Point Of Harvest Research Articles

Harvesting system sustainability in Mediterranean olive cultivation: Other principal cultivar

In the olive production sector, which is increasingly expanding beyond the borders of the Mediterranean basin, harvesting is the most demanding phase, from both an economic and organisational point of view. Traditional olive orchards are still predominant, with centuries-old and large plants, and are characterised by the gradual ripening of drupes and irregular planting patterns. Even though the structural conversion of these olive orchards into more modern cultivations may be difficult owing to their historical, monumental, and landscaping importance, as well as the existing legal restrictions, supporting a “modernisation” process aimed at mechanising the main farming operations remains a priority. Technological innovation is, therefore, a primary objective for Mediterranean olive growing, as well as for the enhancement of its strengths. The present study aimed at assessing different olive harvesting sites, considering the technical, economic, and environmental aspects, to develop a better version of the “olive harvesting database”. The applied methodology, also called the “modular approach”, represents a useful tool to apply in unitary process assessment to obtain a comprehensive database of diverse agricultural operations. Eight olive harvesting systems were compared: six highly mechanised scenarios, one based on mechanical-aided harvesting, and the final one based on fully manual harvesting. The mechanised systems obtained a better performance in terms of working capacity, as only 3.5 h ha−1 were needed to harvest 12 t using a self-propelled trunk shaker. In addition, the economic results revealed that mechanical harvesting, diversely from manual or aided harvesting, is the only way to decrease production costs. From an environmental point of view, manual and mechanical-aided harvesting showed the best performance in terms of impact per hour. However, using the mass-based unit (1 kg of harvested olives), the results were the opposite and this could be very relevant for the ecoprofile of olive oil.

Plant cell cultures as food\u2014aspects of sustainability and safety

Key messageSustainability and safety aspects of plant cell cultures as food are presented. Applicability of dairy side streams as carbon source and use of natural growth enhancers in cultivation are shown.Biotechnologically produced cellular products are currently emerging to replace and add into the portfolio of agriculturally derived commodities. Plant cell cultures used for food could supplement current food production. However, still many aspects need to be resolved before this new food concept can enter the market. Issues related to sustainability and safety for human consumption are relevant for both consumers and regulators. In this study, two plant cell cultures, deriving from arctic bramble (Rubus arcticus) and birch (Betula pendula), were cultivated using lactose-rich dairy side streams as alternative carbon sources to replace sucrose. Biomasses were comparable to those of original plant cell culture media when up to 83% and 75% of the original sucrose was replaced by these side streams for arctic bramble and birch cell cultures, respectively. Furthermore, nutritional composition or sensory properties were not compromised. Synthetic plant growth regulators were replaced by natural components, such as coconut water and IAA for several subculture cycles. Finally, it was shown that only trace amounts of free growth regulators are present in the cells at the harvesting point and assessment by freshwater crustaceans assay indicated that toxicity of the cells was not exceeding that of traditionally consumed bilberry fruit.

Changes in Capsiate Content in Four Chili Pepper Genotypes (Capsicum spp.) at Different Ripening Stages

Interest in the consumption of the fruits of pepper (Capsicum spp.) is not only due to its organoleptic characteristics, but also due to its bioactive compounds content, which are reported to provide essential benefits to human health. However, the amount and diversity of these compounds in each fruit specimen depend on its genotype and on a number of environmental factors. This work describes the quantitative ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode-array (UHPLC-PDA) analysis of the capsinoids content in four varieties of pepper (‘Habanero’, ‘Habanero Roxo’, ‘Bode’, and ‘Malagueta’) grown until different development stages in a greenhouse under controlled conditions. In all the varieties analyzed, capsiate was the only capsinoid found. The accumulation of capsiate, in all the pepper varieties, started from the 10th to the 20th day post-anthesis (dpa), and increased during the first days (between the 20th and the 27th dpa). From that moment a drastic reduction took place until the end of the ripening stage, except for ‘Bode’ peppers, where the capsiate content increased from the first harvest point on the 20th dpa up to the 76th dpa. The capsiate accumulation patterns over the development of the fruit has been related to the capsaicionoids accumulation patterns in the same samples of the four varieties of pepper. According to our results, the content evolution of both families of compounds will vary depending on each fruit’s genotype, as well as on environmental conditions. No clear trends have been established and, therefore, an in-depth analysis under controlled conditions should be carried out.

Optimising non-destructive sampling methods to study nitrogen use efficiency throughout the growth-cycle of giant C4 crops

Aims: The improvement of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of crops allows crop nitrogen (N) demands to be met while reducing N supply, and so reducing excess N which has potential negative environmental implications. NUE is often determined destructively at the end of crop growth-cycles without considering temporal variability. Here we present a methodological study which optimises the determination of NUE throughout the sugarcane growth-cycle using minimally destructive methods, and suggest the use of these methods for non-destructive NUE determination over the growth-cycle of other giant C4 crops. Methods and results: The determination of the NUE relied on the optimisation of three methods: the estimation of aboveground biomass, N content and N derived from fertiliser (NdfF). First, the ability of different allometric relationships to estimate sugarcane biomass was investigated by selecting a relationship based on height and diameter to estimate aboveground biomass along the crop growth-cycle. Secondly, we assessed the minimum number of harvested sugarcane required to construct a dilution curve to predict N content from biomass and found that a sampling of 5 sugarcane at 3 dates was sufficient to represent aboveground N content over the growth-cycle. Finally, the ability of 15N content of individual leaves to represent the NdfF in 15N-fertilised cane was tested. The first and second leaf below the top visible dewlap were the most representative. Based on a variance analysis, we assessed the level of influence of each method on the NUE calculation. Crop age accounted for 54% of the variance of NUE, the choice of 15N leaf 13%, with the choice of model to estimate biomass and the number of plants harvested for the N dilution curve, each accounting for less than 2% over the four sampling dates. Conclusions: This study highlighted the importance of evaluating NUE not only at the point of harvest. We propose, therefore, a set of methods to study NUE throughout the sugarcane growth-cycle by using minimally destructive sampling.

АНАЛИЗ СТРУКТУРЫ ЗАТРАТ НА ТРАНСПОРТИРОВКУ ДРЕВЕСИНЫ И ИХ СЕЗОННОЙ ДИНАМИКИ

The study is an analysis of the results obtained by the authors in the course of solving the problem of finding the best option for transporting wood from a harvesting point to a consumption point. The main indicators for determining the effectiveness of the supply chain, such as productivity, labor, cost, have been considered. The methods for determining the productivity of the used machines taking into account seasonality have been considered in detail: the influence of meteorological conditions, the change in the types and characteristics of the used transportation routes are considered. The methods for calculating the weighted average productivity of machines have been determined. Calculations of the performance when driving on different types of roads have been carried out based on the statistical data of the enterprises of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The dynamics of these indicators is calculated depending on seasonality. The calculations of labor costs for the process of exporting timber in long-length stems and logs and analysis of their seasonal fluctuations have been made. The structure of the cost of the logging process by operations, as well as its change during the year, has been examined in detail. A comparative analysis of the magnitude and structure of costs for the resulting model of the optimal supply chain and traditional models used in domestic practice has been made. The values of unit costs per cubic meter of harvested timber are obtained for the calculated optimal logistic model and traditional options. A general comparison of timber transportation technologies used by domestic enterprises has been carried out. Logging sites located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and providing wood with one of the largest enterprises in the forest industry have been used for numerical calculations.

Sustainable Palm Oil-The Role of Screening and Advanced Analytical Techniques for Geographical Traceability and Authenticity Verification.

Palm oil production from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is vital for the economy of Malaysia. As of late, sustainable production of palm oil has been a key focus due to demand by consumer groups, and important progress has been made in establishing standards that promote good agricultural practices that minimize impact on the environment. In line with the industrial goal to build a traceable supply chain, several measures have been implemented to ensure that traceability can be monitored. Although the palm oil supply chain can be highly complex, and achieving full traceability is not an easy task, the industry has to be proactive in developing improved systems that support the existing methods, which rely on recorded information in the supply chain. The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) as the custodian of the palm oil industry in Malaysia has taken the initiative to assess and develop technologies that can ensure authenticity and traceability of palm oil in the major supply chains from the point of harvesting all the way to key downstream applications. This review describes the underlying framework related to palm oil geographical traceability using various state-of-the-art analytical techniques, which are also being explored to address adulteration in the global palm oil supply chain.

Ocean wave energy potential along the west coast of the Sumatra island, Indonesia

The past few decades have seen considerable interest in exploration and research of ocean wave energy as a potential energy substitute for fossil-based fuel. In this study, a Wavewatch III spectrum wave model was driven to simulate significant wave height spanning for a period of 25 years, from 1991 to 2015 on the west coast of the island of Sumatra. The 25-year-average of wave energy shows some noticeable hot spots in certain areas that have a value of significant wave height up to 2.33 m and a wave energy 67.29 kW/m. These hotspot occurrences have a similar pattern as statistics collected for the seasonal characteristics that are associated with tropical monsoons with the average value of wave energy reaching its peak in an easterly monsoon season up to 98.21 kW/m, and the lowest average value occurring in the westerly monsoon season, lasting from December to February, with a prevalent value of 10 kW/m. Additional statistical parameters of possible wave energy site selections were considered, such as Coefficient of Variance, Monthly Variability Index, Optimum Hotspot Identifier, Wave Development Index, and accessibility to find the ideal location for wave energy converter deployment. These statistics give insight into potential prospective points for ocean-wave energy harvesting. Eight hotspots were finally selected based on the afore-mentioned statistical considerations and were further analyzed through wave energy characterization and obtained energy calculation through Pelamis, Archimedes Wave Swing, and Wave Dragon Wave Energy Converter power matrices. Finally, inter-annual variability and particular extreme events are discussed.

DETERMINATION OF THE MATURATION STAGE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FRUITS OF TWO POPULATIONS OF Passiflora cincinnata Mast

ABSTRACT Passiflora cincinnata Mast. (caatinga passion fruit) has acidic fruits with a peculiar flavor, green color when ripe and a low percentage of abscission making it difficult to identify the point of harvest. In order to verify the harvest period in two populations of P.cincinnata, flowers were marked in anthesis and after six periods the fruits were harvested. This study evaluated fruit mass, seeds and pulp mass, fruit dimensions and shape, percentage of water, color and texture of skin, volume, color and pulp yield, pH, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity ratio, polyphenol content, flavonoids and anthocyanins. The assay was designed in a completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement (2x6), with two populations (CPEF2220 and CBAF2334) and six harvest periods (20, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 days after anthesis - DAA) with four repetitions. There was a reduction in thickness (43.1%) and percentage of water in the skin (9.3%), pH (40.1%), ratio, polyphenols content and pulp luminosity (brightness). There were increases in pulp mass and volume, seed mass, pulp mass yield in relation to the fruit (72%), and SS titratable acidity (44.9%) in CPEF2220 and equality between populations in fruit shape, pulp color, thickness and skin color (luminosity and ºhue), pH and polyphenols. Although after 100 DAA there were higher yields, between 60 and 80 DAA it was possible to identify characteristics of SS, pH, titratable acidity, mass, volume and pulp yield related to ripe fruits, allowing harvesting after 60 DAA.

Avaliação de diferentes alturas de corte na ensilagem de milho

This work aims to evaluate the agronomic, bromatological and economic performance of a corn hybrid for silage production, considering different cutting heights. The objective was to evaluate ways of obtaining a silage with better nutritive value and productivity of DM, trying to study the effects of raising the cutting height of corn silage of 0, 15, 30 and 45 cm and also to evaluate the amount of mineral composition and economic value of the material remaining in the soil after cutting to silage. The experiment was carried out at the Agricultural Center of the Federal Institute of the Southeast of Minas Gerais – Campus Barbacena. The corn planting took place in November 2017/2018 harvest. The species used was a precocious, early-cycle hybrid with two Bt insecticidal proteins that provide control of the carcass caterpillar, spider caterpillar and berry borer, as well as tolerance to glyphosate. The harvest was made at 109 days, with 29% DM with harvest point determined as base in the milky 2/3 milk line. After harvest, the crushed material was ensiled in experimental small silos, made of PVC pipe, where it remained for 60 days. Once the silos were opened the collected samples were sent for laboratory analysis. The experimental design was completely randomized, containing 7 experimental plots equally divided into 4 treatments. The data were submitted to analysis through the Sisvar 5.6 program. A variance analysis was performed, where the means were compared and tested by the Tukey method, at a 5% probability level. The remaining material was collected, chopped and ground, and samples were also sent for laboratory analysis. The variation in cutting height did not affect the bromatological composition of the silage. The cut cutting heights did not influence on the silage DM production. It was verified that, in the silage production, the cutting height 30/45 cm returned to the soil nutrients that generate a considerable financial value thus reducing production costs and provided a return of nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium to the soil, with an estimated financial return and the possibility of favoring a better management of the soil in planting a new corn crop or another successor crop.

REDUCTION OF Salmonella spp. LEVELS IN SWINE CARCASS AT THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, USING HOT WATER BATH AT 80°C

Porcine salmonellosis is of important economic and food safety importance, as it is a cause of foodinfections in humans, and is present in large scale in finishing pigs due to lymph node latency and rearingconditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reduction in Salmonella spp. in slaughterswine carcasses, after slaughtering under a bath with water at 80 ° C. Ninety swine carcasses wereevaluated after slaughter at four harvesting points (leg, loin, belly and double chin), before and afterbathing with water at 80 °C, in 720 samples, with quantitative analysis by the number method moreprobable. In slaughtering 43.33% (39/90) of the animals were positive before hot water applicationrepresented by 62 positive samples. After the intervention, 88.71% (55/62) of the positive sampleszeroed the counts, in seven samples there was no reduction and in 11 samples, there was positivity inpreviously negative animals. The typifications of all positives were Salmonella Typhimurium. Thesamples with the greatest reduction in the count were double chin and belly samples with a concentrationof 330 NMP / g that subsequently zeroed. Treatment with hot water bath in the carcasses was efficient,with significant difference of positivity before and after the intervention. There were cases of crosscontamination after intervention in animals that remained positive and animals negative. Intervention by bathing the carcasses after gutting with 80 ° C water reduces the Salmonella spp. count and iseconomically viable. 

Enumeration and Survival of Salmonella enterica in Live Oyster Shellstock Harvested from Canadian Waters

Since 2015, 11 recalls of live oyster shellstock have been issued in Canada due to the presence of Salmonella enterica. Six of those recalls took place in 2018. To understand this increase, fundamental information is needed on the relationship between S. enterica and oysters. The aims of this study were to address important data gaps concerning the levels of Salmonella in naturally contaminated oysters and the ability of this pathogen to survive in live oyster shellstock. Enumeration data were evaluated for five oyster and clam samples collected from the east coast of Canada from 2015 to 2018. The reported levels were <0.0015 to 0.064 most probable number per g of oyster tissue. The S. enterica isolates recovered from these animals belonged to serovars Typhimurium, Infantis, Enteritidis, and I 4,5:i:-. Filter feeding by the oysters was exploited to assess the Salmonella accumulation that would occur following a natural contamination event. Detectable levels of the pathogen were observed after 30 min of exposure and began to plateau at 60 min. A survival study in live oyster shellstock indicated that after 4 days of storage at ambient temperatures, the Salmonella level declined slightly from 4.3 to 3.7 log CFU/g. These data indicate that the levels of Salmonella found in naturally contaminated oysters are low and are not expected to increase between the point of harvest and the point of consumption. The changing ecology of shellfish environments requires continued monitoring and testing to safeguard public health. The data presented here will be useful for the evaluation and design of sampling plans and risk management approaches for the control of Salmonella in live oyster shellstock.

Evaluation of water requirement, commercial quality, and yield response factor of gladiolus produced with automated irrigation in different growing periods

ABSTRACT Water management and meteorological conditions during the cropping phase play an essential role in maintaining the commercial quality of cut flowers. This study evaluates water requirement, sensitivity to water deficit, and commercial quality of gladiolus ‘Amsterdam’ produced with automated irrigation in different growing periods. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with five replicates and consisted of the growing period factors (winter/spring 2018 and autumn/winter 2019) and the irrigation level factors (45% - L1, 60% - L2, 80% - L3, and 100% - L4 of crop water requirement). An automatic irrigation controller was used for irrigation management. At the harvest point, we evaluated the stems for the diameter, number of flowers, spike length, and floral stem length. We also evaluated stomatal conductance, leaf area, and duration of phenological phases on degree-days. The application of 100% crop water requirement using an automatic irrigation controller in the autumn/winter cycle results in better commercial classification. The treatment with 45% of the crop water requirement extended the total duration of the cycle. In conclusion, flower stems of better commercial classification are obtained with 100% of crop water requirement during the autumn/winter cycle.

Quantitative Cellular Evaluation and Anatomical Organization of the External Region of Different Genetic Materials and Maturation Stages of Tomato Processing

The effect of the anatomical structure of tomato skin may be significant for quality determination at the harvest point, but the definitions of cells that constitute the skin of fleshy fruits, such as tomato, are still unclear, providing contradictory descriptions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidermal tissue of different genetic materials of tomato processing (IT761, U2006, TC2736, CVR2909 and F3060) and maturation stage, in order to compare and choose genetic materials with morphological characteristics of the epidermis region more appropriate for the bulk transport. Micrographs were used for cell measurements using the Image J software. Cuticle undergoes thickening during fruit growth, and reduction in full maturation. Genetic materials presenting fruits with thicker cuticle at the harvest stage (CVR2909, F3060 and IT761) were more advantageous due to their mechanical resistance. Cuticle deposition ends before full fruit maturation, resulting in a decrease in the amount of cutin per surface unit, consequently decreasing cuticle thickness in the ripe fruit. The characteristics observed in the tomato fruit mesocarp clearly showed the disruption of the cell wall during the fourth maturation stage related to loss of fruit firmness. Among the new genetic materials, F3060 has a greater potential to become cultivated for industrialization due to its morphological characteristics, such as elevated cuticle thickness and high values for width, height, perimeter and area of epidermal cells in full maturation stage, which make it suitable for bulk transport.

Ideal harvesting point of ‘Limeira-IAC382’ trifoliate orange fruits for seed extraction

Abstract Trifoliate orange is one of the rootstocks most used worldwide mainly because it provides excellent quality fruit production. Harvest at the correct time is among factors that determine the physiological quality of seeds. The aim of this study was to identify physicochemical changes in ‘Limeira-IAC382’ trifoliate orange fruits, searching for the ideal harvest moment to obtain high quality seeds. Fruits were harvested at 180, 210 and 240 days after anthesis, stored in cold chamber and evaluated at 0, 15, 30 and 45 days of storage. The following variables were determined: mass loss, fruit color index, soluble solids, total titratable acidity and fruit juice ratio. Seeds were manually extracted and dried until reaching 30% water content. Seeds were used for the performance of germination, electrical conductivity and greenhouse seedling emergence tests. Seeds from fruits harvested at 240 DAA showed higher germination and greenhouse seedling emergence percentage compared to the other treatments until 30 and 45 days of storage in cold chamber, respectively. Storage for 45 days in cold chamber of fruits harvested at 210 DAA increases seed germination rate and the percentage of seedlings from seeds harvested at 180 DAA. It could be concluded that the harvesting of ‘Limeira-IAC382’ trifoliate orange fruits should be performed when fruits reached yellowish peel and low juice ratio, aiming at obtaining seeds with physiological quality.

Quantifying postharvest loss of brinjal: A farm level study in Bangladesh

Brinjal (Eggplant) is a very common and popular horticultural crop in Bangladesh. This study reports on quantification of farm level postharvest loss of brinjal in two intensive growing districts Jamalpur and Rangpur of Bangladesh. It also outlines the determinants of brinjal postharvest loss and problems of brinjal farmers. A total of 144 farmers were considered for the study from purposively selected four villages. Total postharvest loss was quantified by evaluating quantitative and qualitative losses of brinjal. Farmers were found well acquainted with a range of postharvest practices such as definite point and stage of brinjal harvesting, sorting, grading and packaging. Morning was the most preferred time for harvesting and selling of brinjal in the survey areas. Distance selling and motor driving van for local selling were used by 25% and 23% of the respondents. Physical damage and physical appearance were the two basic criteria for grading of brinjal at farm level. Among the problems, absence of storage and lower prices of brinjal scored highest PFI 208 and 181, respectively from the possible range of 0 to 216. Farm level postharvest loss of brinjal was 13.90% of total production where full damages accounts for 9.16% alone. Infested by insect and rotten were the primary causes of full damages of brinjal in the survey area. The 4.73% of the total postharvest loss was due to partial damages of brinjal where skinning and bruising constitutes the maximum share. Due to postharvest loss brinjal farmers have to incur financial loss of Tk. 709.05 per decimal of brinjal cultivation. Total harvested amount, farmer’s education, packaging and selling place were found significant factors for postharvest loss of brinjal in the survey area. It is recommended that government, research institution and Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) should work jointly to educate farmers against postharvest loss of brinjal in Bangladesh.&#x0D; &#x0D; J Bangladesh Agril Univ 17(4): 454–460, 2019

Maturation and physiological quality of IAC-863 Rangpur lime seeds

There is a growing demand for high quality seeds to obtain citrus rootstocks. Normative Instruction 48 (MAPA) of September 24, 2013, requires minimum of 50% germination for the marketing of citrus seeds. Harvest season is one of the stages of seed production with great importance to ensure quality, which makes knowing its maturation process an important step. Thus, the objective of this study was to monitor physicochemical changes in IAC-863 Rangpur lime fruits in order to characterize the physiological maturity of seeds, and to define the ideal harvest point in order to obtain seeds with high physiological quality to obtain rootstocks. Physicochemical analysis of fruits (mass loss, color, soluble solids and acidity) and analysis of seeds (water content, germination and emergence) was performed. Higher germination results were observed in seeds obtained from fruits with higher color index and soluble solids content. The storage of IAC-863 Rangpur lime fruits after harvest increases germination rate, especially in mid-season fruits.

Supply-Side Analysis of the Market for Tomato in Bauchi State, Nigeria

The benefits of tomato to human health among the vegetable family cannot be overemphasized. Tomatoes are grown for home consumption in the backyard of many households across sub-Saharan Africa. They are important sources of vitamins as well as essential cash crop for both smallholders and medium-scale commercial farmers. A number of studies have shown that tomato is grown in commercial quantity anywhere agronomic conditions allow. In Nigeria and many countries of the world, tomato has become one of the most important crops in agriculture for smallholder farmers both for processing and fresh market. This paper analyses the supply side of the market for tomato in Bauchi State, Nigeria. The data employed were purposively obtained from farmers, wholesalers and retailers from agricultural areas in 7 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State. These include Bauchi, Alkaleri, Toro, Kari, Shira, Darazo, and Ganjuwa. Analysis is mainly predicated on the weighted least squares regression in order to address the problems that may arise from having heteroskedastic errors in the models. The findings show that farm characteristics majorly affect supply of tomatoes while handling costs and cooperative membership are mainly responsible for loss of tomatoes across the marketing chain. Also, cooperative membership does not play a significant role in improving the situations of neither the farmers nor the middlemen in terms of increased profitability and supply. In addition, socioeconomic and farm characteristics are found to be key factors affecting tomatoes’ profitability. Therefore, farmers should be encouraged to embrace a competitive market setting in order to achieve a free flow market interaction in the determination of price. A favourable farm-land ownership and acquisition policy should be made by government in order to increase output of tomatoes and consequently, higher profitability. This is most likely to have a positive influence on employment generation as more rural populace would be engaged in the production of farm products. Besides, infrastructural development, specifically in the area of transportations needs to be enhanced by the government in order to ease movement of agricultural produce from the point of harvest to their final destinations. Attention should also be given to government investment in storage facilities to minimize the spoilage level of farm produce in Nigeria. Farm cooperatives should be reformed so as to promote profitability of the agricultural firms.

Associations between pigments, antioxidant activity and coloring of blackberry fruits (Rubus sp.) and jellies through storage

The objective of this study was to investigate the relations between the amount of anthocyanins, carotenoids and the antioxidant activity measured by the FRAP and TEAC methods. Furthermore, pigments and the coloration of blackberry harvested fruits were measured at 3 different collection points then fruits stored in refrigerated environment and the jelly made from them, preserved in hermetically sealed glasses, without contact with light and temperature of 25ºC. In order to investigate the relations between the study variables (content of anthocyanins and carotenoids, antioxidant activity and coloration using digital colorimeter), Pearson’s correlation analysis was adopted, which indicates the existence of a positive or negative relation between two variables. The α = 5% (correlation coefficient) was used to verify the significance of the correlation. The Mahalanobis (D2) generalized distance for the clustering analysis by the mean linkage method between group of blackberry fruits and jellies was applied. Furthermore, the cophenetic correlation coefficient and multivariate analysis using major components were applied to verify the grouping of different responses of harvesting points of fresh blackberry fruit in natura and jellies. The results showed that there was correlation between the content of anthocyanins and carotenoids in fruits (0.99*) and between the same parameters in jellies. However, this behavior was not clearly observed between the pigments and the antioxidant activity. There was a positive correlation between the factors involved in the coloring of chroma fruits ‘L’, ‘a’, ‘b’ and ºHue in fruits and jellies. Blackberry jellies presented as good sources of anthocyanins and carotenoids.

Inorganic pollutants in edible grasshoppers (Ruspolia nitidula) of Uganda and their major public health implications.

Inorganic contamination of food products is associated with adverse health effects, however, information on grasshoppers in Africa is sparse. The objective of the study was to determine antioxidant, heavy metal and food safety status of edible grasshoppers of Uganda. A cross-sectional study was conducted in central and southwestern Uganda, in which a questionnaire was administered to grasshopper harvesters. Grasshopper samples were collected from each harvesting point and analyzed in the laboratory for antioxidant and heavy metal content i.e. Lead (Pb), Chromium (Cr), Zinc (Zn) and Cadmium (Cd) using atomic absorbance spectrometric (AAS) method on the heads and abdomen of the insects. Major antioxidants were Catalase > Glutathione > Glutathione peroxidase. In addition concentrations of heavy metals were in the order of Pb > Cr > Zn > Cd in the heads and abdomens of the grasshoppers. Pb concentrations were found to be higher in the heads than the abdomens and the carcinogenic potential of the grasshoppers was over 10 times over the recommended levels. Grasshoppers were found not to be safe especially in children due to their small body weight in comparison to adults. Pb poisoning in the Ugandan children would be propagated through contaminated grasshoppers.

Amaranth Response to Water Stress

Amaranth is a species that has rapid growth, tolerates drought and produces grains of high food value. In this work the potential for dry season cropping in the Brazilian savannah of two amaranth species (Amaranthus caudatus e Amaranthus cruentus) was studied, subjecting them to three different periods of water availability at the beginning of the crop. Weekly data were collected on height, dry matter mass of shoot, panicle and roots, and at the end of the cultivation, yield, harvest index, thousand-grain weight, water-productivity. It was also determined the falling plant estimation. In the dry matter production evaluation, it was observed that the water deficit caused the reduction of the shoot, but significant increase of the root. The A. caudatus Inca did not show a significant productivity difference between the treatments, with a mean of 1,591.0 kg ha-1 and reached harvest point at 63 days. The A. cruentus BRS Alegria had better productivity in the treatment without water restriction, average of 2,008.6 kg ha-1 and reached harvest point at 86 days. Both species have potential for dry season cropping in the Brazilian savannah.