Tropical Nature Research Articles

Queering Tropical Nature: Decolonising Hetero-Ecologies through Indigenous Epistemes in My Father’s Garden and Man Tiger

Queering Tropical Nature: Decolonising Hetero-Ecologies through Indigenous Epistemes in My Father’s Garden and Man Tiger

Palynology of the Albian–Turonian sediments from the Sumbe region, Kwanza Basin (Angola): Implications for paleoenvironment, paleoclimate, and paleogeography

Palynological investigations in the Sumbe region of the Kwanza Basin, Angola, have identified Albian to Turonian assemblages in four sections of the Quissonde Facies of the Mucanzo, Cabo Ledo, and Itombe formations. These studies aimed to determine their biostratigraphic ages and infer paleoenvironmental, paleoclimatic, and paleogeographic models. The presence of Odontochitina costata, Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides, and Xiphophoridium alatum cysts supports an upper Albian to lower Cenomanian age for the Mucanzo Formation. Litosphaeridium siphoniphorum cyst and the Elateroplicites africaensis pollen found In the Cabo Ledo Formation suggest a Cenomanian age, while Conosphaeridium striatoconum, Heterosphaeridium difficile, and Dinogymnium acuminatum supports a Turonian age for the lower part of the Itombe Formation. All samples predominantly contain fluorescent amorphous organic matter (AOM) derived from phytoplankton degradation, with increasing AOM in the uppermost units, indicating inner neritic marine deposition under dysoxic-anoxic conditions. During the Lower to mid-Cretaceous, the Gondwana breakup caused significant changes, with the palynological indicating a Tethyan affinity with some high-latitude taxa, suggesting a cosmopolitan distribution. The subtropical to tropical nature of the assemblages, along with high-latitude species, indicates a mid-Cretaceous water connection between the Central Atlantic and the South Atlantic oceans, extending to the Kwanza Basin.

A perspective on the worst ever dengue outbreak 2023 in Bangladesh: What makes this old enemy so deadly, and how can we combat it?

AbstractBackground and AimsBangladesh has been going through outbreaks of dengue fever cases every year since 2000. Yet this year's (2023) episode of dengue fever has crossed every line concerning fatality. Symptoms of the fever range from high fever, headaches, and muscle aches to deadly dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). The present review aims to assess the current pathogenicity and associated risk factors of recent dengue outbreaks in Bangladesh.MethodsTo perform this review work, we extracted relevant information from published articles available in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. We used dengue virus, dengue fever, and dengue outbreaks as keywords while searching for information.ResultsThis Aedes mosquito‐transmitted viral fever is more common in Bangladesh because of the tropical nature and immense burden of populations, resulting in convenient conditions for the reproduction of the vector. The rapid genetic transformation of this RNA virus and the resistance of its vector against insecticides have intensified the situation. The number of hospitalized patients has increased, and the case fatality rate has risen to 0.47%. Inadequate mosquito control measures, plenty of vector breeding sites, and a lack of public awareness have worsened the situation. Routine spraying of effective insecticides in high‐risk zones, regular inspection of potential mosquito breeding sites, and public awareness campaigns are the keys to limiting the spread of this virus. Also, the availability of detection kits, improved hospital settings, and trained health professionals are mandatory to keep disease fatalities under control.ConclusionDengue fever is a preventable disease. The successful development of a competent vaccine is now a prime need for preventing any future upsurge of the disease. Also, we recommend public awareness, vector control activities, and global collaboration to prevent spread.

Caracteres fisiológicos e agronômicos de cultivares comerciais de helicônias (Heliconia sp.) em Veracruz, Méxicoen'

Abstract Heliconias belong to the group of tropical flowers, which generate economic benefits in the agricultural sector with their agronomic peculiarities. Besides providing the social actors involved with benefits aimed at sustainability in different tropical areas. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the physiological and agronomic characteristics of three commercial cultivars of Heliconias in three locations of a community in the municipality of Fortín, in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Three sites were identified based on the type of agriculture: agroforestry system with Heliconias (site 1), agroforestry system - monoculture, with Heliconias (site 2) and monoculture (only Heliconias, site 3). A randomised complete block design with a split-plot arrangement (A x B) and six replications was used. Factors were: A) In situ cultivation sites, corresponding to three plots (sites) in the municipality of Coapichapan, Mexico, and B) Heliconias cultivars (Heliconia psittacorum, Heliconia wagneriana and H. bihai). The variables evaluated were tillers traits and inflorescence traits. The results show that in an agroforestry system with Heliconia, Heliconia bihai showed better performance in eight variables except for inflorescence number and bract number. In an agroforestry and monoculture system with Heliconia, Heliconia bihai shows better results in leaf length and inflorescence length. In an agroforestry system and monoculture with Heliconia, Heliconia wagneriana performed better in bract number, pseudostem width and leaf length. In monoculture, Heliconia bihai responded best to inflorescence length. Due to the tropical nature of this ornamental, the best growing conditions for Heliconia are in agroforestry systems. Due to its physiological characteristics, Heliconia bihai shows its agronomic potential in this type of agriculture even under monoculture conditions. Therefore, the conditions offered by an agroforestry system have a positive effect on the cultivation of Heliconia.

Evergreen forests on the Korean Peninsula faced a new threat: Schizomyia castanopsisae (Jat-bam-na-mu-hok-pa-ri) inducing galls on reproductive organs of Castanopsis sieboldii in the Yokjido Island Natural Monument Forest

Unnoticed and silently, a certain midge has emerged that could pose a threat to the evergreen forests on the Korean Peninsula and the associated island ecosystems. We report the discovery of an unrecorded species on the Korean Peninsula, identified as Schizomyia castanopsisae Elsayed & Tokuda, 2018 (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). This previously unrecorded gall midge species induces galls on a reproductive organ of Castanopsis sieboldii, specifically the inflorescences, and was found in the natural monument forest on Yokjido Island. A total of 40 larvae were collected from 8 inflorescence galls, each obtained from individual hosts within the forest. Morphological examinations and mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) region sequencing were conducted for each specimen, confirming the identification of the gall inducer as S. castanopsisae. The COI sequences from the 40 specimens collected on Yokjido Island were identical, showing a 99.8% match with individuals from Kyushu, Japan. Additionally, a maximum likelihood tree analysis revealed a sister relationship between Yokjido Island and Kyushu individuals. Considering the tropical nature of gall midge species, it suggests recent northward migration from Kyushu to Yokjido Island. This species not only significantly reduces acorn production but also has the potential to negatively impact organisms associated with acorns. Drawing from cases in Japan, this species has the potential to rapidly dominate evergreen broad-leaved forests on numerous islands in the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, urgent additional research on aspects such as natural enemies of this species, its dispersal mechanisms, and other relevant factors is necessary. We also investigated the distribution of trees with inflorescences gall-induced by S. castanopsisae in the Yokjido Island Natural Monument Forest. The occurrence frequency of these galls is estimated to be approximately 10 percent.

BASIC APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF SIMILE IN LINGUISTICS

The article examines and analyzes the main approaches to the study of simile in modern linguistics. Simile, as a stylistic device, is one of the most widely used tropes, therefore, it receives a lot of attention in linguistic science. Researchers define the role of simile as an element of discourse involved in its construction, consider simile as a functional-semantic category, characterize the linguistic status of stable simile and give its interpretation, highlight the artistic features of simile and the main ways of presenting simile, consider the simile in a linguistic and cultural key. In domestic and foreign linguistics, simile is considered both as a trope and as a device of a non-tropical type. Particular attention in the theory of simile is paid to the development of its typology. The most common division is based on semantic and structural characteristics. In the structural differentiation of similes, scientists distinguish two approaches: dividing similes according to connecting words or the number of indicated characteristics, and also dividing according to the structure of similes. Within the framework of semantic differentiation, most researchers distinguish stable and individual similes. Simile as a trope has many functions, which defines it high pragmatic potential. Simile serves as a means of cognition and mastery of reality; culture creates the basis for trope formation. Along with structural and content parameters, an important role in the process of analysing similes is played by the functional characteristics of the latter, due primarily to their tropical nature The trope is a reflection of the personality of its creator, conveys complex content, new meanings and characteristics, evaluativeness and emotiveness. It is also important that simile enhances the expressiveness of speech and has an aesthetic effect on the reader.

Identifying hotspots of woody plant diversity and their relevance with home ranges of the critically endangered gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) across forest landscapes within a tropical nature reserve.

To achieve effective conservation objectives, it is crucial to map biodiversity patterns and hotspots while considering multiple influencing factors. However, focusing solely on biodiversity hotspots is inadequate for species conservation on a landscape scale. This emphasizes the importance of integrating hotspots with the home ranges of species to identify priority conservation areas. Compiling the vegetation data with environmental and anthropogenic disturbance data collected from kilometer-grid plots in Bawangling Nature Reserve, Hainan, China, we analyzed the spatial distribution of plant diversity (species richness and Shannon-Wiener index), as well as the main drivers affecting these patterns. We also investigated the spatial distribution of hotspots using a threshold approach and compared them with the home ranges of the flagship species, Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus). Climate and soil are predominant drivers shaping the spatial pattern of plant diversity in Bawangling Nature Reserve, surpassing the influence of anthropogenic disturbance and topographic factors. Both diversity indices exhibit a generally similar pattern with exceptions in surrounding areas of Futouling and Elongling. The hotspots identified by the Shannon-Wiener index showed a higher spatial overlap with the home ranges of Hainan gibbon compared to the species richness hotspots. The recently established Hainan gibbon Group E in 2019, located 8km away from the original Futouling habitat, does not coincide with identified hotspots. Our findings indicate that the hotspots of plant diversity within the habitat of Hainan gibbon Group E are relatively limited, emphasizing the necessity of giving precedence to its conservation. Integrating hotspots with the home ranges of critically endangered species offers decision-makers valuable information to establish rational conservation networks in the context of changing environments, as well as a reference for habitat restoration of species.

Can tropical nature reserves provide and protect cultural ecosystem services? A case study in Xishuangbanna, China

AbstractCultural ecosystem services (CES) play a pivotal role in local natural conservation and management; however, they frequently remain overlooked by policymakers due to challenges in their definition and quantification. These services are particularly relevant to Asia's indigenous populations. Shangyong and Mengla, two tropical forest reserves in the Xishuangbanna region of Yunnan province, China, were selected for an in‐depth study of CES in this area. Through village interviews and questionnaire surveys, the varieties of CES and their significance were identified and catalogued. Subsequently, the distributions of different CES types were mapped and modelled based on environmental drivers and hotspots. A conservation priority indicator was then formulated to identify the most critical CES necessitating conservation, as these are susceptible to human disturbances in the absence of protected nature reserves. Our findings indicated that the most commonly recognised CES included wildlife, leisure and recreational, folk and custom, and sense of place and identity. Benefits derived from leisure and recreational, and wildlife CES were predominantly safeguarded by nature reserves. In contrast, folk and custom CES and spiritual and religious CES were less reliant on these reserves due to intrinsic community‐based protection. Consequently, while the two tropical forest reserves in Xishuangbanna offer a range of CES, there is a need for differentiated management strategies to foster local support for conservation management decision‐making. The inherent conservation initiatives for spiritual and religious CES and folk and custom CES should be leveraged by incorporating or co‐managing these sacred sites within our protected area system. Conversely, CES with a higher conservation priority index, such as leisure and recreational CES and wildlife CES, require government‐led conservation to safeguard the cultural well‐being of local communities. In conclusion, incorporating CES into nature reserve management strategies is crucial across various conservation contexts.

“…Plunge into the luxury of tropical nature…”

It is a review of the book, a significant part of which is devoted to the memoirs of the employees of the Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Center about work in the forests of South Vietnam and life in Ho Chi Minh City. The book gives colorful descriptions of tropical nature and life of the local population.

New sources of biological data supporting environmental history of a tropical forest of south-eastern Brazil

The Tijuca Forest results from a reforestation project executed in the second half of the nineteenth century, with native and exotic species planted in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Aiming at a theoretical reflection, the use of integrated methodologies from different areas of knowledge was evaluated to expand the research of the environmental history of a tropical forest in south-eastern Brazil, using everything from the search for historical documents to the counting of tree growth rings. It was possible to find some of the trees from the initial reforestation efforts, to circumscribe the locations of the first plantations, hitherto unknown, as well as the original intentions of tree selection: a reflection of the silvicultural model of the period that incorporated the tropical identity of the forest without giving up the market demand. The project area indicates that the planted forest would cover approximately 330 ha, prioritizing restoration by micro basins. In the 33 years analysed, about 155,000 trees were planted (110,000 with success) from a repertoire of at least 107 species, prioritizing the native ones. The quality of the wood, mainly for the naval segment, was prioritized, but other purposes were also met. The model and selection criteria for planting areas and species characterize a strategic plan that foresaw the recovery of water sources simultaneously with the generation of wealth in the medium and long term, diversifying the use of the soil and inaugurating a cycle of silvicultural exploitation in the country. This study re-signifies the understanding of the Tijuca Forest ecology, not only in space but mainly in time, revealing the subtle relationships between tropical nature and society in formation.

Review: Tropical Aesthetics of Black Modernism, by Samantha A. Noël

Book Review| April 01 2023 Review: Tropical Aesthetics of Black Modernism, by Samantha A. Noël Tropical Aesthetics of Black Modernism, by Samantha A. Noël. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2021. 264 pages. Hardcover $99.95, paperback $26.95. Vivian Braga dos Santos Vivian Braga dos Santos Institut national d’histoire de l’art, Paris Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Latin American and Latinx Visual Culture (2023) 5 (2): 151–152. https://doi.org/10.1525/lavc.2023.5.2.151 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Vivian Braga dos Santos; Review: Tropical Aesthetics of Black Modernism, by Samantha A. Noël. Latin American and Latinx Visual Culture 1 April 2023; 5 (2): 151–152. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/lavc.2023.5.2.151 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentLatin American and Latinx Visual Culture Search Participating in a contemporary movement for the renewal of the humanities through an environmental perspective, Samantha Noël’s book offers a new approach to thinking about nature in art history from the viewpoint of Black modernisms. Investigating artworks, performances, and other creative manifestations developed in cultural practices in the Caribbean and tropical locations in the United States in the early twentieth century, the author elaborates the concept of tropical aesthetics. Tropical Aesthetics of Black Modernism defines an art that evokes tropicality in order to examine the relationship between Black Atlantic peoples and the lands they inhabited and labored on during colonial eras. Presented as a geographical empowerment, tropical aesthetics reify social geographies, creating spaces of memory for enslaved ancestors and Afro-descendants, engendering a sense of belonging. The theoretical approach inaugurated by Noël responds to and confronts racialized discourses that historically associate, pejoratively, tropical nature with Black people. Her investigation begins... You do not currently have access to this content.

Spiritual Materialism/ Material Spiritualism: Shakta Tantric Approaches to Matter

In opposition to ontological discourses that denigrate matter and uphold the superiority of the spirit, one can foreground the Shakta Tantric conceptualization of matter and spirit as interchangeable forces that inform the dynamics of the universe. Rather than seeing matter and spirit as incommensurable poles of a binary, Shakta Tantric yoga integrates them. This approach informs the Shakta Tantric universe of the renowned twentieth-century Bengali yogi, Vishuddhananda Paramahamsa whose Akhanda Mahayoga (Integral Great Yoga) integrates certain aspects of classical Yoga with Shakta Tantric discourses of dynamic matter, thereby enthusing the Shakta Tantric yogi to radically re-epistemologize “matter”. This paper explores how Vishuddhananda’s mode of yoga, through theory and praxis, gives rise to a unique philosophy of spiritual materialism or material spiritualism, foregrounding the ways the Divine Feminine – by revealing the fluid interplay of matter and spirit – forces us to jettison the binarization of these two aspects of existence. In the course of this exploration, the paper investigates whether and how the spiritual materialism/material spiritualism of Shakta Tantra may be seen as prefiguring the western discourses of New Materialism and Posthumanism. As Vishuddhananda hailed from Bengal, a tropical region of India celebrated for its association with Shaktism, the paper explores how his view of spiritual materialism may contribute to an emergent episteme of Tropical Materialisms by proposing a possible connection between such spiritual materialism and certain specific aspects of tropical nature that might have led to the Shakta “spiritualization” of its material dimensions.

Penjelajahan Orang Prancis dan Penelitian Sejarah Alam di Nusantara Pada Masa Kolonial

This article seeks to elaborate the research on natural history carried out by French naturalists in Indonesia during colonial period. The tropical nature attracted many European naturalists to conduct research in order to gain economic advantages from the natural richness. The curiosity toward the alien nature always came with the observation to the people living in that region. Nevertheless, not all the research was carried out by the plan. In the case of French naturalists, the research that they performed in this region was conducted coincidently while they were visiting this region. This article analyzes how the French naturalists made their research on natural history in the Archipelago. It examines as well the objects that interested them. Lastly, it shows to what extent the colonial knowledge was formed through the encounter between the Europeans and the local people.

Comparación de cuatro métodos para contar peces en una bahía tropical: el caso del Área Marina de Manejo Bahía Santa Elena en el Pacífico de Costa Rica

Introduction: Tropical nature is experiencing an unprecedented threat that includes coastal fish communities that requires a close monitoring of species presence. The simultaneous use of several monitoring methods should reduce the bias caused by the selectivity of each method. Objective: This study used four different sampling methods over two years to assess and compare fish assemblages in the Santa Elena Bay Marine Management Area (AMM-BSE), North Pacific of Costa Rica. Methods: We examined changes in species richness and composition between upwelling and non-upwelling seasons from July 2019 and February 2020. We applied visual censuses, underwater remote cameras; bottom lines; and sport fishing. Results: We identified 140 species of fish (54 families); remote underwater cameras detected 83 %, followed by underwater visual censuses (65 %), sport-fishing (16 %) and bottom lines (14 %). Only the sport-fishing method detected differences in species richness and composition between seasons. Conclusion: Remote cameras appear to be the best method for species counts, and sport-fishing to detect seasonal differences in tropical coasts similar to the one studied here.

Floristic analysis of Vascular plants in Sanzhou Island, Zhuhai, China

The uninhabited island in Guangdong is rich in vascular plant flora. In order to enrich the understanding of the zonal vegetation, a comprehensive survey of the plant resources of Sanzhou Island was carried out by using the survey method of the combination of sample line method and quadrat method. The vegetation types, floristic composition of vascular plants and the distribution types of families, genera and species were analyzed. The natural vegetation of Sanzhou Island could be divided into three types: coastal semi-mangrove, evergreen shrub and evergreen seasonal rainforest. The results showed that there were 68 species of vascular plants in 39 families, 62 genera. There were 4 families, 4 genera and 5 species of pteridophytes, accounting for 10.26%, 6.45% and 7.35% of the vascular plants; 63 species of angiosperms, 58 genera and 35 families, accounting for 89.74%, 93.55% and 92.65% of the vascular plants in the island. The floristic composition of the island showed obvious tropical nature. The main flora of the island was composed of 4 distribution types: pantropic, old world tropical, tropical Asia to tropical Australasia and tropical Asia. It showed the floristic components were diverse with strong adaptability which was suitable for the poor soil and harsh environment of the island. This study could provide a theoretical basis for the protection, development and management of plant resources in Sanzhou Island.

Tropical forests are vulnerable in terms of functional redundancy

Many vegetation properties may depend upon the distribution of species among functional entities (unique combinations of functional traits). Understanding these distributions is fundamental to conserve biodiversity and maintain ecosystem functions. Here, we employed the functional indices based on trait probability density and functional entities in comparison with null model to assess the response of tree community to potential species loss in 17 1-ha forest dynamics plots across six old-growth forest types in a tropical nature reserve. We found that functional diversity, functional redundancy and functional over-redundancy were positively, while functional vulnerability was negatively related to species richness. Both functional redundancy and functional over-redundancy were low, while functional vulnerability was high across the six old-growth tropical forest types. The null model tests revealed that species in each of the tropical forest type were packed into a few functional entities, leading to functional over-redundancy and resulting in functional vulnerability. Our result highlighted that although species-rich tropical forests had high probability of functional redundancy, the insurance effect provided by that could not offset functional vulnerability in the ecosystems. Reducing loss of species with unique trait combinations and low local abundance is an effective and necessary way to avoid the loss of functions in tropical forest ecosystems.

The Pineapple and the Worms

This article examines how the reception history of Maria Sibylla Merian’s oeuvre may shed light on the role of medicine in interpreting art around 1700. The focus is on Merian’s iconic images of the pineapple, a fruit that many considered a potential source of disease. The years when Merian was active saw the eruption of debates over the origins of intestinal worms and the possible role of sweet fruits as carriers of the invisible eggs of these parasites. The key figures in these helminthological debates were also the interlocutors and collectors of Merian, including the physicians Richard Mead and Hans Sloane. A study of the writings of these medical professionals reveals that, for Europeans in this period, exotic fruits indicated not only the bountiful productivity of tropical nature but also its inherent dangers. Using this case study, this article therefore argues that dietetics and medicine played a key role in the interpretation of art in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries when physicians had a strong presence in the world of collecting works of art.

Effect of the Ground Slope and Soil Infiltration on the Water Nitrate Ion Concentrations

Soil characterization plays an essential role in the water flow and availability of nutrients. In accordance with the above, this research sought to find a relationship between the soil slope, soil particle grain size distribution, infiltration rate, and the nitrate ion movement through the soil profile and in the water table of the Quebrada La Nitrera, located in a Colombian tropical nature forest reserve. It was observed that the slope and the rate of infiltration explain the nitrate concentrations from one site to another. Additionally, in April 2018, where on average there is more precipitation for the study area, the highest groundwater nitrate ions concentration (18 mg / L) was reported according to the standard value for natural waters (10 mg / L). This suggests that hydrological events also influence the transport of these minerals.

Перегуки між чеською методологічною платформою та ідеями сучасного українського літературознавства

The article under studies identifies the methodological ties between modern Czech and Ukrainian literary studies on the example of Ivo Pospišil’s monograph “Methodology and Theory of Literary Slavic Studies and Central Europe” (2015). The methodological platform of the scientist is shown in dynamics: comparative studies, phenomenology, historical poetics, genre studies and areal studies. Areal (spatial) philology becomes the methodological framework and “cognitive tool” in the above work. Within the specific features of the hermeneutic circle, I. Pospišil outlines the methodological principles of Brno areal studies, as well as substantiates the powers of areal methodology. Hence, by means of deduction, he narrows the areas of its application and eventually connects spatial poetics to the analysis of specific texts of modern Czech literature. In this respect, areal studies are consonant with the methodology of the N. Kopystyanska’s scientific school. From the standpoint of literary axiology, I. Pospišil characterizes the literary process of 1960–1970 in the way that coincides with the ideas of D. Zatonsky and T. Hundorova. The interpretation of the tropical nature of allegory and symbol, within the areal issues, resonates with a number of Ukrainian investigations. I. Pospišil’s speculations on the problem of auto-reflection and auto-axiology of creativity is based mainly on the concepts of O. Potebnja, on whose methodological reputation rely the works of most Ukrainian researchers. The phenomenon of Central Europe is regarded in the context of “Central European centrism” and multiculturalism, which conceptually brings the scientific research closer to the American studies by N. Vysotska and T. Denysova. I. Pospišil emphasizes the influence of Central European university traditions of the first half of the XX century on the formation of the Prague Linguistic Circle, as well as on the scientific growth of F. Wallman, S. Vilinsky, R Jacobson and R. Wellek. The concept of the history of Russian literature, proposed by I. Pospišil, leads to the profound analysis of the scientific figure of D. Chyzhevsky, which is being widely studied in Ukraine. It is concluded that the “methodological balance” of Czech and Ukrainian literary criticism is ensured by common “pendulum movements” in the history of the literary process, common theoretical and literary basis (works by O. Potebnja, M. Bakhtin, D. Chyzhevsky, D. Ďurišin), parallel influences of Western European literary criticism, as well as collective conference events and consensual research optics.

Quality Evaluation of African Eggplant Stored in Evaporative Coolers

Postharvest cooling of fresh produce is essential to delivering high quality produce to the consumer. African eggplants are chilling sensitive at temperatures below 10°C, there is need to store them at higher temperatures because of their tropical nature. Evaporative coolers suitable for tropical fruits storage were therefore designed and constructed. Essentially, the evaporative coolers comprised of double burnt-brick walls (1.29 × 2.55× 2.56) m external and (1.13 × 1.27 × 2.08) m internal (L × W × H). A study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical, microbial and sensory parameters of African eggplant stored in two evaporative coolers- aluminum-cladded burnt-clay-brick evaporative cooler (ABBEC) and non-cladded burnt-clay-brick evaporative cooler (NBBEC). Weight loss, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, beta carotene content, ascorbic acid content, pH and microbial load were assessed during storage. Metabolic rates of African eggplant were highest at ambient storage, intermediate in NBBEC with the least value in ABBEC. Beta carotene, ascorbic acid and acidity decreased while total soluble solids, pH and microbial load increased during storage of African eggplant. The evaporative coolers reduced the storage temperature and increased the relative humidity within normal level of storage thereby extending the shelf life of eggplant from ten days at ambient to twenty-one days in ABBEC storage condition. ABBEC storage is therefore recommended for stop gap extension of shelf lives of fresh produce.