a single pass at a cost that is profitable for the grower while minimising the cost of the product. Details are given of the manufacture and installation of new components for large crop harvesting, and production of fuel suitable for co-firing in a coal combustion system using pulverised fuel and fuel suitable for gasification. The development of the drive chain to cope with the higher yielding crops, field tests on SRC crops, and determination of the most economic harvesting system are discussed along with the remanufacture of the chipping drum, and production of market chip samples. Harvesting guidance and an economic analysis of harvesting systems are presented.

Harvester development for new high yielding SRC crops and markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paulson, Mark

2005-01-01

This report describes the development of harvesting equipment for short rotation cultivation (SRC) crops produced in the UK that can produce fuel to a required specification in a single pass at a cost that is profitable for the grower while minimising the cost of the product. Details are given of the manufacture and installation of new components for large crop harvesting, and production of fuel suitable for co-firing in a coal combustion system using pulverised fuel and fuel suitable for gasification. The development of the drive chain to cope with the higher yielding crops, field tests on SRC crops, and determination of the most economic harvesting system are discussed along with the remanufacture of the chipping drum, and production of market chip samples. Harvesting guidance and an economic analysis of harvesting systems are presented

Development of eggplant hybrid cultivar ‘BATEM FILIZI’ and determination of yield performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatice Filiz BOYACI

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Eggplant (Solanum melongena L. cultivation is an important part of vegetable production in Turkey. It is highly affected by abiotic stress factors such as low temperatures during growth and development. The present study was aimed to improve new hybrid varieties with high quality and fruit setting under undesirable environmental conditions in eggplant. The 39 inbred lines were developed from eggplant genepool by using pedigree breeding method at the Bati Akdeniz Agricultural Research Institute. They were characterized morphologically and evaluated for phylogenetic relationship among them. Selected seven lines were crossed each other to obtain F1 hybrids. Thirteen hybrids from these crosses were examined for their rate of heterosis and heterobeltiosis. These hybrids were not suitable for market demands although F1 hybrids including P350 as parental line had high heterosis rate. Oval fruit shaped P350 inbred line as female parent showed good performance and crossed with long fruit shaped P599 inbred line. The resultant F1 hybrid cultivar higher yielding, suitable for production under greenhouse and highly adaptable was registered with the name of BATEM FILIZI. It is recommended that this hybrid can be used in greenhouse production especially in single crop season.

Vegetative growth and yield of strawberry under irrigation and soil mulches for different cultivation environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pires Regina Célia de Matos

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The vegetative growth and yield of strawberry in relation to irrigation levels and soil mulches are still not well known, mainly for different environmental conditions. Two experiments were carried out in Atibaia, SP, Brazil, during 1995, one in a protected environment and the other in an open field, to evaluate the cultivar Campinas IAC-2712, under different irrigation levels and soil mulches (black and clear polyethylene. Three water potential levels in the soil were used in order to define irrigation time, corresponding to -0.010 (N1, -0.035 (N2, and -0.070 (N3 MPa, measured through tensiometers installed at the 10 cm depth. A 2 x 3 factorial arrangement was adopted, as randomized complete block, with 5 replicates. In the protected cultivation, the irrigation levels of -0.010 and -0.035 MPa and the clear plastic mulch favored the vegetative growth, evaluated through plant height, maximum horizontal dimension of the plant, leaf area index, as well as by total marketable fruit yield and its components (mean number and weight of fruits per plant. In the open field cultivation, no effect of treatments due to rainfall were observed.

Phytosanitary irradiation of peach fruit moth (Lepidoptera: Carposinidae) in apple fruits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhan, Guoping; Li, Baishu; Gao, Meixu; Liu, Bo; Wang, Yuejin; Liu, Tao; Ren, Lili

2014-01-01

Peach fruit moth, Carposina sasakii Matsumura, is a serious pest of many pome and stone fruits and presents a quarantine problem in some export markets. It is widely distributed in pome fruit production areas in China, Japan, Korea, North Korea and the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. In this investigation, gamma radiation dose–response tests were conducted with late eggs (5-d-old) and various larval stages, followed by large-scale confirmatory tests on the most tolerant stage in fruit, the fifth instar. The dose-response tests, with the target radiation dose of 20 (late eggs), 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, and 160 Gy (late fifth instars in vitro) respectively applied to all stages, showed that the tolerance to radiation increased with increasing age and developmental stage. The fifth instar (most advanced instar in fruits) was determined to be the most tolerant stage requiring an estimated minimum absorbed dose of 208.6 Gy (95% CI: 195.0, 226.5 Gy) to prevent adult emergence at 99.9968% efficacy (95% confidence level). In the confirmatory tests, irradiation was applied to 30,850 late fifth instars in apple fruits with a target dose of 200 Gy (171.6–227.8 Gy measured), but only 4 deformed adults emerged that died 2 d afterwards without laying eggs. A dose of 228 Gy may be recommended as a phytosanitary irradiation treatment under ambient atmosphere for the control of peach fruit moth on all commodities with an efficacy of 99.9902% at 95% confidence level. - Highlights: • Dose–response tests were conducted on eggs and all larval stages. • Fifth instar is the most tolerant stage that could be shipped in fruits. • None normal-looking adult emerged from 30,850 fifth instars in confirmatory tests. • A minimum of 228 Gy is suggested for phytosanitary irradiation of peach fruit moth

Review on the significance of chlorine for crop yield and quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Geilfus, Christoph-Martin

2018-05-01

The chloride concentration in the plant determines yield and quality formation for two reasons. First, chlorine is a mineral nutrient and deficiencies thereof induce metabolic problems that interfere with growth. However, due to low requirement of most crops, deficiency of chloride hardly appears in the field. Second, excess of chloride, an event that occurs under chloride-salinity, results in severe physiological dysfunctions impairing both quality and yield formation. The chloride ion can effect quality of plant-based products by conferring a salty taste that decreases market appeal of e.g. fruit juices and beverages. However, most of the quality impairments are based on physiological dysfunctions that arise under conditions of chloride-toxicity: Shelf life of persimmon is shortened due to an autocatalytic ethylene production in fruit tissues. High concentrations of chloride in the soil can increase phyto-availability of the heavy metal cadmium, accumulating in wheat grains above dietary intake thresholds. When crops are cultivated on soils that are moderately salinized by chloride, nitrate fertilization might be a strategy to suppress uptake of chloride by means of an antagonistic anion-anion uptake competition. Overall, knowledge about proteins that catalyse chloride-efflux out of the roots or that restrict xylem loading is needed to engineer more resistant crops. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 985.9 - Marketing year.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Marketing year. 985.9 Section 985.9 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MARKETING ORDER REGULATING THE...

7 CFR 985.50 - Marketing policy.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Marketing policy. 985.50 Section 985.50 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MARKETING ORDER REGULATING THE...

Effect of fruiting on micronutrients, antinutrients and toxic substances ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Vegetable leaves were harvested at both market maturity (vegetative phase) and fruiting (reproductive phase), and were subjected to chemical analysis. ... at fruiting stage of vegetables grown on both control and nitrogen applied soil, while the nitrate and β-carotene concentration in T. occidentalis were significantly reduced ...

Successful selling of packed fresh fruit and vegetable

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radmila Presová

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the marketability of packaged fruit and vegetables, as a new trend of satisfying consumer needs, in connection with selling-culture of stall selling and self-stores sales. It emphasize fact that food have to be wrapped into the quality, health packages, under the conditions of the Act. 477/2001 Coll.Specific data for the analytical part of this paper was provided by Hortim International Ltd. This company has operate on the Czech market since 1995. Analysis of the economic results confirmes the legitimacy of the sale of packaged fresh fruits and vegetables, but there will be neccesary longer lasting promotion. This fact also confirmed the research of consumer demand, that was made by authors. Determinant for the success sales are these factors: consumer confidence that the packaged products of fruit and vegetables are high quality.

Study on the technology of compound enzymatic hydrolysis of whole passion fruit

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yu-xia; Duan, Zhen-hua; Kang, Chao; Zhu, Xiang-hao; Li, Ding-jin

2017-12-01

Fresh Whole Passion Fruit was used as raw material, The enzymatic hydrolysis technology of Passion Fruit by Complex enzyme were studied, The effects of enzyme dosage, Enzyme ratio(cellulose: pectinase), pH, temperature and time on the hydrolysis were investigated by single-tests and orthogonal tests, the hydrolysis indicators of single-factor tests and orthogonal tests were juice yield. The optimal hydrolysis conditions of Passion Fruit by Complex enzyme were enzyme dosage 0.12%, Enzyme ratio 5:1, hydrolysis temperature 50°C, pH4.0 and time 3.5 h. Under such conditions, juice yield of Passion Fruit was 92.91%.

Influence of Alternate Bearing on Leaf and Fruit Mineral Composition at Different Developmental Stages of Date Palm Fruits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.O. El-Mardi

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Samples of leaflets and fruits at different stages were collected from 6 “on-palms” and 6 “off-palms” (15-16 years of the Fard Cultivar. Samples were dried, ashed and digested. Macro and micronutrient concentrations of K, Ca, Mg,Na, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mg were determined by ICP-AES and N was measured by Kjeldhal method. Significant changes in the elemental concentrations of leaf and fruit occurred between Kimri (green color and Bisir (yellowish-red color development stages. Potassium and Mg concentration was reduced in leaf and fruit. Calcium and Na were reduced in the fruit and increased in the leaf. Iron, Zn and Mn were not significantly different between Bisir and Kimi. However, Fe in the fruit and leaf increased between Kimri and Bisir and decreased from Bisir to Rutab stages. The concentration of Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn was higher in the leaf than fruit. In contrast K, Zn and Cu were higher in the fruit. Higher Ca and Mg in leaves through the developmental stages were associated with higher concentration of K in the fruit than the leaf. These variations in the leaf and fruit elemental concentration were associated with physiological and biochemical changes during fruit development. Significant differences in the fruit elemental concentrations between the “on” (high yield producing and “off” (low yield producing palms during the developmental stages were in Ca, K, Mn and Fe and in the leaf in Mg and K. However, the general trend during Rutab (honey color, soft tissue indicates that “off-palm” leaves have higher N, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn than “on-palm” leaves. Potassium and Na were higher in the “on-palm” leaves than “off-palm” leaves. But in the fruit, Rutab Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn content followed similar trends as in the “off-palm” leaves; in contrast to leaves, K and Na were higher in “off-palms” fruits and Cu and Mn higher in “on-palm” fruits. The results indicate the need for further research.

Phytosanitary irradiation of peach fruit moth (Lepidoptera: Carposinidae) in apple fruits

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Guoping; Li, Baishu; Gao, Meixu; Liu, Bo; Wang, Yuejin; Liu, Tao; Ren, Lili

2014-10-01

Peach fruit moth, Carposina sasakii Matsumura, is a serious pest of many pome and stone fruits and presents a quarantine problem in some export markets. It is widely distributed in pome fruit production areas in China, Japan, Korea, North Korea and the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. In this investigation, gamma radiation dose-response tests were conducted with late eggs (5-d-old) and various larval stages, followed by large-scale confirmatory tests on the most tolerant stage in fruit, the fifth instar. The dose-response tests, with the target radiation dose of 20 (late eggs), 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, and 160 Gy (late fifth instars in vitro) respectively applied to all stages, showed that the tolerance to radiation increased with increasing age and developmental stage. The fifth instar (most advanced instar in fruits) was determined to be the most tolerant stage requiring an estimated minimum absorbed dose of 208.6 Gy (95% CI: 195.0, 226.5 Gy) to prevent adult emergence at 99.9968% efficacy (95% confidence level). In the confirmatory tests, irradiation was applied to 30,850 late fifth instars in apple fruits with a target dose of 200 Gy (171.6-227.8 Gy measured), but only 4 deformed adults emerged that died 2 d afterwards without laying eggs. A dose of 228 Gy may be recommended as a phytosanitary irradiation treatment under ambient atmosphere for the control of peach fruit moth on all commodities with an efficacy of 99.9902% at 95% confidence level.

EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF WATERMELON, CV. TOP GUN

OpenAIRE

NOWAKI, RODRIGO HIYOSHI DALMAZZO; CECÍLIO FILHO, ARTHUR BERNARDES; FARIA, ROGÉRIO TEIXEIRA DE; WAMSER, ANDERSON FERNANDO; CORTEZ, JUAN WALDIR MENDONZA

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N) is the second most important nutrient required by watermelons that can limit their growth and affect fruit quality when deficient. We evaluated the soil (N-nitrate) and foliar N contents and soluble-solid content of the watermelon 'Top Gun' in Brazil at six rates of N fertilization (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg ha-1). N-nitrate and foliar N levels increased linearly with rate. Number of total and marketable fruit, weight of total and marketable fruit and total and mar...

Importance of fruit wall in seed yield of pea (Pisum Sativum L.) and mustard (Brassica campestris L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khanna-Chopra, R.; Sinha, S.K.

1976-01-01

Dry weight changes in fruit wall and seed during fruit development in the pea and mustard were suggestive of the importance of fruit wall during seed development. So the relative photosynthetic potential of leaves and reproductive parts in the above crops were studied. In addition, the translocation of current photosynthates to the developing seeds was also assessed when fruits and leaves were fed 14 CO 2 independently. Considerable amount of photosynthetic carboxylase activity was observed in the fruit wall of both pea and mustard on unit fresh weight, chlorophyll and organ basis. On unit chlorophyll basis fruit wall had several times more activity than leaves. Both fruit wall as well as leaves translocated current photosynthates to the developing fruits. In the early stages, translocation from the leaves was more efficient but in the later stages, more translocation occurred from the fruit wall as compared with the leaves. Above results are discussed in relation to the importance of reproductive organs in the developing seeds. (author)

Register of New Fruit and Nut Cultivars List 46. Rambutan.

Science.gov (United States)

The Register of New Fruit and Nut Varieties 46 is a compilation of descriptions of new fruit and nut cultivars from around the world. In this edition, 8 newly released rambutan cultivars are described in terms of their origins, important fruit traits and yield. Of the eight described cultivars, one ...

Non-invasive estimation of firmness in apple fruit using VIS/NIR spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martínez, M.; Wulfsohn, Dvora-Laio; Toldam-Andersen, Torben Bo

2012-01-01

Better and steady fruit quality evaluation at harvest is a major challenge for commercial growers of apples in Denmark. Those fruits not meeting the requirements for the fresh market traditionally go to the juice concentrate industry where low cost products are obtained. Special fruit qualities...... are needed to develop commodities that can obtain a premium added value on the market. Nowadays in the food industry, quality evaluation is commonly performed non-destructively by means of optical sensors such as spectrometers, hyperspectral and multispectral cameras, that allow rapid measurements of fruit...... as for eating apples. Invasive and non-invasive measurements of firmness, on the shaded and exposed side of the fruits were carried out for three Danish apple cultivars of known commercial usage. Resulting data determined wavelengths between 415 to 715 nm to be predictive for firmness. A PLS model for all three...

Efficacy of irradiation vs thermal methods as quarantine treatments for tropical fruits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moy, J.H.

1993-01-01

Ionizing radiation can be effectively applied to fruits and vegetables for several purposes. The most feasible and potentially useful application is probably for disinfestation as a quarantine treatment. All stages of a fruit fly will become sterile upon being irradiated at a minimum dose of 0.15 kGy, the dose level approved by the USDA in January 1989 for treating Hawaiian papayas as a quarantine procedure. Research on irradiation of several tropical fruits such as papayas, mangoes, lychees showed that the chemical, sensory and nutrient qualities of these fruits were well retained at 1.0 kGy, and the fruits would ripen normally or slightly delayed. Irradiation studies have proved the efficacy of the process to disinfest tropical fruits of fruit flies. Market test of irradiated Hawaiian papayas in 1987 showed that consumers preferred irradiated papayas over hot water treated papayas by 11 to 1. Thus the only hurdle to overcome in using irradiation for tropical fruits is to convince the consumers that irradiated fruits are wholesome and safe for human consumption, which has been proven with scientific data obtained during the past three decades, and further proven with the marketing of irradiated fruits in the U.S.A. since early 1992. (author)

Fruit cuticle lipid composition and water loss in a diverse collection of pepper (capsicum)

Science.gov (United States)

Pepper (Capsicum spp.) fruits are covered by a relatively thick coating of cuticle that limits fruit water loss, a trait previously associated with maintenance of post-harvest fruit quality during commercial marketing. We’ve examined the fruit cuticles from 50 diverse pepper genotypes from a world c...

Comparing the availability, price, variety and quality of fruits and vegetables across retail outlets and by area-level socio-economic position.

Science.gov (United States)

Millichamp, Anna; Gallegos, Danielle

2013-01-01

To explore whether area-level socio-economic position or the form of retail stream (conventional v. farmers' market) is associated with differences in the price, availability, variety and quality of a range of fresh fruit and vegetables. A multi-site cross-sectional pilot study of farmers' markets, supermarkets and independent fruit and vegetable retailers. Each was surveyed to assess the price, availability, variety and quality of fifteen fruit and eighteen vegetable items. Retail outlets were located in south-east Queensland. Fifteen retail outlets were surveyed (five of each retail stream). Average basket prices were not significantly different across the socio-economic spectrum, but prices in low socio-economic areas were cheapest. Availability, variety and quality did not differ significantly across levels of socio-economic position; however, the areas with the most socio-economic disadvantage scored poorest for quality and variety. Supermarkets had significantly better fruit and vegetable availability than farmers' markets, although price, variety and quality scores were not different across retail streams. Results demonstrate a trend to fruit and vegetable prices being more expensive at farmers' markets, with the price of the fruit basket being significantly greater at the organic farmers' market compared with the non-organic farmers' markets. Neither area-level socio-economic position nor the form of retail stream was significantly associated with differences in the availability, price, variety and quality of fruit and vegetables, except for availability which was higher in supermarkets than farmers' markets. Further research is needed to determine what role farmers' markets can play in affecting fruit and vegetable intake.

High Tunnel versus Open Field: Management of Primocane-fruiting Blackberry Using Pruning and Tipping to Increase Yield and Extend the Fruiting Season

Science.gov (United States)

Primocane-fruiting blackberries may offer opportunities for season extension and off-season fruit productionivation. ‘Prime-Jan’® plants were established at the Oregon State University - North Willamette Research and Extension Center, Aurora, Ore. (NWREC). Half of the planting was established under...

Market restructuring and public incentives: the Turkish case of fresh produce marketing cooperatives

OpenAIRE

Lemeilleur, Sylvaine; Bignebat, Celine; Codron, Jean Marie; Humboldt University of Berlin

2006-01-01

Faced to the fast restructuring agrofood markets in Turkey, the Turkish State set up new institutional devices to support agricultural marketing cooperatives. This article analyses the dynamics of these public incentives towards producers’ organizations on the restructuration of the Turkish fresh fruit and vegetable market. The wholesale market law enacted 1995 established brokers on wholesale market halls who collected an atomized supply and guarantee the access of small producers to large s...

Studies on the yield and quality characteristics of Myrtle (Myrtus communis L. grown in two different ecologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Halil İbrahim UZUN

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Myrtle is a typical Mediterranean plant. Myrtles plants with white colored and large fruit sized are cultivated in southern coasts of Turkey and named as Hambeles. Black myrtles are naturally grown in the forests and they have smaller fruit size when compared to Hambeles. Main objective of this study was to investigate the yield and quality parameters of some newly selected 3 black myrtle ecotypes (Yakup, Yumaklar, Islangıc and one white myrtle cultivar (Hambeles in upland and lowland ecological conditions in Antalya. Yields, physical and chemical characters of fruits and essential oil composition of leaves were recorded for all plants. Two experimental orchards were established in coastal and highland conditions in Antalya. Highest fruit weight of black myrtles was measured as 0.76 g fruit-1 in Yakup ecotypes in highland and as 0.92 g fruit-1 in Yumaklar ecotypes in lowland. There were no differences among ecotypes in terms of fruit removal force. Fruit yield per tree increased up to 9.2 kg in black myrtle in lowland. Highest perfect seed numbers in myrtle plants were measured in Hambeles ecotype as 19.83 seeds fruit-1. Fruit juice yield ranged from 29.6 to 35.0%. Amount of malic acid in fruit was higher than that of other organic acids. α-pinene and 1,8-cineole were main essential oil components of myrtle leaves.

Effect of organic amendments on vegetative growth, fruit and yield quality of strawberry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalid, S.; Qureshi, K.M.; Hafiz, I.A.; Khan, K.S.; Qureshi, U.S.

2013-01-01

Organic agricultural techniques are utilized globally to protect our environment and prevent health issues resulting from pesticides and hazardous chemicals. In this regard, studies were conducted using six different organic amendments on strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) cv. Chandler which included T 1 = planting media (soil + silt + farm yard manure); T 2 = planting media + 400 mgl/sup -1/ humic acid; T 3 = planting media + 200 g kg/sup -1/ leaf manure; T 4 = planting media + 200 g kg/sup -1/ vermicompost; T 5 = planting media + 200 g kg/sup -1/ plant fertilizer and T 6 = planting media + 200 g kg/sup -1/ bio-compost during 2011-12 at PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi. Treatment T 1 (soil + silt + FYM) induced positive influence on plant height (15.21 cm), canopy spread (20.37 cm), crown diameter (1.47 cm), fresh weight of plant (10.71 g), number of runners per plant (2), total number of flowers (58), total number of fruits (42), fruit size (3.04 cm), fruit weight per berry (8.82 g) while T 4 (soil + silt + 200 g/sup -1/ kg vermicompost) improved fresh leaf weight (0.92 g), number of leaves (6.67), leaf area (43.07 cm/sup 2/) and days required for first bloom (96.67). Leaf manure based treatment (T 3 ) enhanced root length (20.11 cm), T 4 improved quality parameters like total soluble solid (TSS) (8.88) and ascorbic acid contents (64 mg) while T 1 improved total sugar contents in fruits (6.82%). Hence farm yard manure(FYM) and vermicompost based organic amendments enhanced vegetative growth and improved quality of strawberry fruits. (author)

Characterization of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum fruits from outstanding mexican selections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marian Guadalupe Hernández Arenas

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Fruits of five regional selections of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L. were characterized to identify those with international marketing quality to promote their propagation in Mexico, improvement and conservation in germoplasm bank. The fruits were harvested in June, July, and August 2008 and, after each harvest, were assessed for shape (length/diameter, firmness, fruit weight, number of fruits per kilogram, weight and percentage of pericarp, seed and aril, total soluble solids, total sugars, vitamin C content, pH, and titratable acidity. In addition, a sensorial evaluation was carried out with 31 panelists who graded each selection for color, sweetness, and acidity. Fruits of five selections were ovoid, and with the following characteristics: firmness values from 43.7 to 51.0 N, fruit weight ranged from 22.4 to 34.7 g, registering from 28.9 to 45.0 fruits per kg; pericarp weight from 10.5 to 17.3 g (45.9 to 49.9% of the total fruit weight; total seed weight from 2.2 to 2.5 g (7.0 to 10.0%; average arils weight from 8.9 to 13.1 g (37.5 to 41.4%. The fruits had high contents of total soluble solids (17.8 to 20.4 ºBrix, total sugars (211.95 to 242.70 mg/100g in the edible portion, vitamin C (37.9 to 69.1 mg/100 g, pH 5.0, and titratable acidity of 0.20 to 0.28%. The fruits from the RT-01 and RT-05 selections had better attributes in fruit weight, total soluble solids and titratable acidity and were better accepted by the panelists. Harvest date significantly affects rambutan fruit quality; at the middle and end of the season harvested fruits had better qualitative characteristics for the marketing.

Fruit production and quality of guava 'Paluma' as a function of humic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2016-08-17

Aug 17, 2016 ... Guava fruit production increases from the first to the second harvest. Fruit quality for ... tenance is one of the essential factors for a sustainable production .... titratable acidity (SS/TA ratio) was calculated; and vii) the fruit yield.

Genomics-assisted breeding in fruit trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwata, Hiroyoshi; Minamikawa, Mai F; Kajiya-Kanegae, Hiromi; Ishimori, Motoyuki; Hayashi, Takeshi

2016-01-01

Recent advancements in genomic analysis technologies have opened up new avenues to promote the efficiency of plant breeding. Novel genomics-based approaches for plant breeding and genetics research, such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and genomic selection (GS), are useful, especially in fruit tree breeding. The breeding of fruit trees is hindered by their long generation time, large plant size, long juvenile phase, and the necessity to wait for the physiological maturity of the plant to assess the marketable product (fruit). In this article, we describe the potential of genomics-assisted breeding, which uses these novel genomics-based approaches, to break through these barriers in conventional fruit tree breeding. We first introduce the molecular marker systems and whole-genome sequence data that are available for fruit tree breeding. Next we introduce the statistical methods for biparental linkage and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping as well as GWAS and GS. We then review QTL mapping, GWAS, and GS studies conducted on fruit trees. We also review novel technologies for rapid generation advancement. Finally, we note the future prospects of genomics-assisted fruit tree breeding and problems that need to be overcome in the breeding.

Parasitic Contamination of Fruits and Vegetables Sold at Kaduna ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The safety of fruits and vegetables sold in Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria for consumption was assessed with respect to their contamination by Ova and Cysts of parasites. Out of 320 samples of seven (7) varieties of vegetables and fruits examined from three different markets in Kaduna metropolis, 45 (14.00%) were positive ...

Production of Star Fruit Alcoholic Fermented Beverage.

Science.gov (United States)

Valim, Flávia de Paula; Aguiar-Oliveira, Elizama; Kamimura, Eliana Setsuko; Alves, Vanessa Dias; Maldonado, Rafael Resende

2016-12-01

Star fruit ( Averrhoa carambola ) is a nutritious tropical fruit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of a star fruit alcoholic fermented beverage utilizing a lyophilized commercial yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ). The study was conducted utilizing a 2 3 central composite design and the best conditions for the production were: initial soluble solids between 23.8 and 25 °Brix (g 100 g -1 ), initial pH between 4.8 and 5.0 and initial concentration of yeast between 1.6 and 2.5 g L -1 . These conditions yielded a fermented drink with an alcohol content of 11.15 °GL (L 100 L -1 ), pH of 4.13-4.22, final yeast concentration of 89 g L -1 and fermented yield from 82 to 94 %. The fermented drink also presented low levels of total and volatile acidities.

Survey of mycoflora and ochratoxin A in dried vine fruits from Argentina markets.

Science.gov (United States)

Magnoli, C; Astoreca, A; Ponsone, L; Combina, M; Palacio, G; Rosa, C A R; Dalcero, A M

2004-01-01

The aims of this work were to identify the mycoflora and to evaluate the natural occurrence of OA in dried vine fruits. Likewise, the capacity to produce OA by Aspergillus section Nigri was studied. Fifty samples of dried vine fruits were obtained from Mendoza and San Juan provinces. The surface disinfection method was used for mycoflora determination using the medium dichloran 18% glycerol agar (DG18) and dichloran Rose Bengal chloramphenicol agar (DRBC). Statistical analysis demonstrated that the species A. niger var. niger and Aspergillus niger var. awamori were isolated in higher frequency from black dried vine fruits from DRBC and DG18 media (P < 0.01). OA was found in 74% of the dried vine fruits samples. Sixty-two strains (28%) of Aspergillus section Nigri, were OA producers. In the species A. carbonarius the highest percentages of ochratoxigenic strains were detected (82.6%). The presence of ochratoxigenic strains of Nigri section in dried vine fruits suggests that they may be an important source of OA in this substrate. Dried vine fruits can also be an important source of OA people who consume large amounts. The dried vine fruits contamination with Aspergillus section Nigri and OA was significant.

Market Oversight Games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schinkel, Maarten Pieter

2011-01-01

Big business plays cat & mouse with market regulators. Market participants try to avoid the competitive pressures that the regulators are working to keep up. Only if the latter play these games at least as cleverly as the former can we reap all the fruits of competition. A case in point is the

Market oversight games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schinkel, M.P.

2010-01-01

Big business plays cat & mouse with market regulators. Market participants try to avoid the competitive pressures that the regulators are working to keep up. Only if the latter play these games at least as cleverly as the former can we reap all the fruits of competition. A case in point is the

Fruiting of browse plants affected by pine site preparation in east Texas

Science.gov (United States)

John J. Stransky; Douglas Richardson

1977-01-01

Pine planting sites prepared by burning yielded 120 kg/ha of browse fruits the third growing season after site treatment. Control plots yielded 74, KG-bladed plots 57, and chopped plots 41 kg/ha. Blackberries, American beautyberry, sumac, Sebastian bush, muscadine grape, blueberries, and southern wax-myrtle were the principal species. Most fruit was available in summer...

Influence Of Soil Type On Yield And Quality Of Different Apple Cultivars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Viorica ILIE

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to determine influence of different soil type on apple yield and quality. To investigate the variation in fruit quality, apples were harvested at commercial maturity on two different soil type. The investigations was conducted in experimental apple orchards located in Focsani region on two different soil type: luvic  brown typical and  luvic brown pseudogleizate. Fruits of Jonathan and Golden Delicios cultivars were tested for color, soluble solids content, total acidity, ascorbic acid, anthocyanins content and chlorophyls content with specific analytrical methods. At harvest yield, dry matter, soluble solids content, ascorbic acid and acidity were affected by soil type. In this study, no significant soil effect was found on color, anthocyanins and chlorophyll fruit content. The results obtained in this study suggest that luvic brown pseudogleizate soil leading to increased yields and enhanced fruit quality.

Interacting effects of pollination, water and nutrients on fruit tree performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, A-M; Hendrix, S D; Clough, Y; Scofield, A; Kremen, C

2015-01-01

Pollination is critical to fruit production, but the interactions of pollination with plant resources on a plant's reproductive and vegetative features are largely overlooked. We examined the influences of pollination, irrigation and fertilisation on the performance of almond, Prunus dulcis, in northern California. We used a full-factorial design to test for the effects of pollination limitation on fruit production and foliage variables of whole trees experiencing four resource treatments: (i) normal water and nutrients, (ii) reduced water, (iii) no nutrients, and (iv) reduced water and no nutrients. In each of these combinations, we applied three pollination treatments: hand-cross pollination, open-pollination and pollinator exclusion. Pollination strongly affected yield even under reduced water and no nutrient applications. Hand-cross pollination resulted in over 50% fruit set with small kernels, while open-pollinated flowers showed over 30% fruit set with moderate-sized kernels. Pollinator-excluded flowers had a maximum fruit set of 5%, with big and heavy kernels. Reduced water interacted with the open- and hand-cross pollination treatments, reducing yield more than in the pollinator exclusion treatment. The number of kernels negatively influenced the number of leaves, and reduced water and no nutrient applications interacted with the pollination treatments. Overall, our results indicate that the influences of pollination on fruit tree yield interact with the plant availability of nutrients and water and that excess pollination can reduce fruit quality and the production of leaves for photosynthesis. Such information is critical to understand how pollination influences fruit tree performance. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Combining Costs and Benefits of Animal Activities to Assess Net Yield Outcomes in Apple Orchards.

Science.gov (United States)

Saunders, Manu E; Luck, Gary W

2016-01-01

Diverse animal communities influence ecosystem function in agroecosystems through positive and negative plant-animal interactions. Yet, past research has largely failed to examine multiple interactions that can have opposing impacts on agricultural production in a given context. We collected data on arthropod communities and yield quality and quantity parameters (fruit set, yield loss and net outcomes) in three major apple-growing regions in south-eastern Australia. We quantified the net yield outcome (accounting for positive and negative interactions) of multiple animal activities (pollination, fruit damage, biological control) across the entire growing season on netted branches, which excluded vertebrate predators of arthropods, and open branches. Net outcome was calculated as the number of undamaged fruit at harvest as a proportion of the number of blossoms (i.e., potential fruit yield). Vertebrate exclusion resulted in lower levels of fruit set and higher levels of arthropod damage to apples, but did not affect net outcomes. Yield quality and quantity parameters (fruit set, yield loss, net outcomes) were not directly associated with arthropod functional groups. Model variance and significant differences between the ratio of pest to beneficial arthropods between regions indicated that complex relationships between environmental factors and multiple animal interactions have a combined effect on yield. Our results show that focusing on a single crop stage, species group or ecosystem function/service can overlook important complexity in ecological processes within the system. Accounting for this complexity and quantifying the net outcome of ecological interactions within the system, is more informative for research and management of biodiversity and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes.

Effect of planting density and growing media on growth and yield of strawberry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tariq, R.; Qureshi, K.M.; Hassan, I.; Rasheed, M.; Qureshi, U.S.

2013-01-01

Strawberry (Fragaria ananasa), belonging to Rosaceae family, is a rich source of vitamins and minerals with delicate flavors. It is perishable crop which is exceedingly in demand for its taste, profitability, high yield and good quality. To make the plant growth successful in the container, the requirement of special media is very important step because plant growth is largely depended on the physiochemical properties of the growing media used. Winter strawberry production in a greenhouse using high plant densities and various media may be a viable alternative to open-field production system. Planting density can be increased thrice by using different production systems. Studies were conducted to see the impact of different planting densities and media on growth and yield of strawberry. The treatments were T 1 = Control, with normal planting distance of 30 cm x 60 cm and growing media silt, sand and farm yard manure (FYM); T 2 = 15 cm 2 x 30 cm and silt, sand and FYM; T 3 = 30 cm x 60 cm and coir; T 4 = 15 cm x 30 cm and coir; T 5 = 30 cm x 60 cm and peat moss; T 6 = 15 cm x 30 cm and 5 6 peat moss. Results showed that plants grown at low planting distance on all growth media showed more pronounced results as compared to high planting distance. Plants grown in peat moss at both planting densities moderately increased the plant height, canopy size, leaf area, number of fruits, fruit size, fruit weight and titratable acidity. A significant increase in fresh and dry weight of leaves, number of leaves, fruit yield in term of fruit number, fruit size and fruit weight, and fruit quality with high ascorbic acid contents were observed. On the other hand, plants grown in silt, sand and FYM (1 : 1 : 1) at both planting densities showed significant increment in vegetative growth resulting in early flowering with more flowers per plant, better fruit setting and fruit set percentage, greater fruit size and weight but fruit number per plant was reduced which lowered the overall

Explaining fruit and vegetable intake using a consumer marketing tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Della, Lindsay J; Dejoy, David M; Lance, Charles E

2009-10-01

In response to calls to reinvent the 5 A Day fruit and vegetable campaign, this study assesses the utility of VALS, a consumer-based audience segmentation tool that divides the U.S. population into groups leading similar lifestyles. The study examines whether the impact of theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs varies across VALS groups in a cross-sectional sample of 1,588 U.S. adults. In a multigroup structural equation model, the VALS audience group variable moderated latent TPB relationships. Attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control explained 57% to 70% of the variation in intention to eat fruit and vegetables across 5 different VALS groups. Perceived behavioral control and intention also predicted self-reported consumption behavior (R2 = 20% to 71% across VALS groups). Bivariate z tests were calculated to determine statistical differences in parameter estimates across groups. Nine of the bivariate z tests were statistically significant (p audiences for fruit and vegetable consumption messaging.

Dried fruits quality assessment by hyperspectral imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Serranti, Silvia; Gargiulo, Aldo; Bonifazi, Giuseppe

2012-05-01

Dried fruits products present different market values according to their quality. Such a quality is usually quantified in terms of freshness of the products, as well as presence of contaminants (pieces of shell, husk, and small stones), defects, mould and decays. The combination of these parameters, in terms of relative presence, represent a fundamental set of attributes conditioning dried fruits humans-senses-detectable-attributes (visual appearance, organolectic properties, etc.) and their overall quality in terms of marketable products. Sorting-selection strategies exist but sometimes they fail when a higher degree of detection is required especially if addressed to discriminate between dried fruits of relatively small dimensions and when aiming to perform an "early detection" of pathogen agents responsible of future moulds and decays development. Surface characteristics of dried fruits can be investigated by hyperspectral imaging (HSI). In this paper, specific and "ad hoc" applications addressed to propose quality detection logics, adopting a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) based approach, are described, compared and critically evaluated. Reflectance spectra of selected dried fruits (hazelnuts) of different quality and characterized by the presence of different contaminants and defects have been acquired by a laboratory device equipped with two HSI systems working in two different spectral ranges: visible-near infrared field (400-1000 nm) and near infrared field (1000-1700 nm). The spectra have been processed and results evaluated adopting both a simple and fast wavelength band ratio approach and a more sophisticated classification logic based on principal component (PCA) analysis.

Influence of gamma rays and some pre and post harvest treatments on behavior of some fruits during cold storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmoud, M.M.

2008-01-01

Apricot fruits usually harvested relatively mature but hard enough to withstand-post harvest handling through the marketing chain. These fruits have considerably lower edible quality than tree-ripened fruit. Fruit quality can be improved by delaying harvest least until physiological maturation is completed on the tree (Bonghi et al. 1999) Apricots containing 11% soluble solids concentration, or higher are in high demand by consumers, as fruit have developed considerable taste, aroma and handling for long distance markets. (Kader, 1999). These fruit will be highly perishable, so rapid cold storage to the lowest safe temperature and supplementary treatments (Mc Donald et al, 1999) such as irradiation with the recommend doses (Sillano et al, 1994) or pre-storage heat treatments will be necessary to retard ripening (mainly softening) during 1-2 weeks post harvest life necessary for distribution to distant markets (Mc Donald et al 1999). Therefore, one can conclude that spraying Canino apricot and Dessert Red peach trees with calcium chloride at 5% or Soya bean oil at 2% showed beneficial effects as pre harvest treatments where they increased fruit firmness and improved fruit quality and prolonged storage and marketing periods as well as decreasing weight loss and percentage of discarded fruits. In addition, spaying Manfaloti pomegrates trees with CaCl 2 solution at 7.5% or Soya bean oil at 4% gained the same results.As for the post harvest treatments, results indicated that subjecting Canino apricots and Dessert Red peaches to gamma radiation at 0.5 K.Gy and pomegrates to 1.0 K.Gy proved to be the best treatments where they reduced respiration rate and loss in fruit weight and improved fruit quality and prolonged both storage and marketing periods

Persistence of Gliocephalotrichum spp. causing fruit rot of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) in Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

Worldwide, fruit rot of rambutan is an important problem that limits the storage, marketing and long-distance transportation of the fruit. A complex of pathogens has been reported to cause fruit rot of rambutan and significant post-harvest economic losses. During 2009 and 2011 rambutan fruit rot was...

Effect of thinning on flower and fruit and of edible coatings on postharvest quality of jaboticaba fruit stored at low temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Talita Pimenta do Nascimento

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Jaboticaba is a Brazilian fruit, native to the Atlantic forest, which belongs to the Myrtaceae family. In this work we describe the effect of the thinning of "flower", "fruit" and "flower & fruit" compared to non-thinned fruit (control and of edible coatings with respect on nutritional composition, overall acceptability and shelf-life of jaboticaba ‘Sabara’, grown in an irrigated commercial orchard. "Flower and fruit" thinning allows fruit with higher quality as diameter, volume and mass. Non-thinned fruit shows higher yield, however fruit have lower quality. As a result of the improving quality at harvest, the shelf life was twice (~8 days for thinned fruit. The lack of change in concentration of soluble sugar and absence of formation of volatile compounds during storage indicate that there was no natural fermentation of the jaboticaba pulp after harvest. Treatments with wax and calcium did not improve the jaboticaba shelf life.

Citrus fruits freshness assessment using Raman spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Nekvapil, Fran; Brezestean, Ioana; Barchewitz, Daniel; Glamuzina, Branko; Chiş, Vasile; Cintă Pinzaru, Simona

2018-03-01

The freshness of citrus fruits commonly available in the market was non-destructively assessed by Raman spectroscopy. Intact clementine, mandarin and tangerine species were characterised concerning their carotenoids skin Raman signalling in a time course from the moment they were acquired as fresh stock, supplying the market, to the physical degradation, when they were no longer attractive to consumers. The freshness was found to strongly correlate to the peel Raman signal collected from the same area of the intact fruits in a time course of a maximum of 20days. We have shown that the intensity of the carotenoid Raman signal is indeed a good indicator of fruit freshness and introduced a Raman coefficient of freshness (C Fresh ), whose time course is linearly decreasing, with different slope for different citrus groups. Additionally, we demonstrated that the freshness assessment could be achieved using a portable Raman instrument. The results could have a strong impact for consumer satisfaction and the food industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of Syzygium cordatum fruit ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sidney Tsolanku ST. Maliehe

2015-04-22

Apr 22, 2015 ... the percentage yield of 10 and 6, respectively. ... with the total phenolic content of 21.4±1.4 µg/ml for seed extract and 16.4±1.8 µg/ml for fruit-pulp extract. ... pungens) as a preferred delicious fruit among indigenous.

Heavy metals in summer squash fruits grown in soil amended with municipal sewage sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Antonious, George F; Snyder, John C; Dennis, Sam O

2010-02-01

The increasing awareness of the value of vegetables and fruits in the human diet requires monitoring of heavy metals in food crops. The effects of amending soil with compost made from municipal sewage sludge (MSS) and MSS mixed with yard waste (MSS-YW) on Cd, Cr, Mo, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Ni concentrations in soil and the potential bioaccumulation of heavy metals in squash fruits at harvest were investigated. A field study was conducted in a silty-loam soil at Kentucky State University Research Farm. Eighteen plots of 22 x 3.7 m each were separated using metal borders and the soil in six plots was mixed with MSS at 15 t acre(-1), six plots were mixed with MSS-YW at 15 t acre(-1) (on dry weight basis), and six unamended plots (no-mulch) were used for comparison purposes. Plots were planted with summer squash and heavy metals were analyzed in soil and mature fruits at harvest. Analysis of heavy metals in squash fruits was conducted using inductively coupled plasma spectrometry. Zinc and Cu concentrations in soil mixed with MSS were extremely high compared to other metals. In squash fruits, concentrations of Zn were generally greater than Cu. Total squash marketable yield was greatest in MSS-YW and MSS treatments compared to no-mulch conventional soil. Concentrations of Cd and Pb in soil amended with MSS averaged 0.1 and 1.4 mg kg(-1), respectively. These levels were much lower than the limits in the U.S. guidelines for using MSS in land farming. Data revealed that maximum concentrations of Cd and Pb in squash fruits were 0.03 and 0.01 microg g(-1) dry fruit, respectively. Nickel concentration in squash fruits fluctuated among harvest dates reaching a maximum of 2.5 microg g(-1) dry fruit. However, these concentrations were far below their permissible limits in edible fruits.

Country-wine making from Eembe fruit (Berchemia discolor) of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Country-wine was made from dried Eembe fruit purchased from Katima Mulilo open market using commercial wine yeast. The fruit produced a wine with 8.6% alcohol content when no sugar was added. Fermentation to produce the wine was carried out at 22ºC. The clarity, aroma, colour and acceptability of the wine was ...

On Plant Detection of Intact Tomato Fruits Using Image Analysis and Machine Learning Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyosuke Yamamoto

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Fully automated yield estimation of intact fruits prior to harvesting provides various benefits to farmers. Until now, several studies have been conducted to estimate fruit yield using image-processing technologies. However, most of these techniques require thresholds for features such as color, shape and size. In addition, their performance strongly depends on the thresholds used, although optimal thresholds tend to vary with images. Furthermore, most of these techniques have attempted to detect only mature and immature fruits, although the number of young fruits is more important for the prediction of long-term fluctuations in yield. In this study, we aimed to develop a method to accurately detect individual intact tomato fruits including mature, immature and young fruits on a plant using a conventional RGB digital camera in conjunction with machine learning approaches. The developed method did not require an adjustment of threshold values for fruit detection from each image because image segmentation was conducted based on classification models generated in accordance with the color, shape, texture and size of the images. The results of fruit detection in the test images showed that the developed method achieved a recall of 0.80, while the precision was 0.88. The recall values of mature, immature and young fruits were 1.00, 0.80 and 0.78, respectively.

Different Disinfectants Efficiency of Fruits and Vegetables Available in Market of

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdollah Dargahi

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The fruits and vegetables are carrier microbial flora and in every stage of production, transportation, packaging, storage and sale to consumers are exposed to microbial contamination. Raw fruits and vegetables are suitable place for growing a variety of parasites and bacteria such as Shigella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Campylobacter that many of theirs can cause epidemic if the conditions have provide.

Ethiopian-Netherlands horticulture partnership : Prospects and challenges for refrigerated container transport of fruits and vegetables from Ethiopia to the Middle East

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wiersinga, R.C.; Snels, J.C.M.A.; Admiraal, L.

2008-01-01

Ethiopia has a big potential to grow more fruits and vegetables. Ethiopia’s current fruit and vegetable export is very limited. Scope for expanding and diversifying its export markets is large. Demand for fruits and vegetables is growing in nearby international markets, like the Middle East.

Boron in combination with calcium reduces sunburn in apple fruit

OpenAIRE

Lötze, Elmi; Daiber, Stephan H.; Midgley, Stephanie J. E.

2018-01-01

Sunburn damage on apple fruit has been reported widely [1]. Sunburnincidence is expected to increase in future, specifically in the Western Capein South Africa, with very clear climate change predictions [2]. Sunburn thus hassignificant financial implications on profitability for the South Africanexport dominated apple industry, as sunburnt fruit is not accepted in the mainexport markets. In the United Kingdom, no visible sunburn on apples is allowed,whereas only fruit with class 1 sunburn (S...

Ionising energy treatment of fresh fruit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rigney, C.J.

1985-01-01

The main purposes of the ionising energy treatment of fresh fruit are: the extension of shelf life of the commodity due to a direct physiological effect on the particular product; the extension of shelf life of the commodity due to a reduction in the development of moulds and rots which would normally render the product worthless; and the killing of insect pests of quarantine significance, to allow for normal marketing of fresh fruit without the risk of introducing insect pests to previously pest-free areas

Enzymatic added extraction and clarification of fruit juices-A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Harsh P; Patel, Hiral; Sugandha

2017-04-13

Enzymatic treatment for juice extraction is most commonly used now a days. The enzymatic process is claimed to offer a number of advantages over mechanical-thermal comminution of several fruit pulps. Enzymes are an integral component of modern fruit juice manufacturing and are highly suitable for optimizing processes. Their main purposes are: increase extraction of juice from raw material, increase processing efficiency (pressing, solid settling or removal), and generate a final product that is clear and visually attractive. Juice extraction can be done by using various mechanical processes, which may be achieved through diffusion extraction, decanter centrifuge, screw type juice extractor, fruit pulper and by different types of presses. Enzymatic treatment prior to mechanical extraction significantly improves juice recovery compared to any other extraction process. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the cell walls increases the extraction yield, reducing sugars, soluble dry matter content and galacturonic acid content and titrable acidity of the products. Enzymatic degradation of the biomaterial depends upon the type of enzyme, incubation time, incubation temperature, enzyme concentration, agitation, pH and use of different enzyme combinations. We can conclude from the technical literature that use of the enzymes i.e. cellulases, pectinases, amylases and combination of these enzymes can give better juice yield with superior quality of the fruit juice. Pectinase enzyme can give maximum juice yield i.e. 92.4% at 360 minutes incubation time, 37°C incubation temperature and 5 mg/100 g of enzyme concentration. Whereas the combination of two enzymes i.e. pectin methyl esterase (PME) and polygalacturonase (PG) at 120 minutes of incubation time, 50°C of incubation temperature and 0.05 mg/100 gm of enzymatic concentration can give the maximum yield of 96.8% for plum fruits. This paper discusses the use of enzymes in fruit juice production focusing on the juice recovery

Register of new fruit and nut cultivars list 48. Banana, cacao, plantain

Science.gov (United States)

The Register of New Fruit and Nut Varieties 48 is a compilation of descriptions of new fruit and nut cultivars from around the world. In this edition, newly released banana, plantain, and cacao cultivars are described in terms of their origins, important fruit traits and yield. ...

Emerging Preservation Techniques for Controlling Spoilage and Pathogenic Microorganisms in Fruit Juices

OpenAIRE

Aneja, Kamal Rai; Dhiman, Romika; Aggarwal, Neeraj Kumar; Aneja, Ashish

2014-01-01

Fruit juices are important commodities in the global market providing vast possibilities for new value added products to meet consumer demand for convenience, nutrition, and health. Fruit juices are spoiled primarily due to proliferation of acid tolerant and osmophilic microflora. There is also risk of food borne microbial infections which is associated with the consumption of fruit juices. In order to reduce the incidence of outbreaks, fruit juices are preserved by various techniques. Therma...

A fruit quality gene map of Prunus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bliss Fredrick A

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Prunus fruit development, growth, ripening, and senescence includes major biochemical and sensory changes in texture, color, and flavor. The genetic dissection of these complex processes has important applications in crop improvement, to facilitate maximizing and maintaining stone fruit quality from production and processing through to marketing and consumption. Here we present an integrated fruit quality gene map of Prunus containing 133 genes putatively involved in the determination of fruit texture, pigmentation, flavor, and chilling injury resistance. Results A genetic linkage map of 211 markers was constructed for an intraspecific peach (Prunus persica progeny population, Pop-DG, derived from a canning peach cultivar 'Dr. Davis' and a fresh market cultivar 'Georgia Belle'. The Pop-DG map covered 818 cM of the peach genome and included three morphological markers, 11 ripening candidate genes, 13 cold-responsive genes, 21 novel EST-SSRs from the ChillPeach database, 58 previously reported SSRs, 40 RAFs, 23 SRAPs, 14 IMAs, and 28 accessory markers from candidate gene amplification. The Pop-DG map was co-linear with the Prunus reference T × E map, with 39 SSR markers in common to align the maps. A further 158 markers were bin-mapped to the reference map: 59 ripening candidate genes, 50 cold-responsive genes, and 50 novel EST-SSRs from ChillPeach, with deduced locations in Pop-DG via comparative mapping. Several candidate genes and EST-SSRs co-located with previously reported major trait loci and quantitative trait loci for chilling injury symptoms in Pop-DG. Conclusion The candidate gene approach combined with bin-mapping and availability of a community-recognized reference genetic map provides an efficient means of locating genes of interest in a target genome. We highlight the co-localization of fruit quality candidate genes with previously reported fruit quality QTLs. The fruit quality gene map developed here is a

Simulation of defoliation caused by Black Sigatoka in the yield and quality of banana 'Nanica ' fruits

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Juliana Domingues Lima

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Defoliation caused by Black Sigatoka in yield and quality of banana 'Nanica' was stimulated in this study. A completely randomized 2x8 factorial design with six repetitions was used, in which period of bunch formation and number of leaves at flowering were established as factors. Plants for defoliation were selected on 04/05/2013 (Period 1, and on 07/01/2014 (Period 2. Six to to 13 leaves remained per plant by removing those with more than 50% of blade with injury or senescence. More appropriate climatic conditions before and after flowering, promoted greater mass accumulation in the bunch in Period 2. The increased number of leaves at flowering increased the length of the fruit and the mass of 4th hand, as well as the bunch mass and postharvest period. Defoliation is suggested only for non-functional leaves as well as the maintenance of at least 10 leaves per plant, independent of the period of bunch formation.

Assessment of Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Content, Antioxidant Properties, and Yield of Aeroponically and Conventionally Grown Leafy Vegetables and Fruit Crops: A Comparative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suman Chandra

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A comparison of the product yield, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant properties was done in different leafy vegetables/herbs (basil, chard, parsley, and red kale and fruit crops (bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and squash grown in aeroponic growing systems (AG and in the field (FG. An average increase of about 19%, 8%, 65%, 21%, 53%, 35%, 7%, and 50% in the yield was recorded for basil, chard, red kale, parsley, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and squash, respectively, when grown in aeroponic systems, compared to that grown in the soil. Antioxidant properties of AG and FG crops were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DDPH and cellular antioxidant (CAA assays. In general, the study shows that the plants grown in the aeroponic system had a higher yield and comparable phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant properties as compared to those grown in the soil.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERSPECTIVES ON STONE FRUIT GROWING ON SANDY SOILS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anica Durău

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Climatic conditions in the sandy soils of southern Oltenia encourage cultivation of tree species in terms of applying specific technologies. Possibility of poor sandy soils fertile capitalization, earliness in 7- 10 days of fruit ripening , high yields and quality are the main factors supporting the development of fruit growing in the sandy soils of southern Oltenia. The main objectives of the research were to CCDCPN Dăbuleni. Establish and improve stone fruit species assortment, adapted to the stress of the sandy soils, establishment and evaluation of the influence of stress on trees and their influence on the size and quality of production, development of technological links (planting distances, forms management, fertilization, getting high and consistent annual production of high quality, containing low as pesticide residues, to establish a integrated health control program of the trees with emphasis on biotechnical. Research has shown good stone species behavior, and their recommended proportion is 75% of all fruit trees (peach 36%, 14% apricot, plum15%, sweet and sour cherry fruit growing 10% of the total area. Results on peach varieties revealed: ’Redhaven’, ’Suncrest’, ’Loring’ with yields ranging from (24.8 t / ha to 29.0 t/ha with maturation period from July to August, and varieties ’NJ 244’, ’Fayette’, ’Flacara’ with productions ranging from (19.7 t / ha to 23.0 t/ha with maturation period from August to September. The sweet cherry varieties ’Van’, ’Rainier’, ’Stella’, with yields ranging from 17. 2 to 24.4 t / ha. In the range studied sour cherry were found ’Oblacinska’ varieties of 11.0 t / ha, ’Cernokaia’ with 10.5 t / ha, ’Schatten Morelle’ with 9.1 t / ha. Optimum planting density and shape of the peach crown found that the highest yields of fruit are produced in the form of vertical cordon crown, with values ranging from 15.9 t / ha at a distance of 2 m, 10.3 t / ha at a distance

Identification of indigenous fruits with export potential from Mukono district, Uganda

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nieminen, Riikka; Sørensen, Marten; Theilade, Ida

2017-01-01

Ethnobotanical studies and scorecard-based assessments have been used in identification and prioritisation of indigenous fruit trees with domestication and income potential at local levels. Less has been done to systematically identify species with potential for international markets. This study...... compared the applicability of the two methods to identify indigenous fruits with economic potential for export. The ethnobotanical study consisted of household and market surveys based on questionnaires, focus group discussions and key-informant interviews. The scorecard was based on pre-determined scoring...... criteria applied to species identified in the ethnobotanical study. Priority indigenous fruits identified in the ethnobotanical study included Canarium schweinfurtii, Vangueria apiculata, Garcinia buchananii and Tamarindus indica whereas the scorecard assessment identified a different set of species; i...

7 CFR 905.80 - Fruit not subject to regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Fruit not subject to regulation. 905.80 Section 905.80 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing... the provisions of this section from entering channels of trade for other than the purposes authorized...

Correlação entre a necrose de frutos associada ao Colletotrichum spp. com as características frutos por nó e produtividade entre genótipos de café arábica Correlation between fruit necrosis associated to Colletotrichum spp. with the fruits per node and yield traits of arabic coffee

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo Hiroshi Sera

2008-02-01

Full Text Available O fungo Colletotrichum spp. vem sendo associado à graves perdas para a cafeicultura brasileira. Objetivou-se neste trabalho verificar a existência de relação entre a variável necrose de frutos associada ao Colletotrichum spp. ("COL" com a quantidade média de frutos por nó produtivo ("FN" e com a produção ("PRD" em genótipos de café arábica. O ensaio de campo foi realizado no IAPAR (Londrina, PR, Brasil em dezembro de 2004 e em cafeeiros com três anos de idade. A variável "COL" foi avaliada atribuindo-se notas de 1 a 5, onde 1 representam plantas com 0 % a 5 % de frutos necrosados. "FN" foi avaliada seguindo uma escala de notas de 1 a 5, onde 1 representa plantas com 0 a 3 frutos/ nó e nota 5 com mais do que 15 frutos/ nó. A avaliação visual subjetiva da produção foi estimada em litros de frutos em estádio cereja, por planta. A correlação de Pearson foi estimada para avaliar a existência de associações entre as variáveis. Foram observadas correlações positivas e significativas a 1 % entre "COL" e "FN" e entre "COL" e "PRD". A necrose de frutos foi mais intensa em cafeeiros com mais produção e com mais frutos por nó produtivo. Sugere-se que a avaliação da resistência de campo à necrose dos frutos associada à presença de Colletotrichum spp. seja realizada em cafeeiros com alta produção e com alta quantidade de frutos por nó produtivo.Different fungi species of genus Colletotrichum has been associated with losses to the Brazilian coffee crop. The aim of this research was to evaluate the association between the variable fruit necrosis associated to Colletotrichum spp. ("COL" with the fruits per productive node average ("FN" and between "COL" and the yield ("PRD" in Coffea arabica L. genotypes. The field assay was evaluated at IAPAR (Londrina, PR, Brazil, in December 2004 and on coffee trees with three years old. The "COL" variable was evaluated attributing scores from 1 to 5, where score 1 represents plants

Effects of foliar potassium fertilization on muskmelon fruit quality and yield

Science.gov (United States)

Consumer preference of many fruits and vegetables such as muskmelon [Cucumis melo L. (Reticulatus Group)] is determined by a few key quality traits such as sugar content, aroma and texture. These quality traits are directly related to adequate potassium (K) content in plant tissues. However, soil-...

Determination of heavy metal content of processed fruit products from Tehran's market using ICP- OES: A risk assessment study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fathabad, Ayub Ebadi; Shariatifar, Nabi; Moazzen, Mojtaba; Nazmara, Shahrokh; Fakhri, Yadolah; Alimohammadi, Mahmood; Azari, Ali; Mousavi Khaneghah, Amin

2018-05-01

In this study, the levels of Cd, Hg, Sn, Al, Pb and As of 72 samples (36 samples for fruits juices and 36 samples for fruits canned) of three different brands including of Peach, Orange, Cherry, and Pineapple (18 samples of each fruits) marketed in Tehran, Iran (2015) were evaluated using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) technique. Also, Probabilistic risk assessment (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks) was estimated by models include target hazard quotient (THQ) and cancer risk (CR) in the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) model. However, all samples were contaminated with the heavy metals investigated, most of them not surpassed established standards. The range of concentration for Al, Sn, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb as average in fruit juices were reported as 340.62 (65.17-1039.2), 72.33 (49.76-119.4), 3.76 (1.137-18.36), 2.12 (0.89-3.44), 0.351 and 40.86 (27.87-66.1) μg/kg, respectively. The level of heavy metals measured in different kinds of fruit juices was ranked as Al > Sn > Pb > As > Cd > Hg, and for fruits canned this rank was Pb > Al > Sn > As > Cd > Hg. The range of concentration for Al, Sn, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb in fruits canned were reported as 361.23 (43.15-1121.2), 101.42 (71.45-141.61), 3.92 (1.279-19.50), 2.78 (1.09-5.56), 0.35 and 690.54 (470.56-910.14) μg/kg, respectively. The lead (Pb) concentration in 97.22% (35 out of 36 samples) of fruit juices samples surpassed Codex limit (0.05 mg/kg) and in all samples of FC was lower than the legal limit of Codex limit (1 mg/kg). All of the samples had Tin (Sn) lower than the legal limit of Codex (fruit juices 100 mg/kg and FC 250 mg/kg). The MCS indicated that the rank order of heavy metals in both adults and children based on THQ was Al > Sn > As > Pb > Cd > Hg. The THQ of Al and Sn in the FJ and FC, for both adults, and children, was considerably higher than 1 value. Also, CR of As in both adults and children

Fruit fly infestation in mango: A threat to the Horticultural sector in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephtritidae) are one of the most important insect pests to fruits worldwide. In Uganda, fruit flies have inflicted considerable yield losses especially in mangos (Mangifera indica L.), However, there has been no recent assessment of the associated economic damage impact despite the outcries from the ...

The Mexican Fruit Fly Eradication Programme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reyes F, Jesus; Santiago M, Guillermo; Hernandez M, Porfirio [Comision Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (Mexico)

2000-07-01

The goal of the Mexican Fruit Fly Eradication Programme is to control, suppress or eradicate from Mexico four species of fruit flies of economic and quarantine importance (Anastrepha ludens Loew, A. obliqua Macquart, A. serpentina Wied. and A. striata Schiner). These pests cause damage amounting to US$710 million per year. In addition to this cost, there are other expenses from pest control actions and the loss of international markets, because fruit importing countries have established stringent quarantine measures to restrict the entry of these pests. For purposes of the programme's implementation, Mexico was divided into three working zones, defined by agro-ecological characteristics, the number of fruit fly species present and the size of fruit growing regions. In addition, a cost:benefit analysis was carried out which indicated that the rate of return, in a 12-year time frame, might be as much as 33:1 in Northern Mexico, and 17:1 in the rest of the country, for an area over 100,000 hectares. Eradication technology involves: 1) surveys of pest populations by trapping and host fruit harvesting to monitor the presence and density of fruit flies, 2) reduction of pest populations applying cultural practices and using selective bait sprays, 3) mass release of sterile flies and augmentative release of parasitoids to eliminate populations and, 4) enforcement of quarantine measures to protect fruit fly free areas.

The Mexican Fruit Fly Eradication Programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reyes F, Jesus; Santiago M, Guillermo; Hernandez M, Porfirio

2000-01-01

The goal of the Mexican Fruit Fly Eradication Programme is to control, suppress or eradicate from Mexico four species of fruit flies of economic and quarantine importance (Anastrepha ludens Loew, A. obliqua Macquart, A. serpentina Wied. and A. striata Schiner). These pests cause damage amounting to US$710 million per year. In addition to this cost, there are other expenses from pest control actions and the loss of international markets, because fruit importing countries have established stringent quarantine measures to restrict the entry of these pests. For purposes of the programme's implementation, Mexico was divided into three working zones, defined by agro-ecological characteristics, the number of fruit fly species present and the size of fruit growing regions. In addition, a cost:benefit analysis was carried out which indicated that the rate of return, in a 12-year time frame, might be as much as 33:1 in Northern Mexico, and 17:1 in the rest of the country, for an area over 100,000 hectares. Eradication technology involves: 1) surveys of pest populations by trapping and host fruit harvesting to monitor the presence and density of fruit flies, 2) reduction of pest populations applying cultural practices and using selective bait sprays, 3) mass release of sterile flies and augmentative release of parasitoids to eliminate populations and, 4) enforcement of quarantine measures to protect fruit fly free areas

Management of asaí (Euterpe precatoria Mart. for fruit production in southern Colombian Amazonia

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Carolina Isaza Aranguren

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The fruits of asaí (Euterpe precatoria Mart. are a traditional food for Amazonian inhabitants who harvest it from wild populations, employing management practices that affect palm populations and productivity. Here we present management data on fruit harvesting in a Tikuna community in the Colombian Amazon. We identified the market structure in Leticia and evaluated the population structure and fruit productivity in a scarcely harvested forest and a heavily harvested one. We performed interviews to determine management and market practices and we established plots to identify population structure and productivity. Harvesting is mostly for self-supply and palm felling is the main method. The fruits are mostly consumed and marketed as juice. The asaí market is small and seasonal but it represents an important source of income for many, mainly indigenous, families. The population density was 1 680 individuals and 248 adults/ha in San Martín de Amacayacu, where harvesting was from 2 % of all adult palms, and 916 individuals and 30 adults/ha in Leticia, where harvesting was from 23 % of all adult palms. The population structure in both sites followed an in-verted J-curve in which the majority of the individuals were seedlings. Productivity was 2.2 ton/ha/ year in San Martín de Amacayacu and 0.33 ton/ha/ year in Leticia. The population in Leticia is heavily harvested to supply the local market and the consequences of this use are a reduction in population density and fruit productivity and a low abundance of individuals in all size classes.

ACC oxidase and miRNA 159a, and their involvement in fresh fruit bunch yield (FFB) via sex ratio determination in oil palm.

Science.gov (United States)

Somyong, Suthasinee; Poopear, Supannee; Sunner, Supreet Kaur; Wanlayaporn, Kitti; Jomchai, Nukoon; Yoocha, Thippawan; Ukoskit, Kittipat; Tangphatsornruang, Sithichoke; Tragoonrung, Somvong

2016-06-01

Oil palm (Elaeis guineesis Jacq.) is the most productive oil-bearing crop, yielding more oil per area than any other oil-bearing crops. However, there are still efforts to improve oil palm yield, in order to serve consumer and manufacturer demand. Oil palm produces female and male inflorescences in an alternating cycle. So, high sex ratio (SR), the ratio of female inflorescences to the total inflorescences, is a favorable trait in term of increasing yields in oil palm. This study aims to understand the genetic control for SR related traits, such as fresh fruit bunch yield (FFB), by characterizing genes at FFB quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on linkage 10 (chromosome 6) and linkage 15 (chromosome 10). Published oil palm sequences at the FFB QTLs were used to develop gene-based and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. We used the multiple QTL analysis model (MQM) to characterize the relationship of new markers with the SR traits in the oil palm population. The RNA expression of the most linked QTL genes was also evaluated in various tissues of oil palm. We identified EgACCO1 (encoding aminocyclopropane carboxylate (ACC) oxidase) at chromosome 10 and EgmiR159a (microRNA 159a) at chromosome 6 to be the most linked QTL genes or determinants for FFB yield and/or female inflorescence number with a phenotype variance explained (PVE) from 10.4 to 15 % and suggest that these play the important roles in sex determination and differentiation in oil palm. The strongest expression of EgACCO1 and the predicted precursor of EgmiR159a was found in ovaries and, to a lesser extent, fruit development. In addition, highly normalized expression of EgmiR159a was found in female flowers. In summary, the QTL analysis and the RNA expression reveal that EgACCO1 and EgmiR159a are the potential genetic factors involved in female flower determination and hence would affect yield in oil palm. However, to clarify how these genetic factors regulate female flower determination, more investigation

Influence of Inter and Intra-rows Spacing on Yield and Yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abyssinia

yield and yield components of fresh market(Bishola) and processing (Cochoro) tomato cultivars. ... row spacing had a significant effect on plan canopy width, above ground dry biomass, ... Poor varietal performance and management practices that includeinter and intra-row spacing ..... of assimilate export from the leaves.

Study of Irrigation Interval and Mulch Effects on Pomological Characteristics and Yield of Sevillana Cultivar in Field Condition

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rahmatollah gholami

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Olive (Olea europaea L. is one of the drought tolerant ever green fruit trees. Olive is an economically important species of the Mediterranean area, so understanding the mechanisms by which olive plants face drought stress under environmental conditions is essential for the improvement of olive yield and oil quality. Olive is one of the fruit trees which become important in the Iranian fruit industry at the near future. Mulch is an optimizing strategy under which crops are allowed to sustain some degree of water deficit and yield reduction. Increasing crop water-use efficiency (WUE through water conservation in the soil is an important component of dry land farming. Mulching is among the water management practices for increasing WUE. Mulch is referred to as any material that is spread onto the surface of the soil for protection against solar radiation or evaporation. Different materials, such as wheat straw, rice straw, plastic film, grass, wood, and sand, are used as mulches. Materials and Methods: This experiment was conducted to study the effect of irrigation interval and mulch on Pomological characteristics and yield of 11-years old Sevillana olive cultivar. A factorial experiment was carried out in Dallaho Olive Research Station at Sarepole located in Kermanshah province. Field experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications and two factors (irrigation interval and mulch were conducted in 2015. Each experiment unit consists of 4 trees and 108 trees were used. Irrigation treatments period for experiment were 3, 6 and 10 days interval and mulch treatments for experiment were polyethylene, organic materials and non-mulch (control. Geographical characters was longitude of 45˚, 51΄ E and latitude of 34˚, 30΄ N and the height of sea level 581m. The measured tree characteristics were: Fruit Weight, Pulp Fresh Weight, Pulp Dry Weight, Dry matter, Pulp/Pit ratio, Pit Length, Pit Diameter, Fruit Yield

PRODUCTION AND POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF IRRIGATED PASSION FRUIT AFTER N-K FERTILIZATION

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DANIEL GONÇALVES DIAS

2017-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Studies with nitrogen and potassium in yellow passion fruit cultivars with high yield potential are scarce in semiarid regions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence the N and K doses on productivity and fruit quality of different passion fruit cultivars in irrigated conditions in the northern of Minas Gerais state. The study was installed at experimental farm located in Janaúba-MG. This area was located at 15º 47’ S and 43º 18’ W, 516 m above sea level. The experiment was in completely randomized block with four replications, arranged in 4 x 6 factorial design consisting of four Passion Fruit cultivars (BRS Sol do Cerrado, BRS Ouro Vermelho, BRS Gigante Amarelo, IAC 275 and six N and K doses, which corresponded to 0-0, 50-125, 100-250, 150-375, 200 -500 and 250-625 kg ha-1 yr-1 of N and K2O, respectively. BRS Gigante Amarelo and BRS Sol do Cerrado cultivars showed higher productivity. Total fruit yield and average fruit weight were higher for BRS Sol do Cerrado and IAC 275, BRS Gigante Amarelo and BRS Ouro Vermelho cultivars, respectively. IAC 275 showed the highest pulp yield and along with BRS Sol do Cerrado, showed the higher soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio. BRS Sol do Cerrado, BRS Gigante Amarelo and IAC 275 cultivars showed higher pulp productivity, indicating that they are more promising for passion fruit juice industry.

Heterogeneity of farms entering export supply chains: the case of fruit growers from central-south Chile

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barrena, J.; Nahuelhual, L.; Engler, A.; Echeverria, R.; Cofre, G.

2013-06-01

The increasing stringency of world food markets requires farmers to adjust farm structure and commercial strategies to remain integrated in export supply chains. The goal of this study was to identify and characterize different types of fresh fruit farms with regard to farm structural and commercial strategies for a representative sample of fresh fruit growers from central-south Chile exporting to world markets. A typology of farms was constructed based on multivariate analysis, according to which five types of farms were differentiated from five distinct factors. Cluster I comprised the smallest and uncertified farms (14.3% of the sample). The remaining four clusters comprised certified farms, but with different farm structural and commercial characteristics. Cluster II (15.1%) was composed of farms located further from market connections. Cluster III (23.9%) comprised farms with the highest number of fruit species, and consequently, more diversified in fruit production. Cluster IV (8.8%) was the smallest group, and comprised the largest firms. Finally, Cluster V (37.8%) was composed of highly specialized fruit farms, with the highest proportion of hectares dedicated to the production of a single fruit species. The results show the heterogeneity among fresh fruit farms and support the need for differentiated incentives and technological transfer schemes from the public sector and fruit companies in order to successfully keep farmers within export supply chains. (Author) 40 refs.

Reaching Low-Income Mothers to Improve Family Fruit and Vegetable Intake: Food Hero Social Marketing Campaign?Research Steps, Development and Testing

OpenAIRE

Tobey, Lauren N.; Koenig, Harold F.; Brown, Nicole A.; Manore, Melinda M.

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to create/test a social marketing campaign to increase fruit/vegetable (FV) intake within Oregon Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligible families. Focus groups (n = 2) and pre/post campaign phone surveys (n = 2082) were conducted in intervention counties (IC) and one control county. Participants were female (86%–100%) with 1–2 children at home. Mean FV intake/without juice was 3.1 servings/day; >50% preferred the Internet for delivery of he...

(Solanum aethiopicum L.) fruits

African Journals Online (AJOL)

eggplant is grown in almost every region and is one of the most traded indigenous vegetables in local markets (Chadha, 2006). African eggplant fruits have relatively higher carbohydrate. (7.2 g/100g), fibers (2.0g/100g), calcium (28 mg/100g), iron (1.5 mg/100g) and considerable amount of beta carotene (0.35 mg/100g),.

Using Worldview Satellite Imagery to Map Yield in Avocado (Persea americana: A Case Study in Bundaberg, Australia

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Andrew Robson

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Accurate pre-harvest estimation of avocado (Persea americana cv. Haas yield offers a range of benefits to industry and growers. Currently there is no commercial yield monitor available for avocado tree crops and the manual count method used for yield forecasting can be highly inaccurate. Remote sensing using satellite imagery offers a potential means to achieve accurate pre-harvest yield forecasting. This study evaluated the accuracies of high resolution WorldView (WV 2 and 3 satellite imagery and targeted field sampling for the pre-harvest prediction of total fruit weight (kg·tree−1 and average fruit size (g and for mapping the spatial distribution of these yield parameters across the orchard block. WV 2 satellite imagery was acquired over two avocado orchards during 2014, and WV3 imagery was acquired in 2016 and 2017 over these same two orchards plus an additional three orchards. Sample trees representing high, medium and low vigour zones were selected from normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI derived from the WV images and sampled for total fruit weight (kg·tree−1 and average fruit size (g per tree. For each sample tree, spectral reflectance data was extracted from the eight band multispectral WV imagery and 18 vegetation indices (VIs derived. Principal component analysis (PCA and non-linear regression analysis was applied to each of the derived VIs to determine the index with the strongest relationship to the measured total fruit weight and average fruit size. For all trees measured over the three year period (2014, 2016, and 2017 a consistent positive relationship was identified between the VI using near infrared band one and the red edge band (RENDVI1 to both total fruit weight (kg·tree−1 (R2 = 0.45, 0.28, and 0.29 respectively and average fruit size (g (R2 = 0.56, 0.37, and 0.29 respectively across all orchard blocks. Separate analysis of each orchard block produced higher R2 values as well as identifying different

How to develop Afghan Karakul marketing

OpenAIRE

Ferdaws, Nesar Ahmad

2015-01-01

This study was specifically concerned with the Afghan karakul marketing development. After carpet and fruit, Afghan karakul is one of the most important export item of Afghanistan to international market especially western market. The study attempted to investigate, explore and analyze the current marketing of Afghan karakul and the significance of its marketing development. The objective of the study was to find ways in order to develop Afghan karakul marketing Qualitative research meth...

Survey of South African fruit juices using a fast screening HILIC-MS method.

Science.gov (United States)

Stander, Marietjie A; Kühn, Wernich; Hiten, Nicholas F

2013-01-01

Adulteration of fruit juices--by the addition of sugar or other less expensive fruit juices as well as preservatives, artificial sweeteners and colours--was tested for by using a developed screening method. The method employs hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS) using electrospray ionisation in the negative mode and ultraviolet light detection. Different fruit juices can be differentiated by the content of marker compounds like sorbitol, certain phenolic molecules and their saccharide profile. This method was used to test 46 fruit juice samples from the retail market as well as 12 control samples. The study focused on the main types of fruit juices consumed on the South African market including apple, orange, grape and blends of these juices with other fruits like mango, pear and guava. Overall, the 46 samples tested mostly agreed with label claims. One grape juice sample was adulterated, probably with apple juice. Natamycin above the legal limits was found in two samples. In addition, two samples contained natamycin and one sample benzoate without it being indicated on the label. The method is well suited as a quick screening method for fruit juice adulteration and if used routinely would reduce fruit juice adulteration without the cost of the current array of tests needed for authenticity testing.

Sample size in fruit of the ‘Golden THB’ papaya for the domestic market and for export = Dimensionamento amostral para frutos de mamoeiro ‘Golden THB’ destinados ao mercado nacional e à exportação

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Wilton Silva

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Considering that sample size is important for the characterisation of fruit lots, the aim of this study was to determine the minimum sample size necessary to characterise commercial fruits of the ‘Golden THB’ papaya, for the domestic market and for export, before and after storage. Three hundred fruit were studied separately, of which 150 were destined for the domestic market and 150 for export. For the domestic market, evaluations began with 75 fruit shortly after post-harvest treatment at the packing house (before storage, and the other after 5 days of storage at room temperature. For the fruits destined for export, analysis was carried out before storage and the other after 14 days of storage in a cold room, set at 9°C. The characteristics under evaluation were: fruit weight; fruit length; fruit width; the ratio of fruit length to fruit width; firmness; total soluble solids; total titratable acidity and ratio. The sample size was then calculated by deterministic method, from the half-amplitude of the confidence interval. The sample size for measuring fruit of the ‘Golden THB’ papaya varies with the characteristic, destination and storage. For the domestic market and after storage, sampling requires a greater number of fruit for the physical characteristics. For the characteristic firmness, with a 10% error about the mean, the sample size is 988 and 117 fruit after storage, for the domestic market and for export respectively. For all the other characteristics, 31 fruit are sufficient for characterisation, with an error of 10% about the mean. = Considerando que o tamanho de amostras é importante para a caracterização de lotes de frutas, objetivou-se com este trabalho determinar o tamanho mínimo necessário de amostra para caracterizar frutos comerciais de mamoeiro ‘Golden THB’ destinados ao mercado nacional e à exportação, antes e após armazenamento. O trabalho foi aplicado a 300 frutos separadamente, sendo 150 destinados

Contamination of tomatoes with coliforms and Escherichia coli on farms and in markets of northwest Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Shenge, Kenneth C; Whong, Clement M Z; Yakubu, Lydia L; Omolehin, Raphael A; Erbaugh, J Mark; Miller, Sally A; LeJeune, Jeffrey T

2015-01-01

Although recent reports indicated that produce contamination with foodborne pathogens is widespread in Nigeria, the sources and magnitude of microbial contamination of fruits and vegetables on farms and in markets have not been thoroughly identified. To ascertain possible pathways of contamination, the frequency and magnitude of coliform and Escherichia coli contamination of tomatoes produced in northwest Nigeria was assessed on farms and in markets. Eight hundred twenty-six tomato fruit samples and 36 irrigation water samples were collected and assessed for fecal indicator organisms. In addition, the awareness and use of food safety practices by tomato farmers and marketers were determined. Median concentration of coliforms on all field- and market-sourced tomato fruit samples, as well as in irrigation water sources, in Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina states exceeded 1,000 most probable number (MPN) per g. Median E. coli counts from 73 (17%) of 420 field samples and 231 (57%) of 406 market tomato fruit samples exceeded 100 MPN/g. Median E. coli concentrations on tomato fruits were higher (P market tomato fruit samples (2.66 Log MPN/g) were higher (P marketers were generally unaware of the relationship between food safety practices and microbial contamination on fresh produce. Good agricultural practices pertaining to food safety on farms and in local markets were seldom used. Adoption of food safety practices on-farm, during transport, and during marketing could improve the microbial quality of tomatoes available to the public in this region of the world.

Demand Analysis of Selected Fruits and Vegetables in Oman

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A. Omezzine

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Consumer behavior and prospective changes in demand of food product have a significant impact on production and distribution decisions. Consumer responsiveness to changes in prices, income and other demand determinants is very important to production and market decision-makers. The present study estimates demand responses for selected fruits and vegetables in Oman using consumer aggregated national data. The main objective is to generate information needed for making public as well as private decisions. Results indicate that most fruit and vegetable consumers respond to price, and income changes in the expected manner. Responses are different from one commodity to another depending on its nature and importance in the consumer's diet habits. In a few cases income is not a significant determinant of the demand. Moreover, many fruits and vegetables have shown a relationship of substitution and complementary consistent with Omani diet. These results are useful in farmers and distributers to allow them to adjust their production and marketing services according to the consumer’s response.

Economic and agricultural impact of mutation breeding in fruit trees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spiegel Roy, P.

1990-01-01

Constraints of conventional cross breeding in fruit trees, wide market acceptance of definite cultivars, especially in apple, pear, citrus and wine grape, and the increased impact of natural mutants provide incentives for mutation breeding. Only few induced mutants in fruit trees have been commercialized and are being planted on a large scale. The main method followed in mutation breeding of tree fruit has been acute irradiation of meristematic multicellular buds but, Chimera formation and reversion present a serious problem. 87 refs, 4 tabs

Influence of irrigation during the growth stage on yield and quality in mango (Mangifera indica L).

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Junya; Liu, Guoyin; Liu, Debing; Chen, Yeyuan

2017-01-01

Although being one of the few drought-tolerant plants, mango trees are irrigated to ensure optimum and consistent productivity in China. In order to better understand the effects of soil water content on mango yield and fruit quality at fruit growth stage, irrigation experiments were investigated and the object was to determine the soil water content criteria at which growth and quality of mango would be optimal based on soil water measured by RHD-JS water-saving irrigation system through micro-sprinkling irrigation. Five soil water content treatments (relative to the percentage of field water capacity) for irrigation (T1:79%-82%, T2:75%-78%, T3:71%-74%, T4: 65%-70%, T5:63%-66%) were compared in 2013. Amount of applied irrigation water for different treatments varied from 2.93m3 to 1.08 m3. The results showed that mango fruit production and quality at fruit growth stage were significantly affected under different irrigation water amounts. Variation in soil water content not only had effects on fruit size, but also on fruit yield. The highest fruit yield and irrigation water use efficiency were obtained from the T4 treatment. Irrigation water amount also affected fruit quality parameters like fruit total soluble solids, soluble sugar, starch, titratable acid and vitamin C content. Comprehensive evaluation of the effect of indexs of correlation on irrigation treatment by subordinate function showed that when the soil moisture content were controlled at about 65-70% of the field water moisture capacity, water demand in the growth and development of mango could be ensured, and maximum production efficiency of irrigation and the best quality of fruit could be achieved. In conclusion, treatment T4 was the optimum irrigation schedule for growing mango, thus achieving efficient production of mango in consideration of the compromise among mango yield, fruit quality and water use efficiency.

Correlação entre composição das fôlhas e produção, e tamanho de frutos, em laranjeira baianinha Correlation between leaf composition and yields, and orange fruit sizes, as affected by fertilization

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J. Romano Gallo

1966-01-01

Full Text Available Dados de produção de 4 anos de colheita (1961-64 foram estudados em relação aos elementos minerais contidos nas fôlhas com 6 meses de idade, colhidas anualmente num ensaio fatorial NPK 3X3X3 de longa duração, com laranjeira baianinha (Citrus sinensisOsb. enxertada sôbre cavalo de laranja caipira (C. sinensisOsb.. As análises da variância dos teores de N e K das fôlhas mostraram efeitos lineares, positivos e altamente significativos da adubação com os respectivos elementos. Êsse efeito, para P, ficou limitado a uma dose do fertilizante. A adubação com superfosfato provocou, ainda, aumento no teor de Ca das fôlhas, significativo ao nível de 1%. Os estudos efetuados revelaram que: o aumento do teor de nitrogênio nas fôlhas aumentou a produção (pêso e número e diminuiu o tamanho (pêso médio dos frutos; o aumento do teor de potássio aumentou o tamanho dos frutos; e o aumento do teor de cálcio aumentou a produção (pêso. O teor de fósforo não influiu significativamente na produção ou tamanho de frutos.Orange yields and the size of the fruits harvested in the years 1961 to 1964 were related with the content of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium in six-month old leaves collected each year in a long-term experimental orchard with Baianinha orange trees (Citrus sinensis,Osbeck, at the Citrus Experiment Station of Limeira, State of São Paulo. The trees were budded on sweet orange rootstock (C. sinensis,Osb. in a factorial experiment NPK 3X3X3 started in 1951. The average weight or size of the fruit was calculated from the weight record and the total number of fruits from each plot or treatment. The influence of applied fertilizers on foliage composition and tree response (production, fruit size was also reported. Analysis of variance of the data obtained revealed several differences due to the fertilizer treatments to be significant, as can be seen in table 1. The following correlations were found to be

Yield and fruit quality of apple from conventional and organic production systems Rendimento e qualidade de maçãs em pomares conduzidos nos sistemas convencional e orgânico de produção

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Cassandro Vidal Talamini do Amarante

2008-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to assess the yield and fruit quality of apple produced with a conventional and an organic production systems in Southern Brazil. The orchards consisted of alternate rows from 10 to 12-year old 'Royal Gala' and 'Fuji' apple trees on M.7 rootstocks, grown as slender spindles, on 4x6 m spacing. Eighteen apple trees of each cultivar and management system were randomly selected and assessed for nutrition, flowering, fruit set, yield, and fruit quality during two growing seasons (2002/2003 and 2003/2004. The organic management system resulted in lower concentrations of K, Mg, and N in leaves and fruits, and in smaller fruits for both cultivars, and lower fruit yield for 'Fuji' than from the conventional production system. For both cultivars, fruits from the organic orchard harvested at commercial maturity had a more yellowish skin background color, higher percentage of blush in the fruit skin, higher soluble solids content, higher density, higher flesh firmness, and higher severity of russet than fruits from the conventional orchard. Fruit from the organic orchard had lower titratable acidity in 'Royal Gala', and higher incidence of moldy core and lower incidence of watercore in 'Fuji', than fruit from the conventional orchard. A non-trained sensory panel detected no significant differences for fruit attributes of taste, flavor and texture between fruit from the production systems for either cultivar.O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o rendimento e a qualidade de frutos em pomares de macieira, nos sistemas convencional e orgânico de produção no Sul do Brasil. Os pomares consistiram de filas alternadas de plantas com 10 a 12 anos de idade das cultivares Royal Gala e Fuji, sobre porta-enxerto M.7, conduzidas com líder central, em espaçamento de 4x6 m. Dezoito plantas de cada cultivar e sistema de manejo foram marcadas aleatoriamente e avaliadas quanto à nutrição, floração, frutificação efetiva, rendimento e

Fruit Wines Inhibitory Activity Against α-Glucosidase.

Science.gov (United States)

Cakar, Uros; Grozdanic, Nada; Petrovic, Aleksandar; Pejin, Boris; Nastasijevic, Branislav; Markovic, Bojan; Dordevic, Brizita

2017-01-01

Fruit wines are well known for their profound health-promoting properties including both enzyme activations and inhibitions. They may act preventive in regard to diabetes melitus and other chronic diseases. Potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of fruit wines made from blueberry, black chokeberry, blackberry, raspberry and sour cherry was the subject of this study. In order to increase the alcohol content due to enriched extraction of total phenolics, sugar was added in the fruit pomace of the half of the examined fruit wine samples. Compared with acarbose used as a positive control (IC50 = 73.78 µg/mL), all fruit wine samples exhibited higher α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Indeed, blueberry wine samples stood out, both prepared with IC50 = 24.14 µg/mL, lyophilised extract yield 3.23% and without IC50 = 46.39 µg/mL, lyophilised extract yield 2.89% and with addition of sugar before fermentation. Chlorogenic acid predominantly contributed to α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the blueberry, black chokeberry and sour cherry wine samples. However, ellagic acid, a potent α-glucosidase inhibitor possessing a planar structure, only slightly affected the activity of the blueberry wine samples, due to the lower concentration. In addition to this, molecular docking study of chlorogenic acid pointed out the importance of binding energy (-8.5 kcal/mol) for the inhibition of the enzyme. In summary, fruit wines made from blueberry should be primarily taken into consideration as a medicinal food targeting diabetes mellitus type 2 in the early stage, if additional studies would confirm their therapeutic potential for the control of postprandial hyperglycemia. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Oil palm natural diversity and the potential for yield improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Barcelos, Edson; Rios, Sara de Almeida; Cunha, Raimundo N V; Lopes, Ricardo; Motoike, Sérgio Y; Babiychuk, Elena; Skirycz, Aleksandra; Kushnir, Sergei

2015-01-01

African oil palm has the highest productivity amongst cultivated oleaginous crops. Species can constitute a single crop capable to fulfill the growing global demand for vegetable oils, which is estimated to reach 240 million tons by 2050. Two types of vegetable oil are extracted from the palm fruit on commercial scale. The crude palm oil and kernel palm oil have different fatty acid profiles, which increases versatility of the crop in industrial applications. Plantations of the current varieties have economic life-span around 25-30 years and produce fruits around the year. Thus, predictable annual palm oil supply enables marketing plans and adjustments in line with the economic forecasts. Oil palm cultivation is one of the most profitable land uses in the humid tropics. Oil palm fruits are the richest plant source of pro-vitamin A and vitamin E. Hence, crop both alleviates poverty, and could provide a simple practical solution to eliminate global pro-vitamin A deficiency. Oil palm is a perennial, evergreen tree adapted to cultivation in biodiversity rich equatorial land areas. The growing demand for the palm oil threatens the future of the rain forests and has a large negative impact on biodiversity. Plant science faces three major challenges to make oil palm the key element of building the future sustainable world. The global average yield of 3.5 tons of oil per hectare (t) should be raised to the full yield potential estimated at 11-18t. The tree architecture must be changed to lower labor intensity and improve mechanization of the harvest. Oil composition should be tailored to the evolving needs of the food, oleochemical and fuel industries. The release of the oil palm reference genome sequence in 2013 was the key step toward this goal. The molecular bases of agronomically important traits can be and are beginning to be understood at the single base pair resolution, enabling gene-centered breeding and engineering of this remarkable crop.

Oil palm natural diversity and the potential for yield improvement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edson eBarcelos

2015-03-01

Full Text Available African oil palm has the highest productivity amongst cultivated oleaginous crops. Species can constitute a single crop capable to fulfil the growing global demand for vegetable oils, which is estimated to reach 240 million tons by 2050. Two types of vegetable oil are extracted from the palm fruit on commercial scale. The crude palm oil and kernel palm oil have different fatty acid profiles, which increases versatility of the crop in industrial applications. Plantations of the current varieties have economic life-span around 25-30 years and produce fruits around the year. Thus, predictable annual palm oil supply enables marketing plans and adjustments in line with the economic forecasts. Oil palm cultivation is one of the most profitable land uses in the humid tropics. Oil palm fruits are the richest plant source of pro-vitamin A and vitamin E. Hence, crop both alleviates poverty, and could provide a simple practical solution to eliminate global pro-vitamin A deficiency. Oil palm is a perennial, evergreen tree adapted to cultivation in biodiversity rich equatorial land areas. The growing demand for the palm oil threatens the future of the rain forests and has a large negative impact on biodiversity. Plant science faces three major challenges to make oil palm the key element of building the future sustainable world. The global average yield of 3.5 tons of oil per hectare (t should be raised to the full yield potential estimated at 11-18t. The tree architecture must be changed to lower labor intensity and improve mechanization of the harvest. Oil composition should be tailored to the evolving needs of the food, oleochemical and fuel industries. The release of the oil palm reference genome sequence in 2013 was the key step towards this goal. The molecular bases of agronomically important traits can be and are beginning to be understood at the single base pair resolution, enabling gene-centered breeding and engineering of this remarkable crop.

Oil palm natural diversity and the potential for yield improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Barcelos, Edson; Rios, Sara de Almeida; Cunha, Raimundo N. V.; Lopes, Ricardo; Motoike, Sérgio Y.; Babiychuk, Elena; Skirycz, Aleksandra; Kushnir, Sergei

2015-01-01

African oil palm has the highest productivity amongst cultivated oleaginous crops. Species can constitute a single crop capable to fulfill the growing global demand for vegetable oils, which is estimated to reach 240 million tons by 2050. Two types of vegetable oil are extracted from the palm fruit on commercial scale. The crude palm oil and kernel palm oil have different fatty acid profiles, which increases versatility of the crop in industrial applications. Plantations of the current varieties have economic life-span around 25–30 years and produce fruits around the year. Thus, predictable annual palm oil supply enables marketing plans and adjustments in line with the economic forecasts. Oil palm cultivation is one of the most profitable land uses in the humid tropics. Oil palm fruits are the richest plant source of pro-vitamin A and vitamin E. Hence, crop both alleviates poverty, and could provide a simple practical solution to eliminate global pro-vitamin A deficiency. Oil palm is a perennial, evergreen tree adapted to cultivation in biodiversity rich equatorial land areas. The growing demand for the palm oil threatens the future of the rain forests and has a large negative impact on biodiversity. Plant science faces three major challenges to make oil palm the key element of building the future sustainable world. The global average yield of 3.5 tons of oil per hectare (t) should be raised to the full yield potential estimated at 11–18t. The tree architecture must be changed to lower labor intensity and improve mechanization of the harvest. Oil composition should be tailored to the evolving needs of the food, oleochemical and fuel industries. The release of the oil palm reference genome sequence in 2013 was the key step toward this goal. The molecular bases of agronomically important traits can be and are beginning to be understood at the single base pair resolution, enabling gene-centered breeding and engineering of this remarkable crop. PMID:25870604

Transcriptomic analysis of short-fruit 1 (sf1) reveals new insights into the variation of fruit-related traits in Cucumis sativus.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lina; Cao, Chenxing; Zheng, Shuangshuang; Zhang, Haiyang; Liu, Panjing; Ge, Qian; Li, Jinrui; Ren, Zhonghai

2017-06-07

Fruit size is an important quality trait in different market classes of Cucumis sativus L., an economically important vegetable cultivated worldwide, but the genetic and molecular mechanisms that control fruit size are largely unknown. In this study, we isolated a natural cucumber mutant, short fruit 1 (sf1), caused by a single recessive Mendelian factor, from the North China-type inbred line CNS2. In addition to significantly decreased fruit length, other fruit-related phenotypic variations were also observed in sf1 compared to the wild-type (WT) phenotype, indicating that sf1 might have pleiotropic effects. Microscopic imaging showed that fruit cell size in sf1 was much larger than that in WT, suggesting that the short fruit phenotype in sf1 is caused by decreased cell number. Fine mapping revealed that sf1 was localized to a 174.3 kb region on chromosome 6. Similarly, SNP association analysis of bulked segregant RNA-Seq data showed increased SNP frequency in the same region of chromosome 6. In addition, transcriptomic analysis revealed that sf1 might control fruit length through the fine-tuning of cytokinin and auxin signalling, gibberellin biosynthesis and signal transduction in cucumber fruits. Overall, our results provide important information for further study of fruit length and other fruit-related features in cucumber.

Marketing of agricultural products: case findings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hingley, M.; Lindgreen, A.

2002-01-01

This article focuses on the relationship marketing approach to marketing of agricultural products. The article provides specific insights into, and comparisons between, suppliers of two particular agricultural products sectors: in Britain, the fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) sector and, in New

An analysis of the South African fruit logistics infrustructure | van Dyk ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper gives an overview of a study that was done on the logistics infrastructure used by the South African fruit industry. Given the increasing production and export volumes, development of new markets and the shortage of logistics infrastructure capacity during peak seasons, the SA fruit industry identified the need to ...

Coatings for minimally processed fruits and vegetables

Science.gov (United States)

Fresh-cut fruit and vegetables are gaining increasing popularity and market share. Techniques to enhance stability of fresh cut produce are reviewed. Among these techniques, edibles coatings can provide protection against dehydration, microbial decay and decrease events related to physiological sene...

Ideal sweetness of mixed juices from Amazon fruits

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Daniela De Grandi Castro Freitas

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Ready-to-drink fruit juices represent a large share of the market and are an important target for product development. The mixture of fruits can bring about improvements to nutritional and sensory aspects of these beverages while making used of the wide variety of exotic fruits from the Amazon region. Therefore, it is necessary to select mixed fruits and determine their ideal sweetness according to consumer acceptance. Consumers in the city of Belém (Brazil evaluated five different concentrations of sugar using the just-about-right scale in two blends selected by preference ranking. For the cupuassu-acerola-açai blend, the optimum concentration of sugar was 9.5 g/100 mL, and for the soursop-camucamu-yellow mombin blend, it was 10.7 g/100 mL.

Export of tropical fruit from Thailand with special reference to quarantine restrictions imposed by certain importing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syamananda, R.

1985-01-01

The export markets for tropical fruit from Thailand are presently limited to Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Europe and the Middle East where plant quarantine regulations are not as rigorous as they are in other parts of the world. Attempts are being made to open up new market in Japan, Australia and the United States of America. However, in order to gain access to these markets the produce must be completely free of restricted quarantine pests such as oriental fruit fly (Dacus dorsalis) and melon fruit fly (D. Cucurbitae). Many importing countries to restrict use of chemicals in agricultural produce by fumigation, the use of irradiation technology for pest problems appears to be an acceptable alternative

PRODUCCIÓN Y CALIDAD DE FRUTA EN CULTIVARES DE FRESA (Fragaria sp. AFECTADOS POR ESTRÉS SALINO YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY OF SALT-STRESSED STRAWBERRY CULTIVARS (Fragaria sp.

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Fánor Casierra-Posada

2006-12-01

levels. This trial was carried out to investigate the relationship between NaCl-salt stress, fruit quality and yield on the strawberries cultivars ‘Sweet Carlie’ ‘Chandler’ and ‘Camarosa’ grown in pots filled with salinized soil in glasshouse. Five salt levels were compared (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mM NaCl which induced different electrical conductivity (EC levels (2,68; 6,08; 8,24; 9,98 y 12,62 dS.m-1 respectly. The different EC levels were obtained by adding NaCl progressively to the soil. Fruit yield and quality were negatively influenced by the tested treatments. Sugar content in fruits was influenced by the treatments. Total soluble solids and tritrable acidity in fruits grew as EC levels grew. While the accumulation of dry matter in the roots showed a proportional increase with the level of NaCl in the substrate, the fruits showed an opposite tendency. Although typical stress symptoms such as growth retardation and poor fruit yield were observed in the strawberry tested cultivars, ‘Sweet Charlie’ was less sensitive to the salinity.

Yield, Quality, and Nutrient Concentrations of Strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch. cv. 'Sonata') Grown with Different Organic Fertilizer Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Pokhrel, Bhaniswor; Laursen, Kristian Holst; Petersen, Karen Koefoed

2015-06-17

Four combinations of two solid organic fertilizers (Monterra Malt and chicken manure) applied before planting and two liquid organic fertilizers (broad bean and Pioner Hi-Fruit/K-Max) given through drip irrigation (fertigation) were compared with inorganic fertilization regarding growth, yield, nutrient concentration, and fruit quality of strawberries. Broad bean fertigation combined with Monterra Malt resulted in a similar fruit yield as inorganic fertilizer and a higher yield than Monterra Malt combined with Pioner; however, total soluble solids, firmness, and titratable acid were improved with Pioner fertigation, although these parameters were more affected by harvest time than the applied fertilizers. The concentrations of most nutrients in fruits and leaves were higher in inorganically fertigated plants. The reductions in fruit yield in three of four treatments and fruit weight in all organic treatments may be due to a combination of the following conditions in the root zone: (1) high pH and high NH4(+)/NO3(-) ratio; (2) high EC and/or high NaCl concentration; (3) cation imbalance; and (4) nutrient deficiency.

Characterization of the mechanical properties of the cape gooseberry fruit (Physalis peruviana L.

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Willian Javier Llanos

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Colombia is the world’s leading producer of the cape gooseberry and it is a crop of great importance due to its high demand in the international market. The fruit, the part that is sold, is an ovoid-shaped, juicy berry, and its harvest starts when the fruit is orange-colored and the cap surrounding the fruit is yellowcolored. This labor is done manually. During this phase of collection, subsequent handling and transport to the places of packaging and marketing, the fruit is subjected to multiple loads which may deteriorate it in different ways, resulting in significant product losses. Rheological tests of unidirectional compression, punctures, and cuts at the peduncle were performed in order to characterize the mechanical response of the fruit to the type of forces exerted at harvest and post-harvest handling. It was found that the fruit’s firmness in unidirectional compression in the axial direction, with a ripeness grade of four, was 38.6 N, while the force required to separate the fruit from the peduncle was 15.1 N. The mechanical behavior of the cape gooseberry corresponds to a viscoelastic, anisotropic, highly variable material

Register of New Fruit and Nut Cultivars List 45. Banana, cacao, Spanish lime, plantain

Science.gov (United States)

The Register of New Fruit and Nut Varieties 45 is a compilation of descriptions of new fruit and nut cultivars from around the world. In this edition, newly released cacao, banana, plantain, and genip cultivars are described in terms of their origins, important fruit traits and yield....

FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES MARKET IN MINEIROS, GOIÁS STATE, BRAZIL MERCADO DE HORTIFRUTÍCOLAS FRESCAS NO MUNICÍPIO DE MINEIROS-GO

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Oscar Barbosa Martins Filho

2008-09-01

Full Text Available

The complex fruit and vegetable commercialization system requires constant marketing studies for elaboration and implementation of strategies and actions to improve it. The objective of this study was to evaluate fruits and vegetables commercialization in the Mineiros municipality, Goiás State, Brazil, in order to provide information for retail trade. The survey was carried out in retail trade equipments, such as supermarkets, grocery stores, and street markets, from December 2005 to January 2006, by means of questionnaire application. Among the evaluated fruits, orange reached the higher weekly commer-cialization volume (7,196 kg, followed by banana (2,812 kg, apple (2,526 kg, and pineapple (1,935 kg. For vegetables, tomato (7,854 kg, watermelon (6,600 kg, onion (4,882 kg, and potato (4,272 kg were the most commercialized items. Supermarkets and grocery stores are responsible for most of the fruit and vegetable commercialized in the region. The local horticulture agribusiness does not supply the regional demand, the marketing for those products depending on long distance suppliers.

KEY-WORDS: Vegetables; commercialization; market; fruticulture; olericulture.

O complexo sistema de comercialização de hortifrutícolas requer estudos mercadológicos freqüentes, para a elaboração e implementação de estratégias e ações de melhorias do sistema. O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um levantamento do mercado de frutas e hortaliças, em Mineiros, GO, visando a fornecer

Economic Analysis of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Export Marketing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In Tanzania Export of agricultural products, both ... well as form a basis for specialization and accessing ... fruit and vegetable trade is under many small ... This study also found that knowledge about Global Good agricultural practices, .... growers or traders belong. ... used to calculate the GM across different enterprises in ...

Effect of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) on plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) under simulated seawater irrigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Min; Jun Kang, Yi; Li Wang, Huan; Sheng Zhang, Xiang; Xin Zhao, Qing

2012-01-01

To determine the effects of three PGPRs on plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato under simulated seawater irrigation, a two consecutive seasons' field experiment was conducted in Yancheng Teachers University plot from April to June and August to October, 2011. The results showed that Erwinia persicinus RA2 containing ACC deaminase exhibited the best ability compared with Bacillus pumilus WP8 and Pseudomonas putida RBP1 which had no ACC deaminase activity to enhance marketable yields of fresh and dried fruits in tomato under simulated seawater irrigation especially under HS condition. B. pumilus WP8 had significant effects on improving tomato fruit quality under the conditions of irrigating with 1.0% NaCl solution (MS) and with 2.0% NaCl solution (HS). Na(+) contents were generally accumulated much more in tomato plant mid-shoot leaves than in fruits whatever the salt concentration. More sodium accumulation in leaves of E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 treatments under HS condition were found than in control. E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 can promote tomato growth, improve fruit quality more firmly than P. putida RBP1 during two consecutive seasons. Our study suggested that E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 are considered to be promising PGPR strains which are suited for application in salt marsh planting, ACC deaminase activity was not unique index on screening for PGPRs with the aim of salt stress tolerance, and plant growth promoting activities may be relevant to different growth indices and different stress conditions.

Impacts of Grapevine Leafroll Disease on Fruit Yield and Grape and Wine Chemistry in a Wine Grape (Vitis vinifera L. Cultivar.

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Olufemi J Alabi

Full Text Available Grapevine leafroll disease (GLD is an economically important virus disease affecting wine grapes (Vitis vinifera L., but little is known about its effect on wine chemistry and sensory composition of wines. In this study, impacts of GLD on fruit yield, berry quality and wine chemistry and sensory features were investigated in a red wine grape cultivar planted in a commercial vineyard. Own-rooted Merlot vines showing GLD symptoms and tested positive for Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 and adjacent non-symptomatic vines that tested negative for the virus were compared during three consecutive seasons. Number and total weight of clusters per vine were significantly less in symptomatic relative to non-symptomatic vines. In contrast to previous studies, a time-course analysis of juice from grapes harvested at different stages of berry development from symptomatic and non-symptomatic vines indicated more prominent negative impacts of GLD on total soluble solids (TSS and berry skin anthocyanins than in juice pH and titratable acidity. Differences in TSS between grapes of symptomatic and non-symptomatic vines were more pronounced after the onset of véraison, with significantly lower concentrations of TSS in grapes from symptomatic vines throughout berry ripening until harvest. Wines made from grapes of GLD-affected vines had significantly lower alcohol, polymeric pigments, and anthocyanins compared to corresponding wines from grapes of non-symptomatic vines. Sensory descriptive analysis of 2010 wines indicated significant differences in color, aroma and astringency between wines made from grapes harvested from GLD-affected and unaffected vines. The impacts of GLD on yield and fruit and wine quality traits were variable between the seasons, with greater impacts observed during a cooler season, suggesting the influence of host plant × environment interactions on overall impacts of the disease.

Impacts of Grapevine Leafroll Disease on Fruit Yield and Grape and Wine Chemistry in a Wine Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) Cultivar.

Science.gov (United States)

Alabi, Olufemi J; Casassa, L Federico; Gutha, Linga R; Larsen, Richard C; Henick-Kling, Thomas; Harbertson, James F; Naidu, Rayapati A

2016-01-01

Grapevine leafroll disease (GLD) is an economically important virus disease affecting wine grapes (Vitis vinifera L.), but little is known about its effect on wine chemistry and sensory composition of wines. In this study, impacts of GLD on fruit yield, berry quality and wine chemistry and sensory features were investigated in a red wine grape cultivar planted in a commercial vineyard. Own-rooted Merlot vines showing GLD symptoms and tested positive for Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 and adjacent non-symptomatic vines that tested negative for the virus were compared during three consecutive seasons. Number and total weight of clusters per vine were significantly less in symptomatic relative to non-symptomatic vines. In contrast to previous studies, a time-course analysis of juice from grapes harvested at different stages of berry development from symptomatic and non-symptomatic vines indicated more prominent negative impacts of GLD on total soluble solids (TSS) and berry skin anthocyanins than in juice pH and titratable acidity. Differences in TSS between grapes of symptomatic and non-symptomatic vines were more pronounced after the onset of véraison, with significantly lower concentrations of TSS in grapes from symptomatic vines throughout berry ripening until harvest. Wines made from grapes of GLD-affected vines had significantly lower alcohol, polymeric pigments, and anthocyanins compared to corresponding wines from grapes of non-symptomatic vines. Sensory descriptive analysis of 2010 wines indicated significant differences in color, aroma and astringency between wines made from grapes harvested from GLD-affected and unaffected vines. The impacts of GLD on yield and fruit and wine quality traits were variable between the seasons, with greater impacts observed during a cooler season, suggesting the influence of host plant × environment interactions on overall impacts of the disease.

Impacts of Grapevine Leafroll Disease on Fruit Yield and Grape and Wine Chemistry in a Wine Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) Cultivar

Science.gov (United States)

Gutha, Linga R.; Larsen, Richard C.; Henick-Kling, Thomas; Harbertson, James F.; Naidu, Rayapati A.

2016-01-01

Grapevine leafroll disease (GLD) is an economically important virus disease affecting wine grapes (Vitis vinifera L.), but little is known about its effect on wine chemistry and sensory composition of wines. In this study, impacts of GLD on fruit yield, berry quality and wine chemistry and sensory features were investigated in a red wine grape cultivar planted in a commercial vineyard. Own-rooted Merlot vines showing GLD symptoms and tested positive for Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 and adjacent non-symptomatic vines that tested negative for the virus were compared during three consecutive seasons. Number and total weight of clusters per vine were significantly less in symptomatic relative to non-symptomatic vines. In contrast to previous studies, a time-course analysis of juice from grapes harvested at different stages of berry development from symptomatic and non-symptomatic vines indicated more prominent negative impacts of GLD on total soluble solids (TSS) and berry skin anthocyanins than in juice pH and titratable acidity. Differences in TSS between grapes of symptomatic and non-symptomatic vines were more pronounced after the onset of véraison, with significantly lower concentrations of TSS in grapes from symptomatic vines throughout berry ripening until harvest. Wines made from grapes of GLD-affected vines had significantly lower alcohol, polymeric pigments, and anthocyanins compared to corresponding wines from grapes of non-symptomatic vines. Sensory descriptive analysis of 2010 wines indicated significant differences in color, aroma and astringency between wines made from grapes harvested from GLD-affected and unaffected vines. The impacts of GLD on yield and fruit and wine quality traits were variable between the seasons, with greater impacts observed during a cooler season, suggesting the influence of host plant × environment interactions on overall impacts of the disease. PMID:26919614

Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption: success of the Western Australian Go for 2&5 campaign.

Science.gov (United States)

Pollard, Christina M; Miller, Margaret R; Daly, Alison M; Crouchley, Kathy E; O'Donoghue, Kathy J; Lang, Anthea J; Binns, Colin W

2008-03-01

The Western Australian Health Department's Go for 2&5 campaign aimed to increase adults' awareness of the need to eat more fruit and vegetables and encourage increased consumption of one serving over five years. The multi-strategy fruit and vegetable social marketing campaign, conducted from 2002 to 2005, included mass media advertising (television, radio, press and point-of-sale), public relations events, publications, a website (www.gofor2and5.com), and school and community activities. Campaign development and the evaluation framework were designed using health promotion theory, and assessed values, beliefs, knowledge and behaviour. Two independent telephone surveys evaluated the campaign: the Campaign Tracking Survey interviewed 5032 adults monitoring fruit and vegetable attitudes, beliefs and consumption prior to, during and 12 months after the campaign; and the Health & Wellbeing Surveillance System surveyed 17,993 adults between 2001 and 2006, continuously monitoring consumption. Population public health intervention-social marketing campaign in Western Australia, population of 2,010,113 in 2005. Adults in the Perth metropolitan area. The campaign reached the target audience, increasing awareness of the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables. There was a population net increase of 0.8 in the mean number of servings of fruit and vegetables per day over three years (0.2 for fruit (1.6 in 2002 to 1.8 in 2005) and 0.6 for vegetables (2.6 in 2002 to 3.2 in 2005), significant at P < 0.05). Sustained, well-executed social marketing is effective in improving nutrition knowledge, attitudes and consumption behaviour. The Go for 2&5 campaign provides guidance to future nutrition promotion through social marketing.

Determination of tin, chromium, cadmium and lead in canned fruits from the Czech market

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Pavel Diviš

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The global production of metal cans is more than 300 billion cans. Benefits of metal packaging consist mainly from the great strenght, excellent barrier properties and good thermal conductivity. The main problem of used metal packaging are the corrosion processes. The corrosion of metal container causes dissolution of tin which is used as a protective layer of the steel shell of the can and other metallic elements used in the manufacture of cans. In this work 31 samples of canned fruit was analysed and the concentration of tin, chromium, cadmium and lead was determined in fruit and in syrup using ICP-OES and ICP-MS techniques. The results showed no difference between the concentration of analysed elements in fruit and in syrup. In none of the analyzed samples the permitted maximum concentration of tin 200 mg.kg-1 was exceeded. Maximum concentration of tin was measured in canned grepfruit (59.8 ±1.9 mg.kg-1. The age of cans had no significant effect on the concentration of tin in canned fruit. The concentration of tin in fruit packaged in cans with protective layer of lacquer was significantly lower than the concentration of tin in fruit packaged in cans without protective layer of lacquer. Concentration of chromium, cadmium and lead in the analysed samples was very low at the natural levels of occurrence of these metals in fruit and it was impossible to determine unequivocally that the measured concentrations of these metals in canned fruit originate from the corrosion of can. The corrosion of the tinplate was studied using scanning electron microscopy with an energy dispersive spectrometer. By analyzing the SEM pictures and EDS spectra, critical areas of tin plate corrosion were observed. Based on the measured results it can be concluded that the consumption of fresh canned fruit is not a major problem for the inhabitants of the Czech Republic in terms of intake of potentially hazardous metals.

Inheritance of grain yield and its correlation with yield components in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SAM

2014-03-19

Mar 19, 2014 ... average yield of wheat in China is 4.75 t ha-1, which is low compared to other .... Analysis of variance for combining ability for grain yield plant-1. Source of variation ..... Hayman BI (1954). The theory and analysis of diallel crosses. .... Analysis and prospect of China wheat market in 2011. Food and Oil.

7 CFR 917.39 - Production research, market research and development.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... establish or provide for the establishment of production research, marketing research, and development... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Production research, market research and development...) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF...

Regional approach to the management of fruit flies in the Pacific Island countries and territories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allwood, Allan

2000-01-01

Of the 4,500 species of fruit flies (family Tephritidae) world-wide, over 350 species occur in the Pacific region. Of these, at least 25 species are regarded as being of major economic importance to fruit and vegetable production and to international trade within the region. Recognition of the economic importance of fruit flies to horticultural production and trade increased markedly in the 1980s due to the imposition of restrictions on the use of ethylene dibromide (EDB) fumigation by trading partners. This treatment was the mainstay of quarantine treatments for fresh fruits and vegetables susceptible to fruit fly infestations and destined for markets in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Japan and Canada. Small, but economically significant, markets for fresh fruits and vegetables in the Pacific rim countries disappeared because alternative quarantine treatments for EDB fumigation were not available. Countries, such as Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, looked for modern technologies to overcome these constraints to export. As well as quarantine treatment technologies, procedures new to the Pacific Island countries, such as quality assurance systems and quarantine pathways, had to be included into the production and marketing chains. Quarantine surveillance, particularly for exotic fruit flies, became a prerequisite for trade in fresh fruits and vegetables. The emphasis on fruit flies also regionally increased because of the increasing number of incursions of exotic fruit flies into the region over the past 10-12 years. Outbreaks of exotic fruit flies in the Solomon Islands (1984-85), Nauru (1984-85), Northern Australia (1995 and 1998), New Zealand (1996), French Polynesia (1995-96), and Palau (1995-96) demonstrated the vulnerability of the Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) to these incursions. To address the increased threat of introduction of exotic fruit flies through increased tourism and regional travellers, a regional approach to the management

PHENOLOGY AND YIELD OF THE ‘ROXO DE VALINHOS’ FIG CULTIVAR IN WESTERN POTIGUAR

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FRANCISCO SIDENE OLIVEIRA SILVA

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The ‘Roxo de Valinhos’ fig is one of the most widely grown varieties in the world, however, there are still few studies on the phenology and yield of fig trees, especially in semi-arid regions. This study evaluated the phenology and yield aspects of the ‘Roxo de Valinhos’ fig cultivar in Western Potiguar. The experiment was carried out from July to December 2015 in the didactic orchard of the Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid, UFERSA. The following phenological aspects were analyzed: pruning at the beginning of budding, emergence and maturity of the first fruit, beginning of harvest, length and diameter of branches, number of fruits per branch, length and diameter of fruits, absolute growth rate, yield per plant, number of fruits per plant, and fruit weight. We used descriptive statistics; for quantitative and qualitative characteristics, we used regression analysis and means test, through Tukey´s test at 5% probability. Fig trees showed good adaptability to semi-arid regions and precocity when compared to fig trees from temperate regions, in all phenological stages; the studied cultivar showed promising results for cultivation in this region.

Produção e qualidade de melão amarelo influenciado por coberturas do solo e lâminas de irrigação no período chuvoso Yield and quality of yellow melon influenced by soil coverages and irrigation depth during rainfall period

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Maria José Tôrres Câmara

2007-02-01

-Comercial Exportadora de Frutos Tropicais Ltda, Mossoró-RN, Northeastern Brazil, during the period of April to July 2003. The experimental design was a randomized complete blocks with four replications. The treatments were the combinations of five soil coverages (soil with no coverage and coverages with polyethylene films - black, silvery, yellow, and brown with three irrigation depth (100%, 86% and 72% of the standard lamina, this equivalent to 238.44mm. The traits evaluated were number, mean weight and yield of marketable (internal and external markets, refuse and total fruits, pulp firmness and thickness, fruit shape index, and soluble solids content. Interaction between soil coverage types and irrigation depth was significant with regard to total fruit yield. The greatest marketable fruit yields and soluble solids contents were obtained with the use of polyethylene soil coverages. The numbers of marketable, refuse and total fruits, as well as the yields of marketable and refuse fruits were not significantly affected by the irrigation depth.

Effect of mulching systems on fruit quality and phytochemical composition of newly developed strawberry lines

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Li Fan

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The effects of three mulching systems on total yield, average yield per plant, average fruit weight, soluble solids content (SSC, titratable acidity (TA, firmness and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC of two newly developed lines (‘Orléans’ and ‘Saint Pierre’, one advanced selection (‘SJ8976-1’ and two commonly used cultivars (‘Jewel’ and ‘Kent’ were evaluated. The studied mulching systems were: plastic mulch (PM, mulch with row cover (PMRC, and matted-row system (MRS. Results showed that plastic mulch with row cover (PMRC generally increased yield per plant, average fruit weight, SSC, firmness and ORAC, but differences varied within harvest times. No significant differences in total yield and TA were observed under the selected mulching systems. Both PMRC and PM accelerated the harvest periods compared to MRS. ‘Kent’ and ‘Jewel’ had the highest total yield while ‘SJ8976-1’ and ‘St-Pierre’ had the highest average fruit weight. The highest SSC, TA and ORAC were found in ‘Jewel’. There was no interaction between the mulching systems and genotypes, indicating that the effect of production system is independent of cultivars. PMRC seems to be a better growing system, improving fruit quality and increasing the nutritional value of all genotypes. By allowing off-season fruit production in cool climates, PMRC can be an alternative method to the costly high tunnels.

Selected wild strains of Agaricus bisporus produce high yields of mushrooms at 25°C.

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, Pilar; Savoie, Jean-Michel

2015-01-01

To cultivate the button mushroom Agaricus bisporus in warm countries or during summer in temperate countries, while saving energy, is a challenge that could be addressed by using the biological diversity of the species. The objective was to evaluate the yield potential of eight wild strains previously selected in small scale experiments for their ability to produce mature fruiting bodies at 25°C and above. Culture units of 8 kg of compost were used. The yield expressed as weight or number per surface unit and earliness of fruiting were recorded during cultivation in climatic rooms at 17, 25 or 30°C. Only strains of A. bisporus var. burnettii were able to fruit at 30°C. At 25°C they produced the highest yields (27 kg m(-2)) and had best earliness. The yields at 25°C for the strains of A. bisporus var. bisporus ranged from 12 to 16 kg m(-2). The yield ratios 25°C/17°C ranged from 0.8 to 1.2. The variety burnettii originated in the Sonoran Desert in California showed adaptation for quickly producing fruiting bodies at high temperature when humidity conditions were favorable. Strains of the variety bisporus showed interesting potentials for their ability to produce mature fruiting bodies at higher temperature than present cultivars and might be used in breeding programs. Copyright © 2012 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 905.8 - Prepare for market.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Prepare for market. 905.8 Section 905.8 Agriculture... TANGELOS GROWN IN FLORIDA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 905.8 Prepare for market. Prepare for market means to wash, grade, size, or place fruit (whether or not wrapped) into any container whatsoever...

Radiation processing of temperate fruits of Kashmir valley

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussain, Peerzada R.; Meena, Raghuveer S.; Dar, Mohd A.; Wani, Ali M.

2011-01-01

Kashmir valley is famous for its temperate horticulture. Main temperate fruits grown commercially in the valley include apple, pear, peach, plum, cherry, strawberry and apricot. These fruits being perishable and susceptible to microbial spoilage, have a short shelf-life. The short shelf-life in an impediment in their transportation and marketing and results in huge losses. Study was carried out at NRL, Srinagar to investigate the effect of gamma irradiation on the keeping quality of most of these fruits. The effect of gamma irradiation alone and in combination with other techniques like controlled low temperature storage, edible polysaccharide coating and calcium chloride treatment was studied in detail. The results revealed that there is a great potential for the use of radiation in extending the storage life of most of the temperate fruits produced in the valley of Kashmir. (author)

Mobile marketing communications in consumer markets

OpenAIRE

Leppäniemi, M. (Matti)

2008-01-01

Abstract This dissertation aims to examine the theoretical and empirical foundations of the mobile marketing phenomenon. While numerous studies have yielded important insights into this topic, the existing mobile marketing literature appears to be inconsistent and somewhat fragmented. With the help of two action research projects, interviews of mobile marketing practitioners, and an online survey, this study aims to contribute to our understanding of the nature of mobile marketing communic...

MARKET RESEARCH, ELABORATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PINEAPPLE LIQUEUR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vania Zanella Pinto

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Native trees and fruit have great importance in culture of small centers and rural areas, as well as, homemade liqueurs. However, some strategies such as marketing research are necessary to help for products development or even modifications to existing products. The objective was to know the habits related to the consumption of alcoholic beverages and to evaluate the consumer's interest about fruit liqueurs, as well as to develop and standardize and characterize a pineapple liqueur, besides assessing the sensorial characteristics of the same. The most of the interviewees do not have the habit of consuming fruit liqueurs, with beer being the preferred alcoholic beverage. Interest in trying a fruit liqueur was almost unanimous among respondents demonstrating the existence of a niche market for fruit liqueur. Consumers testing had no significant difference between all attributes, but it was being observed well-acceptance for all formulations with scores ranging from 6.80 to 7.20 and different concentrations of pineapple do not interfere with the sensorial characteristics of the product. Thus, it was concluded that the production of pineapple liqueurs with lower levels of fruit (30% are accepted and contribute to the economy of production.