Seafood mislabelling: comparisons of two western European case studies assist in defining influencing factors,mechanisms and motives

The global seafood industry, influenced by consumer demand, is closely linked to the global fishing industry, which determines the variety of fish available for consumption. The recently revealed issue of seafood mislabelling threatens to weaken this link by removing consumer power to influence patterns of fisheries exploitation through informed choice. Recognizing this, there is an urgent need to go beyond the mere documentation of the phenomenon and learn more about the origins of this problem and the nature of factors influencing its occurrence to develop solutions. In an attempt to understand seafood mislabelling more thoroughly in Europe, 226 cod products were purchased from Ireland and the UK, genetically identified using a DNA barcoding technique (COI barcoding gene), and species identification results were compared against product labels. Cod mislabelling proved more severe in Ireland than in the UK (28.4% vs. 7.4%). Moreover, whereas data show that in Ireland, cheaper species are sold as cod, in the UK, threatened Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) may be sold as ‘sustainably sourced’ Pacific cod. Considering these countries operate under the same EU policies for seafood traceability and labelling, it is likely that this situation has been influenced by heightened consumer awareness in the UK, which has created an environment where mislabelling is discouraged. In addition to identifying samples, traceability information from packaged cod was used to trace products back to supplying companies. Although inconclusive in determining blame, this exercise has demonstrated that using traceability information can add explanatory power when attempting to determine responsibility for the occurrence of mislabelling.     

Genetic and phenotypic parameter estimates for body weights and egg production in Horro chicken of Ethiopia

A breeding program has been established in 2008 to improve productivity of Horro chicken, an indigenous population in the western highlands of Ethiopia. The pedigree descended from 26 sires and 260 dams. Body weights were measured every 2 weeks from hatch to 8 weeks then every 4 weeks for the next 8 weeks. Egg production was recorded to 44 weeks of age for one generation. Genetic parameters were estimated using animal model fitted with common environmental effects for growth traits and ignoring common environment for egg production traits. Direct heritabilities ranged from low (0.15 ± 0.08), for body weight at 6 weeks, to moderate (0.40 ± 0.23), for hatch weight. Heritabilities of common environmental effects on growth were high at hatch (0.39 ± 0.10) and remained low afterwards. Age at first egg showed a very low heritability (0.06 ± 0.15). Heritabilities of egg numbers in the first, second, third, and fourth months of laying were 0.32 (±0.13), 0.20 (±0.16), 0.56 (±0.15), and 0.25 (±0.14), respectively. Heritabilities of cumulative of monthly records of egg numbers were from 0.24 ± 0.16 (for the first 2 months, EP12) to 0.35 ± 0.16 (over the 6 months, EP16). Body weight at 16 weeks of age (BW16) has a strong genetic correlation with the cumulative of monthly records: 0.92 (with EP12), 0.69 (with EP36), and 0.73 (with EP16). Besides their strong association, BW16 and EP16 showed higher heritability, relative to their respective trait categories. These two traits seemed to have common genes and utilizing them as selection traits would be expected to improve both egg production and growth performance of local chicken. However, the standard errors of estimates in this study were mostly high indicating that the estimates have low precision. Parameter estimations based on more data are needed before applying the current results in breeding programs.     

The effects of triacontanol on seedling growth and polyphenol oxidase activity in dark and light growth lettuce

The present study was designed to study the effects of various concentrations (0.00; 0.01, 0.10 and 1.00‐mg/ml) of triacontanol on root, stem and leaf growth and polyphenol oxidase activity in each respective tissue; in Grand Rapids and Great Lakes varieties of eleven‐day‐old dark and light grown lettuce seedlings.

Root, stem and leaf growth was less than in non‐triacontanol‐treated Grand Rapids seedlings in both TC‐treated dark and light exposed seedlings. With respect to Great Lakes seedlings, all dark‐grown roots exhibited greater growth than the corresponding untreated control. Light‐grown Great Lakes roots treated with 0.01‐mg/ml and 1.0‐mg/ml or triacontanol respectively, grew more than control or 0.1‐mg/ml triacontanol‐treated seedlings. Both dark and light‐grown triacontanol‐treated stem and leaf tissues of Great Lakes seedlings all produced less growth than the untreated controls.

The Grand Rapids variety had less polyphenol oxidase activity in both dark and light‐grown root and stem tissues than in untreated controls; however, both dark and light‐grown leaf tissue, treat ed with 0.01‐mg/ml and 1.0‐mg/ml of triacontanol respectively exhibited more polyphenol oxidase activity than 1.0‐mg/ml triacontanol ‐treated or untreated control tissues.

TC treatment of 0.1‐mg/ml caused no enhancement of PPO activity in dark or light‐grown root, stem and leaf tissues of Great Lakes tissue, however, seedlings treated with a concentration of 0.01‐mg/ml TC exhibited more PPO activity than non‐TC‐treated controls.     

Total organic carbon and its composition in long-term field experiments in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Total organic carbon content and its composition have been evaluated in the topsoil in the selected plots of 13 long-term field experiments conducted in different soil and climate conditions. The altitude of the sites ranged from 225 – 670 m above sea level. Four variants of the organic and mineral fertilization were selected in each experiment: Nil, which did not receive any organic or mineral fertilizers since the beginning of the experiment, mineral fertilized variant NPK, organic fertilized (manured) variant FYM and both organic and mineral fertilized variant FYM + NPK. Total organic carbon (C) content in the topsoil differed as a result of the soil and climate conditions (it ranged from 0.96 – 1.80% C in the Nil variants) and due to the organic and mineral fertilization. The inert and decomposable part of the soil organic C content was calculated and the hot water soluble carbon content was determined. Relationships between the individual SOM fractions have shown a highly significant correlation, except for the decomposable C calculated as a difference to Nil variant.     

Start-Timing for Calcium Chloride Spray Programs Influences Fruit Calcium and Bitter Pit in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Honeycrisp’ Apples

Early-season sprays of calcium chloride (CaCl₂) have been reported to sometimes be more effective than later-season sprays for controlling bitter pit in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.). We conducted a two-year study examining the influence of start-timing of CaCl₂ spray programs on fruit Ca concentrations and at-harvest bitter pit incidence in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Honeycrisp’ apples in Washington State, USA. Six biweekly sprays of CaCl₂ were applied starting in mid-May (early-start), mid-June (mid-start, the normal commercial start timing), or mid-July (late-start) 2002 and 2003. Although leaf marginal necrosis occurred in all of the CaCl₂-treated plots, no spray damage on fruit was observed. All of the CaCl₂ spray treatments consistently reduced bitter pit incidence relative to the unsprayed control treatment and usually but not always increased the Ca concentration of subdermal cortical tissue at harvest. The early and mid-start spray programs produced lower bitter pit incidence than the late-start program in only one of four situations. Fruit Ca concentrations in the control and early-start spray program did not differ. Fruit Ca concentrations in the mid- and late-start spray programs were not different, and often were higher than that of the early-start spray program. Bitter pit incidence for each cultivar was inversely related to fruit Ca concentration. Substituting cortical Ca/potassium (K) or Ca/magnesium (Mg) concentration ratios for Ca concentration failed to substantially improve and usually degraded the correlations with bitter pit incidence. The results confirm that starting CaCl₂ spray programs in June sometimes is more effective at controlling bitter pit that delaying the start of the spray program until July. The later season sprays tend to be more effective at increasing fruit Ca concentration. There appears to be no detectable advantage for starting spray programs earlier than June. Applying CaCl₂ sprays throughout the growing season, starting sometime in June, appears to be the most economical and effective spray management practice for maximizing fruit Ca and minimizing risk of bitter pit development.     

Responses of the parthenogenetic isopod, Trichoniscus pusillus (Isopoda: Oniscidea), to changes in food quality

Long-term observations of Trichoniscus pusillus revealed that chemical composition and microbial activity of the leaf litter serving as food influenced the reproductive success of females and the mortality rates of juveniles as well. Of the food sources investigated, only alder litter, exhibiting high microbial activity, allowed the maintenance of a stable population with frequently reproducing females. This study concludes that the food type is a significant factor for population parameters of this parthenogenetic isopod. Our results on T. pusillus, belonging to the taxon Synocheta, are compared with data on terrestrial isopod species of the taxon Crinocheta.