The components of lucerne (Medicago sativa) leaf area index respond to temperature and photoperiod in a temperate environment

Irrigated crops of ‘Grasslands Kaituna’ lucerne were grown for 5 years in a temperate climate at Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand (43°38′S, 172°28′E). From these the response of the components of leaf area index (LAI) to environmental factors was determined. A broken stick temperature threshold with a base temperature (T_b) of 1 °C at air temperatures (T_a) <15 °C and a T_b = 5 °C for T_a ≥ 15 was required to accumulate thermal time (Tt). Using this, the appearance of nodes on the main-stem (phyllochron) was constant in Tt within a re-growth cycle (30–42 days). The phyllochron was 37 ± 7 °Cd but declined from 60 to 37 °Cd as photoperiod decreased from 15.7 to 11.4 h. Branching began at the appearance of the fifth main-stem node with 2.5 secondary nodes produced per main-stem node in spring re-growth cycles but only 1.7 produced in summer. Leaf senescence increased from 0.3 to 1.08 leaves per main-stem node after the appearance of the ninth node. Spring re-growth cycles had a mean individual leaf area of 170 mm² compared with 400 mm² for summer re-growth cycles. These results demonstrate systematic variation in LAI components and suggest they need to be considered separately in response to environmental factors to provide a quantitative framework for crop simulation analyses of lucerne canopy development.     

Response of some Andean cultivars of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) to temperature: Effects on germination, phenology, growth and freezing

This article presents various experiments conducted under semi-controlled conditions to determine the effects of temperature on germination, phenology, growth and freezing in Chenopodium quinoa, a pseudocereal originating from the cold and dry Andean altiplano. Traditional landraces and recently released cultivars from distinct geographical origins were compared in order to look for local adaptation or breeding improvement with respect to low temperatures. Germination was evaluated in 10 cultivars at temperatures between 2 and 20 °C. Plant growth and development were examined in three cultivars over the growing cycle, under minimum temperature between 8 and 13 °C and maximum temperature between 20 and 28 °C. The thermal time concept was used to compare the various treatments and estimate the phyllochron, as well as the base temperature and optimum temperature for leaf appearance, time to flowering and leaf width growth. Two cultivars at the vegetative stage were compared for night freezing tolerance down to −6 °C, registering leaf exotherms and plant survival rate. The influence of plant water status and the possible protective or detrimental role of leaf epidermal vesicles were also examined. Low temperatures down to 2 °C delayed germination without impeding it totally. Base temperature for germination varied between −1.9 and +0.2 °C, with negative values in 9 cultivars out of 10. Thermal sensitivity in germination was not related to the geographic origin of the cultivars. Leaf appearance and time to flowering showed similar base temperatures near 1 °C. Phyllochron varied from 12.9 to 17.2 °C d with lower values in the two recently released varieties than in the traditional landrace. Leaf width increased from a base temperature around 6 °C up to an optimum temperature between 20 and 22.5 °C. Freezing experiments showed that no plant could survive after 4 h at −6 °C, while no serious effect was noted down to −3 °C. Leaf exotherms confirmed that ice nucleation occurred between −5 and −6 °C in most of the plants, the traditional landrace showing a lower freezing tolerance than the selected line. Low leaf water status delayed the freezing process, while leaf vesicles did not seem to play any protective or detrimental role towards leaf freezing. Implications of these results for quinoa crop adaptation to the Andean environment are discussed.     

Combined effects of 1-methylcyclopropene, calcium chloride dip, and/or atmospheric modification on quality changes in fresh-cut strawberries

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene, 1-MCP (1 μL L⁻¹ for 24 h at 5 °C) on quality attributes and shelf life of fresh-cut strawberries. The 1-MCP was applied before (whole product) and/or after cutting (wedges), followed by storage in a continuous flow of air or air +1 μL L⁻¹ C₂H₄. The combined effects of 1-MCP and CaCl₂ dips (1% for 2 min) and/or CA (3 kPa O₂ + 10 kPa CO₂) were also examined. The application of only 1-MCP before and/or after cutting did not have a significant effect on firmness and appearance quality during storage for up to 12 days at 5 °C. The exposure to a continuous flow of 1 μL L⁻¹ C₂H₄ in air during storage did not increase the softening rate. 1-MCP applied before cutting or both before and after cutting of the strawberries increased respiration rates but reduced C₂H₄ production rates. Exposure to 1-MCP had a synergistic effect when combined with CaCl₂ plus CA. The combined treatment of 1-MCP + CaCl₂ + CA slowed down softening, deterioration rates, TA and microbial growth. Compared to the control, which had a 6-day shelf life, the shelf life of fresh-cut strawberries subjected to the combination treatment was extended to 9 days at 5 °C.     

The dynamics of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) yield components in response to defoliation frequency

The productive life of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) stands depends on the rate of mortality of individual plants. However, self-thinning of plant populations may be compensated for by increases in other yield components, namely shoots/plant and individual shoot mass. Frequent defoliation reduces lucerne yield but it is unclear whether this is caused by an acceleration of plant mortality or changes in these other yield components. To investigate this, crops with contrasting shoot yields were created using constant 28 or 42-day regrowth cycles applied to a ‘Kaituna’ lucerne crop in Canterbury, New Zealand during the 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 growth seasons. Two further treatments switched from 28 to 42 or 42 to 28 days grazing frequency in mid-summer (4th February) of each year. The annual yield of shoot dry matter (DM) ranged from 12 to 23 t/ha for the treatments defoliated consistently each 28 or 42 days, respectively. Plant population was unaffected by treatments and declined exponentially from 130 plants/m² in June 2002 to 60 plants/m² in September 2004. The dynamics of plant and shoot population were associated with the light environment at the base of the canopy. The slope of the size/density compensation (SDC) of plants was −1.67 for the treatment defoliated each 42 days, near the expected self-thinning slope of −1.5 for stands at constant leaf area index (LAI). Self-thinning of shoots resumed after each defoliation when the LAI reached 2.1 and the transmission of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR_t) was 0.20. At this point the proportion of aerial DM in the tallest (dominant) shoots increased non-linearly from 30 to >80%, due to the mortality of intermediary and suppressed shoots. The average maximum shoot population in each rotation was 780 shoots/m² and unaffected by the decline in plant population due to a compensatory increase from 6 to 13 shoots/plant as the stand thinned. A lower asymptote of 43 plants/m² was estimated as the minimum plant population at which yield component compensation would maintain the productive potential of these ‘Kaituna’ stands. Differences in shoot yield were explained (R² = 0.97) by changes in the individual shoot mass (ISM) that were consistently lowered by frequent defoliation treatments. Frequent defoliations reduced crop productivity by limiting the assimilation of biomass into each individual shoot with negligible impact on shoot appearance rate, the number of shoots per plant at an LAI of 2.1 or the rate of plant population decay. Inter-specific competition for light was proposed as the main factor controlling self-thinning of plants and shoots regardless of their individual C:N status.     

Storage characteristics and relationships between microbial growth parameters and shelf life of MAP sliced onions

Microbial proliferation and sensory quality aspects of sliced onions were tested at different temperatures (−2, 4 and 10 °C) and atmospheric conditions (with or without 40% CO₂ + 59% N₂ + 1% O₂). The relationships among microorganism growth parameters (the initial cell number (N₀), the maximum cell number (N_max), the maximum specific growth rate (μ_max) and lag-phase (λ)) and the microbial or sensory shelf life were determined. The microorganism growth parameters were obtained by fitting the modified Gompertz equation to the microbial counts. The results showed that color intensity (yellowness), sensory scores and microbial counts increased, and firmness decreased during storage. The total plate counts (TPC) provided the best indication of the spoilage organism growth capacity under tested temperatures and atmospheric conditions. The microbial shelf lives of the tested onions in 40% CO₂ + 59% N₂ + 1% O₂, or at −2, 4 and 10 °C, were 12.5, 9.5, 7, 12, 9 and 6 days, respectively, and their sensory shelf lives were 12, 8, 5, 10.5, 7 and 5 days, respectively. The lag time (λ) of the TPC, coliforms, pseudomonads and yeasts correlated well with the microbial and sensory shelf life results. The correlations between microbial and sensory shelf life, and the μ_max of TPC, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and coliforms were between (−0.61 and −0.85). The initial microbial counts (N₀) of the five microorganisms showed a slight correlation, and the maximum microbial counts (N_max) of this group showed no obvious correlation with onion shelf life, apart from the LAB and yeasts.     

Radiation use efficiency and biomass partitioning of lucerne (Medicago sativa) in a temperate climate

This research quantifies the influence of seasonal variations in solar radiation, temperature and biomass partitioning on lucerne production in a temperate climate. Above ground biomass (shoot) production of fully irrigated ‘Kaituna’ lucerne was measured in the field over 5 years and 33 regrowth cycles in Canterbury, New Zealand. Shoot production increased linearly (R² of 0.93 ± 0.07) with intercepted total radiation within each regrowth cycle but radiation use efficiency (RUE_shoot, in g DM/MJ total radiation) ranged from 0.29 to 1.09 g DM/MJ. Covariate analysis showed season and temperature both influenced RUE_shoot with temperature adjusted decreasing from 1.01 g DM/MJ in September to 0.77 g DM/MJ between October and February, decreasing again to 0.47 g DM/MJ in March and April before increasing back to 0.99 g DM/MJ in May. A second fully irrigated experiment with lucerne plants grown in plastic columns under near field conditions investigated the seasonality of biomass partitioning between shoots and perennial biomass (roots and crowns). The proportion of total biomass partitioned to shoots (P_shoot) was 0.90 in September, 0.67 from October to February but only 0.35 in March and could be related to photoperiod. These P_shoot values were closely correlated with showing seasonal changes in RUE_shoot were partly caused by changes in biomass partitioning. Field data for RUE_shoot were divided by P_shoot to estimate the RUE for total biomass production (RUE_total). The RUE_total increased linearly from 0.60 to 1.60 g DM/MJ as mean air temperatures increased from 6 to 18 °C. These results quantified the effects of solar radiation and mean temperature on total lucerne biomass production and its seasonal partitioning between shoots and perennial biomass. The influence of regrowth duration on this partitioning was also investigated.     

Effects of moisture stress on leaf appearance,tillering and other aspects of development in Triticum tauschii

Summary A glasshouse study was conducted to describe the dynamics of leaf and tiller appearance of four accessions of T. tauschii (Tt 04, Tt 17, Tt 65 and Tt 74) and to determine the influence of moisture stress (treatments were high and low moisture, imposed seven days after transplanting) on these and other aspects of development in this wild wheat.Under high moisture conditions, accessions differed greatly in flag leaf dimensions, culm length and seed number per spike, the values being lower in Tt 04 than in the other accessions. Low moisture strongly reduced values for these traits, with Tt 04 being least affected, but overall, there was no apparent association between the values obtained for these variables in the high moisture conditions and the effects of moisture stress. For three of the four accessions, final leaf number on the main culm was significantly lower in the low moisture treatment than in the respective control (P<0.05), but the differences between treatments (ca. 0.5 leaves or less) were very small. Maximum tiller number, on the other hand, was strongly reduced by low moisture, and initiation of tillering was inhibited until water was reapplied. There were no apparent after-effects of the moisture regime on the rate of subsequent tiller appearance.The four accessions differed in their leaf appearance rates, giving phyllochron values (117–142° Cd leaf^-1) within the range reported for hexaploid wheat. Low moisture tended to increase phyllochron, but in only one accession was this effect significant. Thus, depending on the accession, low moisture did not affect, or slightly decreased (by ca. 15–20%) the rate of leaf appearance. These effects were similar to those reported for cultivated wheat suggesting that there would be little scope for using these accessions of T. tauschii in breeding for stress tolerance.     

Chilling-induced oxidative stress and antioxidant responses in mume (Prunus mume) fruit during low temperature storage

Mume (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) fruit are harvested and consumed at the mature green stage and have a short storage life at ambient temperature. While cold temperature extends their storage life, improper refrigeration causes severe chilling injury (CI), with fruit suffering more severe CI at of 5–6 °C than at 1 °C. The objective of this research was to determine the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant systems in fruit under chilling stress. ‘Nankou’ fruit were stored at 1 °C or 6 °C for 15 days. Hydrogen peroxide, a preventive ROS, decreased at a slower rate at 6 °C than 1 °C during storage. Malondialdehyde (MDA), an indicator of lipid peroxidation caused by ROS, increased during storage and the contents were higher in fruit stored at 6 °C than at 1 °C. On the other hand, fruit stored at 6 °C had a lower total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and lower activities of antioxidant-related enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) than at 1 °C. These results indicate that the fruit at 6 °C had more oxidative stress; thus the fruit had more severe CI symptoms than at 1 °C.     

Effect of heat treatments on gene expression and enzyme activities associated to cell wall degradation in strawberry fruit

Strawberries at white ripening stage were heat treated at 45 °C for 3 h in an air oven and then stored at 20 °C for 72 h. Firmness, activity of enzymes associated to cell wall degradation, and expression of related genes were determined during the storage. Fruit firmness decreased during the incubation time, and after 24 h of storage the heat-treated fruit softened less than the control fruit. However, after 3 days at 20 °C no differences in firmness were detected between control and heat-treated fruit. Immediately after heat treatment application, the activity of endo-1,4-β-d-glucanase (EGase), β-xylosidase and β-galactosidase decreased, while polygalacturonase activity remained at a level similar to the control fruit. However, lower activities of all these enzymes, including polygalacturonase, were detected in heat-treated fruit after 24 h at 20 °C. The enzyme activity of β-xylosidase, β-galactosidase and polygalacturonase increased after 72 h up to similar or higher values than those of controls. However, endo-1,4-β-d-glucanase activity remained lower in heat-treated samples even after 72 h at 20 °C. The expression of genes encoding endoglucanase (FaCel1), β-xylosidase (FaXyl1), polygalacturonase (FaPG1) and expansin (FaExp2) was reduced immediately after treatment and during the following 4 h, and then increased after 24 h to levels similar to or higher than those of control fruit.

Therefore, the selected treatment (45 °C, 3 h in air) effectively reduced strawberry softening and caused a temporary reduction of both the expression of above-mentioned genes and the activity of a set of enzymes involved in cell wall disassembly.     

Extending the postharvest life of carnations with nitric oxide—comparison of fumigation and in vivo delivery

The ability of nitric oxide (NO) to extend the postharvest life at 20 °C of carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus L. cv. White-Sim) was investigated using delivery by gas-based fumigation and in vivo release via a solution containing the NO donor compound 2,2′-(hydroxynitrosohydrazino)-bisethanamine (DETA/NO). Treatment with NO gas in air at 1 and 5 μl l⁻¹ produced about a 30% increase in postharvest life while DETA/NO applied in solution at 10 mg l⁻¹ extended postharvest life by about 50% when dissolved in water. For flowers, use of solid delivery appears to offer a more convenient and more effective method of NO treatment than gaseous fumigation to extend postharvest life.     

Effect of high-pressure hot-water washing treatment on fruit quality, insects, and disease in apples and pears: Part I. System description and the effect on fruit quality of ‘d’Anjou’ pears

A manually operated high-pressure hot-water washing system consisting of a boiler, hot-water mixing tank, contact loop, heat exchanger, spray mixing tank, high-pressure hot-water washing manifold, low-pressure fresh water rinse manifold, and pressure pump was constructed and installed in a packingline. The system developed 20–50 °C washing water at pressures up to 980 kPa. ‘d’Anjou’ pears (Pyrus communis L.), shortly after harvest, and after storage for 3 and 4 months in regular air (RA) or for 4, 7 and 8 months in controlled atmosphere (CA) at −1 °C were washed through the packingline with different wetting agents (0.1% Silwet, 0.01 and 0.1% Defoamer, and water), water pressures (regular and high-pressure (210–980 kPa)), water temperatures (control (tap water, 4–22 °C), 40 °C, and 50 °C), and brushes (soft and firm), respectively. The effect of the washing conditions on fruit quality was investigated after 1 month of storage at −1 °C to simulate shipping condition, and then again after 1 week at 20 °C to simulate marketing condition. Hot-water caused severe heat scald. When nozzle temperature was 50 °C, the incidence of heat scald increased to over 50% for the fruit stored in RA for 3 months. Combined with hot-water, 540 kPa high-pressure washing increased the incidence of friction discoloration. There were lower incidences of friction discoloration and heat scald for fruit stored in CA for 7 months, in comparison to that in RA for 3 months. However, those fruit did not ripen properly as indicated by a high extractable juice content. Fruit washed at harvest had minor incidences of friction discoloration regardless of different brushes, water pressures, and wetting agents. Fruit washed after storages in either 4 months RA or 4 or 8 months CA suffered a high incidence of friction discoloration including scuffing symptoms and pressure marking. The firm brushes caused a higher incidence of friction discoloration mainly because of scuffing symptoms. However, no differences were found between different water pressures and wetting agents with respect to friction discoloration. Fruit stored for 4 months RA suffered 26–28% friction discoloration in comparison to 16–18% in CA stored fruit with firm brush washing. Extended CA storage increased friction discoloration even with soft brush washing. The results suggest that a washing system with high-pressure spray, <30 °C warm water, wetting agent Defoamer and rotating soft brushes were significantly effective in removing surface pests and decay control without causing internal or external damage of fruit.     

Expression of expansin genes during postharvest lignification and softening of ‘Luoyangqing’ and ‘Baisha’ loquat fruit under different storage conditions

Four expansin cDNA fragments, EjEXPA1, EjEXPA2, EjEXPA3 and EjEXPA4, were isolated and characterized from loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) fruit. EjEXPA1 mRNA accumulated consistently with the increase in fruit firmness in 0 °C storage of ‘Luoyangqing’ (LYQ) fruit, where chilling injury with increased fruit firmness due to lignification was observed. EjEXPA1 mRNA levels were lower in fruit that underwent low temperature conditioning (LTC, 6 d at 5 °C then 4 d at 0 °C), and in 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treated fruit, in both cases where chilling injury was alleviated. Fruit of the ‘Baisha’ (BS) cultivar soften after harvest rather than increase in firmness, and high expression levels of EjEXPA1 and EjEXPA4 accompanied the softening of BS fruit stored at 20 °C; such mRNA accumulation was much lower when fruit were stored at 0 °C, where softening was significantly inhibited by the low temperature. Very low expression of EjEXPA2 and EjEXPA3 was observed during storage of both LYQ and BS fruit under the different storage conditions. Our results showed that of the four genes characterized, EjEXPA1 might be associated with chilling-induced lignification while both EjEXPA1 and EjEXPA4 were closely related to softening of loquat fruit during the postharvest period.     

Spear yield and quality of white asparagus as affected by soil temperature

In three consecutive years two asparagus cultivars (Gijnlim, Grolim) were cultivated at three different temperatures in the ridge surface ranging from 12 to 26 °C to assess (1) the onset of spear yield, (2) the mean daily yield increase per plant, and (3) the establishment of spear quality defects. The objective was to determine the temperature dependence of the spear growth and quality of white asparagus with respect to different cultivars and the harvest year.

The mean time interval Δt from the beginning of the temperature treatment to harvest start was 16.5 d at the reference temperature of 20 °C. This time interval corresponded to a thermal time of 255 °C d at a base temperature of 4.4 °C. The mean yield increase per plant at the reference temperature was 17.4 g d⁻¹. The temperature dependence of Δt and was expressed by the relative change of these quantities per 1 °C alteration, which were on average 0.08 and 0.14 °C⁻¹, respectively. The frequency of quality defects (rusted spears, split spears, hollow/club-shaped spears, spears with open heads) and grade I quality depended significantly (P < 0.05) on the temperature, cultivar, and harvest year. Generally, ‘Gijnlim’ showed fewer quality defects than ‘Grolim’, whereas spears without defects were most frequent for those grown between 18 and 22 °C. With rising temperatures, the frequency of split or hollow/club-shaped spears and spears with open heads increased, while the frequency of rusted spears decreased. The derived functions of yield and quality parameters should improve the controlling of the yield and quality of white asparagus spears at varying temperatures in the ridge.     

Interactive effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations and plant available soil water content on canopy evapotranspiration and conductance of spring wheat

The present study was conducted to investigate the possible interactive effects of rising atmospheric CO₂ concentration [CO₂] and drought stress on water use of wheat. Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. “Minaret”) was grown either in 1 m diameter lysimeters with 0.4 m soil depth (1998) or in the field (1999) in open-top chambers under two CO₂-concentrations (ambient, ambient + 280 ppm) and two watering regimes (well-watered = WW with a plant available water content PAW > 40 mm and drought stressed = DS, 10 mm < PAW < 30 mm) beginning after first node stage. Canopy evapotranspiration (E_C) was measured continuously from first the node stage until the beginning of flag leaf senescence using four open-system canopy chambers (0.78 m³). Seasonal changes of the absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) of the canopy and root growth (1999) were also measured.

In both growing seasons leaf area index increased in response to elevated [CO₂] in both water treatments. The related effects of [CO₂] on canopy radiation absorption (APAR) were, however, smaller. E_C was linearily related to APAR in both growing seasons. While elevated [CO₂] reduced the slope of this relation under WW conditions by ca. 20% in both growing seasons, it was not reduced (1998) and even increased (1999) under drought. Canopy conductance (G_C) calculated as E_C divided by vapour pressure deficit of air, showed a non-linear relationship to APAR that was best explained by saturation curves. Under WW conditions, elevated [CO₂] reduced the initial slope of G_C versus APAR as well as G_C at saturating light conditions (ca. −30%), while under DS conditions no effect of elevated [CO₂] could be detected. Under high light conditions (PAR > 400 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) a critical “threshold value” of PAW (T_PAW, ca. 40 mm) could be identified above which G_C did not respond to PAW. While in 1998 G_C did not respond to elevated [CO₂] at PAW < T_PAW, it was slightly increased at low PAW values in the field experiments of 1999. The reduction of T_PAW by elevated [CO₂] may be explained by enhanced root growth (1999) that would have given the plants better access to soil water resources. The present results suggest that below a critical soil water content elevated [CO₂] will not reduce canopy water loss of wheat or may even enhance it.     

A temporal limit to the association between flag leaf life extension by fungicides and wheat yields

Three field experiments, each repeated over two or three seasons, on winter wheat investigated a possible limit to the association between grain yield and flag leaf life, as extended by fungicide application. The experiments involved up to six cultivars and different application rates, timings and frequencies of the strobilurin azoxystrobin and the triazole epoxiconazole. In the 2000/01 and 2001/02 seasons, the relationships between the thermal time to 37% green flag leaf area (m) and yield deviated from linearity. ‘Broken stick’ models were fitted to cultivar × experiment combinations within each season and the limit to the benefit to yield associated with extending flag leaf life was 700 °C days (S.E. = 20.7) and 725 °C days (S.E. = 9.33) after anthesis in 2000/01 and 2001/02, respectively. In 2002/03, the relationship between yield and m did not deviate significantly (P > 0.05) from linearity, but in this latter year the fungicide application failed to increase m past 700 °C days.     

Influence of modified atmosphere packaging on sensory quality of shiitake mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes) were packaged under air in two macroperforated packages (A—9.0 × 10³ perforations/m², 0.1 mm² surface and B—17 perforations/m², 0.1 mm² surface) and under two gas mixtures (15% and 25% O₂) in polyethylene packages, and stored at 5 °C for 18 d. The sensory quality of the mushrooms was evaluated using a trained assessors panel.

Mushrooms packaged in macroperforated packages A showed the smallest deterioration rate. However, weight loss after 6 d of storage reached 15%, which is unacceptable. Besides, shelf life of shiitake mushrooms in active modified atmosphere was limited by off-odour development. Mushrooms in these packages developed off-odour after 12 d of storage due to the fact that O₂ concentrations fall bellow 5%.

On the other hand, the shelf life of mushrooms packaged in macroperforated packages B was limited by their sensory deterioration, particularly by changes in the colour and uniformity of their gills. In this film, mushrooms could be stored for approximately 10 d with a weight loss lower than 2%.

Results from the present work suggest that during the first 6 d of storage all the evaluated packaging conditions were useful for reducing mushroom deterioration rate.     

The freezing characteristics of wheat at ear emergence

Wheat is occasionally exposed to freezing temperatures during ear emergence and can suffer severe frost damage. Few studies have attempted to understand the characteristics of freezing and frost damage to wheat during late development stages.

It was clearly shown that wheat appears to have an inherent frost resistance to temperatures down to −5 °C but is extensively damaged below this temperature. Acclimation, whilst increasing the frost resistance of winter wheat in a vegetative state was incapable of increasing frost resistance of plants at ear emergence. It is proposed that the ability to upregulate frost resistance is lost once vernalisation requirement is fulfilled.

Culms and ears of wheat were able to escape frost damage at temperatures below −5 °C by supercooling even to as low as −15 °C and evidence collected by infrared thermography suggested that individual culms on a plant froze as independent units during freezing with little or no cross ice-nucleation strategies to protect wheat from frost damage in the field appear to revolve around avoiding ice nucleation.     

Storage performance of Fortune mandarins following hot water dips

Commercially ripe ‘Fortune’ mandarins were dipped in water at 50 °C (Dip50), 52 °C (Dip52), 54 °C (Dip54), 56 °C (Dip56), or 58 °C (Dip58) for 3 min before storage at 6 °C for 30 days and 3 additional days at 20 °C (simulated shelf-life). Untreated fruits were used as control. Scanning electron microscopy of untreated fruit revealed rough and granular wax surface structures with a number of deep surface cracks. In contrast, fruits dipped at 50–54 °C did not exhibit similar fractures and the fruit surface appeared relatively homogeneous. Dip56 resulted in parts of the surface with no apparent epicuticular wax and zones with an accumulation of waxy deposits. With Dip58, the fruit surface appeared as if the treatment had melted and completely removed epicuticular waxes. Dip50–54 reduced chilling injury and levels of decay, both during cold storage and simulated shelf-life. Dip56–58 showed no advantages compared with untreated fruit. Neither Dip50 nor Dip52 caused adverse effects to rind surface, either during or after simulated shelf-life. Conversely, higher dip temperatures induced heat damage in the form of rind browning, the extent and number of fruits affected increasing as bath temperature increased. Water loss was consistently lower in untreated fruit. Peel water loss was consistently higher in Dip56 and Dip58 fruit. Differences in external appearance, physiological behaviour and internal quality attributes between untreated and Dip50–54 fruit were minimal. Dip56 and especially Dip58 had negative effects on the external appearance of fruits. The off-flavour found in Dip58 was probably due to increased levels of ethanol in the juice.     

Efficiency of water use of early plantings of sunflower

Rain fed crop production in Mediterranean environments depends to a large extent on strategies that avoid the intense summer drought. Early plantings of sunflower have given consistently higher yields in such environments, but the basis for such yield increases has not been explored. We conducted two field experiments at Cordoba (Spain) to investigate the effects of an early and a late planting date on the components of water-limited crop productivity; namely, water use (T), water use efficiency (TE) and harvest index (HI) of sunflower. The results were generalized by simulating rain fed sunflower yields, under early (1 January) and late (15 March) plantings, for a 25-year period with the aid of a simulation model of the Ceres type (OILCROP-SUN) which has been validated in Cordoba. Experimental seed yields of early plantings in 1989 and 1996 were 2.0 and 3.0 t ha⁻¹, while late plantings yields were 1.3 and 2.4 t ha⁻¹, for the 2 years. Average simulated yields were 2.7 ± 1.1 and 1.9 ± 0.7 t ha⁻¹ for early and late plantings, respectively. For the 2 years, T of early plantings was higher than that of late plantings, but the response of TE and HI to planting date was not the same in the two experiments. In the simulation exercise, T and TE of early plantings were consistently higher than those of late plantings, while there were no differences in the HI for the two planting dates. We conclude that early plantings of sunflower increase rain fed yields by increasing both T and TE, while the impact of planting date on HI very much depends on the crop water stress pattern, which is quite variable from year to year even in the predictable Mediterranean environment.