Polystyrene Trays Research Articles

Postharvest durability of tomatoes with PVA covering

ABSTRACT Plastic packaging from petroleum derives used in the food industry represents serious environmental problems. Alternative solutions to these problems consist of the development of biodegradable packaging, such as films and edible coatings including the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). In this research we evaluated the effect of the PVA application by two different techniques aiming to increase shelf life of ripe tomatoes, cultivar Carmen. The methodology of this study consisted in covering tomatoes with a PVA solution and also with PVA impregnated tracing paper. The different fruit lots were kept in polystyrene trays for 19 days on a laboratory bench at a controlled temperature of 25±3ºC. The fruit analyzes were compared to the control fruits without any treatment, being evaluated firmness, pH, titratable total acidity, mass loss, total soluble solids content, water activity and color determination of fruit surface. Among the different treatments, the PVA coating applied directly to the fruits contributed to control the firmness and the mass loss, as well as this treatment influenced the total soluble solids content, the luminosity and the red color of fruits with statistical difference compared to the control and covered with tracing paper (with or without PVA). The PVA coating solution applied directly on the fruits contributed to maintain the postharvest quality of the ripe tomatoes.

Assessing the effect of PLA, cellulose microfibers and CaCO3 on the properties of starch-based foams using a factorial design

The effect of polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose microfibers (CEL), and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) on the equilibrium moisture content (EMC), density and flexural mechanical properties of starch-based bio-foams was studied using a full factorial design 23. Also, a moisture aging study was carried out. The results show the three factors studied changed the bio-foams morphology, contribute to density increment, enhance dimensional stability and improve both the moisture resistance and the mechanical flexural properties. The moisture aging studies show that, although the flexural mechanical properties decrease with increasing humidity, the bio-foams exceed the mechanical properties of commercial expanded polystyrene (EPS) trays. These findings suggest the bio-composites could be used in regions where the humidity conditions are moderate to very humid, guaranteeing their dimensional stability and functional properties. Thus, these new bio-foams are an attractive and sustainable option to replace the non-biodegradable EPS commercial trays.

Polystyrene seedling trays used as substrate by native plants.

Among polymers, expanded polystyrene (EPS) is increasingly abundant as a form of anthropogenic litter in natural environments, particularly along waterways. Nevertheless, there is still no research focusing on the interaction between this type of litter and biodiversity components. In this note, we reported the first evidence of an interaction between EPS and living native plants along an artificial drainage channel in a land reclaimed area of Tyrrhenian central Italy. We sampled a number of EPS seedling trays, deriving from agricultural activities, obtaining evidence for an interaction between this polymer and plants: on a total of 231 available seedling holes, 16.88% have been occupied from six species (Lycopus europaeus, Poa cfr. trivialis, Stachys palustris, Silene sp., Phragmites australis, Parietariajudaica). The set of species occurring on floating polystyrene trays appears comparable to that occurring on the sides of the land reclaimed channels (locally, L. europaeus and S. palustris are among the most common species of the riverine vegetation). Therefore, it is very probable that floating trays are a random sample of the seed rain of the vegetation of the sides of the channels. However, more research is needed to assess if the plant assemblage growing on EPS is random process or if peculiar substrate exerts some sort of selection on the plant community.

LCA Analysis of Grafted Tomato Seedling Production in Turkey

Seedling grafting is an essential technique that is often expressed as the fusion of two different small plants to make an organism with superior properties. Grafted seedlings have strategic and economic importance because they affect the yield of other agricultural products and final product quality. However, grafted seedling production consumes more resources than normal seedlings; therefore, its environmental effects carry great importance for sustainable agricultural production whilst in life-cycle assessment (LCA) literature, little research exists about this subject. This cradle-to-farm-gate LCA study focuses on grafted tomato seedling production in Antalya, Turkey and original data compiled by face-to-face surveys with seedling producers are used. It aims to analyze and discuss the environmental impacts of energy, fertilizers, pesticides, disinfectants, peat, perlite, vermiculite, inserts, trays, grafting sticks, clips, plastic sheeting, packaging used in production. Findings reveal that coal for greenhouse heating in the energy category and expanded polystyrene (EPS) trays in supporting materials category have higher impacts. Therefore, rigid plastic alternatives of EPS with higher recycling potential are discussed. After creating a scenario to compare EPS and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) as raw materials, the results indicate that HDPE has lower damage potential than EPS in the human health, ecosystems, and resources categories.

A Comparison of Water Chilling and Air Chilling on Poultry Shelf Life

ObjectivesIn the U.S. water immersion chilling (WC) is commonly used to chill poultry, while the E.U. utilizes air chilling (AC). With demand for poultry continuing to rise, poultry products with longer shelf life and less food waste will be needed. Meanwhile, widespread efforts to reduce natural resource and energy expenditures, such as water, as a means of enhancing sustainability, exist across the meat industry, including the poultry industry. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the impact of WC and AC on the shelf life and meat quality of bone-in and boneless chicken breast.Materials and MethodsA total of 256 eviscerated non-chilled chicken carcasses were obtained from a commercial processing facility in California and transported to the UC Davis meat laboratory within 2 h. Carcasses were randomly and evenly assigned to either water immersion chilling (WC) or air chilling (AC) and then were evenly assigned to be fabricated into bone-in (BI) or boneless (BL) breast. The breast samples were subsequently packaged onto polystyrene trays, overwrapped, and placed into cardboard boxes for dark storage at 4°C for either 7d (phase 1) or 14d (phase 2). Then breast samples were placed into a retail display case maintained at 4°C for 3d. Instrumental color measurement was performed every 12 h during retail display. Microbial analysis was conducted for samples collected on arrival, post chilling, post-fabrication, after dark storage at 4°C for 7d or 14d and after 3d retail display (n = 10 per sampling point per treatment). A panel of 8 untrained participants were asked to evaluate the color and their willingness to purchase (for example color: desirable, acceptable, unacceptable). Analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate the effect of chilling method and storage time on all dependent variables using Proc Mixed in SAS (version 9.4).ResultsThe WC chicken possessed lower psychrotrophic bacterial counts (1.05 log CFU/g) pre-fabrication than the AC chicken (2.12 log CFU/g), indicating that WC may remove a portion of the psychrotrophic bacteria. However, no difference in mesophilic bacterial counts was observed between the two treatments for pre-fabrication samples. The WC chicken and AC chicken, regardless of fabrication type, reached the end of shelf life (7 log CFU/g) at the 14d. The BL samples, regardless of chilling method, had lower total microbial counts throughout storage and display than the BI samples, since the removal of the skin physically removed the general microbial population as well. In terms of objective color, the a* and b* values were higher for AC breast, suggesting that AC breast was more red and yellow than WC breast through the display time. Chilling method did not have an impact on subjective color measurement. During phase 1, untrained panelist considered the color of BL chicken breasts more desirable than the BI breasts. During phase 2, regardless of chilling method or fabrication type, the desirability of color by untrained panelist decreased as display time increased.ConclusionThe results indicate that chilling method had a minimal impact on the shelf life in terms of the microbial counts. Although AC chicken breast tend to be more yellow based on objective color measurement, consumers did not detect a distinct color difference of chicken treated with air chilling or water chilling.

Fluctuations in the Microbial Community and the Volatile Organic Acids Created During Aerobic Storage of Ground Beef

ObjectivesDegradation due to microbial and chemical mechanisms occurs throughout the storage life of ground beef. These pathways are intertwined and the microbial community and the volatile organic acids (VOCs) that evolve in ground beef are dynamic. Evaluation of microbial growth using traditional culture-dependent techniques can be misleading due to the presence of unculturable organisms. Therefore, utilizing culture-independent techniques allows for a more thorough understanding of the microbial community within a meat matrix during storage life. The objective of this study was to employ 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing and VOC identification using GC–MS to explore diversity and changes of the microbial community and VOC production during shelf-life of ground beef.Materials and MethodsFinely ground beef (80/20) was procured from beef processing facilities in the West (one lot) and Midwest (two lots). The lots were separated into three physically separate replicates. Ground beef lots were transported in chub packaging to Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO), and the chubs were stored in the dark at 2°C for either 16/17 d or 23/24 d. After dark storage, chubs were reground, and 454 g fluff-packs were placed on polystyrene trays before overwrapping with polyvinyl chloride film. The trays were placed in retail display cases maintained at 2–4°C for 5 d. Samples were collected every day of retail display for evaluation of the microbial community and VOC development. Following standardized extraction, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to explore microbial communities. Sequencing data were analyzed using the programs in the QIIME2 (version 2018.4) pipeline. Similarly, volatile organic compounds were extracted prior to analysis of targeted VOCs using a GC–MS. The project was designed as a split-plot design and was analyzed using R packages (version 3.4.3), lme4, lmerTest, and emmeans. Least squares means were separated using an α of 0.05.ResultsThe top orders of bacteria found in the meat samples were from Enterobacteriales, Lactobacillales, and Pseudomonadales. No differences (P ≥ 0.05) in Faith’s Phylogenetic Diversity Index, or a measure of diversity of the bacterial species within a sample, were observed between Days 0, 2, and 4 of retail case display. A targeted analysis identified eighteen VOCs associated with ground beef spoilage. In previous studies, the presence of hexanal, acetoin and acetic acid are identified as spoilage indicators. Hexanal, Acetoin and acetic acid increased (P ≤ 0.05) over the 5 d of retail display.ConclusionThe use of 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing technology is a relatively recent tool that has rapidly advanced the study of microbial deterioration during beef storage and shelf-life. Moreover, the combination of 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing and identification of VOCs in this study, afforded an exploration of the relationship between chemical and biological changes which occur during ground beef storage. These analytical technologies, when used in unison, can highlight the dynamic relationships and evolution of chemical and biological constituents in ground beef. Further research in ground beef shelf-life should incorporate such measures.

Effect of pulsed electric field treatments on melanosis and quality changes of Pacific white shrimp during refrigerated storage

Polyphenoloxidase (PPO) from Pacific white shrimp was subjected to Pulsed electric field (PEF) at varying specific energy (54-483 kJ/kg) and pulse number (200-600). PPO activity was decreased as both parameters increased (P < 0.05). Among shrimp treated with PEF, those subjected to PEF-T3 (483 kJ/kg, 600 pulses) had the lower melanosis score than other PEF treatments and the control, packaged in polystyrene trays and wrapped with shrink film, during 10 days of storage at 4 °C (P < 0.05). Highest shear force values were noticed with PEF-T3 treated sample at the end of storage period (day 10) (P < 0.05). Microstructural gaping between shrimp muscle fibers was notably higher in PEF-T3. No protein degradation was observed for all samples, regardless of PEF treatments. Lower mesophilic and psychrophilic microbial counts in shrimp were obtained when PEF-T3 was implemented. After 10 days of storage, higher sensory scores of PEF-T3 treated samples were also attained, as compared to others (P < 0.05). Quality deterioration of shrimp was retarded with the aid of PEF.

Search for sources of genetic resistance to Meloidogyne enterolobii in tomato and in wild Solanum (section Lycopersicon) accessions

Meloidogyne enterolobii (syn. M. mayaguensis) is an emerging plant pathogen capable of inducing root galls and yield reduction in a wide range of host species. This pathogen has also been reported as a global threat for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) crop production mainly due to its ability to overcome the Meloidogyne resistance meditated by the Mi-1 gene. Despite the potential importance of this nematode, sources of resistance to M. enterolobii are not yet available for breeding purposes. The main objective of the present work was to evaluate a large Solanum (section Lycopersicon) germplasm (comprising nine species and one botanic variety) aiming to identify useful sources of resistance to M. enterolobii. In the first screening assay, 101 accessions and the susceptible standard S. lycopersicum ‘Santa Cruz’ were inoculated and evaluated under controlled (greenhouse) conditions. Twenty-day-old seedlings were inoculated with a suspension of M. enterolobii eggs (710 eggs per plant) and maintained in expanded 128-cell polystyrene trays during the entire course of the experiment. The phenotypic criteria used for evaluation (done at 45 days after inoculation) were the number of root galls, gall index, number of eggs, and the reproduction factor. Twenty accessions with promising resistant reaction to M. enterolobii in the first screening test were selected and employed in a subsequent assay. Plants of the 20 selected accessions were cultivated in 400 cm3 pots filled with sterile soil. Inoculation procedures were identical to the first assay, but with higher inoculum pressure (3,300 eggs per plant). Three accessions with superior tolerance levels to M. enterolobii were identified viz. S. lycopersicum ‘Yoshimatsu’, S. lycopersicum ‘CNPH 1246’ and S. pimpinelifolium CGO 7650 (= CNPH 1195). These accessions were re-evaluated against a distinct M. enterolobii population as well as against two other root-knot nematode species (M. javanica and one M. incognita race 1). Under higher inoculum pressure, ‘Yoshimatsu’ was found to be resistant to M. javanica and M. incognita race 1, but susceptible to a M. enterolobii from guava. The other two sources displayed susceptibility to all three nematodes. The results indicated additional germplasm screening since no source of stable genetic resistance to M. enterolobii was found so far.

Swine manure on the control of damping-off in beetroot seedlings

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of swine manure (SM) doses applied to soils showing pH of 4.8 and 7.2 on the control of damping-off in beetroot seedlings caused by Rhizoctonia solani. To set the trial, plastic bags were filled with 4 kg soil (pH levels of 4.8 and 7.2) and 15 g R. solani inoculum kg soil-1. This mixture was moistened, homogenized and kept in a greenhouse for seven days. Following this period, SM doses (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) were incorporated into the bags, which were again stored in a greenhouse. After seven days, part of the soil from each plastic bag was separately placed into 16 cells of a 128-cell polystyrene tray, and two beetroot seeds were sown per cell. Seedling emergence and damping-off were evaluated for 21 consecutive days. The other part of the soil was used for microbial activity quantification based on the CO2 release method at 7, 14 and 21 days. The trial was conducted in a completely randomized design, with four replicates per treatment, and repeated twice. All tested SM doses reduced the number of damped-off beetroot seedlings in both trials, and the greatest disease control was provided by treatments that had SM doses of 15% and 20% applied to soil showing pH level of 7.2. In addition, regardless of the pH level, all tested SM doses increased soil microbial activity.

Growth analysis of sweet potato cultivars using the float system greenhouse

Alternative use for float system in a greenhouse is being studied in Brazil for sweet potato crop. This study aimed at investigating the viability of the use of expanded 128-cell polystyrene trays for the production of sweet potato plantlets in a greenhouse float system. ‘Beauregard’, ‘Brazlândia Branca’, ‘Brazlândia Rosada’, ‘Brazlândia Roxa’, ‘Coquinho’ and ‘Princesa’ cultivars were tested, and vine cuttings without roots with one or two unfolded leaves. The experimental design was completely randomized using six sweet potato cultivars and two types of vine cuttings, single node cutting (with one unfolded leaf) and double node cutting (with two unfolded leaves). The number of sweet-potato vine cuttings with leaves and roots, leaf area, leaf and root weights of plantlets were recorded. In addition, the survival rate in the field and stems, and tuberous roots productivity were evaluated. Overall, survival of transplants (presence of leaves and/or roots) with two nodes was higher than those with one node, and significant differences between cultivars (p<0.01) were observed. Leaf area statistical analyses indicated significant differences of cultivars regarding to the vine cutting types. Statistical leaf weight analyses indicated significant differences of cultivars regarding vine cuttings type, except for ‘Beauregard’. Root weight statistical analyses indicated significant differences of cultivars regarding vine cuttings type, except for cultivars ‘Beauregard’, ‘Brazlândia Branca’ and ‘Coquinho’.

SUBSTRATE VOLUMES AND APPLICATION OF PACLOBUTRAZOL FOR ORNAMENTAL PEPPER PRODUCTION

The objective was to evaluate the quality of ornamental pepper seedlings, cultivar Pyramid, in different substrate volumes, with foliar application of paclobutrazol (PBZ).The experiment was carried out at the Mato Grosso do Sul State University - UEMS, in Cassilândia - MS. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme (growth container x foliar application of PBZ) with four replicates of 36 seedlings each. Plastic trays (cells with a volume of 50 mL) and polystyrene trays (Isopor®, 100 mL cells) were used as containers. The treatments were: polystyrene tray with PBZ application; polystyrene tray without PBZ application; plastic tray with PBZ application and plastic tray without the application of PBZ. Plant height, root length, stem diameter, shoot dry mass, root dry mass, total dry mass, height/stem diameter ratio (H/D), shoot/root ratio (S/R) and Dickson quality index were evaluated. Foliar application of paclobutrazol resulted in robust pepper seedlings with reduced size, suitable and desirable characteristics for ornamental purposes. The polystyrene trays with higher volume cells (100 mL) contributed to the higher quality of ornamental pepper seedlings.

Seed position and influences on Caesalpinia pulcherrima germination and reserve proteins

Caesalpinia pulcherrima has diverse uses in the world, including ornamental and landscape characteristics, but there is a great disparity of germination during the time of seedlings production, being this factor attributed to the position of the seeds in fruits. This study aimed to evaluate some germinative aspects and concentration of reserve proteins in C. pulcherrima seeds in the function of its position in fruits. The work was carried out in greenhouse, in a completely random experimental design, with five seed position in the pod, based on the distance from seed to the peduncle (P1 - distal, P2 - distal/median, P3 - median, P4 -proximal/ median, P5 - proximal). Eight replicates with eight seeds each, were sowed to germinate for 21 days in expanded polystyrene trays filled with substrate. The percentage, speed index, average germination time and 50% germination time of the plantlets were evaluated. The reserve proteins (albumin, globulin, prolamin and glutelin) contents were also determined. There was influence of the position of the seed in the fruit on germination and reserve proteins contents. The proximal/median position showed excellent results, having correlations of albumin, globulin and glutelin concentrations with some germinative parameters. Therefore, the use of proximal/median position of the seeds is recommended for C. pulcherrima propagation.

Biosourced Disposable Trays Made of Brewer's Spent Grain and Potato Starch.

Single-use plastic items made of non-biodegradable and fossil-based materials have been identified as a major environmental problem in modern society. Food packaging materials represent an important fraction of these, and replacement with biosourced, sustainable and low-cost alternatives, is a key priority. In the present work, and for the first time, trays suitable for some food packaging applications were produced by the hot-pressing of brewer’s spent grains (BSG, a low added-value byproduct of the beer industry), bound with potato starch. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) trays were used as reference, since this material has been widely used in food packaging trays. The results demonstrated that all trays produced with varying proportions of BSG and potato starch have appropriate flexural strength, with values ranging between 1.51 ± 0.32 MPa, for 80% BSG content, and 2.62 ± 0.46 MPa, for 40% BSG content, which is higher than for EPS, 0.64 ± 0.50 MPa. Regardless of BSG content, flexural strength and modulus decreased significantly after contact with water, due to starch plasticization, attaining values below EPS. Trays produced with 60% BSG, and also with the addition of chitosan and glyoxal presented the highest flexural strength, both before and after contact with water, 3.75 ± 0.52 MPa and 0.44 ± 0.11 MPa, respectively. The latter is reasonably close to the reference value obtained for EPS.

Cambios fisiológicos de dos variedades de arveja almacenada en diferentes tipos de empaque y temperatura

The pea, an economic source for small and medium farmers in the Andes zone, evidences an incipient postharvest handling and a null level of transformation. After the harvest and due to its temporary and perishable nature, the pea accelerates its metabolism, decreasing its quality and shelf life. An economic option that is available to producers and marketers to preserve their characteristics is the use of packaging and refrigeration. The objective was to evaluate types of packaging (low density polyethylene bag (PE-LD), perforated thermoformed plastic container (PE-HD) and polystyrene tray (PS)) and storage temperatures (0°C, 4°C and 18°C) in two pea varieties (Surena and Obonuco Andina). An unrestricted random design with a 3x3x2 factorial arrangement was used, taking as factors temperature, packing and variety; and as study variables the kinetic constants (K) of percentage of sprouting, firmness, weight loss and color index. The results showed that, for the sprouting, the lowest value of K was shown in Surena, in PE-LD at 0°C. The temperature affected the firmness of the grains, remaining at 0°C. The lowest weight loss was evidenced in PE-HD at 0°C, regardless of the variety. For the color index, the lowest K was found in PS at 0°C, in Obonuco Andina. With the Arrhenius equation in the variable color index, useful life times of 13; 7; 5 and 2 days were estimated at temperatures of 0°C, 6°C, 10°C and 24°C respectively.

Dormancy breaking in seeds of different accessions of Luffa cylindrica Roemer

Luffa cylindrica Roemer is abundant in countries of Asia, Central America and South America. Dormancy in luffa seeds is caused by the impermeability of the coat, which may be a major obstacle in the commercial production of seedlings for the cultivation of this species. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate different methods to break dormancy in different accessions of luffa. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 6 (accessions) x 5 (dormancy breaking treatments) factorial arrangement, with four replicates. Seeds were planted on expanded polystyrene trays, containing commercial substrate Plantmax®. The analyzed variables were: emergence percentage; emergence speed index; number of true leaves; plant height; stem diameter; root length; shoot fresh and dry matter, and root dry matter. The first two variables were analyzed in the entire experimental plot and the others only in the evaluated area of the plot. Scarification with sandpaper nº 80 and cut with pruning pliers on the opposite end to the hilum were the methods of dormancy breaking which led to the best results. Due to the variability of the results among the accessions, it was not possible to recommend one method of dormancy breaking for luffa seeds that is generalized for all of them.

Fluctuations in the Microbial Community and the Volatile Organic Acids Created During Aerobic Storage of Ground Beef

ObjectivesDegradation due to microbial and chemical mechanisms occurs throughout the storage life of ground beef. These pathways are intertwined and the microbial community and the volatile organic acids (VOCs) that evolve in ground beef are dynamic. Evaluation of microbial growth using traditional culture-dependent techniques can be misleading due to the presence of unculturable organisms. Therefore, utilizing culture-independent techniques allows for a more thorough understanding of the microbial community within a meat matrix during storage life. The objective of this study was to employ 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing and VOC identification using GC–MS to explore diversity and changes of the microbial community and VOC production during shelf-life of ground beef.Materials and MethodsFinely ground beef (80/20) was procured from beef processing facilities in the West (one lot) and Midwest (two lots). The lots were separated into three physically separate replicates. Ground beef lots were transported in chub packaging to Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO), and the chubs were stored in the dark at 2°C for either 16/17 d or 23/24 d. After dark storage, chubs were reground, and 454 g fluff-packs were placed on polystyrene trays before overwrapping with polyvinyl chloride film. The trays were placed in retail display cases maintained at 2–4°C for 5 d. Samples were collected every day of retail display for evaluation of the microbial community and VOC development. Following standardized extraction, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to explore microbial communities. Sequencing data were analyzed using the programs in the QIIME2 (version 2018.4) pipeline. Similarly, volatile organic compounds were extracted prior to analysis of targeted VOCs using a GC–MS. The project was designed as a split-plot design and was analyzed using R packages (version 3.4.3), lme4, lmerTest, and emmeans. Least squares means were separated using an α of 0.05.ResultsThe top orders of bacteria found in the meat samples were from Enterobacteriales, Lactobacillales, and Pseudomonadales. No differences (P ≥ 0.05) in Faith’s Phylogenetic Diversity Index, or a measure of diversity of the bacterial species within a sample, were observed between Days 0, 2, and 4 of retail case display. A targeted analysis identified eighteen VOCs associated with ground beef spoilage. In previous studies, the presence of hexanal, acetoin and acetic acid are identified as spoilage indicators. Hexanal, Acetoin and acetic acid increased (P ≤ 0.05) over the 5 d of retail display.ConclusionThe use of 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing technology is a relatively recent tool that has rapidly advanced the study of microbial deterioration during beef storage and shelf-life. Moreover, the combination of 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing and identification of VOCs in this study, afforded an exploration of the relationship between chemical and biological changes which occur during ground beef storage. These analytical technologies, when used in unison, can highlight the dynamic relationships and evolution of chemical and biological constituents in ground beef. Further research in ground beef shelf-life should incorporate such measures.

Bell Pepper Sprouts Produced in Polystyrene Trays with the addition of Turkey Manure in the Substrate

Bell Pepper Sprouts Produced in Polystyrene Trays with the addition of Turkey Manure in the Substrate

Potential of Pinus elliottii Engelm. needles as substrate conditioner for the production of “Fepagro C37 reck”Citrus rootstocks”

Abstract The production of citrus seedlings in protected environment requires a large amount of substrate, which must have adequate physical and chemical characteristics. The use of acidic conditioners, such as Pinus needles mixed with alkaline substrates, allows the cultivation of seedlings with better quality. The objective of this work was to evaluate the development of the “Fepagro C37 Reck” rootstock grown in different alkaline commercial substrate mixtures (Humosolo ES®) with Pinus elliottii needles. The experiment was carried out by testing alkaline substrate mixed with 5-month old of decomposition Pinus needles in situ decomposition and two granulometry sizes, 3.5 and 8.0 mm. The mixtures were performed in proportions between the needles with the Humosolo, (v / v) 0%; 25%; 50%; 75% and 100%. Expanded cellular polystyrene trays were used to accommodate the mixtures and seeding of the rootstock. Physical and chemical evaluateons of the mixtures were carried out, as well as the development of the seedlings. The use of Pinus needles acidified the substrate Humosolo ES®, reduced its electrical conductivity and increased the percentage of porous space of the mixtures and reduced water retention. The treatments containing 25 and 50% of the Pinus needles mixture, regardless of the granulometry, provide greater development of rootstock plants “Fepagro C37 Reck”.

Application of edible coatings in conservation of acerola

The acerola is a tropical fruit recognized for its high nutritional value, however, the high pereceability after harvest motivated by its climacteric behavior requires conservation techniques that allow the maintenance of its quality during the storage period. The edible coatings, in this context, are presented as alternatives since they form barriers on the fruits, restricting the gas exchanges, improving the visual aspect without compromising with the fruit flavor. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the application of edible coatings on the post-harvest quality of acerolas cv. Costa Rica during refrigerated storage (10 °C). Fruits of ripe acerolas were harvested in a commercial orchard, sanitized and immersed in three solutions (3%) of cassava starch, arrow starch and gelatine, in addition to the control represented by uncoated fruits for a period of 3 minutes. These were then dried and packed in styrofoam polystyrene trays coated with polypropylene plastic film (PVC) and stored under refrigeration (10 °C) for 12 days. The total fresh solids content (o Brix), titratable acidity (% malic acid), pH, TSS/AT ratio and sensorial analysis on the occurrence of wilting were evaluated every three days, visual appearance and the aroma of the fruits. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial scheme of 4x5, that is to say, (4 treatments: control, cassava starch, arrowroot starch and gelatin) and (5 storage times: 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 days ), with five replicates and the experimental plot composed of 100 g trays. During the storage period, no significant difference was observed between the coatings used, however, their action on the fruits contributes to reduce the loss of fresh mass and to allow a better balance in the fruit flavor ratio (SST / AT) after 12 days . The films formed on the fruits did not compromise the chemical quality (soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH) maintaining similar behavior to the fruits of the control treatment. In addition, there was a reduction in the incidence of wilting and the loss of the characteristic aroma of the fruits, contributing to a better visual appearance. Thus, edible coatings based on cassava starch and arrowroot and gelatine are presented as effective alternatives in preserving the quality of acerolas during refrigerated storage.

Postharvest quality of Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) associated with packaging and storage conditions

Limited information exists regarding the ideal packaging and storage conditions for optimum quality and storage life of rambutan. In this study, the physicochemical properties of rambutan fruits were monitored during storage. Fruit were packaged in Ventilated LDPE (150 gauge), Ventilated Polypropylene (PP) (100 gauge), Polystyrene tray with cling film wrap, Shrink wrapping and stored under room (30±2?C and RH 80-85%) or refrigerated (10±2?C and RH 90-95%) conditions were investigated for their potential to enhance the quality and extend the storage life of the fruit.&nbsp; Rambutan pre-packaged in ventilated polypropylene (PP) reduced weight loss. Refrigerated storage extended storage life of PP packed fruits compared to un-refrigerated fruits up to 14 days. Result of study revealed that Rambutan pre-packaging of rambutan in ventilated polypropylene (PP) reduced weight loss, while refrigerated storage extended storage life of PP packed fruits compared to un-refrigerated fruits up to 14 days. These results provide important information regarding the storage behavior of rambutan fruits and indicate that packaging and storage conditions are effective for reducing moisture loss and extending storage life of fresh rambutan fruit.