Development of a control alternative for the citrus fruit borer, Ecdytolopha aurantiana (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae): from basic research to the grower

All research steps, developed from 1995 to 2000, to synthesize the sex pheromone of Ecdytolopha aurantiana (Lima, 1927) are described, in order to monitoring this pest that causes losses in the order of 50 million dollars per year to citriculture in the State of São Paulo. The basic researches conducted are described, including the development of an artificial diet for the insect, the study of its temperature and humidity requirements, behavioral studies, and synthesis of the male-attracting substance up to the formulation and distribution of the pheromone to the grower, by means of its commercialization. It is a case of success, at a cost of 50 thousand dollars, involving inter- and multidisciplinary researches, which can be adopted to other insect pests in the country.

Noctuidae moths occurring in grape orchards in Serra Gaúcha, Brazil and their relation to fruit-piercing

There is no study aiming to investigate if Noctuidae moths are responsible for piercing cultivated fruits in South America. This research aims to survey noctuid moths and list the species with mouth-parts (proboscis) morphology that suggest the capacity to cause damages to grape orchards in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Catches were carried out weekly from late November 2007 to late March 2008 (fructification period) using light traps and McPhail traps in three grape orchards in the region of Serra Gaúcha. The catches resulted in 187 taxa, with 149 identified at the specific level and 38 at genus level. The proboscises of representative taxa were removed and analyzed under stereomicroscope and scan electron microscope. It was verified that only Oraesia argyrosema (Hampson, 1926) and Gonodonta biarmata Guenée, 1852 show proboscis with suitable morphology for piercing rind and pulp of a grape berry. Achaea ablunaris (Guenée, 1852); Ascalapha odorata (Linnaeus, 1758); Letis mineis Geyer, 1827; Mocis latipes Hübner, 1823; Ophisma tropicalis Guenée, 1852, and Zale exhausta (Guenée, 1852) show proboscis only adapted to lacerate the pulp. The proboscis morphology of the remaining noctuid moths suggests lack of capacity to cause damage. Despite the presence of species capable of piercing grape berries, the populations of such species are very reduced and unable to cause damage of economic level.

The application of NMR and MS methods for detection of adulteration of wine, fruit juices, and olive oil. A review

This review covers two important techniques, high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS), used to characterize food products and detect possible adulteration of wine, fruit juices, and olive oil, all important products of the Mediterranean Basin. Emphasis is placed on the complementary use of SNIF-NMR (site-specific natural isotopic fractionation nuclear magnetic resonance) and IRMS (isotope-ratio mass spectrometry) in association with chemometric methods for detecting the adulteration.

Influence of different tropical fruits on biological and behavioral aspects of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera, Tephritidae)

Influence of different tropical fruits on biological and behavioral aspects of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera, Tephritidae). Studies on Ceratitis capitata, a world fruit pest, can aid the implementation of control programs by determining the plants with higher vulnerability to attacks and plants able to sustain their population in areas of fly distribution. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of eight tropical fruits on the following biological and behavioral parameters of C. capitata: emergence percentage, life cycle duration, adult size, egg production, longevity, fecundity, egg viability, and oviposition acceptance. The fruits tested were: acerola (Malpighia glabra L.), cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.), star fruit (Averrhoa carambola L.), guava (Psidium guajava L.), soursop (Annona muricata L.), yellow mombin (Spondias mombin L.), Malay apple (Syzygium malaccense L.), and umbu (Spondias tuberosa L.). The biological parameters were obtained by rearing the recently hatched larvae on each of the fruit kinds. Acceptance of fruits for oviposition experiment was assessed using no-choice tests, as couples were exposed to two pieces of the same fruit. The best performances were obtained with guava, soursop, and star fruit. Larvae reared on cashew and acerola fruits had regular performances. No adults emerged from yellow mombin, Malay apple, or umbu. Fruit species did not affect adult longevity, female fecundity, or egg viability. Guava, soursop, and acerola were preferred for oviposition, followed by star fruit, Malay apple, cashew, and yellow mombin. Oviposition did not occur on umbu. In general, fruits with better larval development were also more accepted for oviposition.

Toxicological and ultrastructural analysis of the impact of pesticides used in temperate fruit crops on two populations of Chrysoperla externa (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae)

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of (g a.i. L-1) abamectin (0.02), carbaryl (1.73), sulphur (4.8), fenitrothion (0.75), methidathion (0.4), and trichlorfon (1.5) on the survival of larvae and pupae, on the oviposition of adults and hatching of eggs from treated Chrysoperla externa third-instar larvae from two different populations (Bento Gonçalves and Vacaria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil). Morphological changes caused by abamectin to eggs laid by C. externa from Vacaria population were evaluated by mean of ultrastructural analysis. The pesticides were applied on glass plates. Distilled water was used as control. For the evaluation of larvae mortality, a fully randomized experimental design in a 2 x 7 (two populations x seven treatments) factorial scheme was used, whereas for the effects of the compounds on oviposition capacity and egg viability, a 2 x 4 factorial scheme was used. Carbaryl, fenitrothion, and methidathion caused 100% mortality of larvae. Abamectin reduced the hatching of eggs from treated third-instar larvae of both populations; however, this pesticide presented highest toxicity on insects from Vacaria. The ultrastructural analysis showed that abamectin caused malformations in micropyle and in chorion external surface of C. externa eggs. Based in the total effect (E), carbaryl, fenitrothion, and methidathion are harmful to C. externa; trichlorfon is harmless to third-instar larvae, while abamectin and sulphur are harmless and slightly harmful to third-instar larvae from Bento Gonçalves and Vacaria, respectively.

Regional diversity in the fruit sector in the European Union

This article aims to identify the key groups of regions with respectto farms oriented to fruit and citrus production.Twenty variables of fruit and citrus oriented farms corresponding toforty-one regions of the European Union were analyzed. Seven groupsemerged from cluster analysis. Only two of them showed good perspectives. Regions in the South of the Community need an important modernisation and restructuring process, which entails serious social consequences.

Fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and their parasitoids on cultivated and wild hosts in the Cerrado-Pantanal ecotone in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and their parasitoids on cultivated and wild hosts in the Cerrado-Pantanal ecotone in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Information on frugivorous flies in cultivated or wild host plants and their parasitoids in the Cerrado-Pantanal ecotone in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul is presented and discussed. Fruit fly samples were collected weekly in specific fruit trees, and McPhail® traps were installed in the same trees for a period of two years. The fruit flies infested ripe and unripe fruits of Averrhoa carambola L., Schoepfia sp., Psidium guajava L. and Pouteria torta (Mart.) Radlk and mature fruits of Anacardium occidentale L. and Inga laurina (Sw.) Willd. Nineteen fruit fly species were obtained with the combination of sampling methods (collecting fruits and trapping), nine of them obtained with both methods, five found only in fruits and five only in traps. This is the first record of Anastrepha striata Schiner in a species of Sapotaceae, as well as for A. castanea Norrbom and A. daciformes Bezzi in Schoepfia sp. (Olacaceae), and for A. distincta Greene in fruits of P. guajava in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Fruit collections simultaneously associated with capture of fruit flies by McPhail traps in the same host plants are essential to understand the diversity of fruit flies and their relationship with hosts and parasitoids. Species of Braconidae and Pteromalidae were recovered, where Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) was the most abundant parasitoid in larvae of tephritids infesting both cultivated and wild host fruits.

Precursor uptake assays and metabolic analyses in isolated tomato fruit chromoplasts

Background Carotenoids are the most widespread group of pigments found in nature. In addition to their role in the physiology of the plant, carotenoids also have nutritional relevance as their incorporation in the human diet provides health benefits. In non-photosynthetic tissues, carotenoids are synthesized and stored in specialized plastids called chromoplasts. At present very little is known about the origin of the metabolic precursors and cofactors required to sustain the high rate of carotenoid biosynthesis in these plastids. Recent proteomic data have revealed a number of biochemical and metabolic processes potentially operating in fruit chromoplasts. However, considering that chloroplast to chromoplast differentiation is a very rapid process during fruit ripening, there is the possibility that some of the proteins identified in the proteomic analysis could represent remnants no longer having a functional role in chromoplasts. Therefore, experimental validation is necessary to prove whether these predicted processes are actually operative in chromoplasts. Results A method has been established for high-yield purification of tomato fruit chromoplasts suitable for metabolic studies. Radiolabeled precursors were efficiently incorporated and further metabolized in isolated chromoplast. Analysis of labeled lipophilic compounds has revealed that lipid biosynthesis is a very efficient process in chromoplasts, while the relatively low incorporation levels found in carotenoids suggest that lipid production may represent a competing pathway for carotenoid biosynthesis. Malate and pyruvate are efficiently converted into acetyl-CoA, in agreement with the active operation of the malic enzyme and the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in the chromoplast. Our results have also shown that isolated chromoplasts can actively sustain anabolic processes without the exogenous supply of ATP, thus suggesting that these organelles may generate this energetic cofactor in an autonomous way. Conclusions We have set up a method for high yield purification of intact tomato fruit chromoplasts suitable for precursor uptake assays and metabolic analyses. Using targeted radiolabeled precursors we have been able to unravel novel biochemical and metabolic aspects related with carotenoid and lipid biosynthesis in tomato fruit chromoplasts. The reported chromoplast system could represent a valuable platform to address the validation and characterization of functional processes predicted from recent transcriptomic and proteomic data.

The tomato genome sequence providies insights into fleshy fruit evolution

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a major crop plant and a model system for fruit development. Solanum is one of the largest angiosperm genera1 and includes annual and perennial plants from diverse habitats. Here we present a high-quality genome sequence of domesticated tomato, a draft sequence of its closest wild relative, Solanum pimpinellifolium2, and compare them to each other and to the potato genome (Solanum tuberosum). The two tomato genomes show only 0.6% nucleotide divergence and signs of recent admixture, but show more than 8% divergence from potato, with nine large and several smaller inversions. In contrast to Arabidopsis, but similar to soybean, tomato and potato small RNAs map predominantly to gene-rich chromosomal regions, including gene promoters. The Solanum lineage has experienced two consecutive genome triplications: one that is ancient and shared with rosids, and a more recent one. These triplications set the stage for the neofunctionalization of genes controlling fruit characteristics, such as colour and fleshiness.

Nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase activity in coffee leaves during fruit development

Nitrate reductase is the first enzyme in the pathway of nitrate reduction by plants, followed by glutamine synthetase, which incorporates ammonia to glutamine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase activity, total soluble protein content, N and Ni content in coffee leaves during fruit development under field conditions to establish new informations to help assess the N nutritional status and fertilizer management. The experimental design was in randomized complete blocks, arranged in a 3 x 6 factorial design, with five replications. The treatments consisted of 3 N rates (0 - control, 150 and 300 kg ha-1) and six evaluation periods (January, February, March, April, May, and June) in six-year-old coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plants of Catuaí Vermelho IAC 44 cv. The nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase activities, leaf soluble protein, and N concentrations increased linearly with the N rates. During fruit development, the enzyme activity, leaf soluble protein and N content decreased, due to the leaf senescence process caused by nutrient mobilization to other organs, e.g, to the berries. Leaf Ni increased during fruit development. Beans and raisin-fruits of plants well-supplied with N had higher Ni contents. Enzyme activities, total leaf N and leaf soluble protein, evaluated during the green fruit stage in March, were significantly correlated with coffee yield. These variables can therefore be useful for an early assessment of the coffee N nutritional status as well as coffee yield and N fertilization management.

Citrus fruit and cancer risk in a network of case-control studies.

BACKGROUND: Citrus fruit has shown a favorable effect against various cancers. To better understand their role in cancer risk, we analyzed data from a series of case-control studies conducted in Italy and Switzerland. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The studies included 955 patients with oral and pharyngeal cancer, 395 with esophageal, 999 with stomach, 3,634 with large bowel, 527 with laryngeal, 2,900 with breast, 454 with endometrial, 1,031 with ovarian, 1,294 with prostate, and 767 with renal cell cancer. All cancers were incident and histologically confirmed. Controls were admitted to the same network of hospitals for acute, nonneoplastic conditions. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated by multiple logistic regression models, including terms for major identified confounding factors for each cancer site, and energy intake. RESULTS: The ORs for the highest versus lowest category of citrus fruit consumption were 0.47 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.36-0.61) for oral and pharyngeal, 0.42 (95% CI, 0.25-0.70) for esophageal, 0.69 (95% CI, 0.52-0.92) for stomach, 0.82 (95% CI, 0.72-0.93) for colorectal, and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.37-0.83) for laryngeal cancer. No consistent association was found with breast, endometrial, ovarian, prostate, and renal cell cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that citrus fruit has a protective role against cancers of the digestive and upper respiratory tract.

Fruit and seed morphology of Euphorbia aggr. flavicoma. Taxonomic implications

Capsula and seed morphology of W. European species of Euphorbia aggr. flavicoma has been studied. A total of 1500 seeds coming from 13 taxa have been investigated under light microscope, scanning electron microscope and binocular stereoscope. Data were processed by multivariate analysis and the corresponding dendrogram is presented. At de end of the paper, a key is presented allowing to the separation of taxa down to the species level.

Ursinia nana (Anthemideae, Asteraceae), and adventive from South Africa which is becoming naturalized in the Iberian Peninsula. Observations about its reproductive biology and fruit dispersal mechanism.

The presence of Ursinia nana, an Anthemideae of South-African origin which has been introduced into the NE Iberian Peninsula, is reported for the fi rst time in Europe. The data offered cover its precise location, morphology, chromosome number, ecology and a population census, as well as its life cycle, fl oral structure, reproductive biology and fruit dispersal mechanisms. Of special note are the clear predominance of autogamy (geitonogamy) over xenogamy as a reproductive system and the large number of fruits produced with high and immediate germinative capacity. These characteristics permit rapid colonization by the introduced species, which can become invasive. However, fruit predation by the ant Messor barbarus points to a natural mechanism that helps regulate population growth and makes biological control possible. Finally its possibilities of expansion in the colonized area and of naturalization in the NE Iberian Peninsula are assessed.

Fruit size, mineral composition and quality of trickle-irrigated tomatoes as affected by potassium rates

An experiment was conducted to determine the fruit size, mineral composition and quality of trickle-irrigated tomatoes as affected by potassium fertilizer rates. Six potassium (K) rates were applied as KCl, corresponding to 0, 48.4, 118.6, 188.8, 259.0 and 399.4 kg ha-1, with four replicates, following a randomized block design. Quadratic responses to K rates were observed for double extra large (diameter > 60 mm), extra large (56 to 60 mm) and large (52 to 56 mm) fruit yields. Maximum yields of these classes were achieved with K rates of 116, 190 and 233 kg ha-1, respectively. Fruit dry matter, phosphorus, sulfur and magnesium contents were not affected by K rates, but nitrate and K contents showed significant increments as K rates were increased. Vitamin C, total soluble solids, lycopene and beta-carotene contents in the fruits were not affected by K rates. Increments in the K rate lowered the fruit pH and increased total acids content.