The Effects of Piece Size and Storage Temperatures on Minimally Processed 'Aurora-1' Peaches

The production of minimally processed fruit has increased significantly in the last few years due to the high nutritional value, convenience and safety of minimally processed fruit. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the conservation temperature and processing conditions on the quality and shelf-life of minimally processed peaches. The processing procedure consisted of washing, sanitization, peeling and stone removal. To remove the stone, the fruit was cut longitudinally, and three types of products were obtained, including halves, quarters and one-eighth segments. The fruit pieces were immersed in 2% ascorbic acid for 3 min and were packed in rigid polystyrene trays (Meiwa (c) M-54) coated with 14 mu m PVC film (Omnifilm (TM)) (about 200 g per pack). The pieces were stored at 65% RH at 3, 6 or 9 degrees C for 12 days, and were evaluated every four days. The appearance, fresh mass loss, color, O-2 and CO2 concentration, acidity, total soluble solids, total and soluble pectin content and ascorbic acid concentration were measured. Minimally processed peaches stored at 3 degrees C maintained higher quality due to control of ripening and senescence Moreover, an interaction effect between one-eighth segments and a temperature of 3 degrees C was observed, and fruit with a superior appearance and higher soluble solids content was obtained.

Infestación natural de Lonchaeidae (Diptera) en variedades de melocotón

Se estudió la ocurrencia de Lonchaeidae en variedades de melocotón, conducidos sobre los patrones ‘Okinawa’ y Umê: Tropical, Ouromel 3, Jóia 4, Régis, Talismã, Aurora 2, Aurora 1, Dourado 2 y Doçura 2. Se colectaron muestras de 30 frutos por planta en el Banco de Germoplasma en Presidente Prudente, Brasil. Se obtuvieron 633 especímenes de Lonchaeidae; 394 de ellos en frutos de variedades sobre ‘Okinawa’ y 239 sobre Umê. Se capturaron especies como Neosilba zadolicha, N. inesperata, N. pendula, N. certa y Neosilba spp. (hembras). N. zadolicha y N. inesperata, se observaron en 77,78% de las muestras de las variedades sobre ‘Okinawa’. Sobre el patrón Umê la mayor incidencia fue de N. zadolicha , N. inesperata y N. pendula (55,6%, 33,3% y 33,3% respectivamente). Las variedades Ouromel 3, Talismã, Doçura 2 y Aurora 2 presentaron mayores infestaciones por Lonchaeidae. N. certa tuvo una menor incidencia y sólo se observó en la variedad Doçura 2 sobre ‘Okinawa’. Plantas con mayor número de frutos presentaron mayor incidencia de moscas por fruto; sin embargo, no hubo correlación entre peso del fruto y número de moscas. No se observó diferencia para peso del fruto y número de moscas por fruto entre los dos patrones, ‘Okinawa’ y Umê. Melocotones crecidos en los patrones ‘Okinawa’ y Umê en Presidente Prudente están infestados por especies de Lonchaeidae que presentan preferencia independientemente del peso de los frutos. El aporte de este trabajo al conocimiento de la comunidad de especies de Lonchaeidae ofrece una base para su control.

Diurnal and seasonal variations of CWSI and non-water-stressed baseline with nectarine trees

The work described was part of the programme, Innovative biological indicators to improve the efficiency of water and nitrogen use and the fruit quality in tree crops Project, a partnership between ISA and INRA. Field studies were conducted in Portugal on different irrigated plots of nectarine trees; a fully irrigated (unstressed plot) and a plot that was not irrigated for some days (stressed plot). The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of plant water stress on canopy temperature, to determine the nonwater-stressed baseline and to observe diurnal and seasonal variations of Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI). Canopy temperature, psychrometric and wind speed data were taken each half-hour, between 9:30 and 15:30 h. Results showed that canopy temperature was higher during the daytime, for both unstressed and stressed plots. A linear regression of canopy-air temperature differential and the vapor pressure deficit (non-water-stress baseline) showed a r2= 0.65. During the stress period, the average canopy temperature of the stressed plot was up to 5.4°C higher than the unstressed plot. Diurnal and seasonal average of CWSI values showed differences between unstressed and stressed plots, during the stress period.

Transposon Tn1721 distribution among strains of Xylella fastidiosa

Transposons are mobile genetic elements found within the genomes of various organisms including bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. Fragments of the transposon Tn1721 were found included in the genome of Xylella fastidiosa strain 9a5c. Regions from such fragments were PCR-amplified using specially designed primers (TNP1 and TNP2). In order to detect insertions of the Tn1721 element, both primers were used and one of them included a region of the transposon (TNP1) and the other one had the right repeat and part of the bacterial chromosome (TNP2). The PCR products obtained from strain 9a5c were used as a pattern for fragment size comparisons when DNA samples from other X. fastidiosa strains were used as template for the PCR assays. Differences were observed concerning the PCR products of such amplifications when some X. fastidiosa strains isolated from grapevine and plum were used. For the citrus-derived strains only the strains U187d and GP920b produced fragments with different sizes or weak band intensity. Such variations in the X. fastidiosa genome related to disrupted Tn1721 copies are probably due to the possibility of such a transposon element being still able to duplicate even after deletion events might have taken place and also because the bacterial strains in which the main differences were detected are derived from different host plants cultivated under different climate conditions from the one used as reference. © 2002 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Substrates and container types on rooting of peach cv. Okinawa hardwood cuttings of different diameters

Propagation by hardwood cuttings is an important technique for producing plant of many species. The technique is usually easy and inexpensive and makes it possible to high plants. But it is not commonly used for peach propagation in Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different substrates, container types and cutting diameters on rooting of peach hardwood cuttings. The cuttings (two size groups, diameters of 2-6 mm and 6-10 mm) were inserted in six substrates (carbonized rice husk, vermiculite, washed sand, carbonized rice husk + vermiculite, carbonized rice husk + washed sand and vermiculite + washed sand, each 1:1 v/v), each in three types of containers (plastic bag, plastic tray and polystyrene tray). The best rooting occurred with smaller cuttings (47%) and larger cuttings (38%) in plastic bag with vermiculite, and with smaller cuttings in plastic bag with washed sand + vermiculite (33%). While these rooting percentages were unsatisfactory for commercial propagation, the results are encouraging and suggest need for more investigation to improve rooting.

Sorption isotherm, glass transitions and state diagram for freeze-dried plum skin and pulp

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine phase transitions of freeze-dried plums. Samples at low and intermediate moisture contents, were conditioned by adsorption at various water activities (0.11≤a w≤0.90) at 25°C, whereas in the high moisture content region (a w>0.90) samples were obtained by direct water addition, with the resulting sorption isotherm being well described by the Guggenheim-Anderson-deBoer (GAB) model. Freeze-dried samples of separated plum skin and pulp were also analysed. At a w≤0.75, two glass transitions were visible, with the glass transition temperature (T g) decreasing with increasing a w due to the water plasticising effect. The first T g was attributed to the matrix formed by sugars and water. The second one, less visible and less plasticised by water, was probably due to macromolecules of the fruit pulp. The Gordon-Taylor model represented satisfactorily the matrix glass transition curve for a w≤0.90. In the higher moisture content range T g remained practically constant around T g′ (-57.5°C). Analysis of the glass transition curve and the sorption isotherm indicated that stability at a temperature of 25°C, would be attained by freeze dried plum at a water activity of 0.04, corresponding to a moisture content of 12.9% (dry basis). © 2006 SAGE Publications.

Enraizamento de plantas cultivadas in vitro

The adventitious rooting process of in vitro cultured plantlets is a technique that has been employed for the vegetative propagation of a significant number of native and exotic species. Many factors are associated with the rooting stage influencing positive and/or negatively the establishment of micropropagation protocols. The objective of this work was a literature review of the main inherent factors concerning in vitro rooting process including the correlation among others the endogenous and exogenous auxins levels, juvenility, genotype, mineral nutrition, culture medium conditions, addition of growth regulators and other substances as phenolic compounds and active coal besides growth environmental conditions of in vitro cultures. Although the complete elucidation of all processes involved with rooting of in vitro cultured plants has not been achieved so far, a comprehensive study of the main factors that interfere on rooting is fundamental for the establishment of new researches that might contribute for the rooting of economically important plants.

Carotenoid composition of Brazilian fruits and vegetables

Brazil has a wide diversity of food sources of carotenoids. The updated Brazilian database consists of more than 270 items of fruits, vegetables and their prepared and processed products. The database demonstrates variations due to variety, maturity, production technique, climate and processing. Many of these foods are not found in the US and European databases. Good to rich sources (>20 μg/g) of β-carotene are: acerola, bocaiúva, mango 'Extreme' and tucumã. Sources of both α-carotene and β-carotene are buriti, carrot, Cucurbita moschata 'Menina Brasileira', 'Baianinha' and 'Goianinha', and red palm oil. Commercially produced and uncultivated or semi-cultivated leafy vegetables, C. maxima 'Jerimum Caboclo' and the hybrid Tetsukabuto, cooked broccoli are sources of lutein and β-carotene. The edible Tropaeolum majus flower is especially rich in lutein. Although many fruits have β-cryptoxanthin as principal carotenoid (e.g. caja, nectarine, peach, orange-fleshed papaya, tree tomato), the levels are below 20 μg/g. Good to rich sources of lycopene are guava and guava products, papaya, pitanga and pitanga juice, tomato and tomato products, and watermelon. Sources of zeaxanthin are rare; although the principal carotenoid of piqui, the amount is low, lower than that found in buriti.

Tropical influence in oriental gardens in Brazil

In the contemporary landscaping, among the gardening styles, the Japanese Garden plays very important rule and influence. The Japanese Garden has originated in China-the cradle of gardening culture; and Korea. Their vegetable elements, architectural features and fauna are characteristic, due to use of stones, water, bridges, stoned lamp, bonsai, carps and bamboo (Prunus serrulata, Camellia japonica, Ophiopogon japonicas) and many others. In Brazil, the Japanese Garden has massive influence, the presence of native elements typically tropical is very noticeable. This influence can be observed both in architecture, vegetation and fauna. Thus, this study aimed to identify and analyze the tropical elements in Japanese Gardens in cities such as São Paulo. Japanese Gardens in Brazil were chosen from the following cities: Sao Paulo State, Garça, Jaboticabal and Ribeirão Preto. It was observed, mostly in the presence of different palms species, plants of the Zingiberales order, Alpinia purpurata and styled architectural elements such as lakes. Some elements were able to apply the philosophy of the Japanese Garden, other not.

Conservação frigorificada de pêssegos ‘Tropic beauty’ irradiados com e sem utilização de permanganato de potássio

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação de cultivares e épocas de poda para o pessegueiro na região de Botucatu/SP

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Horticultura) - FCA

Caracterização do desenvolvimento de pêssegos 'Aurora-1' e sua conservação pós-colheita em dois estádios de maturação

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Condicionamento térmico e irradiação de ameixas ‘Gulfblaze’ frigorificadas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ácido indol-butírico, 2,6-di-hidroxiacetofenona e gene ARRO-1 no enraizamento de estacas de pessegueiro

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Horticultura) - FCA

Avaliação fenológica, caracterização físico-química e aspectos fitossanitários de cultivares de pessegueiros na Região Oeste do Estado de São Paulo

Pós-graduação em Agronomia - FEIS