Soil-liming effects on the development and nutritional status of the carambola tree and its fruit-yielding capacity

Soil acidity is one of the most important factors limiting agricultural production in the tropics. For this reason, the objective of this research work was to evaluate the effects of soil liming on the performance of carambola (Averrhoa carambola) trees. The experiment took place at the Citrus Experimental Station in Bebedouro, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The soil was a Typic Haplustox (V = 26% at the 0- to 20-cm layer) between August 1999 and July 2003. The following doses of limestone were employed: 0, 1.85, 3.71, 5.56, and 7.41 t ha(-1). During 40 months after the experiment was set up, soil chemical attributes were periodically examined. For a period of 2 years, the trees had their leaves analyzed for micro-and macronutrients; their trunk diameter, height, and crown volume measured; and the production of fruits determined. Liming improved in evaluated chemical attributes of the soil: pH, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), BS, V, and hydrogen and aluminium (H + At) from the upper 60 cm of soil when the samples were taken from both the line and between the lines of plants. In the leaves, the levels of Ca and Mg also increased. The highest fruit yields were observed when soil base saturations reached 45% on the lines and 50% between the lines, as well as when foliar levels of 8.0 g of Ca and 4.7 a of Mg per kilogram of leaves were attained.

Effect of liming on the mineral nutrition and yield of growing guava trees in a typic hapludox soil

High soil acidity influences the availability of mineral nutrients and increases that of toxic aluminium (Al), which has a jeopardizing effect on plant growth. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of soil liming on the development of guava (Psidium guajava L.) plants, on soil chemical characteristics, and on fruit yield. The experiment was carried out at the Bebedouro Citrus Experimental Station, state of São Paulo, Brazil, in a Typic Hapludox soil, from August 1999 to March 2003. The treatments consisted of limestone dose: D0 = zero; D1 = half dose; D2 = total dose; D3 = 1.5 times the dose, and D4 = 2 times the dose to raise the V value to 70%. The doses corresponded to zero, 1.85, 3.71, 5.56, and 7.41tha(-1) applied to the upper soil layer (0-30cm deep) before planting. The results showed that liming caused an improvement in the evaluated soil chemical characteristics up to a depth of 60cm in soil samples both in the line and between lines. The highest fruit yields were obtained when the base saturation reached a value of 55% in the line and 62% between the lines. Foliar levels of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) were 8.8 and 2.5gkg-1, respectively. The highest limestone dose maintained the soil base saturation (at the layer of 0-20cm) in the line close to 55% during at least 40 months after the incorporation of limestone.

The British fruit-gardener; and art of pruning: comprising, the most approved methods of planting and raising every useful fruit-tree and fruit-bearing-shrub: etc., the true successful practice of pruning, etc., and full directions concerning soils, situations, and exposures.

Mode of access: Internet.

Cone-bearing trees of the Pacific coast,

"References cited": p. 13.

The status of hollow-bearing trees required for the conservation of arboreal marsupials in the dry sclerophyll forests of south-east Queensland, Australia

At 38 sites in the dry sclerophyll forests of south-east Queensland, Australia, hollow-bearing trees were studied to determine the effects of past forestry practices on their density, size and spatial distribution. The density of hollow-bearing trees was reduced at sites that had been altered by poisoning and ringbarking of unmerchantable trees. This was especially the case for living hollow-bearing trees that were now at densities too low to support the full range of arboreal marsupials. Although there are presently enough hollow-bearing stags (i.e., dead hollow-bearing trees) to provide additional denning and nesting opportunities, the standing life of these hollow-bearing stags is lower than the living counterparts which means denning and nesting sites may be limited in the near future. The mean diameter at breast height (DBH) of hollow-bearing stags was significantly less than that of living hollow-bearing trees. This indicated that many large hollow-bearing stags may have a shorter standing life than smaller hollow-bearing stags. Hollow-bearing trees appear to be randomly distributed throughout the forest in both silviculturally treated and untreated areas. This finding is at odds with the suggestion by some forest managers that hollow-bearing trees should have a clumped distribution in dry sclerophyll forests of south-east Queensland.

Fruit production in three masting tree species does not rely on stored carbon reserves

Fruiting is typically considered to massively burden the seasonal carbon budget of trees. The cost of reproduction has therefore been suggested as a proximate factor explaining observed mast-fruiting patterns. Here, we used a large-scale, continuous 13C labeling of mature, deciduous trees in a temperate Swiss forest to investigate to what extent fruit formation in three species with masting reproduction behavior (Carpinus betulus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea) relies on the import of stored carbon reserves. Using a free-air CO2 enrichment system, we exposed trees to 13C-depleted CO2 during 8 consecutive years. By the end of this experiment, carbon reserve pools had significantly lower δ13C values compared to control trees. δ13C analysis of new biomass during the first season after termination of the CO2 enrichment allowed us to distinguish the sources of built-in carbon (old carbon reserves vs. current assimilates). Flowers and expanding leaves carried a significant 13C label from old carbon stores. In contrast, fruits and vegetative infructescence tissues were exclusively produced from current, unlabeled photoassimilates in all three species, including F. sylvatica, which had a strong masting season. Analyses of δ13C in purified starch from xylem of fruit-bearing shoots revealed a complete turn-over of starch during the season, likely due to its usage for bud break. This study is the first to directly demonstrate that fruiting is independent from old carbon reserves in masting trees, with significant implications for mechanistic models that explain mast seeding.

Trees, fruit and ornamental : text : essay /

Advertisement (1 sheet), laid in.

La néolithisation dans la région de Montréal depuis le Sylvicole moyen tardif : apport archéopalynologique

Des preuves archéopalynologiques directes appuient maintenant l’hypothèse d’une lente adaptation horticole durant la néolithisation amérindienne de la région de Montréal. Les sites archéologiques Hector-Trudel (BhFl-1a) de Pointe-du-Buisson et Séminaire de Saint-Sulpice (BjFj-18) dans le Vieux-Montréal ont été retenus pour élaborer une méthodologie archéopalynologique d’étude des sols archéologiques. Cela a permis de caractériser l’impact de la présence humaine sur l'environnement végétal des sites et d’identifier des indices de culture et de gestion de plantes allogènes et indigènes. Un complexe horticole de production à petite échelle de maïs (Zea mays), de tournesol (Helianthus annuus) et de petit tabac (Nicotiana rustica) et une forme de gestion des arbustes à petits fruits sont identifiés au site Hector-Trudel durant le Sylvicole moyen tardif (500 à 1000 A.D.). Ces cultigènes sont aussi identifiés au site du Séminaire pour la fin du Sylvicole supérieur ancien (1200 à 1300 A.D.), dans des proportions toutefois plus importantes, et une activité de gestion forestière au profit des arbres à noix et du tilleul d’Amérique (Tilia americana), reflet des pratiques d’entretien des champs cultivés, témoignent d’une évolution dans les comportements

Wild food trees in Eastern Nuba Mountains, Sudan: Use diversity and threatening factors

This study was conducted in 2010 in Eastern Nuba Mountains, Sudan to investigate ethnobotanical food and non-food uses of 16 wild edible fruit producing trees. Quantitative and qualitative information was collected from 105 individuals distributed in 7 villages using a semi-structured questionnaire. Also gathering of data was done using a number of rapid rural appraisal techniques, including key informant interviews, group discussion, secondary data sources and direct observations. Data was analysed using fidelity level and informant consensus factor methods to reveal the cultural importance of species and use category. Utilizations for timber products were found of most community importance than food usages, especially during cultivated food abundance. Balanites aegyptiaca, Ziziphus spina-christi and Tamarindus indica fruits were asserted as most preferable over the others and of high marketability in most of the study sites. Harvesting for timber-based utilizations in addition to agricultural expansion and overgrazing were the principal threats to wild edible food producing trees in the area. The on and off prevailing armed conflict in the area make it crucial to conserve wild food trees which usually play a more significant role in securing food supply during emergency times, especially in times of famine and wars. Increasing the awareness of population on importance of wild food trees and securing alternative income sources, other than wood products, is necessary in any rural development programme aiming at securing food and sustaining its resources in the area.

A Strategy for Conserving the Biodiversity of the Uttara Kannada District in South India

Taking the various values ascribed to biodiversity as its point of departure rather many years ago, the present study aims at deriving a conservation strategy for Uttara Kannada. This hilly district, with the highest proportion of its area under forests in South India, is divided into five ecological zones: coastal, northern evergreen, southern evergreen, moist deciduous, and dry deciduous. The heavily-populated coastal zone includes mangrove forests and estuarine wetlands. The evergreen forests are particularly rich in the diversity of plant species which they support - including wild relatives of a number of cultivated plants. They also serve a vital function in watershed conservation. The moist deciduous forests are rich in bird species; both moist and dry deciduous forests include a number of freshwater ponds and lakes that support a high diversity of aquatic birds.Reviewing the overall distribution of biodiversity, we identify specific localities - including estuaries, evergreen forests, and moist deciduous forests - which should be set aside as Nature reserves. These larger reserves must be complemented by a network of traditionally-protected sacred groves and sacred trees that are distributed throughout the district and that protect today, for instance, the finest surviving stand of dipterocarp trees.We also spell out the necessary policy-changes in overall development strategy that should stem the ongoing decimation of biodiversity. These include (1) revitalizing community-based systems of sustainable management of village forests and protection of sacred groves and trees; (2) reorienting the usage-pattern of reserve forests from production of a limited variety of timber and softwood species for industrial consumers, to production of a larger diversity of non-wood forest produce of commercial value to support the rural economy; (3) utilizing marginal lands under private ownership for generating industrial wood supplies; and (4) provision of incentives for in situ maintenance of land-races of cultivated plants - especially evergreen, fruit-yielding trees - by the local people.It is proposed that this broad framework be now taken to the local communities, and that an action-plan be developed on the basis of inputs provided - and initiatives taken - by them.

Tamarind orchards: Agroforestry for dry lands

Agroforestry has a potential for sequestering as much carbon if not more than forests. Massive benefits can be channeled to small farmers and landless labourers through cultivation of Tamarind and other fast growing and fruit yielding trees. This paper describes a project started by small farmers and landless labourers in a semiarid areas of south India. The aim is to upgrade dryland holdings of the member families through economically sound dry land horticulture, community woodlots, and planting of fast growing species along orchard and field boundaries. The small farmers invest massive labour inputs and project gives economic benefits to change their land use practices and improve environmental quality. This paper describes the planning. processes of the project, hurdles in finding AIJ partners, current monitoring procedures and costs of C sequestration. This shows this project is economically viable on its own, but initially needed, and continues to need Carbon credit investment in order to spread rapidly across the geopolitical region covered by the organization. It argues that economic gains to small farmers and landless labourers are the most certain way of achieving massive biomass increase and soil carbon replenishment, and that multiple holistic benefits are achieved through this kind of project.

Mutagenicity of Mouriri pusa Gardner and Mouriri elliptica Martius

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Analysis of ripening-related gene expression in papaya using an Arabidopsis-based microarray

Abstract Background Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a commercially important crop that produces climacteric fruits with a soft and sweet pulp that contain a wide range of health promoting phytochemicals. Despite its importance, little is known about transcriptional modifications during papaya fruit ripening and their control. In this study we report the analysis of ripe papaya transcriptome by using a cross-species (XSpecies) microarray technique based on the phylogenetic proximity between papaya and Arabidopsis thaliana. Results Papaya transcriptome analyses resulted in the identification of 414 ripening-related genes with some having their expression validated by qPCR. The transcription profile was compared with that from ripening tomato and grape. There were many similarities between papaya and tomato especially with respect to the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in primary metabolism, regulation of transcription, biotic and abiotic stress and cell wall metabolism. XSpecies microarray data indicated that transcription factors (TFs) of the MADS-box, NAC and AP2/ERF gene families were involved in the control of papaya ripening and revealed that cell wall-related gene expression in papaya had similarities to the expression profiles seen in Arabidopsis during hypocotyl development. Conclusion The cross-species array experiment identified a ripening-related set of genes in papaya allowing the comparison of transcription control between papaya and other fruit bearing taxa during the ripening process.