Field Fruit Research Articles

Foreign Invasive Pests Drosophila Suzukii (Matsamura) and Zaprionusindianus Gupta (Diptera: Drosophilidae) Threaten Fruit Production in Sub-Tropical Argentina

1. Abstract The sub-tropical region of north western Argentina (Tucuman province) shelters a major soft fruit production and exporting industry. Drosophilasuzukii <span style=font-size:10.0pt;font-family: times= new= roman,serif;mso-ansi-language:en-us=>(spotted-wing Drosophila; SWD) is a major global pest of soft fruits because females can lay eggs under the epidermis of healthy, ripening fruit. Recently, Argentina was invaded by the SWD, which has rapidly spread towards all the cardinal points, showing a great ability of adaptation to different climates and fruit crops. We report for the first time <span style=font-size:10.0pt;font-family: times= new= roman,serif;mso-ansi-language:en-us=>the presence of two invasive drosophilid species, SWD and Zaprionusindianus (African fig fly) in the sub-tropical rainforest of the Yungas (Koppen-Geiger climate classification CWa), adjacent to a high-value fruit production region, in the province of Tucuman (northwestern Argentina). Both species were recovered from wild guava fruit (P.sidiumguajava). The SWD was found in healthy, ripe fruit attached to the trees (65%) and in damaged fruit lifted from the ground (35%); while Z. indianus was only recovered from damaged fruit collected from the ground (100%). Zaprionusindianus, SWD and other drosophilid accounted for 86.6%, 7.1% and 6.3%, respectively, of the total of drosopholids found. The presence of both invasive insects in the region, especially SWD, is a threat for the local berry industry. Since SWD can complete its life cycle in guavas, these fruits would allow the sustainability of SWD populations during the seasons in which commercial berry crops are not in production. Berry growers and government plant protection agencies should promptly take measures to limit these pests dispersion to commercial fruit fields. 2. Keywords: African Fig Fly; <span style=font-size:10.0pt; font-family: times= new= roman,serif;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:= es=> Invasive Species; Psidiumguajaba; Spotted-Wing Drosophila

UTE’ SIMAGERE (TENGKORAK BAGI ROH): HUBUNGAN MASYARAKAT DENGAN PRIMATA ENDEMIK DI MENTAWAI

Many think that the primate hunting is done by the Mentawai people caused the primate extinction in Mentawai whereas forest exploitation on Siberut Island has been going on for a long time like HPH, poaching, and development. Indeed, the Mentawai people have Arat Sabulungan guidance on their environment which not only regulate natural environment but the social and cultural environment. Based on the research of results found that the people of Buttui and Tepu’ know their world is divided into two parts, namely purimanuaijat ( porak , manua , baga , oinan and leleu ); and s abulungan ( Saikamanua, Si Bara Ka Baga, Saikoinan and Saikaleleu ). The world purimanuaijat in fact both the living things and inanimate objects have a soul ( simagere ) and spirit ( ketsat ). So the Mentawai people should maintain the relationship. Because human life that always utilize nature, can trigger the relationship, so they do punen and puliaijat . Because the balance is not only about the world purimanuaijat , but also the world sabulungan . So the Mentawai people perform the hunting activity at the end of the ceremony, due to the hunt for a form of respect for the spirits of the ancestors, Saikaleleu and fellow creatures who are spirited and have spirits by making ute 'simagere . The ethno-ecological Mentawai people have a categorization of the environment that are uma , pumonean consisting of pumonean saina and also pumonean leleu or siburuk ; and leleu . Leleu this is a place of hunting and place of life for 4 species of endemic primates in the Mentawai. One of them are bilou , joja , simakobu and also bokkoi . As for the pumonean saina and pumonean leleu , it is advantageous to these four primates at the time of food to the four species of primates will descend to the fruit field as well as the bokkoi who can go down to the ground to take surappik . Likewise some taboos that save some primates while for the ceremony is not always the ending ceremony of hunting, so the ceremony and hunting are the mechanism of the Mentawai people in balancing the natural, social and cultural environment with a balance for the Mentawai people about the relationship between the world of purimanuaijat and the world of sabulungan .

Moscas blancas y enemigos naturales asociados al cultivo de naranja bajo dos tipos de manejo sanitario en San Pedro, provincia de Buenos Aires

Whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are important pests that affect the genus Citrus. The objective of this study was to identify the species present in orange orchards in San Pedro (province of Buenos Aires) and to analyze their population evolution and that of their natural enemies under two sanitary management (conventional and organic). The density of adults, parasitized and non-parasitized nymphs, species and density of predators and parasitoids, presence of sooty mold on leaf/fruit, fruit yield and applied agrochemicals were recorded monthly. The prevalent species of whiteflies were Dialeurodes citri (Ashmead) and Singhiella citrifolii (Morgan), whose adult populations developed between October and May, without differences between types of management. The nymphs were present throughout the year, with higher density in organic crops. Sooty mold levels were similar for both managements. The predator Euseius concordis (Chant) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was the most abundant natural enemy, with higher density in organic crops compared to conventional ones. There were low levels of parasitism by Encarsia protransvena Viggiani, Encarsia group strenua (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) and Neopomphale sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). The fruit field was higher in the conventional treatment. Results show the need of controlling the pest with less harmful products for the beneficial fauna.

Particle size distribution and settling velocity of sediments in water diverted from the Yellow River during border-strip irrigation

Li, J., Fei, L., Chen, Z., & Sun, X. (March-April, 2017). Particle size distribution and settling velocity of sediments in water diverted from the Yellow River during border-strip irrigation. Water Technology and Sciences (in Spanish), 8(2), 31-41. Diversion of river water for irrigation is an important factor in sustainable agricultural development in the Yellow River basin. This study examines patterns in the advance of sediment in irrigation water diverted from the Yellow River during border-strip irrigation. An irrigation experiment was carried out on a 1.8 m-wide strip and a 2.7 m-wide strip of a fruit field in order to observe the advance rate of irrigation water, the distribution of settled sediment, and the concentration and particle size distribution of sediment in the water flow. The settling velocity of sediment particles was then calculated using an empirical formula. The results show that the irrigation water gradually slowed as it advanced along the strip length, and the amounts of deposited particles decreased from the top ends of the strips to their bottom ends. The decrease was especially sharp on the section of each strip between 40 and 120 m from the water pipe outlet. Overall, the size of particles carried by the irrigation water fell within the range of 0.004 to 0.016 mm, with coarse and fine particles making up small proportions of the sediment. The concentration of coarse particles was higher at the top ends than at the bottom ends, while the concentration of fine particles was higher at the bottom ends than at the top ends. Water content in the soil at several locations varied significantly before and after irrigation, and the deposition of sediment was found to exert a great influence on the infiltration of irrigation water. The particle size distribution of the sediment deposited along the strips accords with the law of sedimentation in that coarse particles accumulated primarily at the top ends of the strips as a result of high settling velocity. Moreover, the results demonstrate that it is feasible to simplify the water flow over the field to open-channel flow when calculating settling velocity. However, the formula for calculating settling velocity needs further modification to take into account the influences of flume rate and the scouring action of irrigation water on the surface sediment deposited on the strips.

Morphometric and molecular characterization of populations of Pratylenchus kumamotoensis and P. pseudocoffeae (Nematoda, Pratylenchidae) newly recorded in Korea.

At least 70 species of root-lesion nematodes, Pratylenchus spp., have been identified worldwide, many of which are serious pests of various agricultural crop plants. In Korea, only 14 species have been recorded in vegetable and fruit fields. Here, we report two new records of root-lesion nematode species in Korea based on morphometric and molecular methods. Soil samples were collected from chrysanthemum cultivars in various regions. Morphometric diagnosis showed that two new records for Korea: Pratylenchus kumamotoensis in Chilgok County and Pratylenchus pseudocoffeae in Geumsan County. In addition, molecular diagnosis using the two sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the D2–D3 region of ribosomal DNA showed that these two species were most similar with those from Japan, Costa Rica and USA. The similarities of the ITS and D2–D3 sequences were 99.85 and 99.74%, respectively, for Pratylenchus kumamotoensis and 99.99 with Costa Rica populations and 99.86% with USA populations, respectively, for Pratylenchus pseudocoffeae. To our knowledge, this is the first report of two species in Korea.

Investigation of soil - transmitted nematode infections in Xiding Township, Menghai County, Yunnan Province

To understand the status of soil-transmitted nematode infections in Xiding Township, Menghai County, Yunnan Province, so as to provide the reference for formulating the strategy of soil-transmitted nematodosis control. Soil-transmitted nematode eggs in feces were detected by the Kato-Katz method, and the eggs of Enterobius vermicularis were detected by the cellophane tape method in children. The soil samples were collected from vegetable, fruit and other crop fields of 15 residents randomly to detect hookworm. The stool samples from 1 002 residents were examined and the soil -transmitted nematode infection rate was 20.06% (201/1 002). The infection rates of hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichura were 18.96% (190 cases), 1.70% (17 cases) and 0.90% (9 cases) respectively. The percentages of people with light infection of hookworm, A. lumbricoides and T. trichura were 97.37% (185/190), 88.24% (15/17) and 100% (9/9) respectively. No infection of E. vermicularis was found. Fifteen soil samples were tested, and no hookworm was found in the soil. The infection rate of soil-transmitted nematode in Xiding Township, Menghai County is high, but the infectiosity is light. The control and monitoring of soil-transmitted nematodosis should be strengthened in this area.

Dark Period Following UV-C Treatment Enhances Killing of Botrytis cinerea Conidia and Controls Gray Mold of Strawberries.

Strawberries are available throughout the year either from production in the field or from high and low tunnel culture. Diversity of production conditions results in new challenges in controlling diseases before and after harvest. Fungicides have traditionally been used to control these diseases; however, their limitations necessitate a search for new approaches. We found that UV-C irradiation of Botrytis cinerea, a major pathogen of strawberry, can effectively kill this fungus if a dark period follows the treatment. The inclusion of a 4-h dark period resulted in almost complete kill of B. cinerea conidia on agar media at a dose of 12.36 J/m2. The UV-C dose did not cause a reduction in photosynthesis in strawberry leaves or discoloration of sepals, even after exposing plants repeatedly (twice a week) for 7 weeks. Although irradiation of dry conidia of B. cinerea with this dose resulted in some survival, the conidia were not infective and not able to cause decay even when inoculated onto a highly susceptible mature apple fruit. Irradiation of strawberry pollen at 12.36 J/m2 did not affect pollen germination, tube growth and length in vitro, or germination and tube growth in the style of hand-pollinated emasculated strawberry flowers. No negative effect of the UV-C treatment was observed on fruit yield and quality in high tunnel culture. In the fruit and flower petal inoculation tests, the UV-C treatment was highly effective in reducing fruit decay and petal infection. This UV-C treatment with an exposure time of 60 s may be useful in controlling gray mold in tunnel production of strawberries and may also have the potential for use in intensive field and indoor production of other fruits and vegetables providing that a 4-h dark period follows the irradiation.

A systematic approach to recycling organics for horticulture: comparing emerging and conventional technologies

Recycled organics: how best to use this resource? A three-year study took the first steps towards an answer by exploring emerging (biochar from pyrolysis) versus conventional (composting) processing technologies for their ability to convert recycled organics-city green waste and farm trash-into usable products that enhance horticultural productivity, with attendant carbon sequestration and environmental benefits. In this study, we compared organic products prepared from one common feedstock using four different technologies: windrow composting; a small mobile pyrolyser for on-farm processing; a medium pyrolyser for community or small business undertakings; and a large pyrolyser for high through-put requirements. The project then determined whether organic products enhance plant performance, are useable for horticulture and outperform or complement composting. This paper summarises some key outcomes from i) physical and chemical characterisation of organic products and ii) annual vegetable (tomato 'Rebel') and perennial fruit (blueberry 'Opi') field trials, thus providing the first step towards an understanding of the system from feedstock source to the farm.

Research Progress of Hot Air Drying Technology for Fruits and Vegetables

The aim of this study is to describe the hot air drying in the field of fruits and vegetables drying the research present situation, put forward the hot air drying of problems need to be solved in the study and the future development trend is prospected. Hot air drying is the most commonly employed commercial technique for drying biological products. However, the processing technique is short of systematic research, especially in the relationship between energy consumption and output. Therefore, the optimization of combination drying and the application of energy-saving technology will be the problems that are urgently needed to solve in the future research of hot air drying technology.

Organic aerosol molecular composition and gas–particle partitioning coefficients at a Mediterranean site (Corsica)

Molecular speciation of atmospheric organic matter was investigated during a short summer field campaign performed in a citrus fruit field in northern Corsica (June 2011). Aimedat assessing the performance on the field of newly developed analytical protocols, this work focuses on the molecular composition of both gas and particulate phases and provides an insight into partitioning behavior of the semi-volatile oxygenated fraction. Limonene ozonolysis tracers were specifically searched for, according to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) data previously recorded for smog chamber experiments. A screening of other oxygenated species present in the field atmosphere was also performed. About sixty polar molecules were positively or tentatively identified in gas and/or particle phases. These molecules comprise a wide range of branched and linear, mono and di-carbonyls (C3–C7), mono and di-carboxylic acids (C3–C18), and compounds bearing up to three functionalities. Among these compounds, some can be specifically attributed to limonene oxidation and others can be related to α- or β-pinene oxidation. This provides an original snapshot of the organic matter composition at a Mediterranean site in summer. Furthermore, for compounds identified and quantified in both gaseous and particulate phases, an experimental gas/particle partitioning coefficient was determined. Several volatile products, which are not expected in the particulate phase assuming thermodynamic equilibrium, were nonetheless present in significant concentrations. Hypotheses are proposed to explain these observations, such as the possible aerosol viscosity that could hinder the theoretical equilibrium to be rapidly reached.

Short Channels: A Brand Strategy for the Piana del Sele

This paper aims to give a contribution in building a brand strategy for a big cooperative company operating in the fruit and vegetable production field in the South of Italy willing to launch new sales channels, namely box-scheme and e-commerce, in order to increase the sells on local scale and partially reduce the dependence from the large scale distribution. The main expected effects of such a choice will deal with the brand identity, the possibility to repositioning the brand and open new sales opportunities. Social media marketing will also play a crucial role in both the analysis and the marketing practices.

Use of Early Ripening Cultivars to Avoid Infestation and Mass Trapping to Manage Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Vaccinium corymbosum (Ericales: Ericaceae).

Use of early ripening highbush blueberry cultivars to avoid infestation and mass trapping were evaluated for managing spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura). Fourteen highbush blueberry cultivars were sampled for spotted wing drosophila infestation. Most 'Earliblue', 'Bluetta', and 'Collins' fruit were harvested before spotted wing drosophila oviposition commenced, and so escaped injury. Most fruit from 'Bluejay', 'Blueray', and 'Bluehaven' were also harvested before the first week of August, after which spotted wing drosophila activity led to high levels of blueberry infestation. In a separate experiment, damage to cultivars was related to the week in which fruit were harvested, with greater damage to fruit observed as the season progressed. Attractant traps placed within blueberry bushes increased nearby berry infestation by 5%, irrespective of cultivar and harvest date. The significant linear reduction in infestation with increasing distance from the attractant trap suggests that traps are influencing fly behavior to at least 5.5 m. Insecticides applied to the exterior of traps, compared with untreated traps, revealed that only 10-30% of flies visiting traps enter the traps and drown. Low trap efficiency may jeopardize surrounding fruits by increasing local spotted wing drosophila activity. To protect crops, traps for mass trapping should be placed in a perimeter outside fruit fields and insecticides need to be applied to the surface of traps or on nearby fruit to function as an attract-and-kill strategy.

Occurrence and Species Diversity of Ground-Dwelling Worker Ants (Family: Formicidae) in Selected Lands in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka

Ants are an essential biotic component in terrestrial ecosystems in Sri Lanka. Worker ants were surveyed in six forests, uncultivated lands and, vegetable and fruit fields in two Districts of the dry zone, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, from November, 2007 to October, 2008 by employing several sampling methods simultaneously along five, 100 m transects. Soil sifting, litter sifting, honey-baiting and hand collection were carried out at 5 m intervals along each transect. Twenty pitfall traps were set up throughout each site and collected after five hours. Air and soil temperatures, soil pH and soil moisture at each transect were also recorded. Use of several sampling methods yielded a higher value for species richness than just one or two methods; values for each land ranged from 19 – 43 species. Each land had its own ant community and members of Amblyoponinae, Cerapachyinae, Dorylinae, Leptanillinae and Pseudomyrmecinae were recorded for the first time from the dry zone. Previous records of 40 species belonging to 23 genera in 5 subfamilies for the Anuradhapura District are updated to 78 species belonging to 36 genera in 6 subfamilies. Seventy species belonging to thirty one genera in 9 subfamilies recorded from the first survey of ants in Polonnaruwa lands can be considered a preliminary inventory of the District; current findings updated the ant species recorded from the dry zone to 92 of 42 genera in 10 subfamilies. Consequent to this sum, the estimate of ant diversity of Sri Lanka rises to 202 species in 64 genera while 12 subfamilies remain unchanged.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/josuk.v7i0.6233J. Sci. Univ. Kelaniya 7 (2012): 55-72

Determination of thiophanate-methyl using UV absorption spectra based on multiple linear regression

As one worldwide used agent for fungi control in the fruit and vegetable field, thiophanate-methyl has been constituted a significant health risk. To determinate thiophanate-methyl, the method using UV absorption spectra based on multiple liner regression is used. Principal absorption wavelengths related closely with thiophanate-methyl ethanol solution are confirmed through analyzing the absorption spectra of thiophanate-methyl. Utilizing multiple linear regression, mathematical model between absorbance obtained from fourteen absorption wavelengths and thiophanate-methyl concentration is established. The result shows concentrations between the predicted values and measured values are well coincident and the related coefficient is 0.9853 over the concentration range 2–35ppm.

지역별 시설재배지에서 식물기생선충의 살선충제에 대한 밀도억제 효과 비교

과채류 재배지에서 발생하는 식물기생성 선충의 방제를 위해 충남 공주의 오이 재배지와 충남 부여와 논산, 경남 진주의 딸기 재배지, 전남곡성의 메론 재배지역에서 시설재배와 노지 재배를 하고 있는 농가토양을 채취하여 선충을 분리, 동정한 후 각 지역별 토양에서 abamectin 1.68% SC, cadusafos 3% GR, dazomet 98% GR, fosthiazate 30% SL, BA12011 SL 등 약제들의 선충에 대한 밀도억제 효과를 알아보기 위하여 실내실험과 포장실험을 실시하였다. 대부분의 지역에서 채취한 토양 시료에 분포하고 있는 식물기생성 선충의 평균밀도가 약제처리 후 감소하는 것으로 확인되었지만, 부여의 경우 fosthiazate 처리시 Pratylenchus spp.가, 곡성의 경우 fosthiazate, abamectin, cadusafos, dazomet 처리시 Pratylenchus spp.에 대하여 토양 내 평균 밀도가 상승하였다. 또한 BA12011 처리시 약제처리 후 다른 약제와 비슷한 수준의 개체군 평균밀도를 보였으며, 특히 공주 토양에서는 fosthiazate의 약제처리 효과보다 모든 종에서 높은 방제효과를 확인하였다. 각 지역에서 채취한 토양에 약제처리를 한 후 난낭 형성을 확인한 결과, abamectin의 경우 부여와 진주의 토양에서 효과를 보였고, BA12011은 논산과 곡성, dazomet는 공주에서 난낭 형성을 억제하는 효과를 확인하였다. BA12011을 가지고 오이재배지에서의 방제효과를 살펴본 결과, Meloidogyne spp., Pratylenchus spp., Helicotylenchus spp.의 평균 밀도가 감소하였고, 2차 처리시보다 1차 처리시 평균 밀도의 감소율이 높은 것으로 보아 초기 단계의 방제의 중요성을 확인할 수 있었다. To assess the efficacy of nematicides for the control of plant-parasitic nematodes in fruit and vegetables fields, soil samples were collected from a cucumber field at Gongju; from strawberry fields at Buyeo, Nonsan, and Jinju; and from a melon field at Gocksung in Jeonnam Province, Korea. Plant-parasitic nematodes were separated from each soil sample and identified. The susceptibilities of the nematodes to abamectin 1.68% SC, cadusafos 3% GR, dazomet 98% GR, fosthiazate 30% SL and BA12011 SL were examined under laboratory and field conditions. The average population density of plant-parasitic nematodes was generally reduced after the treatment with nematicides; however, there was increase in the population of Pratylenchus spp. in soil after treatment with fosthiazate at Buyeo and Gocksung. Furthermore, there were increased populations following treatment with abamectin, cadusafos, and dazomet at Gocksung. The control effects of BA12011 treatment on plant-parasitic nematodes were confirmed to be similar to those of the other 4 nematicides evaluated, although its control effect was higher than that of fosthiazate in cucumber-growing soil at Gongju. The effects of nematicide treatment on egg mass formation in each of the collected soils differed according to the region of soil origin. Abamectin was effective in reducing the degree of egg mass formation in Buyeo and Jinju soil, whereas BA12011 was effective in Nonsan and Gocksung soil. Dazomet was found to inhibit egg mass formation in Gongju soil. To evaluate the effect of the newly developed nematicide, BA12011, experiments were conducted in a cucumber-growing greenhouse. The average population densities of Meloidogyne spp., Pratylenchus spp., and Helicotylenchus spp. after the first treatment were reduced to a greater extent than after the second treatment. It is thus suggested that early nematicide treatment is important for effective control of plant-parasitic nematodes.

Fresh food packaging design: A requirement driven approach applied to strawberries and agro-based materials

To overcome the limitations of current trial and error approaches used to design food packaging, a requirement driven approach was adapted from the software and service industries to the field of fresh fruits and vegetable packaging. Based on 5 steps, it relies on the knowledge of produce needs and the use of modeling tools to turn produce requirements into packaging properties before designing the packaging. It was then successfully applied to dimension and design an active packaging, tailor made for optimal preservation of strawberries at 20 °C. The solution consisted in a PET punnet providing protection against physical damage and a lid ensuring both gas transfer for optimal atmosphere and release of an active agent acting against mold growth. This active lid was made of wheat gluten proteins containing 2-nonanone that was quickly released only in high RH conditions in an amount equal to the minimal inhibition dose for Botrytis cinerea. Design of packaging for fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables is still mainly based on a trial and error approach (often referred as “pack and pray”) that does not ensure conception of an optimal packaging for produce preservation. The non-optimal character of existing packaging is one of the main causes of fresh fruit and vegetable losses along the supply chain. This study proposes an alternative approach to design optimal packaging for fresh and respiring produce: the requirement driven approach. This approach was adapted from the field of software and service industries to the specificity of fresh produce packaging one. It takes into account the needs of the produce (e.g. physical protection, microbial protection or optimal atmosphere for preservation) from the very beginning of the conception process to reduce the risks of inadequacy between the packaging and the produce. In addition to knowledge of the produce physiology and needs, this approach relies on the use of modeling tools to turn produce requirements into packaging properties before designing the packaging. The efficiency of such method was demonstrated through a case study on strawberry packaging. Given the increasing quantity of data available on produce physiology and needs, and the online, free to use and user friendly character of recent MAP modeling tools such as Tailorpack (www.tailorpack.com), generalization of the requirement driven approach proposed in this study could be of major interest for the fresh fruits and vegetable packaging industry. It should help to design optimal packaging for specific produce and thus reduce risk of losses along the supply chain by improving preservation.

Dyella kyungheensis sp. nov., isolated from soil of a cornus fruit field

A Gram-reaction-negative, aerobic, motile by one polar flagellum, yellow-pigmented, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain THG-B117(T), was isolated from soil of a cornus fruit field of Hoengseong province in South Korea and its taxonomic position was investigated by a polyphasic study. Strain THG-B117(T) grew well at 25-30 °C and at pH 6.0-8.0 in the absence of NaCl on nutrient agar. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain THG-B117(T) was shown to belong to the family Xanthomonadaceae and be related to Dyella japonica XD53(T) (98.7 % similarity), Dyella terrae JS14-6(T) (98.0 %), Dyella koreensis BB4(T) (96.9 %), Dyella soli JS12-10(T) (96.9 %) and Dyella thiooxydans ATSB10(T) (96.7 %). DNA-DNA hybridization experiments showed that DNA relatedness between strain THG-B117(T) and its phylogenetically closest neighbours was below 45.1 %. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain THG-B117(T) was 64.8 mol%. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, unidentified aminolipids, unidentified aminophospholipids and unidentified phospholipids. Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data (major ubiquinone was Q-8, and major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 and iso-C17 : 1ω9c) supported the affiliation of strain THG-B117(T) with the genus Dyella. The results of physiological and biochemical tests suggested that strain THG-B117(T) was different genotypically and phenotypically from recognized species of the genus Dyella, and represents a novel species of this genus. The name Dyella kyungheensis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain THG-B117(T) ( = KACC 16981(T) = JCM 18747(T)).

Evaluating Strawberry Breeding Selections for Field and Postharvest Fruit Decay

Fruit from the annual replicated yield assessments for the USDA-ARS strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier) breeding program at Beltsville, MD in 2010 were evaluated for postharvest decay development after storage at 5°C. A statistically significant correlation between percentage decay of fruit in the field and percentage decay of fruit from post-harvest evaluation was observed when data were analyzed on a genotypic mean basis (r = 0.37) or a field plot basis (r = 0.25) across all harvests. Analysis of the same data on a plot by harvest combination basis resulted in a statistically significant correlation for only one harvest date. While significant, the level of correlation on a genotypic mean basis is not strong enough to dismiss the need for post-harvest evaluation. The percentage postharvest decay increased over harvests, while the percentage decay at harvest, in the field, did not. Weather data from 2010 indicated that field conditions just a few days before harvest can affect percentage decay at harvest differently than percentage decay in postharvest storage; rain events were correlated with increased percentage decay in the field but not postharvest decay, while dry air was correlated with decreased percentage decay postharvest but not decay in the field. These findings suggest that, in some environments, conditions after flowering can have a more significant role in the fruit decay than previously has been reported.

The importance of plant diversity in maintaining the pollinator bee, Eulaema nigrita (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in sweet passion fruit fields

The euglossine bee Eulaema nigrita plays an important role for the pollination of native and economically important plants, such as the sweet passion-fruit Passiflora alata. E. nigrita uniquely collects the nectar from the flowers of P. alata, nevertheless, it needs to visit other plants to collect pollen, nectar and other resources for its survival. There are two methods to identify the species of plants used by bees in their diet: by direct observation of the bees in the flowers, and through identification of pollen grains present in brood cells, feces, or in the bees' body. In order to identify the other plants that E. nigrita visits, we analyzed samples of pollen grains removed from the bee's body in the course of the flowering period of P. alata. Among our results, the flora visited by E. nigrita comprised 40 species from 32 genera and 19 families, some of them used as a pollen source or just nectar. In spite of being a polyletic species, E. nigrita exhibited preference for some plant species with poricidal anthers. P. alata which has high sugar concentration nectar was the main source of nectar for this bee in the studied area. Nonetheless, the pollinic analysis indicated that others nectariferous plant species are necessary to keep the populations of E. nigrita. Studies such as this one are important since they indicate supplementary pollen-nectar sources which must be used for the conservation of the populations of E. nigrita in crops neighbouring areas. In the absence of pollinators, growers are forced to pay for hand pollination, which increases production costs; keeping pollinators in cultivated areas is still more feasible to ensure sweet passion fruit production.

Woody Guthrie, American Radical

Woody Guthrie, American Radical