Sweet Type Research Articles

Microsatellite analysis of distinct coconut accessions from Agatti and Kavaratti Islands, Lakshadweep, India

The Lakshadweep group of islands, located in the south-western part of India in the Indian Ocean is considered unique for its coconut populations owing to its geographic isolation and assumed introgression with mainland coconut populations along west coast of mainland India. A wide range of variability was noticed for morphological characters of Lakshadweep coconut populations. A total of nine accessions were collected from Agatti and Kavaratti Islands of Lakshadweep as part of a germplasm enrichment programme for island coconut populations of India. This includes three Laccadive Micro types, four types of Laccadive Ordinary Tall differing in nut bearing habit, fruit shape and size, one each of sweet husked Kaithathali tall and dwarf type. The microsatellite analysis of the 9 coconut populations with 8 primers revealed a total of 37 alleles. The highest number of eight alleles was detected for the CAC8 primer and the lowest number of three alleles for the CAC10, CAC13 and CnCIRG11 primers. The estimate of heterozygosity was highest (>0.5) for the two Laccadive Micro Tall (LMT02 and LMT03) and the Laccadive Small Tall (LCT02) populations and was lowest (0.24) for the Laccadive Micro Tall (LMT01). The sporadic occurrence of Laccadive Micro Tall is discussed in the context of high outcrossing and inbreeding depression.

Efecto de la dispersión de polen en la producción de semilla de maíz, en Texcoco, México

Con la finalidad de conocer cómo se dispersa el polen de maíz en un lote de producción de semillas con problemas de aislamiento y sus implicaciones en la calidad genética, se condujo un experimento en un lote de 189 por 42,5 m en el ciclo primaveraverano de 1992 en Texcoco, México. Se establecieron tres poblaciones de maíz contrastantes en la composición del endospermo: dos de tipo normal y una de tipo dulce. Las variedades de tipo normal estuvieron colocadas en tres surcos rodeando a la variedad dulce. Se evaluó la altura de planta y mazorca, floración femenina y masculina; además, el porcentaje de grano con endospermo normal, como indicativo del cruzamiento ocurrido en la variedad de endospermo dulce. Las condiciones que facilitaron el cruzamiento con las variedades de endospermo normal fueron la inexistencia de aislamiento por distancia y coincidencia de las floraciones. La dispersión de polen y subsecuente contaminación dentro del lote siguió una distribución normal; existieron variaciones en los niveles y distancias de contaminación debidas a la dirección de los vientos y en el vigor de las plantas contaminantes. La menor contaminación fue 1% que se presentó en el centro del lote. La ecuación de superficie de respuesta obtenida estimó que con 25 surcos borderos es posible obtener una calidad de semilla sin contaminación.

“Mints”, smells and traditional uses in Thessaloniki (Greece) and other Mediterranean countries

The herbs of the “mint” group traded in the herbal market of Thessaloniki include eight taxa, members of two genera, Acinos (two species) and Mentha (four species and two hybrids). The essential oil content of 72 samples examined ranged from traces up to 1.69 ml/100 g of dry weight. Besides three almost scentless samples, the different “mints” are distinguished according to their prominent smell differences, i.e. samples with a pungent, musty and sweet type of smell. As a result, the commercial names attributed to them correspond to a particular type of smell and not to a particular taxon. A number of 29 medicinal uses were recorded in total. In most cases uses were not associated with particular taxa but were rather determined by plant smells. A literature survey has shown that the “mints” traded in Thessaloniki are also used as herbal medicines all over the Mediterranean area, with 67 different therapeutic uses. Among them the 22 uses, already mentioned by Dioscurides, show that the utilization of “mints” as herbal medicines in the Mediterranean countries has a long tradition.

Sweet and fibre sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), energy crops in the frame of environmental protection from excessive nitrogen loads

Sweet and fibre sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) are multipurpose cereals of potential interest for several non-food uses. In order to assess the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization on crop growth, yield and N budget during crop cycle, field trials were carried out in Northern Italy (44°33′N, 11°21′E) in the years 1997–1999. Sweet and fibre sorghum were grown in combination with three N rates (0, 60, 120 kg ha −1). Both crops depicted a sigmoidal growth-pattern, but fibre sorghum showed an earlier and steeper growth. Sweet sorghum recovered due to a longer cycle, 118 versus 105 days in the 3 years’ average, and attained a similar final yield. Nitrogen fertilization did not affect growth pattern, nor yield partitioning among plant organs: the sweet type allocated more photosynthates to stems (about 75% of total dry weight) compared to the fibre one (55–60%), due to a limited partitioning to panicles. Total dry weight at harvest showed an interaction with years: fibre sorghum yielded significantly more than sweet sorghum in 1997 (23.8 versus 17.7 Mg ha −1), but the opposite happened in 1998 and 1999 (20 versus 24.2 Mg ha −1 as average), when a different sweet hybrid was grown, involving a longer season. When only the stem was considered of potential interest, such as in the case of ethanol production or fibre extraction, fibre sorghum showed a slight advantage in the 1st year (14.4 versus 12 Mg ha −1), whereas the sweet type prevailed in the following 2 years (18.7 versus 11 Mg ha −1). Fertilization did not significantly influence total yield, although interacted with sorghum type in plant N concentration and uptake: fibre sorghum rose in both parameters, due to bulkier panicles acting as a late-season sink for the nutrient, while the sweet type was not affected. Nitrogen budget at harvest was clearly influenced by applied fertilizer and plant uptake, whereas nutrient losses as ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching and natural supplies along with precipitation played a less relevant role. The expected variations in soil reserves ranged between −216 and +77 kg ha −1 of N, depending also on the plant portion removed from the field (whole plant or stem). A slight decrease in soil reserves, more favourable in environmental terms, is achieved when the whole biomass is removed from the field and when fertilizer rates are tight-suited to crop needs in specific growth conditions.

Comparing AFLP, RAPD and RFLP markers for measuring genetic diversity in melon

Three different types of molecular markers, RAPD, AFLP and RFLP were used to measure genetic diversity among six genotypes of Cucumis melo L. Each line represented a different melon genotype: Piel de Sapo, Ogen, PI161375, PI414723, Agrestis and C105. A number of polymorphic RAPD, AFLP and RFLP bands were scored on all materials and the genetic similarity measured. Clustering analysis performed with the three types of markers separated the genotypes into two main groups: (1) the sweet type, cultivated melons and (2) the exotic type, not cultivated melons. While the data obtained suggest that all three types of markers are equally informative, AFLPs showed the highest efficiency in detecting polymorphism.

On the Origin of Almond

Almond, Amygdalus communis L., is an ancient crop of south west Asia. Selection of the sweet type marks the beginning of almond domestication. Wild almonds are bitter and eating even a relatively small number of nuts can be fatal. How man selected the sweet type remains a riddle. Also, the wild ancestor of almond has not been properly identified among the many wild almond species. Breeding experiment, which is the most critical test for identifying the wild progenitors of other crops, is ineffective in almond, because it is interfertile with many wild taxa. The so-called wild A. communis of central Asia cannot be regarded as a genuine wild form, but as a feral form, or remains of old afforestation. The wild taxa morphologically akin to almond, A. korshinskyi (H.-M.) Bomm. and A. webbii Spach, are also feral types occurring in the Middle East and southern Europe, respectively. The taxon A. fenzliana (Fritsch) Lipsky is the most likely wild ancestor of almond for three reasons: 1. It is a genuine wild type forming extensive thickets of large trees young seedlings and all the intergradations between them in nature; 2. Its morphology, and particularly the partially pitted grooved nut-shell are within the range of variation of almond, and 3. A. fenzliana is native of Armenia and western Azerbaijan in the Middle East where almond was apparently domesticated.

Comparison of two Sorghum genotypes for sugar and fiber production

A comparative analysis of the growth and yield performances of two late maturing and productive sweet and fiber sorghums has been conducted, with the perspective of their introduction in temperate Italian climate areas as competitive multi-product crops. Sweet type sorghum `Wray' ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ssp. bicolor), and the nonsweet type, `H173' (hybrid Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench× Sorghum docna var. technicum), were grown in a field trial under well-watered conditions in northern Italy (latitude 44°3′N, longitude 11°2′E). During the crop cycle, growth analysis were performed by collecting data from both non-destructive and destructive samplings. Fundamental growth indexes were calculated as a function of accumulated growing degree days (GDD) from sowing. Yield traits were evaluated at soft dough maturity. Sweet and fiber crops reached soft dough maturity after 1250 GDD and did not statistically differ for total and main stem yields. Mean values of 27 and 20 t ha −1 dw, respectively, were detected. The sucrose content was more than three times higher and the cellulose and lignin contents 40–50% lower in `Wray' as compared to `H173', whereas the level of reducing sugars was similar. Both sorghum types can be considered as interesting new crops which might provide an energy production higher than 10 000 kcal m −2, a potential production of around 6000 l ha −1 of ethanol (sweet), and up to 15 t ha −1 of structural polysaccharides (fiber). The rate of leaf formation on the main stem and their final number were similar between the two genotypes. Until the growing differentiation point, one new leaf was visible every 40.5 GDD, thereafter the same growth process required around 123 GDD. During the period of early leaf formation, the fiber type showed a greater tillering ability which positively affected early canopy area and growth parameters. On the other end, the sweet sorghum crop presented enhanced dry matter accumulation capacity after the growing differentiation point as compared to the fiber crop (42.7 and 27.7 g m −2 d −1, respectively). This could be the result of higher leaf thickness and leaf area duration.

SELECTION OF SUPERIOR SWEET PEARL MILLET FODDER TYPES BY HETEROSIS

Superior fodder sweet pearl millet types were selected by heterosis study from 76 crosses (crossing 4 lines and 19 testers in a L x T mating design). The cross 843 A x L 90 is the earliest fodder type and the cross 732 A x VVJ 2 is considered to be the best for the straw yield. The cross LII Ax L90 is considered to be the best sweet type as it recorded the highest total soluble solids value.

Scarlet gourdCoccinia grandis little-known tropical drug plant

Coccinia grandis (Cucurbitaceae), scarlet gourd, is widely distributed throughout the tropics and can be found in both wild and cultivated states on the plains of India. Although the sweet type is extensively cultivated for its edible fruits,C. grandis may have some potential value as a remedy for diabetes. A brief account of the botanical aspects and the food and the potential medicinal value of the different promising cultivars is provided.

Petroleum Geology of Subandean Basin of Ecuador, Northern Peru and Southern Colombia: ABSTRACT

The Subandean basin is an arcuate structural depression aligned in a north-south direction between the Guyana shield and the Andes. Nevadan orogenic movements there were followed by miogeosynclinal conditions that characterized sedimentation throughout the Cretaceous Period. The initial deposits of an Aptian-Albian End_Page 617------------------------------ marine transgression were epicontinental sandstones, known as the Hollin Formation, which are the primary drilling objectives in the Subandean basin. As subsidence continued, the relief of the Guyana shield was reduced by erosion, and finer-grained uppermost Albian to Cenomanian sediments were deposited. These beds, called the Napo Formation, are mainly interbedded shale, glauconitic sandstone and bituminous limestone. They form an important oil-producing section. The source of Napo and Hollin sediments was on the east in the Guyana shield. The sub-Hercynian orogeny terminated the cycle of sedimentation and led to the beginning of deposition in a fluviatile and lacustrine environment. The predominantly freshwater environment persisted throughout Tertiary time and sediments were derive from the newly uplifted Andes on the west. Commercial production was established in Colombia in 1967 and the producing trends have been extended south to the northern border of Peru. Oil has accumulated in mountain-front and mid-basin traps that are most commonly fault-associated anticlines. All crude discovered has been of the sweet type. There is an increase in oil gravity from the eastern shelf to the western basin axis. Gas-oil ratios are low. No gas fields have been discovered. End_of_Article - Last_Page 618------------

The quantitative estimation of substances on paper chromatograms : III. Electronic systems for the photometric scanning of paper chromatograms

The design, construction, and testing of electronic circuits useful for chromatogram scanners is described. These include a stabilized tungsten lamp source, sources and amplifiers for retransmitting slidewires to provide outputs for analog-to-digital conversion equipment, a voltage-to-frequency converter driving a 4-pen integral recorder, and a solid-state logarithmic densitometer circuit of the Sweet type.

The Germicidal Action of Raw Milk upon an Organism of the Sweet Curdling Type

Summary Certain samples of mixed raw milk exerted a marked restraining action upon an organism capable of rapidly producing a sweet curdling type of fermentation. This action was present in the milk over a period of several months. Coagulation produced by the sweet curdler was delayed from three and one-half to six hours in different samples of mixed raw milk. Coagulation usually occurred when the sweet curdler attained a population of from 10 to 40million. The marked germicidal activity in this study was confined to Jersey milk. Under the conditions of these experiments, S. lactis exerted but little influence upon the development of the sweet curdler and was only slightly restrained by the bactericidal activity of the milk. Both S. lactis and the sweet curdler multiplied more rapidly in the heated milk than in the non-germicidal raw milk. The difference was relatively small during the first eight hours, but thereafter was usually large. These observations indicate that under certain conditions a strong germicidal action may be of distinct value in protecting the milk supply.