Tropical Nut Research Articles

Diel flight activity in response to attractants in the predatory beetle, Cathartus quadricollis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) in macadamia nut in Hawaii.

The diel flight activity in Cathartus quadricollis (Guerin-Meneville) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae), a predator of two important pests in Hawaii, coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) and tropical nut borer, Hypothenemus obscurus (F.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) was studied in a macadamia nut orchard using yellow sticky traps baited with pheromone and fungal volatile attractants. The study was conducted at different months throughout the year and at different times during the lunar cycle (new moon and full moon). Flight activity peaked in the late hours of the photophase into the early hours of the scotophase, between 1830 and 2000 h; flight activity also occurred but to a lesser extent in the early morning hours between 0700 and 1030 h. Numbers of captured C. quadricollis during periods of flight activity were negatively correlated with wind speed. The implications of these findings for the development of optimal pest management strategies including biological control are discussed.

Efficacy of long-lasting insecticide-incorporated nets on 2 scolytinae pests, the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei and tropical nut borer Hypothenemus obscurus under laboratory conditions.

Several pests affect coffee (Coffea spp., Rubiaceae) and macadamia, Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche (Proteaceae) in Hawaii. The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is the most damaging to coffee, while the tropical nut borer, Hypothenemus obscurus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is one of the worst pests of macadamia. This paper investigates the potential efficacy of a long-lasting insecticide-incorporated net (LLIN) under laboratory conditions to manage these pests. The LLIN (40 denier with mesh size 625 knots/in²), incorporated with α-cypermethrin (0.34%), was excised into 100 mm circles and inserted in 100 mm Petri dishes. Nets with the same quality but without insecticides were used as control treatments. Twenty beetles (H. obscurus or H. hampei) each were placed on the treated and non-treated netting at 4 treatment or exposure hours-1, 6, 12, and 24-with 5 replicates. Subsequently, the beetles were ranked alive, affected, or dead. The results showed that the LLIN with α-cypermethrin had significant lethal and sub-lethal effects on both Hypothenemus species, causing over 90% mortality after 24 h of exposure and paralysis after 1, 6, and 12 h of exposure. The highest lethality value was recorded after 24 h of exposure for both H. obscurus and H. hampei. The LT50 of H. obscurus and H. hampei was 18.78 min and 2.15 h, respectively, while the LT90 values were 32.11 and 20.67 h. These results imply the potential effectiveness of LLINs with α-cypermethrin for management of H. obscurus and H. hampei, but field studies are warranted for optimization.

A predator breeding station for augmentative biological control of scolytine crop pests

The square-necked grain beetle, Cathartus quadricollis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae), is a predator of two significant crop pests in Hawaii: the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei, in coffee and the tropical nut borer, H. obscurus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in macadamia nut. C. quadricollis is also a stored grain pest and is known to respond to its aggregation pheromone (i.e., quadrilure). Field tests were conducted in a macadamia nut orchard using sticky traps to identify the best lure dispenser and trap color based on captures of adult C. quadricollis. When quadrilure was released in different dispenser types, in combination with a fungal volatile blend released from a pouch, we found that a membrane-type quadrilure release dispenser (wafer) was superior to a red septa, gray septa, or open vial dispenser in attracting C. quadricollis. In subsequent tests, the combination of a quadrilure lure and a lure releasing a blend of fungal volatiles caught more C. quadricollis than the quadrilure lure alone. Also, we found that black sticky traps caught more C. quadricollis than did blue, green, red, yellow, white, or clear sticky traps. A predator breeding station consisting of a screened and sheltered enclosure containing food (250 g of cracked corn: cornmeal [4:1, w:w] mix) and the membrane-type quadrilure lure was developed to augment predator numbers in coffee and macadamia fields. In the laboratory, stocking a breeding station with 100 C. quadricollis resulted in production and dispersal of about 10,000 adults per station over a four-month period at 25 °C. In field tests, use of the quadrilure lure plus a fungal volatiles lure or the quadrilure lure alone were placed in breeding stations in a coffee field to attract naturally occurring wild adults for a five-week period, then returned to the laboratory where they both produced roughly 3,000 adults per station over a five-month period. The predator breeding station was an efficient way to multiply C. quadricollis numbers in the field and could be used to augment biological control of the coffee berry borer in coffee and tropical nut borer in macadamia nut.

Study on compositional changes of king coconut (<em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cocos nucifera </em>var. aurantiaca) water and kernel during maturation  and evaluation of optimum quality characteristics targeting commercial applications

King coconut (Cocos nucifera var. aurantiaca) is a tropical nut with notable nutritional and medicinal values. King coconut water (KCW) and king coconut kernel (KCK) are sweet and refreshing. They undergo several changes during maturation. The objective of this study was to assess the physico-chemical changes of KCW and KCK with maturity. Three different maturity stages (6, 7, and 8 months) of the variety aurantica, known locally as ‘Nawasi Thembili’ were studied for several physico-chemical parameters. Whole nut weight (g), nut-circumference (cm), colour (water/kernel) (*L), nut-water volume (mL), kernel weight (g), and kernel thickness (mm) were assessed as physical parameters, while pH, total soluble solids (oBrix), titratable acidity (as % ascorbic acid), total sugars (g/100g; g/100mL), and minerals (mg/L; mg/kg) were analysed as chemical attributes. Sugars were estimated using Agilent 1260 HPLC and ICP-MS was used to measure the mineral profile. Results revealed that all the tested physical parameters of KCW and KCK increased significantly (p < 0.05) with maturity. The pH, TSS, total sugars, and acidity of KCW increased significantly (p < 0.05), while mineral content decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with maturity. However, the TSS and minerals of KCK decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with maturity and a higher sucrose content was reported in KCK compared to KCW at later maturity. The Ca+2 and Mg+2 were prominent in both KCW and KCK. The study concluded that the physico-chemical characteristics varied widely with the maturity of king coconuts. The selection of optimum harvest maturity to match the preferred attributes of intended applications is suggested.

Effect of growth regulators and micronutrients on quality parameters in cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.)

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is an important tropical nut crop of social and economic importance worldwide. However, the crop is threatened with the low yield. In the present study, an attempt was made to test the effects of plant growth hormones as well as micronutrients on nut and apple quality of cashew var. Bhaskara. Significant differences in kernel weight, shelling percentage, carbohydrates and starch content of cashew kernel and juice content of cashew apple were observed with the foliar application of growth hormones and micronutrients. The foliar application of ethrel @ 50 ppm increased shelling percentage (35.8%), carbohydrate content (21.63%), sugar content (6.26%), protein content (32.4%), starch content (31.42%), juice content (78.3%) and total soluble solids (120 Brix). Further, the foliar spray of zinc sulphate (0.5%) + borax (0.1%) increased shelling (36.13%), protein content (32.15%), starch content (32.03%) among all the treatments tested. Furthermore, higher cashew apple juice content (78%) and total soluble solids (120Brix) was also recorded with the foliar spray of zinc sulphate (0.5%) + borax (0.1%).

Influence of seasonal and climatic variables on coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari) flight activity in Hawaii

Coffee berry borer (CBB, Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari) is the most serious insect pest of coffee worldwide, yet little is known about the effect that weather variables have on CBB flight activity. We sampled flying female CBB adults bi-weekly over a three-year period using red funnel traps baited with an alcohol lure at 14 commercial coffee farms on Hawaii Island to characterize seasonal phenology and the relationship between flight activity and five weather variables. We captured almost 5 million scolytid beetles during the sampling period, with 81–93% of the trap catch comprised of CBB. Of the captured non-target beetles, the majority were tropical nut borer, black twig borer and a species of Cryphalus. Two major flight events were consistent across all three years: an initial emergence from January-April that coincided with early fruit development and a second flight during the harvest season from September-December. A generalized additive mixed model (GAMM) revealed that mean daily air temperature had a highly significant positive correlation with CBB flight; most flight events occurred between 20–26°C. Mean daily solar radiation also had a significant positive relationship with flight. Flight was positively correlated with maximum daily relative humidity at values below ~94%, and cumulative rainfall up to 100 mm; flight was also positively correlated with maximum daily wind speeds up to ~2.5 m/s, after which activity declined. Our findings provide important insight into CBB flight patterns across a highly variable landscape and can serve as a starting point for the development of flight prediction models.

Feeding habits, movement, and reproduction of the predatory flat bark beetles Cathartus quadricollis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) and Leptophloeus sp. (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) in Hawaii coffee and macadamia nut

Hawaii has a multitude of scolytine (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolitinae) pests including Hypothenemus hampei, coffee berry borer, which is apest of coffee, Hypothenemus obscurus, tropical nut borer, a significant pest of macadamia nut, and Xylosandrus compactus, black twig borer, a pest of many tropical and ornamental crops. The flat bark beetles, Carthartus quadricollis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) and Leptophloeus sp. (Coleoptera; Laemophloeidae), are known to predate on coffee berry borer and tropical nut borer but their natural history (feeding habits, reproduction and movement) are poorly understood. Studies were conducted using molecular, field, and laboratory assays to examine 1) flat bark beetle reproduction and movement in coffee and the broader agricultural landscape, 2) establishment of augmentative releases for biological control, and 3) predation rates on H. hampei, H. obscurus and X. compactus. Various life stages of C. quadricollis and Leptophloeus sp. were found in seven different plant species common to the agricultural landscape around coffee farms, suggesting these predators are feeding and reproducing on theses hosts. Molecular analysis indicated that C. quadricollis and Leptophloeus sp. predated on H. hampei, H. obscurus and X. compactus in coffee, macadamia nut, and mixed coffee-macadamia nut farms. Laboratory reared predators were recaptured near release sites on coffee farms at 1, 2, and 7 weeks after augmentative releases. Predation of C. quadricollis on H. hampei eggs placed inside artificial coffee berries in coffee farms was about 40%. Predators C. quadricollis and Leptophloeus sp. are natural enemies of some significant agricultural scolytine pests in Hawaii and have excellent potential for biological control with augmentative releases.

The Structure and Phenology of Non-Native Scolytine Beetle Communities in Coffee Plantations on Kaua'i.

Populations and communities are known to respond to abiotic conditions, but the forces determining the distribution of particular insect pests are sometimes overlooked in the process of developing control methods. Bark and ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are important pests of crops, forestry, and ecosystems worldwide, yet the factors that influence their success are unknown for many species. The Hawaiian archipelago is host to over three dozen invasive scolytines, many of which occur on Kauaʻi and are pests of agriculture. We analyzed scolytine community dynamics at two coffee estates: a hand-harvested site in a tropical wet forest and a mechanically harvested site in a tropical dry savanna. Our regression analyses show overall scolytine abundance was negatively correlated with rainfall, as were four species: the tropical nut borer (Hypothenemus obscurus), H. brunneus, Cryphalus longipilus, and Xyleborinus andrewesi. These relationships contributed to the compositions of the communities being markedly dissimilar despite having the same species richness. Multivariate analysis found no influence from temperature or harvest method on community dynamics. This information can be valuable for the timing of pest control methods, for predicting the success of possible new scolytine arrivals on Kauaʻi, and for forecasting how these species may spread with climate change.

Sooty mangabeys scavenge on nuts cracked by chimpanzees and red river hogs-An investigation of inter-specific interactions around tropical nut trees.

Carrion scavenging is a well‐studied phenomenon, but virtually nothing is known about scavenging on plant material, especially on remnants of cracked nuts. Just like meat, the insides of hard‐shelled nuts are high in energetic value, and both foods are difficult to acquire. In the Taï forest, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and red river hogs (Potamochoerus porcus) crack nuts by using tools or strong jaws, respectively. In this study, previously collected non‐invasive camera trap data were used to investigate scavenging by sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys), two species of Guinea fowl (Agelestres meleagrides; Guttera verreauxi), and squirrels (Scrunidae spp.) on the nut remnants cracked by chimpanzees and red river hogs. We investigated how scavengers located nut remnants, by analyzing their visiting behavior in relation to known nut‐cracking events. Furthermore, since mangabeys are infrequently preyed upon by chimpanzees, we investigated whether they perceive an increase in predation risk when approaching nut remnants. In total, 190 nut‐cracking events were observed in four different areas of Taï National Park, Ivory Coast. We could confirm that mangabeys scavenged on the nuts cracked by chimpanzees and hogs and that this enabled them to access food source that would not be accessible otherwise. We furthermore found that mangabeys, but not the other species, were more likely to visit nut‐cracking sites after nut‐cracking activities than before, and discuss the potential strategies that the monkeys could have used to locate nut remnants. In addition, mangabeys showed elevated levels of vigilance at the chimpanzee nut‐cracking sites compared with other foraging sites, suggesting that they perceived elevated danger at these sites. Scavenging on remnants of cracked nuts is a hitherto understudied type of foraging behavior that could be widespread in nature and increases the complexity of community ecology in tropical rainforests.

Shelf Life of Tropical Canarium Nut Stored under Ambient Conditions

There is a need to develop alternative crops to improve the food security and prosperity of developing countries. The tropical nut Canarium indicum (canarium nut) is increasingly used as a shade tree for cocoa and has potential for commercialization as a sustainable crop that will improve food security and livelihoods in Melanesia and East Asia. There is no information on canarium nut shelf life characteristics. Canarium kernels may be prone to rancidity, due to a high content of unsaturated fatty acids. Kernels at 5.4% moisture content were vacuum-packed with a domestic vacuum-packaging system and stored for six months in Papua New Guinea and for nine months in Southeast Queensland, Australia at both ambient temperatures (22 to 31 °C and 22 to 25 °C, respectively) and under refrigeration. Nuts were analysed for changes in peroxide values and free fatty acids (FFAs) over the storage periods that might indicate development of rancidity. Peroxide values indicated very low levels of oxidation in all treatments. Free fatty acids were at low levels but increased significantly during storage at ambient temperatures. The results suggested that vacuum-packed Canarium nuts can be stored safely under ambient tropical conditions for six months with daytime temperatures around 31 °C, and for nine months at 25 °C. Increasing FFA levels at ambient temperatures indicate caution about longer storage time at ambient temperatures. Storage under refrigeration greatly prolonged shelf life.

Maturity indices ofCanarium indicum(Burseraceae) nuts

Many tree nuts are harvested from the ground following abscission, but some are harvested directly from trees when fruit is mature. Canarium indicum (Burseraceae) is a tropical nut indigenous to lowland rainforest of Melanesia that has great potential for commercialization. The nut is enclosed in a fleshy mesocarp that turns from green to purple before abscission and is usually gathered from the forest floor. Maturity of other nuts is often related to oil content and there may be a relationship between C. indicum fruit colour, kernel oil content and maturity. We observed the timing of colour change of fruit of C. indicum on trees over 8 weeks. We also compared the colour change in fruit at the top of the tree and the bottom of the tree over 8 weeks. Oil was extracted from kernels of purple, half-purple and green fruit with a Soxhlet-type apparatus. Kernels in each fruit colour category were weighed to obtain mean kernel weight in each colour category. Around 80% of C. indicum fruit ripened from green to purple and abscised over a period of 8 weeks. Fruit ripened first at the top of the tree. Purple or half-purple fruit of C. indicum produced kernels with a significantly higher oil content than green fruit (76.6 and 76.3% compared with 72.8%). Kernels from green fruits were small, shrivelled and weighed significantly less than kernels from purple and half-purple fruit. These results demonstrate that fruit colour of C. indicum is a suitable indicator of kernel maturity and oil content. Purple to half-purple fruit colour is a suitable harvest standard.

A roasting study for the tropical nutCanarium indicum(Burseraceae)

Roasting is an important postharvest process for enhancing the palatability of nuts. Canarium indicum (Burseraceae) is a tropical nut indigenous to lowland rainforests of Melanesia that has potential for commercialization. Three roasting regimes were investigated to indicate a suitable temperature/time relationship for roasting Canarium. 1) Roasting for the same time (10 min) at three different temperatures (115, 120 and 125°C) using fresh kernels (roasted within one month of harvest) and aged kernels (stored for three months after harvest); 2) Roasting for two different times (10 and 17 min) at the same temperature (120°C); 3) Roasting kernels of low, medium and high oily appearance at the same temperature (115°C). Kernel colour was rated from 1 (lightest) to 5 (darkest) using a paint colour swatch. Colours 3, 4 and 5 were considered dark enough to cause rejection. The mean colour of kernels was significantly darker when roasted at 125°C for 10 min compared with roasting at 115 and 120°C. Aged kernels were significantly darker when roasting at 120°C for 17 min than when roasted for 10 min. Roasting 'high' oily kernels produced significantly darker kernels compared with roasting 'shiny' and 'dull' kernels. These results indicate that aged Canarium kernels of inferior quality should be roasted at temperatures below 125°C for less than 17 min, but fresh, good quality kernels can be roasted at 125°C for 10 min. Kernels with very oily appearance are not suitable for roasting as oiliness indicates cellular damage, predisposing to excessive after-roast-darkening. Further research is required to provide clearer guidelines for roasting good quality Canarium kernels.

English

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.); a tropical nut tree crop, is a source of food, income, industrial raw materials and foreign exchange for many countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. In Nigeria, current cashew trading and exports is worth 24 billion naira ($160 million) and over one million people depend on the industry. Commercial cultivation of cashew in Nigeria dates back to more than 60 years, while research and development into its production, processing and marketing started in 1972.  The past four decades were marked with introduction of exotic cashew genotypes, selection, cultivation and production from local and exotic varieties. Much discrepancies exists in yield records, current national production of raw nuts is estimated at 836,500 MT on 366,000 ha with an average yield of 2,286 kg/ha. Just about 5% of the produced nuts are processed in Nigeria. Unimproved planting materials, aging trees and low yields are part of the production constraints of raw cashew nut in Nigeria. There are records of selection and release of genotypes based on some desirable genetic attributes. Moreover, there are advances towards breeding for yield, quality and hybrid generation. This paper addressed the status of Nigeria cashew production, research efforts, achievements, constraints and areas of possible improvement.   Key words: Cashew, income generation, research, production, Nigeria. &nbsp

Insect diapause of very variable duration: the case of the palm nut bruchid Pachymerus nucleorum (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

SummaryData are provided here showing that larval diapause in the tropical palm nut bruchid Pachymerus nucleorum (Fabricius) can extend up to a maximum of about five years, although for most individuals the duration ranges from 15 to 48 months. The data were obtained for insects originating from one source only that were held under one set of temperature and photoperiod conditions only so the wide variation in duration is attributed to maternal control. Staggering the adult emergence times of a parent’s progeny can be regarded as an evolutionary strategy that increases the chance that some at least encounter favourable biotic or abiotic conditions. It is believed that extended diapause may be quite widespread amongst insects, including those of temperate climates.

Influence of Coconut Fibre Inclusion on Rheological Properties of Composite Wheat-Cassava Flour Dough Using the Mixolab

Coconut (Cocos nucifera) is one of the tropical nut fruits containing high percentage of dietary fibre among plant foods that are beneficial to human health. Rheological characteristics measurements for wheat cassava flour blends with the inclusion of coconut fibre were studied using the Mixolab, the standard “Chopin+”protocol. The flour blends were substituted with different levels of coconut fibre (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) and wheat-cassava flour blend was used as control. The effects of added coconut fibre on the rheological properties of composite dough of wheat and cassava (90:10 w/w) were evaluated. The maximum torque during mixing (C1), the protein weakening based on the mechanical work and temperature (C2), the starch gelatinization (C3), the stability of the starch gel formed (C4), the starch retrogradation during the cooling stage (C5) were determined. Results showed that the torque values in all the dough decreased with the inclusion of fibre except in CI and C2. The values of C1 and C2 (the dough development and the stability of proteins) increased with the increasing level of coconut fibre. Increasing level of fibre inclusion reduces the gelatinization of the cooked starch (C3), however 5% fibre dough (CNF) had the highest torque and the lowest torque was observed in 15% fibre dough (FPC), though the control sample (CTR) non fibre dough had the highest 2.15 Nm. Addition of fibre increased the dough stability from 6.60 to 8.58 minutes. It was observed that 15% fibre enriched (FPC) had the highest dough stability.

Adaptive horizontal transfer of a bacterial gene to an invasive insect pest of coffee

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) involves the nonsexual transmission of genetic material across species boundaries. Although often detected in prokaryotes, examples of HGT involving animals are relatively rare, and any evolutionary advantage conferred to the recipient is typically obscure. We identified a gene (HhMAN1) from the coffee berry borer beetle, Hypothenemus hampei, a devastating pest of coffee, which shows clear evidence of HGT from bacteria. HhMAN1 encodes a mannanase, representing a class of glycosyl hydrolases that has not previously been reported in insects. Recombinant HhMAN1 protein hydrolyzes coffee berry galactomannan, the major storage polysaccharide in this species and the presumed food of H. hampei. HhMAN1 was found to be widespread in a broad biogeographic survey of H. hampei accessions, indicating that the HGT event occurred before radiation of the insect from West Africa to Asia and South America. However, the gene was not detected in the closely related species H. obscurus (the tropical nut borer or "false berry borer"), which does not colonize coffee beans. Thus, HGT of HhMAN1 from bacteria represents a likely adaptation to a specific ecological niche and may have been promoted by intensive agricultural practices.

Bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) of importance to the Australian macadamia industry: an integrative taxonomic approach to species diagnostics

AbstractBark beetles are emerging as pests of macadamias, both in the native range of macadamias in Australia and worldwide wherever macadamias are cultivated. Multiple species have been detected on macadamias in Australia; however, little has been known about the identity of the species involved, other than that some belong to the genera Hypothenemus Westwood (1836) and Cryphalus Erichson (1836). Hypothenemus is a large and cosmopolitan genus, which contains two exotic species that are regulated pests for Australia: the tropical nut borer, Hypothenemus obscurus (Fabricius), is a pest of macadamias and Brazil nuts in the Americas and the Pacific, and the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), is a pest of coffee found in coffee‐growing areas worldwide, but not in Australia. It is essential that biosecurity authorities have reliable species diagnostic tools available in order to detect incursions of these species in Australia. However, the taxonomic literature on the relevant species is scattered and sparse, and the lack of molecular diagnostic methods means that identification of eggs and larvae has been impossible to date because the immature life stages are morphologically homogeneous. This study fills some crucial gaps in our ability to identify these species, developing diagnostic methods for the major pest species on macadamia in Australia, and for key exotic species, including both regulated pests. An integrative taxonomic approach was used incorporating both traditional morphological taxonomy and DNA barcode data in an iterative process to both identify beetles and develop robust diagnostics for them. DNA barcodes provide unambiguous discrimination of all species examined in this study, albeit a limited sample, and have the advantage that they can be used to identify all life stages of the species.

AGROBACTERIUM-MEDIATED TRANSFORMATION OF ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE L. (CASHEW) USING GFP MARKER SYSTEM

Anacardium occidentale L. (cashew) is an important tropical nut crop valued for its kernels and shell oil. The varieties grown at present are low yielding. The amount of raw nuts produced by these is not enough to meet the demand for kernels and shell oil on the world market. The yield is lowered further by the attack of several insects of which the tea mosquito is the most devastating. To control the insect infection large scale spraying of cashew plantations is done aerially. This has resulted in health hazards to people surrounding the plantations. Methods to introduce insect resistance in cashew trees by transformation would not only help in increasing the yield but also in reducing the pesticide load on the environment. Transformation of cashew was carried out using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA-105 with plasmid pBIN m-gfp5-ER. nptll (kanamycin resistance) was used for the selection. Successful transformation was confirmed with PCR amplification of transformed in vitro cashew plants using GFP specific primers. The fluorescent glowing of the leaves of the in vitro grown cashew plants at 365 nm confirmed the expression of the gene in transformed plants.

Characterization and PCR multiplexing of polymorphic microsatellite loci in cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) and their cross‐species utilization

AbstractCashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is the most economically important tropical nut crop in the world, and yet there are no sequence tagged site (STS) markers available for its study. Here we use an automated, high‐throughput system to isolate cashew microsatellites from a non‐enriched genomic library blotted onto membranes at high density for screening. Sixty‐five sequences contained a microsatellite array, of which 21 proved polymorphic among a closely related seed garden population of 49 genotypes. Twelve markers were suitable for multiplex analysis. Of these, 10 amplified in all three related tropical tree species tested: Anacardium microcarpum, Anacardium pumilum and Anacardium nanum.

(146) Plantation, Beverage, and Tropical Nut Crops: Enhancing the Instructional Portfolio of the Horticulture Curriculum

A course entitled “Plantation, Beverage, and Tropical Nut Crops” was developed in order to expand the content and diversity of the horticulture curriculum at Louisiana State University. The course was designed for both upper division undergraduates and graduate students in the plant sciences. The course was intended to broaden the exposure of both domestic and international students to the world's most important plantation, beverage, and tropical nut crops. These crops are generally not commercially grown in the United States, but include some of the world's most economically significant commodities. The selected crops are typically not covered in existing horticulture or agronomy classes. Details of the individual crop cultural practices, harvesting methods, postharvest care, agro-processing, and international marketing are provided. The instructional materials were formatted for delivery via compressed video and transmitted to off-campus sites to afford the opportunity of long-distance learning to nontraditional students. The course was successful in attracting nonhorticulture students and facilitated interdisciplinary interaction among students from diverse curricula.