Local Growers Research Articles

Risk elements in selected types of vegetables

Vegetable has an important role in human nutrition. Various parts of the plants have been part of the human diet since the beginning. Vegetables have a number of properties that make its consumption very healthful. It not only is a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber but also contains protective components so called phytonutrients, has an antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. Daily intake of vegetables offers many health benefits, helps to improve health for example the function of digestive and immune system, reduces the risk of various diseases and so we should take care to its regular consumption. It is widely used, except that it is the basic raw material for the preparation of foods and is also an important raw material for the processing industry. Nowadays has become environmental pollution by heavy metals as a big problem. The contamination of water, soil as well as air pollution by heavy metals negatively affects agricultural production and production of non-harmful to health, safe and quality food, which may be adverse effects on human health. Therefore, it is important that we devote this issue more attention. The aim of this work was to identify and determine content of heavy metals in selected vegetables. Defined objectives have been achieved by analyzing of selected species samples of root from brassica vegetables: carrot (Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus), parsley (Petroselinum hortesne HOFFM conv. radicosum), kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea L. var. gongylodes), celery (Apium graveolens L. var. rapaceum) and beetroot (Beta vulgaris L. var. conditiva ssp. vulgaris). The crops were bought in local market. The obtained results were compared with the results obtained from analyzes of vegetables that were grown in home conditions respectively from markets of local growers. All crops were grown in Slovak Republic. By using Varian AA 240FS and AAS method were analyzed the contents of risk metals in selected vegetables. It was confirmed that in selected types of vegetables analyzed element was not exceeded the limit values established by Codex Alimentarius of Slovak Republic. From the results, also can be concluded that higher contents of heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Ni, Cd, Pb) were mostly in samples from home gardeners than in samples came from local market.

Asian Pear: A Potential Alternative Fruit Crop for Growers in the Mid-Atlantic Region

Production of european pears (Pyrus communis L.) in the eastern United States is limited by a number of physiological and pathological problems. In an attempt to expand sustainable pear production in that region, a series of long-term field trials of asian pear [Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm. F) Nak. (syn. Pyrus serotina L.)] were established at two sites in Maryland. To compare precocity, productivity, and survival, nine asian pear cultivars and three European cultivars were planted in a replicated trial in 2010 at the Wye Research and Education Center (Wye REC). The asian pears were precocious and productive and many trees flowered and fruited in the second leaf. After the fourth leaf, survival of ‘Isi’iwasi’, ‘Shinsui’, ‘Kosui’, and ‘Olympic’ was good, while many ‘Hosui’ and ‘Ya Li’ (asian pear) trees as well as ‘Bartlett’ and ‘Golden Russett’ (european pear) trees had died at that point, following bloom infections of fire blight (Erwinia amylovora). At Keedysville (WMREC), 18 asian pear cultivars in two established plantings were evaluated for their field tolerance to fire blight following a severe hailstorm. The cultivars Shin Li, Daisu Li, Shinsui, and Olympic fared as well as Magness, a fire blight–tolerant european pear cultivar that served as a benchmark in that evaluation. Conversely, ‘Hosui’, ‘Choju’, ‘Kosui’, ‘Seigyoku’, ‘Ya Li’, and ‘Ts’e Li’ were severely damaged. Three consumer tastings were conducted using fruit from the Wye REC trial. ‘Yoinashi’, ‘Atago’, ‘Shinko’, and ‘Olympic’ were well received by consumers. After tasting asian pears, most people, even those less familiar with the crop, reported they would consider purchasing the fruit and requested the names of local producers. Based on our long-term research results, there appears to be a good opportunity for locally produced asian pear fruit. With the correct cultivar selection for fire blight management, local growers should be able to produce this alternative crop sustainably and market their fruit profitably.

The long reach of lean retailing: Firm embeddedness and Wal-Mart’s implementation of local produce sourcing in the US

With its corresponding concepts of societal, territorial, and network embeddedness, firm embeddedness offers a theoretical framework for analyzing how retailers develop strategies and business models determined by their home country context, but also adapted to new places, consumers, and networks. This paper uses firm embeddedness to examine food retailer adaptation within a changing home market, focusing on Wal-Mart’s efforts to implement local produce sourcing in the U.S. Growing consumer interest in local food has sufficiently shifted the competitive landscape within the U.S. market that Wal-Mart and other food retailers have sought to incorporate local produce into their operations. This paper asks whether Wal-Mart’s core lean retailing strategy facilitates or impedes such efforts to localize its U.S. produce supply chains. Qualitative field research conducted in 2011–2012 in one U.S. region centered on semi-structured interviews with 27 fresh fruit and vegetable producers involved in Wal-Mart’s local produce supply chains and 20 representatives of organizations facilitating commercial relationships between local growers and Wal-Mart. We find that the lean retailing model developed by Wal-Mart in response to historical circumstances in U.S. retailing and central to its present global retail dominance also limits Wal-Mart’s ability to engage in the bottom-up learning and adaptation to local contexts necessary for adjusting to the new competitive environment of local food. Wal-Mart’s centralized management and distribution systems, practices of cutting out intermediaries, and emphasis on standardization all presented some barriers to establishing the territorial and network embeddedness that could facilitate adaptation. However, we conclude that rather than simply failing to adapt to the challenges of localization, Wal-Mart applied a hybrid strategy in its local produce sourcing program. This hybrid strategy combined lean retailing—Wal-Mart’s traditional basis of competition—with selected, rather than comprehensive aspects of localization.

The Relative Importance of Monetary and Non-Monetary Drivers for Information and Communication Technology Acceptance in Rural Agribusiness

Traditionally the information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) literature assessed technology interventions in developing countries from an economic viewpoint, typically measuring income increases or other economic gains. However numerous ICT4D studies revealed that technology adopters only secure a small, single-digit monetary benefit, thus suggesting the importance of other (i.e. non-monetary) drivers of information and communication technology (ICT) acceptance. Seeking to address the issue and to identify the relative importance of monetary vs. non-monetary drivers for the acceptance of ICT in rural agribusiness, this study investigates the key motivational drivers (monetary vs. non-monetary) for the acceptance of a digital procurement (e-purjee) system by sugarcane growers in rural Bangladesh. The e-purjee system is a simple SMS-based purchase order system that replaces a paper-based procurement order system. Treating the acceptance of e-purjee system as sugarcane growers’ decision-problem, and applying a multi-criteria decision-making approach [e.g. Zionts & Wallenius. (1976). An interactive programming method for solving the multiple criteria problem. Management Science, 22(6), 652–663] to that problem, the study identifies the trade-offs growers appear to make between non-monetary and monetary decision criteria. In addition, by analyzing interviews with local growers from the perspective of the human capability approach [Sen. (1999). Development as freedom. New York, NY: Oxford University Press], this study offers new explanations for their preferences and reasoning. The findings indicate that non-monetary incentives, namely procedural fairness and uncertainty reduction, can be more important than positive monetary benefits. Interview responses also suggest that non-monetary benefits affect small-scale growers more than the large-scale growers. Considering growers’ preferences related to non-monetary incentives, the e-purjee system appears to affect three out of five types of instrumental freedoms postulated by Sen [1999. Development as freedom. New York, NY: Oxford University Press]. The study offers several practical and theoretical recommendations about the structuring of incentive systems for rural technology-based development projects, and about decision modeling for a relatively untrained informant group.

Almond diseases and disorders

Almond production has become a major horticultural industry in Australia over the last ten years. Due to the relatively recent expansion of the industry and limited published information on local diseases and disorders, overseas literature was initially relied on to aid diagnosis of tree health issues. As knowledge of the diseases of almonds in Australia increases, this information will become more relevant as a reference for local growers and researchers. A range of diseases have significant impacts on almond production. Symptoms and key features of major diseases of almonds are described under the categories: foliar or fruit; and trunk, crown and root diseases. The diseases under the respective categories are: hull rot (Rhizopus spp.), bacterial spot (Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni), rust (Tranzschelia discolor), shot-hole (Wilsonomyces carpophilus), almond scab (Cladosporium carpophilum); silver leaf (Chondrostereum purpureum), Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae), and trunk and root rot (Phytophthora and Fusarium spp.). Certain foliar disease symptoms are similar to either nutritional or physiological disorders or pesticide toxicity. Correct diagnosis of diseases and disorders is crucial for development and implementation of appropriate disease management strategies.

Micropropagation of Cymbidium aloifolium (L.) SW., A Medicinal Orchid by Artificial Seeds Technology

Artificial seed technology is a rapidly growing area of research in plant cell and tissue culture. Application of this technology opens an alternative route for mass scale production, efficient delivery of cloned plantlets and fulfils the increasing demand of local growers. An attempt was made to produce artificial seeds and their subsequent regeneration of a highly valuable medicinal orchid of Nepal i.e. Cymbidium aloifolium. Artificial seeds were obtained through encapsulation of protocorms in calcium alginate beads. Protocorms were encapsulated by using 3% sodium alginate and 0.2 M calcium chloride solution. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium (1962) was used as the basal medium for in vitro germination and seedling development of artificial seed. In Cymbidium aloifolium, 20-25 days old in vitro grown protocorms were used for production of artificial seeds. Artificial seeds were inoculated on two different culture conditions of MS medium i.e. MS solid & MS liquid with four different treatments i.e. strength of 1.0, ½, ¼ and MS media supplemented with plant growth regulators viz. BAP (0.5 mg/l) and NAA (0.5 mg/l). Highest percentage of germination (100%) and plantlet conversion was found on hormone free full strength (1.0 MS) of MS liquid medium after 13-14 weeks of culture. Plantlets regenerated from artificial seeds with well developed shoot and root systems were successfully acclimatized in potting mixture of cocopeat, litter and sphagnum moss in a ratio 2:1:1.J. Nat. Hist. Mus. Vol. 28, 2014: 42-48

FIELD PERFORMANCE OF ASIAN PEAR CULTIVARS IN THE HOT, HUMID SUMMER CONDITIONS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION OF THE UNITED STATES

Production of European pears (Pyrus communis L.) in the eastern United States is limited by a number of physiological and pathological problems. In an attempt to expand sustainable pear production in that region, a series of long-term field trials of Asian pear [Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm. F) Nak. {syn. P. serotine L.}] were established at two sites in Maryland. To compare precocity, productivity and survival, nine Asian pear cultivars and three European cultivars were planted in 2010 at the Wye Research and Education Center. Asian pears were precocious and productive and many trees flowered and fruited in the second leaf. After the fourth leaf, survival of ‘Isi’iwasi’, ‘Shinsui’, ‘Kosui’ and ‘Olympic’ was good. Many ‘Hosui’ and ‘Ya Li’ (Asian pear) trees as well as ‘Bartlett’ and ‘Golden Russett’ (European pear) trees had died at that point, following bloom infections of fire blight (Erwinia amylovora). Eighteen pear cultivars in two established plantings were evaluated for their field-tolerance to fire blight following a severe hailstorm at Keedysville. The cultivars ‘Shin Li’, ‘Daisu Li’, ‘Shinsui’ and ‘Olympic’ fared as well as ‘Magness’, a fire blight-tolerant European pear that served as a benchmark in that evaluation. On the other hand, ‘Hosui’, ‘Choju’, ‘Kosui’, ‘Seigyoku’, ‘Ya Li’ and ‘Ts’e Li’ were severely damaged. Using fruit from the replicated trial at Wye, consumer tastings were also conducted. In these tastings, ‘Yoinashi’, ‘Atago’, ‘Shinko’ and ‘Olympic’ were well-received by consumers. After tasting Asian pears, most people reported that they would be interested in purchasing the fruit and asked for the names of local producers, even those less familiar with the crop. Based on our long-term research results, there appears to be a good potential for locally-produced Asian pear fruit. With the correct cultivar selection for fire blight management, local growers should be able to produce this alternative crop sustainably and market their fruit profitably.

Strategic supply system design – a holistic evaluation of operational and production cost for a biorefinery supply chain

AbstractPioneer cellulosic biorefineries across the United States rely on a conventional feedstock supply system based on one‐year contracts with local growers, who harvest, locally store, and deliver feedstock in low‐density format to the conversion facility. While the conventional system is designed for high biomass yield areas, pilot scale operations have experienced feedstock supply shortages and price volatilities due to reduced harvests and competition from other industries. Regional supply dependency and the inability to actively manage feedstock stability and quality, provide operational risks to the biorefinery, which translate into higher investment risk. The advanced feedstock supply system based on a network of depots can mitigate many of these risks and enable wider supply system benefits. This paper compares the two concepts from a system‐level perspective beyond mere logistic costs. It shows that while processing operations at the depot increase feedstock supply costs initially, they enable wider system benefits including supply risk reduction (leading to lower interest rates on loans), industry scale‐up, conversion yield improvements, and reduced handling equipment and storage costs at the biorefinery. When translating these benefits into cost reductions per liter of gasoline equivalent (LGE), we find that total cost reductions between –$0.46 to –$0.21 per LGE for biochemical and –$0.32 to –$0.12 per LGE for thermochemical conversion pathways are possible. Naturally, these system level benefits will differ between individual actors along the feedstock supply chain. Further research is required with respect to depot sizing, location, and ownership structures. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mediterranean Cuisine Comes to YOU!

The purpose of this program was to increase participants’ knowledge and behaviors by eating more healthfully following the Mediterranean Pyramid diet principles. The target audience was adults from rural and suburban counties interested in Mediterranean cuisine. Materials developed include a 4-part Powerpoint lesson/ plans; oil, cheese, and greens tasting evaluation and discussion sheets; handouts, marketing and evaluation tools. The program was developed based on Social Cognitive theory, a study tour in Crete, Greece in 2014 and research on the Mediterranean diet/lifestyle. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet reduces risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease. The majority of the U.S. population does not consume enough fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy food; this program helps to address this need. This pilot program was offered in two locations to 26 participants during four weekly, two-hour classes. Lessons included Mediterranean lifestyle principles, hands-on food preparation, presentations by local growers and food producers, and class exercises. A retrospective post-program and 6 month follow-up (in 4/15) evaluation were developed to measure gains in knowledge (five point scale) and changes in behavior. In evidence reported post program, 90% (n=21) explained how the program helped them prepare more healthful meals; 81% planned to use olive oil more often; 76% planned to eat more fruits and vegetables, 71% planned to eat more plant proteins and 71% planned meals more often with Mediterranean Pyramid principles. This program demonstrated how participants can learn to plan and implement healthful diet/lifestyle strategies in an engaging and experiential cross-cultural context including local agricultural foods.

The most valuable player may not be on the winning team: Uncovering consumer tolerance for color shades in roses

Color is often found to be the most important factor driving consumer purchase decisions for flowers. However due to the sheer number of flower color options available, pinpointing which flower shades to aim for in a breeding program is a complex task. Discussions with local growers revealed discrepancies between color preferences previously identified and actual consumer demand. The present work examines this in further detail by applying two methods of testing consumer flower color preference with the same panel of consumers: conjoint analysis using color categories and a follow-up question asking consumers to pick their 3 most preferred colors from a chart of 60 colors. Consumers were found to have different tolerance ranges for shades across color categories. Consumers have a wide range of tolerance for red colors, making this a safe target as nearly all shades of red tested were well liked by consumers. By contrast, in the yellow category there was one very high performing shade, with consumer preference dropping off sharply with any deviation from this shade. While this particular shade of yellow could potentially be highly successful with consumers, it is a riskier target as breeders would have a narrow range of tolerance in shade variation to achieve consumer success. This study presents a new understanding of consumer preference as it suggests that consumers exhibit not only preference intensity for sensory stimuli, but also a tolerance range for variations on the stimulus. Interestingly, tolerance ranges are not consistent across categories of sensory stimuli (e.g. color categories).

Durabilidade de rosas, gérberas e crisântemos comercializados em Pelotas-RS

Cut flowers are one of the most important floricultural products and one of the features that define its quality is vase life. Thus, longer vase life will be achieved when production sites are closer to the consumer market. Based on the above, this experiment compared vase life of rose, gerbera and chrysanthemums supplied by Pelotas’s local growers and by São Paulo’s wholesalers. For each treatment (origin), 20 stems of each species were evaluated. Randomized block design were used with five repetitions of four stems per block and vase life assessment performed every three days during 15 days. Vase life was higher for roses and gerberas produced in Pelotas, average of 9 and 7 days, respectively. No significant difference was observed to chrysanthemum vase life, average were 12 days for both flower origins. The results indicate that the distance between the production sites and the consumer market influences the quality and vase life of roses and gerberas marketed in Pelotas.

Agroecological management of cucurbit-infesting fruit fly: a review

Conventional crop protection with pesticides has limitations such as resistance of pests to pesticides and faunal imbalance. Agroecological crop protection is an attractive alternative based on the principles of agroecology. We present here this strategy using the case of Cucurbitaceae flies, which are the most important agricultural pests in Reunion. Research has been carried out on the bioecology of these insects and on the effectiveness of agroecological techniques. The main points are the following: the number of species of vegetable flies increased in the southern summer. Adult flies spend more than 90 % of their time on nonhost plants, with specific circadian rhythms. Several original agroecological techniques were designed, such as sanitation using augmentoria; trap plants, e.g., maize; adulticide bait; and the creation of habitats for predatory arthropods. Local growers are very satisfied with the results. They have reduced insecticide use with substantial cost savings and they have observed a decrease in losses and a lower phytosanitary workload. The education and training of students, professionals, and the general public has been a major aspect of this project. Increased knowledge of flies and agroecological management strategies of their populations can now be combined with modeling tools to facilitate the extension of the program to other areas or for educational purposes. Practices are currently being extended to other areas of the island and other countries of the Indian Ocean. This project is both a significant milestone for organic farming in Reunion and a precedent for other initiatives aimed at reducing or eliminating pesticides.

PYRETHRUM RESEARCH IN THE HIGH ALTITUDE HIGHLANDS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Pyrethrum was introduced into the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG) and was an attractive cash crop that sustained the livelihood of some 65-85,000 people. Unfortunately, the pyrethrum extraction factory closed during 1995 and growers lost interest in this crop. In 2003, the Enga Provincial Government invested funds to modernise the pyrethrum extraction factory and seek international support to assist the local industry. In 2007, a broadly based team consisting of the Enga Provincial Government, PNG National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Botanical Resources Australia Pty Ltd (BRA) and the Tasmania Institute of Agricultural Research (TIAR) was successful in obtaining a major funding grant from The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) to recommercialise the pyrethrum industry in PNG. This project supported R&D trials to improve the local plant material, improved growing and harvesting practices that was appropriate for the local growers and assisted in the refurbishment of the pyrethrum extraction factory. This project was very successful and the pyrethrum industry appears to have a sustainable future, but would very much benefit from ongoing support by NARI and the Enga Provincial Government.

Leguminous Cover Crops Improve the Profitability and the Sustainability of Rainfed Olive (Olea europaea L.) Orchards: From Soil Biology to Physiology of Yield Determination

The olive sector has a crucial economic, social, cultural and ecological relevance in the Mediterranean region, where tillage and herbicides application still are generalized practices. However, these techniques oppose to the recommendations of UE policy. Thus, other methods are needed to reduce adverse environmental impacts and to improve biodiversity, soil carbon sink and fertility, to save fossil fuels and to increase yield and the safety and nutritional value of food products. Meanwhile, since Mediterranean basin is particularly vulnerable to climate change, including lower precipitation in summer, olive tree will experiment some hard changes, mainly under rainfed conditions. Therefore, we propose an adequate management of cover crops to shift tillage and herbicides, in order to minimize runoff and evaporation water losses, conserve soil moisture storage and promote the infiltration of water in soil. The experiment was carried out during 4 years on a commercial orchard (cv. Cobrançosa) in Northeast Portugal. The treatments laid out were: (1) ordinary tillage techniques (OT) used by local growers (two tillage trips per year); (2) cover crop with self-reseeding annual legume species (AL); (3) natural vegetation fertilized (NVF) with 60kg N hm−2 (as in OT); (4) natural vegetation (NV) left unfertilized. The results revealed that AL treatment is the best option, reaching 37, 53 and 95% higher cumulative yield than NVF, OT and NV, respectively, in a closely association with greater physiological performance during the summer, mainly evidenced by lower oxidative damage and by favourable changes in water status and net photosynthetic rate, due to lower stomatal and mesophyll limitations. Moreover, the AL covered soil presented considerable microbial diversity and enzymatic activities, which may contribute to promote and conserve soil quality and health, as well the stability of ecosystems. Thus, leguminous cover crops improve the profitability and the sustainability of rainfed olive orchards.

2013 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Bermudagrass Test

Kansas represents the northernmost region in the central United States where bermudagrass can be successfully grown as a perennial turfgrass. Historically, few cultivars that have both acceptable quality and adequate cold-tolerance have been available to local growers. Because new introductions are continually being selected for improved hardiness and quality, both seeded and vegetative types need regular evaluation to determine their long-range suitability for use in Kansas.

Genetic characterization of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) orchards and traditional nut varieties in El Bierzo, a glacial refuge and major cultivation site in northwestern Spain

This paper presents a detailed genetic study of Castanea sativa in El Bierzo, a major nut production region with interesting features. It is located within a glacial refuge at one extreme of the distribution area (northwest Spain); it has a centenary tradition of chestnut management; and more importantly, it shows an unusual degree of genetic isolation. Seven nuclear microsatellite markers were selected to analyze the genetic variability and structure of 169 local trees grafted for nut production. We analyzed in the same manner 62 local nuts. The selected loci were highly discriminant for the genotypes studied, giving a combined probability of identity of 6.1 × 10−6. An unprecedented density of trees was sampled for this project over the entire region, and nuts were collected representing 18 cultivars marketed by local producers. Several instances of misclassification by local growers were detected. Fixation index estimates and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) data are supportive of an unexpectedly high level of genetic differentiation in El Bierzo, larger than that estimated in a previous study with broader geographical scope but based on limited local sampling (Pereira-Lorenzo et al., Tree Genet Genomes 6: 701–715, 2010a). Likewise, we have determined that clonality due to grafting had been previously overestimated. In line with these observations, no significant spatial structure was found using both a model-based Bayesian procedure and Mantel’s tests. Taken together, our results evidence the need for more fine-scale genetic studies if conservation strategies are to be efficiently improved.

Control of pome and stone fruit virus diseases.

Many different systemic pathogens, including viruses, affect pome and stone fruits causing diseases with adverse effects in orchards worldwide. The significance of diseases caused by these pathogens on tree health and fruit shape and quality has resulted in the imposition of control measures both nationally and internationally. Control measures depend on the identification of diseases and their etiological agents. Diagnosis is the most important aspect of controlling fruit plant viruses. Early detection of viruses in fruit trees or in the propagative material is a prerequisite for their control and to guarantee a sustainable agriculture. Many quarantine programs are in place to reduce spread of viruses among countries during international exchange of germplasm. All these phytosanitary measures are overseen by governments based on agreements produced by international organizations. Also certification schemes applied to fruit trees allow the production of planting material of known variety and plant health status for local growers by controlling the propagation of pathogen-tested mother plants. They ensure to obtain propagative material not only free of "quarantine" organisms under the national legislation but also of important "nonquarantine" pathogens. The control of insect vectors plays an important role in the systemic diseases management, but it must be used together with other control measures as eradication of infected plants and use of certified propagation material. Apart from the control of the virus vector and the use of virus-free material, the development of virus-resistant cultivars appears to be the most effective approach to achieve control of plant viruses, especially for perennial crops that are more exposed to infection during their long life span. The use of resistant or tolerant cultivars and/or rootstocks could be potentially the most important aspect of virus disease management, especially in areas in which virus infections are endemic. The conventional breeding for virus-tolerant or resistant fruit tree cultivars using available germplasm is a long-term strategy, and the development and production of these cultivars may take decades, if successful. Genetic engineering allows the introduction of specific DNA sequences offering the opportunity to obtain existing fruit tree cultivars improved for the desired resistance trait. Unfortunately, genetic transformation of pome and stone fruits is still limited to few commercial genotypes. Research carried out and the new emerging biotechnological approaches to obtain fruit tree plants resistant or tolerant to viruses are discussed.

Consuming local vegetables from our local growers

In recent years, consumers increasingly are seeking out locally grown foods, due to concern for freshness, food safety, and the carbon footprint associated with food sourced from distant places. This 5-page fact sheet promotes local vegetable consumption by pointing out some of the advantages, benefits, and business opportunities associated with local vegetable production and consumption. Written by Qingren Wang, Edward A. Evans, Margie Pikarsky, and Teresa Olczyk, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, September 2014.
 HS1251/HS1251: Consuming Local Vegetables from Our Local Growers (ufl.edu)

Evaluation of seedling resistance of rice germplasm resources to sheath blight(Rhizoctonia solani)

Rice sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, is the most serious disease in the southern rice producing regions of China. The use of resistant varieties is the most economic strategy to control the disease. In this paper, a seedling inoculation method was used to evaluate rice germplasm resources for resistance to sheath blight. A total of 363 rice varieties were evaluated with a set of R. solani isolates. The results indicated that the rice varieties generally lacked resistance to R. solani, and no highly resistant/immune (HR) variety was found. However, two varieties displayed clear resistance (R) and 37 showed moderate resistance (MR) to the fungus. Overall, hybrid rice varieties have better resistance than conventional rice varieties, and among hybrid rice varieties, those with the II-32A sterile line genetic background were the most resistant. The results also indicated significant interactions between rice varieties and pathogen isolates, suggesting that an understanding of local R. solani populations is needed when recommending varieties to local growers.

Opuntia spp. biodiversity conservation and utilization on the Cape Verde Islands

Cactus pear is the common name of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., the arid-resistant plant that is grown worldwide for its multifunctional proprieties. The paper gives an overview of local genetic resources of Opuntia spp. and describes the results of the recent introduction of some O. ficus-indica varieties, hybrids and other cactaceas on Fogo Island during a cooperation international project carried out by the Italian Universities of Torino and Sassari aimed to build a sustainable supply chain for the local growers, in order to fight their extreme poverty and malnutrition. The ten introduced genotypes were selected from a repository located Sardinia (Italy) held by the University of Sassari. They were selected for fruits and/or cladodes productivity, and potential use as livestock feed, and no invasive behaviour. The propagation test started in May 2007 and data on the emerging and the growth of new cladodes were recorded until March 2008: propagation was carried out by cloning via cutting. Once planted and identified, usual agrotechniques for Opuntia cultivation were applied and data on growth were periodically collected. To evaluate and compare the growth of the different genotypes, a productivity index was used. Cladodes of the Nopalea genotype were significantly smaller in size than all the other genotypes, in length (20.50 cm), width (11.25 cm), and thickness (0.98 cm). In the present study, the active preservation of biodiversity has become a tool to enhance sustainable agroforestry.