Polyphenol oxidase from Dominga table grape

Dominga grape polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was extracted using phase partitioning with Triton X-114. The enzyme was obtained in latent state and could be optimally activated by the presence of 0.2% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at pH 6.0. In the absence of SDS, the enzyme showed maximum activity at acid pH. The kinetic parameters of the enzyme at pH 3.0 and 6.0 in the presence of SDS were calculated. The effect of several inhibitors was studied, tropolone being the most effective with a K(i) value of 18 muM. The effect of cyclodextrins was also studied, and the complexation constant K(c) between G(2)-beta-cyclodextrins and 4-tert-butylcatechol was calculated using the enzymatic method (K(c) = 13960 M(-)(1)). The evolution of the color parameters (L, a, b) of liquefied grape berries was inhibited by inhibitors of PPO activity, such as diethyldithiocarbamate, metabisulfite, and G(2)-beta-cyclodextrins, indicating that enzymatic browning by PPO is the main process involved in the browning of Dominga grape juice at room temperature.     

Essential oils from plants and in vitro shoots of Hypericum androsaemum L

The essential oil yields obtained by hydrodistillation of the aerial parts of Hypericum androsaemum cultivated plants varied from 0.94 to 4.09 mg/g of biomass dry weight, depending of the harvest time. The respective analyses performed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed more than 80 compounds, 72 of which were identified. Most of the compounds were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, which, depending of the harvest time, corresponded to 43-78% of the total essential oil. The other compounds were distributed as monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygen-containing sesquiterpenes, n-alkanes, 1-alkenes, and oxygen-containing monoterpenes, these being a minor group. In H. androsaemum in vitro shoots, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons represented >80% of the respective essential oil. Differences in the essential oil composition were found depending on the harvest time and origin, in vivo versus in vitro, of the plant material. The essential oil sampled in November was characterized by the highest levels of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and a high number of n-alkanes and 1-alkenes, from C(18) to C(28), whereas that sampled in June of the following year showed the highest levels of n-nonane and 1-octene as well as monoterpene hydrocarbons, the second most representative group.     

Occurrence and distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) crops from organic production

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were quantified by GC-ECD in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) during a vegetation period. Plants were harvested at 15, 60, and 151 days after seed germination. Leaves, stem, roots, and fruit (peel and flesh) were analyzed separately. The results showed that tomato plants were able to accumulate OCPs from soils, and a trend to reach the equilibrium among tissues at mature stages was also observed. Endosulfans comprised the main OCP group, probably due to its spray during summer months in the surrounding areas. Banned pesticides such as DDTs, heptachlor, and dieldrin were found. OCPs levels in the fruit were below the maximum residues limits (MRL) considered by the Codex Alimentarius. DDE/DDT and alpha-/gamma-HCH ratios of <1 would indicate recent inputs of DDT and lindane in the environment. The occurrence of OCPs in the study farm, where agrochemicals have never been used, is a result of atmospheric deposition of those pesticides.     

Chemometric studies of vinegars from different raw materials and processes of production

The phenolic composition, aroma compounds, and organic acid content of 83 vinegars have been determined. Multivariate analysis techniques have been used to classify these vinegar samples according to raw material (white wine, red wine, apple, honey, alcohol, balsamic, and malt) and production process (with and without aging in wood). Cluster analysis grouped the samples according to production process. Only apple and balsamic vinegars were separated from wine vinegars. Alcohol, honey, and malt vinegars were grouped with no aged wine vinegars. Linear discriminate analysis allowed a 88% differentiation according to raw material and 100% according to aging in wood. Besides, from the results obtained, a major role of the volatile compounds in the differentiation of the vinegar samples according to their aging period in wood can be seen.     

Genetic diversity of potato landraces from northwestern Argentina assessed with simple sequence repeats (SSRs)

Andean potato varieties are cultivated in the northwest of Argentina and constitute the most important staple food for the local farmers. The genetic diversity of 155 accessions conserved at the Genebank of Balcarce (INTA) was tested using four microsatellites. Three commercial potato varieties of Tuberosum group and one accession of Curtilobum group were used as outgroups. The presence of bands was scored for each microsatellite and for each accession and the data were analysed by principal coordinate analysis. The polymorphism information content was obtained for each molecular marker from banding patterns. Analysis of molecular variance was carried out with a variable number of accessions for each landrace, from different departments and sites within departments. More than one genotype was detected in the majority of the potato landraces. Some accessions within each landrace did not differentiate. AMOVA revealed that most of the genetic variation occurred among sites within departments and among local varieties. These findings are discussed considering the agricultural practices carried out in the Andean farming system.     

Proteolytic activation of latent Paraguaya peach PPO. Characterization of monophenolase activity

The kinetics of the activation process of latent peach PPO by trypsin was studied. By coupling this activation process to the oxidation of 4-tert-butylcatechol (TBC) to its corresponding quinone, it was possible to evaluate the specific rate constant of active PPO formation, k(3), which showed a value of 0.04 s(-1). This proteolytic activation of latent peach PPO permitted us to characterize the monophenolase activity of peach PPO for the first time using p-cresol as substrate, and it showed the characteristic lag period of the kinetic mechanism of monophenols hydroxylation, which depended on the enzyme and substrate concentration, the pH and the presence of catalytic amounts of o-diphenol (4-methylcatechol). The enzyme activation constant, k(act), was 2 microM.     

Production of Pearl Millet Irrigated with Different Levels of Brackish Water and Organic Matter

ABSTRACT

The objective is to determine the growth, yield and chemical characteristics of pearl millet irrigated with different levels of brackish water and organic matter in two cultivation cycles. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 4 × 4 factorial arrangement, composed of 4 levels of brackish irrigation (25, 50, 75 and 100% evapotranspiration), 4 levels of organic matter (0, 15, 30 and 45 t ha^?1) with 3 repetitions. Along two cultivation cycles, pearl millet crop was analyzed for: plant growth variables, fresh and dry mass production, water-use efficiency, and chemical composition. There was significant interaction between applied water levels and organic matter for lignin in the 2nd cut (P < .05). The number of leaves, number of dead leaves and fresh mass production were influenced by the isolated effect of brackish water levels in cut 1 (P < .05). In turn, fresh mass production, dry mass production, plant height, leaves length, panicle length, fresh mass production, crude protein and ether extract were influenced by the isolated effect of saline water levels in the 2nd cut (P < .05). Growth, biomass production and chemical composition variables in second cut are positively influenced by different brackish irrigation levels under low rainfall conditions.     

The effect of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Hormogaster elisae</Emphasis> (Hormogastridae) on the abundance of soil Collembola and Acari in laboratory cultures

This microcosm study investigated the effect of Hormogaster elisae on the abundance of soil Collembola and Acari in laboratory cultures. Two types of microcosm were prepared: type I consisted of plastic boxes with a 2-mm mesh cage containing two H. elisae, and type II consisted of plastic boxes without a cage. The respective controls contained no earthworms. All of them were kept at 18°C and 20% moisture for 21 days. After this period of time the microcosms were tested and microarthropods were extracted, identified and counted. In general, more microarthropods were recovered from the soils without earthworms. There were significant differences between the soils with respect to the abundance of Collembola (Isotomidae and Sminthuridae), and Acari (Gamasida and Oribatida). The results suggest that, under the experimental conditions employed, H. elisae reduces the abundance of these groups of microarthropods. This may be due to several reasons. A change in environmental heterogeneity produced by H. elisae is suggested. A possible interspecific relationship between these two groups due to competition or depredation is also discussed.     

Competitive and allelopathic interference between soybean crop and annual wormwood (Artemisia annua L.) under field conditions

Annual wormwood interference on soybean crop growth and yield may result from competition and allelopathy, which are modulated by crop management. Allelochemicals released by annual wormwood (e.g. artemisinin) may affect the crop directly or indirectly through the effect on the nitrogen fixing symbiont, Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The objectives were (i) to quantify the crop response (i.e. biomass production, nodulation and yield) to weed interference and (ii) to determinate the relative change of competition and allelopathy interferences, when a sublethal dose of herbicide is applied. Two split plot field experiments with three replications were used. The experiment involved a factorial combination of five weed–crop density (soybean/annual wormwood, plants m^?2) levels: D1, pure soybean, 40/0 plants m^?2; D2, 40/2 plants m^?2; D3, 40/4 plants m^?2 and D4, 40/8 plants m^?2, and D5, pure annual wormwood, 0/8 plants m^?2, two activated carbon (allelopathy) levels: C?, with activated carbon (reduced allelopathy) and C+, non activated carbon applied (with allelopathy) and two herbicide levels: H?, untreated and H+, treated with a sub-lethal dose of glyphosate. Activated carbon to adsorb allelochemicals (with and without activated carbon) and glyphosate application (with and no herbicide) were assigned to sub-plots. Increasing weed density did not affect crop biomass at flowering, but changed nodule number and soybean yield with a different pattern depending on carbon and herbicide treatment. Relative crop yield decreased with increasing relative weed biomass. This decrease was particularly drastic when allelopathy was reduced by activated carbon and without herbicide application. The maximum yield losses of 33% in 2006 and 17% in 2007 were observed with the highest weed density (8 plants m^?2). In contrast, without carbon (high allelopathy level), soybean yield remained stable within the explored range of annual wormwood biomass, despite the fact that weed biomass at high densities (D4) was high enough to generate competition. The lack of response to increasing weed density could be related to the indirect effect of allelochemicals interacting with soil microorganisms (i.e. B. japonicum) that positively affected the nodulation (e.g. larger nodules in 2006 and increased nodules biomass due to higher number of roots in 2007 at high densities). With herbicide application, soybean yield of both carbon treatments remained stable when biomass of annual wormwood increased. This research provided strong evidence in support of the existence of positive effect of allelopathic and competitive interactions between annual wormwood and soybean crop under field conditions that may be overridden under herbicide application.