Diversity of the calabash tree (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Crescentia cujete</Emphasis> L.) in Colombia

Germplasm of the calabash tree (Crescentia cujete L.) was collected in five major regions of Colombia, i.e. the Andes, Caribbean, Amazon, Orinoco, and Pacific regions. Collecting this multipurpose tree was guided by the indigenous knowledge of farmers and artisans in each region. Large variation in fruit shapes and sizes was found, of which some forms were typical for certain regions. Overall 56 accessions were collected and roughly classified into 22 types by eight fruit shapes and eight sizes. Molecular markers (Amplified fragment length polymorphisms) were applied to leaf tip tissue originating from vegetatively propagated plants in order to assess the diversity available in the germplasm collected as well as to detect patterns of geographical or morphological similarity. One accession each of C. alata H.B.&K. and C. amazonica Ducke were used as outgroups. Overall, genetic diversity was high (mean Nei and Li’s coefficient of 0.43). No relations could be established between either geographical provenance or fruit morphology and patterns of genetic diversity. Concerning the outgroups, the C. amazonica accession appeared to be a distinct species. The C. alata accession, however, did not seem to be sufficiently distinct from C. cujete to merit species status. The latter material may in fact be a hybrid or serve to challenge the validity of interspecific organization of the genus Crescentia.

Wirksamkeit des Kieselgurpräparates Dryacide® gegen vorratsschädliche Insekten

The diatomaceous earth (DE) Dryacide^® was tested under laboratory conditions on surfaces (2 g DE/m²) and in wheat grain (3 kg DE/t wheat) at a relative humidity of 70±5% and a temperature of 22±1°C. The wheat had a moisture content of 14.5%. The effect of surface treatments was tested onEphestia kuehniella, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Tenebrio molitor andTribolium castaneum. The efficacy of grain treatments was determined usingEphestia elutella, O. surinamensis, Sitophilus granarius andTribolium confusum. In both treatments adult and larval stages were included.100% mortality were reached with the surface treatments in adults and larvae ofO. surinamensis and the adults ofT. molitor andE. kuehniella after an exposition time of 3–9 days. AgainstT. castaneum and the larvae ofT. molitor andE. kuehniella no complete control could be achieved.In the grain treatments the dosage of 3 kg DE/t wheat reached 100% mortality in all tested pests exceptS. granarius. Most sensitive wereO. surinamensis andE. elutella. InT. confusum the adults died within 13 days of treatment, but for complete control of the larvae 13 weeks were necessary. AgainstS. granarius the silica dust showed no satisfactory efficacy, because 49 days after beginning of the examinations beetles of the progeny hatched. Dryacide^® could not prevent the reproduction of the granary weevil, but there was a lower number of progeny compared to the untreated control.     

Water content measurement in black spruce and aspen sapwood with benchtop and portable magnetic resonance devices

Abstract

In this study, water content in black spruce (Picea mariana Mill.) and aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) sapwood samples was investigated with time-domain magnetic resonance (MR). Time-domain MR measurements easily distinguish water in different environments in wood according to the spin-spin relaxation time and provide quantitative information on water content. The MR techniques employed can distinguish and quantify the individual signal components. Both black spruce and aspen have two signal components at moisture contents above the fiber saturation point. These two signal components correspond to motionally restricted water, often referred to as bound water, and unrestricted, or free water. Bound water content is constant above 40% moisture content. No signal from free water was detected at or below 20% moisture content in either species. We also demonstrate the use of a recently developed portable unilateral magnet that can be employed as a powerful tool in the study and measurement of water content in wood.     

Effects of Monoglycerides of Varying Fatty Acid Chain Length and Mixtures Thereof on Sponge‐and‐Dough Breadmaking Quality

Monoglycerides are widely used in the baking industry because of their antistaling effects, mainly suppressing crumb firming. Commercial monoglycerides are normally prepared from hydrogenated fats, with stearate being the most common fatty acid. In a previous study, monoglycerides such as monopalmitate (C16) and monostearate (C18) had positive effects on Canadian short process bread but no improvements on sponge‐and‐dough process (SDP) bread. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of saturated monoglycerides of varying fatty acid chain length (C14–C22) on SDP breadmaking quality by using volume judgment, crumb image analysis, and texture measurements. Higher levels (1.00–1.50%) of all monoglycerides (C14, C16, and C18) significantly (P < 0.05) increased loaf volume and cell diameter. The larger cell diameter with increasing levels of these monoglycerides may have resulted from softer, more extensible dough handling properties and greater gas cell stability during baking. Addition of C16 and C18 caused the largest increase in crumb softness with increasing monoglyceride levels but showed relatively low resilience, which might be related to larger loaf volume (i.e., lower density of bread). However, addition of blended monoglycerides C14+C16 increased crumb softness and loaf volume while partially retaining resilience. Each monoglyceride had a different function in breadmaking quality and somewhat positive effects on SDP.     

Sexual and somatic hybridization in the genus Lactuca

Summary Various genes for disease resistance identified in wild Lactuca are difficult, even impossible to exploit in lettuce breeding, due to sexual incompatibility between L. sativa and wild Lactuca sp. We adapted two cellular biology techniques to overcome these interspecific barriers: in vitro embryo rescue and protoplast fusion. In vitro rescue of immature embryos was used successfully for sexual hybridization between L. sativa and L. virosa. Vigorous hybrid plants were produced between L. sativa and seven accessions of L. virosa. Protoplast fusion permitted the regeneration of somatic hybrids between L. sativa and either L. tatarica or L. perennis. Hybrids between L. sativa and L. tatarica were backcrossed to L. sativa.     

Automobile Reliance Among the Elderly: Race and Spatial Context Effects

Abstract Mobility is a necessary condition for the social and emotional well‐being of older people. To meet their mobility needs, the elderly assign pivotal importance to the automobile despite the potential challenge of driving cessation and searching for alternatives to automobile transportation. Older persons’ generally strong reliance on the automobile varies, however, by land use patterns (density) as well as by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. This paper analyzes the effects of spatial context and personal attributes on automobile reliance among the elderly. Using the 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS) trip data, two models of automobile reliance among elderly (65+) trip makers are estimated. The results show that spatial context effects of automobile reliance vary by demographic characteristics; in particular, they are more pronounced for black than for white elderly. Moreover, race variation in automobile reliance is strongest in urban locations rather than less dense spatial contexts. Finally, the differentiation between being a passenger rather than a driver is salient in order to understand locational and racial variations in automobile reliance among the elderly.     

Emissions of CO2, N2O,and NO in conventional and no-till management practices in Rondônia,Brazil

Efforts to restore productivity of pastures often employ agricultural management regimes involving either tillage or no-tillage options combined with various combinations of fertilizer application, herbicide use and the planting of a cash crop prior to the planting of forage grasses. Here we report on the emissions of CO₂, N₂O and NO from the initial phases (first 6 months) of three treatments in central Rondônia. The treatments were (1) control; (2) conventional tillage followed by planting of forage grass (Brachiaria brizantha) and fertilizer additions; (3) no-tillage/herbicide treatment followed by two plantings, the first being a cash crop of rice followed by forage grass. In treatment 3, the rice was fertilized. Relative to the control, tillage increased CO₂ emission by 37% over the first 2 months, while the no-tillage/herbicide regime decreased CO₂ emissions by 7% over the same period. The cumulative N₂O emissions over the first 2 months from the tillage regime (0.94 kg N ha^–1) were much higher than the N₂O releases from either the no-tillage/herbicide regime (0.64 kg N ha^–1) or the control treatment (0.04 kg N ha^–1). The highest levels of N₂O fluxes from both management regimes were observed following N fertilizations. The cumulative NO releases over the first 2 months were largest in the tillage treatment (0.98 kg N ha^–1), intermediate in the no-tillage treatment (0.72 kg N ha^–1), and smallest in the control treatment (0.12 kg N ha^–1). For the first week following fertilization the percentage of fertilizer N lost as N₂O plus NO was 1.0% for the tillage treatment and 3.0% for the no-tillage treatment.