Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Mature Fruits (mature + fruit)
Selected AbstractsMaintenance costs of serotiny do not explain weak serotinyAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2009M. D. CRAMER Abstract Considerable variation in the duration of serotiny exists among species of both Australian and South African Proteaceae. ,Weak' serotiny (pre-fire loss after <3 years) could be dictated by the costs (water or carbon) of cone/fruit retention or by benefits accruing from pre-fire seed establishment. We determined that cones/fruits of a range of Australian and south western Cape Proteaceae species (Leucadendron xanthoconus, Aulax umbellata, L. linifolium, L. gandogeri, Hakea drupacea, H. sericea) are not sealed dead wood, but that they continuously lose H2O and CO2. Water loss from cones/fruits was poorly controlled, occurring in both light and dark. The rates of both H2O and CO2 loss from mature cones/fruits were negatively correlated with the degree of serotiny (r2 = 0.59 and 0.18, respectively, P < 0.001 both). However, the amounts of H2O and CO2 lost per weight were small relative to the fluxes from leaves (13,29% for H2O and 3,10% for CO2). The [N] and [P] in the cones/fruits and seeds was substantial. Despite 25% of N and 38% of P being recovered from the cones/fruits following maturation, the loss of the cones/fruits and seeds would still incur a substantial nutrient cost. The seed [P] was positively correlated with the degree of serotiny (r2 = 0.24, P = 0.001). We suggest that maintenance costs (water and carbon) of serotiny, although exceeding those of soil stored seeds, are relatively low. The correlation between the degree of serotiny and seed [P] indicates that stronger serotiny is required, much like sclerophylly, for survival under low nutrient availability in frequently burnt vegetation. [source] Chemical Characterization of Orange Juice from Trees Infected with Citrus Greening (Huanglongbing)JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 2 2010Lilibeth Dagulo ABSTRACT:, The effects due to,Candidatus,Liberibacter infection, commonly called citrus greening or Huanglongbing (HLB), on volatile and nonvolatile components of orange juices, OJ, were examined using GC-MS and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). HLB symptomatic, asymptomatic, and control "Hamlin" and "Valencia" oranges were harvested from December to May during the 2007 to 2008 harvest season. Brix/acid levels in control and asymptomatic juices were similar but symptomatic juices were as much as 62% lower than control juices. No bitter flavanone neohesperidosides were detected and polymethoxyflavone concentrations were well below bitter taste thresholds. Limonin concentrations were significantly higher (91% to 425%) in symptomatic juice compared to control but still below juice bitterness taste thresholds. Juice terpenes, such as ,-terpinene and ,-terpinolene, were as much as 1320% and 62% higher in symptomatic juice than control. Average ethyl butanoate concentrations were 45% lower and average linalool was 356% higher in symptomatic Valencia OJ compared to control. Symptomatic Valencia OJ had on average only 40% the total esters, 48% the total aldehydes, and 33% as much total sesquiterpenes as control juice. Total volatiles between control and symptomatic juices were similar due to elevated levels of alcohols and terpenes in symptomatic juice. There were no consistent differences between asymptomatic and control juices. The chemical composition of juice from HLB/greening symptomatic fruit appears to mimic that of juice from less mature fruit. The reported off-flavor associated with symptomatic juices probably stem from lower concentrations of sugars, higher concentrations of acid as all known citrus bitter compounds were either below taste thresholds or absent. [source] Foraging ecology of howler monkeys in a cacao (Theobroma cacao) plantation in Comalcalco, MexicoAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2006David Muñoz Abstract Recent evidence indicates that primate populations may persist in neotropical fragmented landscapes by using arboreal agroecosystems, which may provide temporary habitats, increased areas of vegetation, and connectivity, among other benefits. However, limited data are available on how primates are able to sustain themselves in such manmade habitats. We report the results of a 9-month-long investigation of the feeding ecology of a troop of howler monkeys (n=24) that have lived for the past 25 years in a 12-ha cacao plantation in the lowlands of Tabasco, Mexico. A vegetation census indicated the presence of 630 trees (,20 cm diameter at breast height (DBH)) of 32 shade species in the plantation. The howlers used 16 plant species (13 of which were trees) as sources of leaves, fruits, and flowers. Five shade tree species (Ficus cotinifolia, Pithecellobium saman, Gliricidia sepium, F. obtusifolia, and Ficus sp.) accounted for slightly over 80% of the total feeding time and 78% of the total number trees (n=139) used by the howlers, and were consistently used by the howlers from month to month. The howlers spent an average of 51% of their monthly feeding time exploiting young leaves, 29% exploiting mature fruit, and 20% exploiting flowers and other plant items. Monthly consumption of young leaves varied from 23% to 67%, and monthly consumption of ripe fruit varied from 12% to 64%. Differences in the protein-to-fiber ratio of young vs. mature leaves influenced diet selection by the monkeys. The howlers used 8.3 ha of the plantation area, and on average traveled 388 m per day in each month. The howlers preferred tree species whose contribution to the total tree biomass and density was above average for the shade-tree population in the plantation. Given the right conditions of management and protection, shaded arboreal plantations in fragmented landscapes can sustain segments of howler monkey populations for many decades. Am. J. Primatol. 68:127,142, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Notes on South American Valerianaceae IIFEDDES REPERTORIUM, Issue 5-6 2004F. Weberling Professor em. Entre ValerianapotopensisBriq., descripta para Bolivia, y Valeriana humahuacensisBorsini, descripta para Jujuy, la provincia contigua de la Argentina, no se han encontrado características morfológicas para distinguir ambas especies, por eso éstas estarían unidas bajo del nombre ValerianapotopensisBriq. Por otra parte Valeriana bolivianaBritton y Valeriana bangianaGraebn., serían según Graebner (1906) dos especies distintas, pero no dió caracteres seguros para diferen-ciarlas. En este trabajo se observa que la forma de los frutos de los materiales tomados como tipo y paratipos es diferente, frutos ovados, como descripto para V. boliviana, se observan en unos paratipos, también se ven frutos ancho-ovados con un margen grueso, pero los del lectotipo V. boliviana (Rusby 871 NY) tienen un contorno casi circular como una lenteja, con un margen tenue, casi membranoso como los del lectotipo de V. bangiana (Bang 2415 G). Ni los caracteres vegetativos ni los caracteres de los frutos serían suficientes para poder distinguir V. bangianaGraebn. 1906 de V. bolivianaBritton 1891 como especies separadas. Se observa también que Valeriana variabilisGraebn. sería una forma de Valeriana warburgiiGraebn. La primera especie solo se distinguiría por caracteres poco manifiestos como el indumento de los frutos y los pelos frecuentemente se pierden durante de la maduración de los mismos, estos caracteres no serían suficientes para separar las dos especies. Por lo tanto se considera una nueva combinación, Valeriana warburgiiGraebn. subsp. variabilis(Graebn.) Weberling stat. nov. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) ValerianapotopensisBriq., described from Bolivia, and Valeriana humahuacensisBorsini, described from Jujuy, the neighbouring province of Argentina, cannot be distinguished by reliable distinctive characters. This applies especially to the indument of the fruits, since the fruits of Valeriana often become increasingly glabrescent in advanced stages of development, with the mature fruits being completely bald. Therefore both species should be united under the older name ValerianapotopensisBriq. According to Graebner (1906) Valeriana bangianaGraebn., is to be regarded as separate species, differing from Valeriana bolivianaBritton by its vigorous densely foliated stem, a character cer-tainly insufficient for a reliable identification. The fruits of V. boliviana are described as "ovatis", which is confirmed by the para-type material of the Mandon collections. In the paratypes the fruits were found to be lanceolate-ovate (Rusby872) or broadly ovate with prominent nerves and a thickened solid margin (Rusby875). However, the fruits of the holotype Rusby 871 (Fig. 12a, b) present a different shape: compressed fruits of nearly circular outline, with a broad flattened some-what membraneous marginal ring. The same form of fruits, although considerably larger, was found in the type material of Valeriana bangiana. Because of the overlapping of the vegetative characters as well as the forms of the fruits V. bangianaGraebn. 1906 cannot be clearly separated from V. bolivianaBritton 1891, and is included into this species. Valeriana warburgiiGraebn. and V. variabilisGraebn. too cannot be separated at species level because of over-lapping characters. Again the indumentum of the fruits is apparently according to several authors the best key character, but is not at all reliable. However, the outline of the fruits shows some differences. Therefore V. variabilis is included into V. warburgii as follows: V. warburgiiGraebn. subsp. variabilis(Graebn.) Weberling stat. nov. [source] Spatio-temporal variation in fruit production and seed predation in a perennial herb influenced by habitat quality and population sizeJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Jon Ågren Summary 1In patchily distributed plant species, seed production is likely to be influenced both by local abiotic factors affecting plant size and conditions for fruit maturation, and by population characteristics affecting the intensity of interactions with mutualists and antagonists. However, the relative importance of these effects is poorly known. 2We used multiple regression and path models to examine the importance of abiotic factors (sun exposure, soil depth) and population characteristics (size, density and connectivity) for variation in flower and fruit production and intensity of seed predation among 39 populations of the long-lived herb Vincetoxicum hirundinaria in three consecutive years. In addition, we manipulated water availability in a field experiment and recorded short-term and long-term effects on fruit output, and conducted a supplemental hand-pollination experiment. 3Flower production varied little, while fruit initiation, fruit abortion and fruit predation varied considerably among years. Sun exposure and soil depth affected fruit production per plant indirectly and positively through their effects on flower number. Population density affected fruit production negatively through its effect on flower number. Both fruit initiation and the proportion of fruits attacked by the tephritid fly Euphranta connexa were related positively to population size. 4The number of full-size fruits per plant was related positively to sun exposure and population size in two years each, and related negatively to population density in one year. However, because of seed predation, the number of intact mature fruits was related significantly to population characteristics in only one of three years. 5The field experiments showed that both shortage of water and insufficient pollination may limit fruit set in V. hirundinaria. 6Synthesis. These results demonstrate that the relative importance of local abiotic conditions and population characteristics may vary considerably along the chain of events from flower formation to intact fruit, and also among years. They further show that, at least in species with a naturally patchy distribution, connectivity may be relatively unimportant for variation in reproductive output compared to effects of habitat quality, population size and density. [source] Influence of branch bending on sugar, organic acid and phenolic content in fruits of ,Williams' pears (Pyrus communis L.)JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 14 2006Mateja Colaric Abstract Selected sugars, organic acids and phenolic compounds were analysed in mature fruits of ,Williams' pears using high-performance liquid chromatography. Fruits were harvested from the branches of trees tested in three treatments: branches were bent in summer 2003 (1 September), in spring 2004 (15 May) and control (branches were not bent). Pears contained up to 73.54 g kg,1 fresh weight (FW) of fructose, 9.42 g kg,1 FW of glucose, 7.94 g kg,1 FW of sucrose and 24.59 g kg,1 FW of sorbitol. Major organic acids were (in order of descending quantity) citric, malic, shikimic and fumaric acid (up to 3.05 g kg,1 FW, 2.24 g kg,1 FW, 71.79 mg kg,1 FW and 0.49 mg kg,1 FW, respectively). Chlorogenic acid (280.86,357.34 mg kg,1 FW) was the predominant phenolic acid, followed in concentration (mg kg,1 FW) by syringic acid (95.46,131.32), epicatechin (46.55,83.09), catechin (25.67,44.81), vanillic acid (1.87,3.48), sinapic acid (0.83,1.72) and caffeic acid (0.72,1.04). Significant differences in content of fructose, sorbitol, total sugars, catechin, epicatechin, sinapic acid, syringic acid, and a sum of determined phenolic compounds were observed among the treatments. Fruits from summer bending branches had the lowest content of individual sugars, citric acid and phenolic compounds and the highest content of malic, shikimic and fumaric acid. The highest content of fructose, sorbitol, sucrose, total sugars, caffeic acid, catechin, epicatechin and syringic acid were determined in the fruits from the spring treatment. In the control treatment the highest content of glucose, citric acid, chlorogenic acid, sinapic acid, vanillic acid, as well a sum of determined phenolics, were observed. The lowest content of fumaric acid was in the spring treatment and of malic and shikimic acid in the control. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Dispersal and recruitment dynamics in the fleshy-fruited Persoonia lanceolata (Proteaceae)JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 6 2007Tony D. Auld Abstract Question: What is the role of dispersal, persistent soil seed banks and seedling recruitment in population persistence of fleshy-fruited obligate seeding plant species in fire-prone habitats? Location: Southeastern Australia. Methods: We used a long-term study of a shrubby, fleshy-fruited Persoonia species (Proteaceae) to examine (1) seed removal from beneath the canopy of adult plants; (2) seedling recruitment after fire; (3) the magnitude and location of the residual soil seed bank; and (4) the implications for fire management of obligate seeding species. We used demographic sampling techniques combined with Generalised Linear Modelling and regression to quantify population changes over time. Results: Most of the mature fruits (90%) on the ground below the canopy of plants were removed by Wallabia bicolor (Swamp wallaby) with 88% of seeds extracted from W. bicolor scats viable and dormant. Wallabies play an important role in moving seeds away from parent plants. Their role in occasional long distance dispersal events remains unknown. We detected almost no seed predation in situ under canopies (< 1%). Seedling recruitment was cued to fire, with post-fire seedling densities 6-7 times pre-fire adult densities. After fire, a residual soil seed bank was present, as many seeds (77-100%) remained dormant and viable at a soil depth where successful future seedling emergence is possible (0-5 cm). Seedling survival was high (> 80%) with most mortality within 2 years of emergence. Plant growth averaged 17 cm per year. The primary juvenile period of plants was 7,8 years, within the period of likely return fire intervals in the study area. We predicted that the study population increased some five-fold after the wildfire at the site. Conclusions: Residual soil seed banks are important, especially in species with long primary juvenile periods, to buffer the populations against the impact of a second fire occurring before the seed bank is replenished. [source] Effects of Athamanta turbith fruit essential oils on CCl4 -induced hepatic failure in mice and their antioxidant propertiesPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 5 2010Abstract The effects of essential oils isolated from mature fruits of Athamanta turbith ssp. hungarica (Borbás) Tutin and A. turbith ssp. haynaldii (Borbás & Uechtr.) Tutin (Umbelliferae) on some liver biochemical parameters in mice intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride were investigated. Pretreatment with both essential oils extenuated the effects caused by carbon tetrachloride. In order to investigate in vitro antioxidant properties of the oils, three methods were applied: scavenging of both 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and OH radicals, as well as a test of inhibition of Fe2+/ascorbic-induced lipid peroxidation. Investigated essential oils exhibited modest antioxidant capacity. Therefore, their influence on biochemical parameters in intoxicated animals might be linked to the inhibition of enzymes (cytochrome P450 2E1) involved in metabolic activation of halomethanes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Characterisation and changes in the antioxidant system of chloroplasts and chromoplasts isolated from green and mature pepper fruitsPLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2009M. C. Martí Abstract Purification and characterisation of pepper (Capsicum annuum L) chloroplasts and chromoplasts isolated from commercial green, red and yellow mature fruits were undertaken. Induction of the synthesis of several antioxidants in organelles isolated from mature fruits was found. The ultrastructure of organelles and the presence and activity of SOD isozymes and enzymes involved in the ASC-GSH cycle, together with the non-enzymatic antioxidant content and some oxidative parameters, were analysed. It was found that lipids, rather than proteins, seem to be a target for oxidation in the chromoplasts. The ascorbate and glutathione contents were elicited during differentiation of chloroplasts into chromoplasts in both red and yellow fruits. The activity of SOD and of components of the ASC-GSH cycle was up-regulated, suggesting that these enzymes may play a role in the protection of plastids and could act as modulators of signal molecules such as O2,, and H2O2 during fruit maturation. The presence of an Mn-SOD in chromoplasts isolated from yellow pepper fruits was also investigated in terms of structural and antioxidant differences between the two cultivars. [source] | |||||||||||||