Effects of agricultural practices on color, carotenoids composition, and minerals contents of sweet peppers, cv. Almuden

Consumers demand organic products because they believe they are more flavorful and respectful to the environment and human health. The effects of conventional, integrated, and organic farming, grown in a controlled greenhouse, on color, minerals, and carotenoids of sweet pepper fruits ( Capsicum annuum), cv. Almuden, were studied. Experimental results proved that organic farming provided peppers with the highest (a) intensities of red and yellow colors, (b) contents of minerals, and (c) total carotenoids. Integrated fruits presented intermediate values of the quality parameters under study, and conventional fruits were those with the lowest values of minerals, carotenoids, and color intensity. As an example, the concentrations of total carotenoids were 3231, 2493, and 1829 mg kg (-1) for organic, integrated, and conventional sweet peppers, respectively. Finally, organic red peppers could be considered as those having the highest antioxidant activity of all studied peppers (agricultural farming and development stage).     

Evolution of antioxidant capacity during storage of selected fruits and vegetables

Interest in the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is, to a large extent, due to its content of bioactive nutrients and their importance as dietary antioxidants. Among all of the selected fruits and vegetables, strawberries and black grapes have relatively high antioxidant capacities associated with high contents of total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, and flavonols. More interesting, the results of this study indicated that in most fruits and vegetables storage did not affect negatively the antioxidant capacity. Better, in some cases, an increase of the antioxidant capacity was observed in the days following their purchase, accompanied by an increase in phenolic compounds. In general, fruits and vegetables visually spoil before any significant antioxidant capacity loss occurs except in banana and broccoli. When ascorbic acid or flavonoids (aglycons of flavonols and anthocyanins) were concerned, the conclusions were similar. Their content was generally stable during storage.     

Dietary transition stages based on eating patterns and diet quality among Haitians of Montreal, Canada

OBJECTIVES: To identify dietary transition stages based on dietary patterns of adult Haitians having lived in Montreal for various lengths of time, and to assess associated dietary quality. SUBJECTS: One hundred and eighty-one Haitians aged 25-60 years were recruited by the modified random digit dialling method. DESIGN: Socio-economic, diet and lifestyle variables were documented by questionnaire. Three non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls were conducted over a 3-month period. Dietary patterns were studied using cluster analysis, and their association with proportion of lifetime in Canada and with socio-economic status (SES) was examined. Diet quality criteria were micronutrient adequacy and healthfulness based on dietary recommendations of the World Health Organization. RESULTS: Four dietary phenotypes were identified which could roughly represent stages of dietary transition or acculturation (Traditional, Pre-Western, Western and Modern). Subjects in the 'Traditional' cluster were older and had lived for a significantly lower proportion of their lifetime in Canada; they also tended to be of lower SES. Diet quality was significantly higher in the 'Traditional' than the 'Western' type, particularly with respect to healthfulness. A significantly lower proportion of subjects complying with limited intake of total fat ( < 30%) and cholesterol ( < 45%) was observed in the 'Western' compared with other diet phenotypes. Less than 15% of all subjects consumed enough dietary fibre, irrespective of diet type. CONCLUSION: Dietary transition stages could be identified on the basis of food patterns of Haitians according to the proportion of their lifetime in Canada. Encouraging the youth to retain the traditional food culture in its positive aspects would appear relevant     

Titanium dioxide photoinduced degradation of some pesticide/fungicide precursors

Five-membered nitrogen heterocycles (pyrrole, imidazole and 1,2,4-triazole) have been degraded using titanium dioxide and simulated solar radiation at pH = 8. The degradations followed a simple Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. Accordingly, the adsorption equilibrium constants K of the heterocycles on the titanium dioxide surface and the rate constants k of degradation of the heterocycle-catalyst adduct have been obtained experimentally. While the K values decrease with heterocycle pKa, the k values increase with increasing pKa. Therefore, apparently, the rate constant depends on the availability of the electron pair on nitrogen, but at the same time the electron pair repulsion induced by the negatively charged titanium dioxide surface at pH = 8 causes a reverse effect in the adsorption equilibrium constant. Only in the case of imidazole, where the adsorption equilibrium constant is low enough (K = 0.013 M(-1)), can the rate constant be approximated to a pseudo-first-order rate expression: k(obs) = Kk. In all other cases, k(obs) = Kk/(1 + K(heterocycle)).     

Testing MACRO (version 5.1) for pesticide leaching in a Dutch clay soil

Testing of pesticide leaching models against comprehensive field-scale measurements is necessary to increase confidence in their predictive ability when used as regulatory tools. Version 5.1 of the MACRO model was tested against measurements of water flow and the behaviour of bromide, bentazone [3-isopropyl-1H-2,1,3-benzothiadiazin-4(3H)-one-2,2-dioxide] and imidacloprid [1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine] in a cracked clay soil. In keeping with EU (FOCUS) procedures, the model was first calibrated against the measured moisture profiles and bromide concentrations in soil and in drain water. Uncalibrated pesticide simulations based on laboratory measurements of sorption and degradation were then compared with field data on the leaching of bentazone and imidacloprid. Calibrated parameter values indicated that a high degree of physical non-equilibrium (i.e. strong macropore flow) was necessary to describe solute transport in this soil. Comparison of measured and simulated bentazone concentration profiles revealed that the bulk of the bentazone movement in this soil was underestimated by MACRO. Nevertheless, the model simulated the dynamics of the bentazone breakthrough in drain water rather well and, in particular, accurately simulated the timing and the concentration level of the early bentazone breakthrough in drain water. The imidacloprid concentration profiles and its persistence in soil were simulated well. Moreover, the timing of the early imidacloprid breakthrough in the drain water was simulated well, although the simulated concentrations were about 2-3 times larger than measured. Deep groundwater concentrations for all substances were underestimated by MACRO, although it simulated concentrations in the shallow groundwater reasonably well. It is concluded that, in the context of ecotoxicological risk assessments for surface water, MACRO can give reasonably good simulations of pesticide concentrations in water draining from cracking clay soils, but that prior calibration against hydrologic and tracer data is desirable to reduce uncertainty and improve accuracy.     

Anthocyanins present in selected tropical fruits: acerola, jambolão, jussara, and guajiru

Many tropical fruits are rich in anthocyanins, though limited information is available about the characterization and quantification of these anthocyanins. The identification and quantification of anthocyanin pigments in four tropical fruits were determined by HPLC-MS/MS. Fruits studied included acerola (Malphigia emarginata), jussara (Euterpe edulis), jambol?o (Syzygium cumini), and guajiru (Chrysobalanus icaco). All four fruits were found to contain anthocyanin pigments. Anthocyanidin backbones included cyanidin, delphinidin, peonidin, pelargonidin, petunidin, and malvidin. Guajiru contained several acylated forms, while acerola, jussara, and jambol?o contained only nonacylated glycosides. These results demonstrate that these tropical fruits are rich in anthocyanins and that the anthocyanins are widely ranging in anthocyanidin backbone, glycosylation, and acylation.     

Structure of genetic variation in vegetative phenology of Cedrela odorata L.: implications for tree breeding

New Forests - The study of vegetative phenology is important to understand adaptation to different environments and potential trade-offs with growth traits. Crown leaf-out and leaf-fall phenology...     

Who ate my chocolate? Small mammals and fruit damage in cacao agroforestry

Agroforestry Systems - Small mammals interfere in plant dynamics through seed and seedling predation, and seed dispersion. In anthropogenic systems, some species provide ecosystem services while...     

Litter production and nutrient deposition from native woody species in the Brazilian semi-arid region

Agroforestry Systems - The use of native trees in agroecosystems is a promising way to increase litter deposition and nutrient cycling and foster the recovery of degraded areas, especially in...     

Stocking density evaluation on Catarina scallop (Argopecten ventricosus,Sowerby II, 1842) larvae to improve hatchery production

The Catarina scallop Argopecten ventricosus is a highly valued resource. Although its hatchery spat production has already been reported, the effects of initial larval stocking density have never been reported for production purposes. This study evaluates A. ventricosus growth and survival in triplicate using three stocking densities: low (LD; 2 larvae mL^?1), medium (MD; 4 larvae mL^?1), and high (HD; 6 larvae mL^?1). Three-day old larvae were reared in 18-L plastic carboy at 25.6?±?0.5 °C and fed with a microalgal blend of Isochrysis galbana and Chaetoceros calcitrans (1:1 cell number ratio) for 7 days, equivalent to 10 post-fertilization days (PFD). Higher specific growth rate was recorded at LD (15.8?±?0.2%) after 8 PFD of culture compared to MD (1.6?±?0.5%) and HD (4.1?±?1.8%) densities. The least time required for 60% of the larvae to reach the pediveliger stage was recorded at LD condition (10 PFD). Higher survival was recorded at HD (58.8?±?3.1%) at 8 PFD compared to MD (53.5?±?3.1%) and LD (43.9?±?3.0%). After 8 PFD, stocking density was highly related to larval growth and survival. To increase production and growth, and reduce the time required to reach pediveliger stage, stocking density should start with 6 larvae mL^?1 and be reduced to 2 larvae mL^?1 at 7 PFD.