Biological control of phytophagous arthropods in the physic nut tree Jatropha curcas L. in Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

EC90-1762 Nut Tree Cultivars for Nebraska

Proper nut cultivar (variety) selection is important for successful and satisfying results from the home gardener's efforts. Selection should be determined by personal preferences, available space, and intended use of the nuts. Harvest can be spread over several weeks if cultivars with different periods of maturity are planted. It is important that homeowners select the nut plants or cultivars best adapted for cultivation in their area of the state. This extension circular covers how to select a nut cultivar, the plant hardiness zones, horticultural regions, and length of growing season. It contains a list of all nut cultivars suited for growing in the state of Nebraska.

Practical nut growing.

Mode of access: Internet.

Continuous extraction of alpha-toxin from a fermented broth of Clostridium perfringens Type A in perforated rotating disc contactor using aqueous two-phase PEG-phosphate system

A 2(3-1) factorial experimental design was used to evaluate the performance of a perforated rotating disc contactor to extract alpha-toxin from the fermented broth of Clostridium perfringens Type A by aqueous two-phase system of polyethylene glycol-phosphate salts. The influence of three independent variables, specifically the dispersed phase flowrate, the continuous phase flowrate and the disc rotational speed, was investigated on the hold up, the mass transfer coefficient, the separation efficiency and the purification factor, taken as the response variables. The optimum dispersed phase flowrate was 3.0 mL/min for all these responses. Besides, maximum values of hold up (0.80), separation efficiency (0. 10) and purification factor (2.4) were obtained at this flowrate using the lowest disc rotational speed (35 rpm), while the optimum mass transfer coefficient (0. 165 h(-1)) was achieved at the highest agitation level (140 rpm). The results of this study demonstrated that the dispersed phase flowrate strongly influenced the performance of PRDC, in that both the mass transfer coefficient and hold up increased with this parameter. (c) 2007 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Observations on flower visitors to Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K. and Couratari tenuicarpa A.C. Sm. (Lecythidaceae)

Bees visiting flowers of Bertholletia excelsa. (Brazil Nut tree) and Couratari tenuicarpa were collected, their behavior described and the pollen found clinging to their dorsal thorax and stored on their legs was identified. Female bees of Xylocopa frontalis(Olivier) and males of Eulaema mocsaryi (Friese) are apparently effective pollinators of Couratari in igapó near Manaus. Female bees of Euplusia seabrai Moure in litt., Epicharis umbraculata (Fabricius), Epicharis rustica (Olivier) and Eulaema nigrita(Lepeletier), as well as male bees of Eulaema cingulata(Fabricius) and Eulaema nigrita are apparently effective pollinators of adult Brazil Nut trees in the Aleixo plantation near Manaus. Only large bees capable of uncurling the floral androecium can effectively pollinate Couratari or Bertholletia.Pollen analysis indicated that all bees captured carried pollen of the host tree in question and had been foraging on flowers of plant species common in secondary growth. Secondary growth near the Aleixo plantation supports a bee guild which appeared to effectively pollinate almost every flower on the Brazil Nut tree studied. Proximity to primary forest (and to those Euglossine bee species which occur only in primary forest) therefore does not appear to be necessary for pollination of Brazil Nut trees.In the Aleixo plantation chronic low fruit set is probably due to some factor other than pollination. Since natural occurrences of Brazil Nut trees to the north and south of Manaus are associated with a higher soil fertility, low production at the Aleixo plantation may be due to deficiencies of the soil.

Studies toward the identification of transcription factors in cassava storage root

Fatores de transcrição desempenham importantes funções em vários processos fisiológicos. Nos últimos anos, muitos fatores de transcrição têm sido isolados de plantas, emergindo como poderosas ferramentas na manipulação de características agronômicas. No presente trabalho, iniciamos estudos para isolar fatores de transcrição de mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz), importante cultura tropical e subtropical. Nossos resultados revelaram três tipos de proteínas diferencialmente expressas na raiz de reserva de mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz):e imunologicamente relacionadas com o fator de transcrição opaco-2 de milho. Experimentos de Southwestern mostraram duas proteínas capazes de interagir in vitro com uma seqüência de DNA do gene be2S1 de castanha-do-brasil.

Nutrição e produtividade da nogueira-macadâmia em razão do parcelamento da adubação mineral

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

Juglans regia in Europe: distribution, habitat, usage and threats

Juglans regia L., commonly known as common, English or Persian walnut, is an economically very important tree species, prized both for its nuts and for its attractive high-quality timber. It is the most widespread nut tree worldwide.

Deciduous fruit and tree nut research of the United States Department of Agriculture and cooperating agencies.

At head of title: A summary of current program and preliminary report of progress.

Bibliography of tree nut production and marketing research, 1945-60 /

Includes index.

Bibliography of tree nut production and marketing research, 1960-65

Previous ed. by Donn A. Reimund, issued as Miscellaneous publication no. 862.

The psychological impact of diagnostic food challenges to confirm the resolution of peanut or tree nut allergy

Background - Twenty percent of children outgrow peanut allergy and 10% outgrow tree nut allergy. Resolution can be confirmed by a food challenge. Little is known about the psychosocial impact of the challenge. We aimed to investigate effects of a food challenge on anxiety, stress and quality of life (QoL) in children and their mothers on the day of a food challenge to peanuts or nuts, and in the months following the challenge. Methods - One hundred and three families participated. Forty children undergoing food challenges to access resolution of allergy, and their mothers, completed validated questionnaires to measure generic and food specific quality of life, stress and anxiety prior to challenge, on the day of investigation and 3–6 months later. Sixty-three children with no clinical indication to challenge (i.e. in the opinion of the allergist had persistent allergy) acted as comparison group completing questionnaires 3–6 months apart. Results - Mothers reported raised anxiety on the day of challenge (P = 0.007), but children were less anxious. The children (P = 0.01) and mothers (P = 0.01) had improved food-related, but not general, QoL 3–6 months following challenge. Children reported lower anxiety levels following the challenge (P = 0.02), but anxiety remained unchanged in mothers. The improvements in maternal and children's QoL and anxiety levels were irrespective of the challenge outcome and despite co-existing food allergies in 50% of children. Conclusions - Mothers experienced increased anxiety on the day of food challenge, unlike the children, perhaps reflecting the differences in their perceived risks. Food challenges are associated with improved food-related QoL in the following months even in those with a positive challenge.

Predicting positive food challenges in children sensitised to peanuts/tree nuts.

BACKGROUND: Children with atopic diseases in early life are frequently found with positive IgE tests to peanuts/tree nuts without a history of previous ingestion. We aimed to identify risk factors for reactions to nuts at first introduction. METHODS: A retrospective case-note and database analysis was performed. Recruitment criteria were: patients aged 3-16 yr who had a standardized food challenge to peanut and/or tree nuts due to sensitisation to the peanut/tree nut (positive spIgE or SPT) without previous consumption. A detailed assessment was performed of factors relating to food challenge outcome with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: There were 98 food challenges (47 peanut, 51 tree nut) with 29 positive, 67 negative and 2 inconclusive outcomes. A positive maternal history of allergy and a specific IgE >5 kU/l were strongly associated with a significantly increased risk of a positive food challenge (OR 3.73; 95% CI 1.31-10.59; p = 0.013 and OR 3.35; 95% CI 1.23-9.11; p = 0.007, respectively). Adjusting for age, a three year-old with these criteria has a 67% probability of a positive challenge. There was no significant association between types of peanut/tree nut, other food allergies, atopic conditions or severity of previous food reactions and positive challenges. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated an association between the presence of maternal atopic history and a specific IgE >5 kU/l, with a significant increase in the likelihood of a positive food challenge. Although requiring further prospective validation these easily identifiable components should be considered when deciding the need for a challenge.