Volume change of bread and bread crumb during cooling,chilling and freezing,and the impact of baking

During baking, bread dough undergoes an expansion followed by a slight contraction at the end of baking. The contraction during baking has been evidenced by some authors. However, there is a limited amount of literature about the contraction of the crumb during the chilling phase and also during the freezing phase in the case of freezing. A study has been carried out to better understand the impact of the baking degree on the contraction of the crumb during chilling after baking and during freezing. The volume of the samples has been evaluated with a laser volumeter. Breads (70 g dough) were baked until reaching 75 °C, 85 °C, 95 °C, 98 °C and then 98 °C for 10 min. Results showed that a longer baking resulted in a lower contraction of the bread. The volume change was between 25% and 2.5% for baking at 75 °C—0 min dwell and 98 °C—10 min dwell, respectively. The contraction was compared to the contraction of degassed bread crumb samples, which was more important. SEM pictures showed that the degree of baking also corresponded to a very different structure of the crumb. For the longer baking, the starch granules were fully gelatinized and no ghosts of starch granules were visible. The magnitude of the contraction was thus associated with the degree of baking and with the degree of starch granule destructuration.     

甲霜灵锰锌防治晚疫病对“大西洋”的产量及块茎大小的影响

通过喷施甲霜灵锰锌可以有效的防治云南春播“大西洋”的晚疫病发生 ,使植株生长期延长 ,有利于块茎的膨大和干物质积累 ,从而显著提高产量和商品薯率。施用甲霜灵锰锌以现蕾开花后 ,每隔 10d喷施一次较为经济有效     

Impact of seawater intrusion control on the environment,land use and household incomes in a coastal area

Agricultural production in the coastal wetlands of Asia is often hindered by salinity intrusion caused by tidal fluctuation. This paper reports changes in environmental and socio-economic conditions that followed the phased construction and operation of sluices for controlling seawater intrusion from 1994 –2000 in a coastal area of the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam. Canal water salinity decreased rapidly upstream of sluices, allowing rice cropping intensification and increased rice production in the eastern part of the study area. However, the livelihoods of farmers in the western part were adversely affected due to cessation of supply of brackish water that was needed for brackish-water shrimp farming, while the acid sulphate soils present there posed problems for rice cultivation. The poor farmers and landless people suffered more because the fishery resource that they depended on declined sharply due to reduced salinity and increased acidity in the canal water. The findings confirmed that the environment and resource use in the coastal lands are very sensitive to external intervention. A clear understanding of the socio-economic and environmental impacts of salinity control measures in coastal areas can help planning to enhance farmers' incomes while minimizing negative environmental impacts. Land-use policy formulation, planning and management should adopt a more holistic approach, taking into account the interests of all resource users, especially the poor, instead of focusing on any particular sector.     

玉米田养鹅对土壤理化性状、杂草多样性及玉米生长的影响

为探究"玉米田养鹅"对农田生态系统杂草多样性、土壤理化性质及玉米生长状况的影响,以林芝市八一镇章麦村试验田为研究对象,运用对比方法,研究玉米田养鹅(Raising geese in cornfield,RGC)和对照(Control,CK)土壤理化性质、杂草多样性及玉米生长的异同,旨在通过田间状态的描述和中间状态的研究,为以后优化玉米田调控措施提供依据。结果表明:1)RGC处理有19种杂草,其中以菊科植物最多,对照组仅有9种。不同功能群杂草密度相差很大,双子叶一年生或越年生被子植物功能群杂草密度远远高于其他5种功能群;RGC处理提高了杂草群落Shannon-Wiener和Simpson多样性指数,但降低了Pielou均匀度指数和Margalef物种丰富度指数;2)RGC处理土壤含水率较对照高1.27%,与对照相比差异不显著(P0.05);3)随着土层加深,RGC和对照土壤紧实度均呈逐渐增加趋势,且RGC对紧实度影响显著;4)对照土壤碱解氮含量为86.48mg/kg,略高于RGC处理2.67mg/kg(P0.05),速效钾含量为161.07mg/kg,略高于RGC处理28.66mg/kg(P0.05),而RGC的土壤中速效磷含量为120.98mg/kg,是对照(106.25mg/kg)的1.14倍(P0.05)。结论:RGC处理增加了农田系统杂草数量、种类和生物量,提高了生物多样性,使土壤紧实度明显减小、土壤含水率增加及土壤养分含量出现差异,且玉米各项农艺性状低于对照。     

Transmission Efficiency of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Potato Leafroll Virus</Emphasis> by Four Potato Colonizing Aphid Species in Tunisian Potato Fields

This study investigated the transmission efficiency of Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) by four potato colonizing aphid species, Myzus persicae, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Aphis gossypii and Aphis fabae, reported from leaves and yellow water trap. Physalis floridana was used as a test plant for virus transmission. DAS-ELISA was used for virus screening of samples as well as virus detection on the test plant after transmission experiment. A 2-h period was sufficient for the tested aphids to acquire PLRV virions. However, a difference in the transmission potential occurred according to the aphid species. The highest potential was recorded for M. persicae and M. euphorbiae, at 90 and 80%, respectively. For the first time, the study revealed the PLRV transmission efficiency of A. fabae, estimated at 50%. The lowest potential rate of 30% was recorded for A. gossypii. This study highlights the PLRV transmission capacities of four potato colonizing aphids suspected to play a key role in the spread of PLRV in potato seed production sites.     

Extracellular Polymeric Substances Produced by the Thermophilic Cyanobacterium Gloeocapsa gelatinosa: Characterization and Assessment of Their Antioxidant and Metal-Chelating Activities

Cyanobacteria, particularly thermophilic strains, represent an important potential source of EPSs, harboring structural complexity that predicts diverse and specific bioactive potential. The thermophilic cyanobacteria Gloeocapsa gelatinosa, isolated from a natural hot source in Ain Echfa (Tunisia), was cultivated in a cylindrical reactor, and the production of biomass and EPSs was investigated. Results revealed that the strain is amongst the most efficient EPSs producers (0.89 g L⁻¹) and that EPSs production was not correlated with the growth phase. EPSs were sulfated heteropolysaccharides containing carbohydrates (70%) based on nine different monosaccharides, mainly mannose (22%), and with the presence of two uronic acids. EPSs were formed by two polymers moieties with a molecular weight of 598.3 ± 7.2 and 67.2 ± 4.4 kDa. They are thermostable in temperatures exceeding 100 °C and have an anionic nature (zeta potential of −40 ± 2 mV). Atomic force microscopy showed that EPSs formed multimodal lumps with 88 nm maximum height. EPSs presented high water holding capacity (70.29 ± 2.36%) and solubility index (97.43 ± 1.24%), and a strong bivalent metal sorption capacity especially for Cu²⁺ (91.20 ± 1.25%) and Fe²⁺ (75.51 ± 0.71%). The antioxidant activity of G. gelatinosa EPSs was investigated using four methods: the β-carotene-bleaching activity, DPPH assays, iron-reducing activity, and metal-chelating activity. EPS has shown high potential as free radicals’ scavenger, with an IC₅₀ on DPPH (0.2 g L⁻¹) three-fold lower than ascorbic acid (0.6 g L ⁻¹) and as a metal chelating activity (IC₅₀ = 0.4 g L⁻¹) significantly lower than EDTA. The obtained results allow further exploration of the thermophilic G. gelatinosa for several biotechnological and industrial applications.     

Simulated water and solute distribution from a crossed triple line-source

Summary Multivariable irrigation experiments are usually expensive and seldom cover the whole range of desired values. The crossed triple line-source (CTLS) was designed to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive irrigation system for creating continuous gradients of more than one variable. A computer model was developed to assist in evaluating the continuously changing multivariable levels, produced by the CTLS, given various inputs. A single sprinkler's distribution function was used in the model's development. The results of the overlapping sprinkling patterns are calculated throughout the experimental area for water depth, salinity level, and Nitrogen concentration. Measured values of irrigation water electrical conductivity (EC_i) and Nitrogen concentration were in good agreement with predicted values.