Coconut Phenology and Yield Response to Climate Variability and Change

The present investigation on “Coconut Phenology and Yield Response to Climate Variability and Change” was undertaken at the experimental site, at the Regional Station, Coconut Development Board, KAU Campus, Vellanikkara. Ten palms each of eight-year-old coconut cultivars viz., Tiptur Tall, Kuttiadi (WCT), Kasaragod (WCT) and Komadan (WCT) were randomly selected.The study therefore, reinforces our traditional knowledge that the coconut palm is sensitive to changing weather conditions during the period from primordium initiation to harvest of nuts (about 44 months). Absence of rainfall from December to May due to early withdrawal of northeast monsoon, lack of pre monsoon showers and late onset of southwest monsoon adversely affect the coconut productivity to a considerable extent in the following year under rainfed conditions. The productivity can be increased by irrigating the coconut palm during the dry periods.Increase in temperature, aridity index, number of severe summer droughts and decline in rainfall and moisture index were the major factors for a marginal decline or stagnation in coconut productivity over a period of time, though various developmental schemes were in operation for sustenance of coconut production in the State of Kerala. It can be attributed to global warming and climate change. Therefore, there is a threat to coconut productivity in the ensuing decades due to climate variability and change. In view of the above, there is an urgent need for proactive measures as a part of climate change adaptation to sustain coconut productivity in the State of Kerala.The coconut productivity is more vulnerable to climate variability such as summer droughts rather than climate change in terms of increase in temperature and decline in rainfall, though there was a marginal decrease (1.6%) in the decade of 1981-2009 when compared to that of 1951-80. This aspect needs to be examined in detail by coconut development agencies such as Coconut Development Board and State Agriculture Department for remedial measures. Otherwise, the premier position of Kerala in terms of coconut production is likely to be lost in the ensuing years under the projected climate change scenario. Among the four cultivars studied, Tiptur Tall appears to be superior in terms of reproduction phase and nut yield. This needs to be examined by the coconut breeders in their crop improvement programme as a part of stress tolerant under rainfed conditions. Crop mix and integrated farming are supposed to be the best combination to sustain development in the long run under the projected climate change scenarios. Increase in coconut area under irrigation during summer with better crop management and protection measures also are necessary measures to increase coconut productivity since the frequency of intensity of summer droughts is likely to increase under projected global warming scenario.

Phenology of an agarophyte Gracilaria birdiae Plastino and E.C. Oliveira (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) in Northeastern Brazil

The reproductive phenology and thallus length of Gracilaria birdiae were studied over a period of 12 months in a natural bed in Northeastern Brazil. Fertile specimens of G. birdiae were observed during the entire study period. Tetrasporophytes were the most common with an annual mean of 80.1±5.6%, followed by cystocarpic plants (9.3±3.4%), male gametophytes (8.3±3.6%) and infertile plants (2.2±3.4%). Only male gametophytes and infertile plants showed a variation in occurrence frequency during the year (p<0.05). With respect to thallus length, a distinct seasonal variation was observed for all reproductive stages (p<0.05), with the highest values recorded during the rainy season (March to August) and the lowest in the dry season (September to February). The results demonstrate that the size of individuals in this population is significantly affected by the periodic changes in the environment caused by rainfall regimes and hydrodynamism.

Tree-ring formation, radial increment periodicity, and phenology of tree species from a seasonal semi-deciduous forest in southeast Brazil

Many tropical tree species produce growth rings in response to seasonal environmental factors that influence the activity of the vascular cambium. We applied the following methods to analyze the annual nature of treering formation of 24 tree species from a seasonal semi-deciduous forest of southeast Brazil: describing wood anatomy and phenology, counting tree rings after cambium markings, and using permanent dendrometer bands. After 7 years of systematic observations and measurements, we found the following: the trees lost their leaves during the dry season and grew new leaves at the end of the same season; trunk increment dynamics corresponded to seasonal changes in precipitation, with higher increment (active period) during the rainy season (October-April) and lower increment (dormant period) during the dry season (May-September); the number of tree rings formed after injuries to the cambium coincided with the number of years since the extraction of the wood samples. As a result of these observations, it was concluded that most study trees formed one growth ring per year. This suggests that tree species from the seasonal semi-deciduous forests of Brazil have an annual cycle of wood formation. Therefore, these trees have potential for use in future studies of tree age and radial growth rates, as well as to infer ecological and regional climatic conditions. These future studies can provide important information for the management and conservation of these endangered forests.

Probiotic potential and sensory properties of coconut flan supplemented with Lactobacillus paracasei and Bifidobacterium lactis

The effect of probiotic cultures on sensory performance of coconut flan during storage at 5 degrees C and the viability of these micro organisms for up to 28 days were investigated. Sensory analyses of the product were performed after 7, 14 and 21 days of storage. Coconut flans were produced with no addition of cultures (T1, control), or supplemented with Bifidobacterium lactis (T2), Lactobacillus paracasei (T3) and B. lactis + L. paracasei (T4). Populations of L. paracasei and B. lactis as single or in co-culture remained above 7 log CFU g(-1) during the entire storage period. Viability of L. paracasei was higher for T3. All products were well accepted and no significant differences (P > 0.05) were detected between the coconut flans studied. The addition of L. paracasei and B. lactis to coconut flan resulted in its having great potential as a functional food, which has high sensory acceptability.

Towards the clonal propagation of coconut

Past studies from our laboratory have shown that whole immature, or mature sliced, zygotic embryos are a very good starting explant for coconut somatic embryogenesis. The highest rate of somatic embryogenesis was obtained when certain polyamines were added into the culture medium as well as activated charcoal (AC) to absorb unwanted phenolics. These past studies also showed that the development and maturation of the somatic embryos produced could be improved by the addition of abscisic acid (ABA), alone or with one of several osmotically active agents, into the culture medium. In the present study this well characterised somatic embryogenic system for zygotic tissues is being modified and applied to somatic tissues. This recent approach should be a better method for the rapid production of clonal, true-to-type coconut palms. The present research approach is focused on young leaf section explants which have been found to be very responsive to callus production. Young leaf sections produced optimum callus when cultured on media containing 2,4-D (150 μM) and the amount produced could be increased by soaking the sections in sterile water (15 to 60 minutes) or ascorbic acid (15 to 30 minutes) prior to culturing. Further improvement in callus production, as well as a reduction in the time taken for callogenesis was obtained when casein hydrolysate and/or certain polyamines were added to the callus induction medium. The development of the somatic embryos was improved by using ABA and polyethylene glycol (PEG) in the maturation medium. Despite these initial successes in improving coconut somatic embryogenesis, further studies are now being considered to shorten the time to achieve somatic embryogenesis, to better germinate somatic embryos and to improve the rate of somatic seedling conversion into plantlets.

Overwintering, soil distribution and phenology of Childers canegrub, Antitrogus parvulus (Coleoptera : Scarabaeidae) in Queensland sugarcane

In this study, the question of whether Childers canegrub, Antitrogus parvulus (Britton) overwinters in the subsoil was addressed. Irrigated fields of sugarcane were sampled during a 2-year period near Bundaberg in southern Queensland. Antitrogus parvulus overwintered as second and third instars at each of three sites. During autumn and winter third instars of different allochronic (separated in age by 12 months) populations occurred together and could not be readily separated. Field-collected third instars were reared on ryegrass and separated into two age groups based on the date of pupation. Third instars in the first year of their life cycle (young third instars) remained at shallow depth (100-200 mm) and did not overwinter in the subsoil as once thought. Minimum temperatures during winter were 13-16degreesC and did not prevent young third instars from feeding and gaining weight. Third instars in their second and final year moved downwards from late summer and pupated in the subsoil at 293-425 mm in spring. General phenology was as previously reported with first instar larvae occurring from January until April, second instars from January until November and third instar larvae throughout the year. Prepupae and pupae were found between October and December and adults occurred in soil during November and January. Batches of eggs occurred at a mean depth of 350 mm. First and second instars occurred predominantly at relatively shallow (100-200 mm) depths in the soil profile. All stages tended to be most common under rows of sugarcane rather than in the interrow.

Temporal variation in reproductive phenology of Patella spp.: past and present.

World Congress of Malacology, Universidade dos Açores, Ponta Delgada, 21-28 de julho.

Diversity, composition and phenology of araneid orb-weavers (Araneae, Araneidae) associated with riparian forests in southern Brazil

The Araneidae is a speciose family including web-spinning spiders that are very abundant in various terrestrial ecosystems. Several studies demonstrate that changes in vegetation surrounding rivers, streams and brooks affect the associated araneofauna. The aim of this research was to compare differences found in diversity (abundance and richness), composition and phenology of Araneidae spiders sampled in different habitats in four riparian forest catchments in southern Brazil. Samples were taken from riparian forests in four rivers of Rio Grande do Sul State: Piratini, Camaquã, Sinos and Maquiné rivers, each in a different hydrographic basin. Samples were taken twice seasonally on each basin during two years, sampling the araneofauna of the tree-shrub strata with beating tray. Six transects were employed on each basin, two per habitat: edge with grassland, forest interior and river edge. Araneids totalled 20 genera and 65 species. Comparing riparian forests significant differences are found. Spider abundance differed among riparian forests as well as species richness. Overall, Piratini river riparian forest had the higher abundance and richness for Araneidae; the lower values were in Sinos river forest. The stronger degradation and fragmentation of the riparian forests of Sinos river probably influenced the results, with human disturbance gradients associated negatively to web building. We present data on the diversity of these spiders, which were very abundant in the riparian forest interior and very rich in species in the grassland/riparian forest edge. Species composition also differs among the studied habitats (the above plus river/riparian forest edge). For the most abundant species the phenological pattern across the seasons was also analysed.

Phenology of Spalangia endius Walker (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae) in pupae of Musca domestica Linnaeus (Diptera, Muscidae) under laboratory conditions

This work describes the phenology of Spalangia endius Walker in pupae of Musca domestica Linnaeus under laboratory conditions. In order to understand the developmental cycle of Spalangia endius under laboratory conditions, 360 Musca domestica pupae aged from 24 to 48 hours were exposed to 15 S. endius pairs for a period of 24 hours at 26 ± 2ºC. These pupae were kept in a BOD incubator at the same temperature, with a relative humidity of <70%, and 12 hours photophase. Fifteen hymenopteran specimens were dissected daily to evaluate their stage and development time. The phenology concluded that S. endius had a development cycle of 19 days with an incubation period of 24 hours. The development of the larvae of S. endius occurred in the subsequent eight days, during which a series of morphological alterations were observed. The pre-pupal stage occurred on the tenth day, where the movement ceased and elimination of the meconium started. The pupal stage occurred from the 11th to the 19th day, with emergence of males first, followed by female emergence approximately 24 hours later. These results allowed the evaluation of aspects of the detailed bionomics of the development of S. endius in order to record and program production of this parasitoid, thus optimizing its utilization as a biological control agent.

Geographical Distribution, Habitat and Reproductive Phenology of the Genus Kallymenia (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) from Catalonia, Spain

Geographical distribution, habitat and reproductive phenology of the Genus Kallymenia (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) from Catalonia, Spain

Preliminary study of coconut water for graft tissues preservation in transplantation

OBJECTIVE: to verify the effectiveness of coconut water in preserving tissues for transplant. METHODS: Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly distributed in five groups, according to the following preservation solutions for tissue grafts: Group 1: Lactated Ringer; Group 2: Belzer solution; Group 3: mature coconut water; Group 4: green coconut water; Group 5: modified coconut water. In Group 5, the green coconut water has been modified like the Belzer solution. From each animal we harvasted the spleen, ovaries and skin of the back segment. These tissues were preserved for six hours in one of the solutions. Then, the grafts were reimplanted. The recovery of the function of the implanted tissues was assessed 90 days after surgery, by splenic scintigraphy and blood exame. The implanted tissues were collected for histopathological examination. RESULTS: The serum levels did not differ among groups, except for the animals in Group 5, which showed higher levels of IgG than Group 1, and differences in relation to FSH between groups 1 and 2 (p <0.001), 4 and 2 (p = 0.03) and 5 and 2 (p = 0.01). The splenic scintigraphy was not different between groups. The ovarian tissue was better preserved in mature coconut water (p <0.007). CONCLUSION: the coconut water-based solutions preserves spleen, ovary, and rat skin for six hours, maintaining their normal function.

Reproductive phenology of Melocactus (Cactaceae) species from Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil

This paper discusses the phenological strategies of Melocactus glaucescens Buining & Brederoo, M. paucispinus G. Heimen & R. Paul, M. ernestii Vaupel and M. ×albicephalus Buining & Brederoo, species from Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil. Melocactus glaucescens, M. ernestii and M. ×albicephalus occur sympatrically in an area of "caatinga"/"cerrado" vegetation, and M. paucispinus in an area of "cerrado"/"campo rupestre". The superposition of flowering in these sympatric taxa was compared and analyzed. The phenology of M. paucispinus was correlated with both abiotic and biotic factors. Flowering of M. glaucescens and M. ×albicephalus were observed to be continuous (though with moderate peaks of activity), while fruiting was sub-annual. Melocactus ernestii exhibited an annual pattern of both flowering and fruiting; while in M. paucispinus the same patterns were sub-annual. These sympatric taxa showed 40% overlap of flowering periods, reaching to more than 50% in paired combinations of taxa, considering both the number of specimens flowering, as well as the quantity of resources being offered. Available information indicates that these taxa share pollinators, but phenological data rejects the hypothesis of shared pollinators and supports the hypothesis of hybridization in the study area. Rainfall was negatively correlated with flowering in M. paucispinus, but positively correlated with fruiting. Flowering of M. paucispinus in dry periods of the year avoids that erect flowers positioned in terminal cephalium, exposed in open areas of the vegetation, be damaged for the rains, while fruiting in rainy periods can be favorable to the dispersion and germination of this species.

Ultrafiltration performance of PVDF, PES, and cellulose membranes for the treatment of coconut water (Cocos nucifera L.)

Ultrafiltration (UF) inhibits the enzymatic activity which is responsible for color changes of coconut water without the need for heat treatment. In the present study, UF performance in terms of the permeate flux and enzymatic retention of the coconut water was evaluated at laboratory unit (LU) and pilot unit (PU). The membranes studied were polyethersulfone 150 kDa (UP150), polyvinylidene fluoride 150 kDa (UV150) and cellulose 30 kDa (UC030). The UP150 membrane showed the best permeate flux. The UC030 membrane showed the lowest flux, but it resulted in 100% enzymatic retention, while the other membranes showed enzymatic retentions between 71 and 85%. The application of the UC030 in the pilot unit (PU) resulted in a flux value higher than that obtained in the LU due to the tangential velocity effect. The UC030 membrane has proved adequate for industrial applications.