Sunflower Seeds (sunflower + seed)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Terms modified by Sunflower Seeds

  • sunflower seed oil

  • Selected Abstracts


    Risk posed to honeybees (Apis mellifera L, Hymenoptera) by an imidacloprid seed dressing of sunflowers

    PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 3 2001
    Richard Schmuck
    Abstract In a greenhouse metabolism study, sunflowers were seed-treated with radiolabelled imidacloprid in a 700,g,kg,1 WS formulation (Gaucho® WS 70) at 0.7,mg AI per seed, and the nature of the resulting residues in nectar and pollen was determined. Only the parent compound and no metabolites were detected in nectar and pollen of these seed-treated sunflower plants (limit of detection <0.001,mg,kg,1). In standard LD50 laboratory tests, imidacloprid showed high oral toxicity to honeybees (Apis mellifera), with LD50 values between 3.7 and 40.9,ng per bee, corresponding to a lethal food concentration between 0.14 and 1.57,mg,kg,1. The residue level of imidacloprid in nectar and pollen of seed-treated sunflower plants in the field was negligible. Under field-growing conditions no residues were detected (limit of detection: 0.0015,mg,kg,1) in either nectar or pollen. There were also no detectable residues in nectar and pollen of sunflowers planted as a succeeding crop in soils which previously had been cropped with imidacloprid seed-treated plants. Chronic feeding experiments with sunflower honey fortified with 0.002, 0.005, 0.010 and 0.020,mg,kg,1 imidacloprid were conducted to assess potential long-term adverse effects on honeybee colonies. Testing end-points in this 39-day feeding study were mortality, feeding activity, wax/comb production, breeding performance and colony vitality. Even at the highest test concentration, imidacloprid showed no adverse effects on the development of the exposed bee colonies. This no-adverse-effect concentration of 0.020,mg,kg,1 compares with a field residue level of less than 0.0015,mg,kg,1 (,=, limit of detection in the field residue studies) which clearly shows that a sunflower seed dressing with imidacloprid poses no risk to honeybees. This conclusion is confirmed by observations made in more than 10 field studies and several tunnel tests. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


    Thermostability of genetically modified sunflower oils differing in fatty acid and tocopherol compositions

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 8 2008
    Susana Marmesat
    Abstract The objective of the study was to investigate the performance at frying temperature of a new sunflower oil with high content of oleic and palmitic acid (HOHPSO) and containing ,-tocopherol as the most abundant natural antioxidant. HOHPSO either containing ,- or ,-tocopherol (HOHPSO-, and HOHPSO-,, respectively) were obtained from genetically modified sunflower seeds and refined under identical conditions. The oil stability against oxidation, as measured by Rancimat at 120,°C, was much higher for the oil containing ,-tocopherol, suggesting the higher effectiveness of ,-tocopherol as compared to ,-tocopherol to delay oxidation. Experiments at high temperature (180,°C) simulating the conditions applied in the frying process clearly demonstrated that, for the same periods of heating, the oil degradation and the loss of natural tocopherol were significantly lower for the oil containing ,-tocopherol. Comparison of different genetically modified sunflower oils with different fatty acid compositions confirmed that oil degradation depended on the fatty acid composition, being higher at a higher degree of unsaturation. However, the loss of tocopherol for a similar level of oil degradation was higher as the degree of unsaturation decreased. Overall, the results showed that HOHPSO-, had a very high stability at frying temperatures and that mixtures of HOHPSO-, and HOHPSO-, would be an excellent alternative to fulfill the frying performance required by the processors and the vitamin,E content claimed by the consumers. [source]


    Determination of tocopherols and phytosterols in sunflower seeds by NIR spectrometry

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2007
    Alicia Ayerdi Gotor
    Abstract The objective of this work was to develop a near-infrared reflectance spectrometry (NIRS) calibration estimating the tocopherol and phytosterol contents in sunflower seeds. Approximately 1000 samples of grinded sunflower kernels were scanned by NIRS at 2-nm intervals from 400 to 2500,nm. For each sample, standard measurements of tocopherol and phytosterol contents were performed. The total tocopherol content was obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a fluorescence detector, while the total phytosterol content was assessed by gas chromatography. For tocopherol, the calibration data set ranged from 175 to 1005,mg/kg oil (mean value around 510,±,140,mg/kg oil), whereas for the phytosterol content, the calibration data set ranged from 180 to 470,mg/100,g oil (mean value of 320,±,50,mg/100,g oil). The NIRS calibration showed a relatively good correlation (R2,=,0.64) between predicted by NIRS and real values for the total tocopherol content but a poor correlation for the total phytosterol content (R2,=,0.27). These results indicate that NIRS could be useful to classify samples with high and low tocopherol content. In contrast, the estimation of phytosterol contents by NIRS needs further investigation. Moreover, in this study, calibration was obtained by a modified partial least-squares method; the use of other mathematical treatments can be suitable, particularly for total phytosterol content estimation. [source]


    Environmental and Varietal Influences on the Fatty Acid Composition of Rapeseed, Soybeans and Sunflowers

    JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010
    M. Werteker
    Abstract The fatty acid (FA) composition of oil crops is of some importance under technological as well as under nutritional aspects. The influence of temperature on this parameter in rapeseed, soybeans and sunflowers was investigated under practical agricultural conditions, whereby varietal variations were taken into account. The analysed plant material originated from variety testing trials located in different climatic zones of Austria. As a measure of the climatic conditions of a location, the mean temperature of the last 30 days before harvest was calculated. Despite the low temperature differences between the various locations, moderate but significant negative correlations between temperature and the share of linolenic (18 : 3), respectively, linoleic (18 : 2) acid on the whole quantity of FAs in rapeseed (R˛ = 0.18,0.42), soybeans (R˛ = 0.11,0.13) and sunflowers (R˛ = 0.15) were found. Furthermore, there was a good negative correlation in the case of sunflower seeds between temperature and oil level (R˛ = 0.45). The environmental influence on the share of polyunsaturated FAs differed between the different species. The results show that quality of vegetable oils is as well a question of environment as of variety. [source]


    Sunflower proteins: overview of their physicochemical, structural and functional properties

    JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 12 2007
    Sergio González-Pérez
    Abstract There is increasing worldwide demand for proteins of both animal and plant origin. However, animal proteins are expensive in terms of both market price and environmental impact. Among alternative plant proteins, sunflower seeds are particularly interesting in view of their widespread availability in areas where soy is not or only sparsely produced. Compared with other sources of vegetable proteins, sunflower seeds have been reported to have a low content of antinutritional factors. Although the absence of these factors is important, the functionality of the protein preparations will mainly determine their applicability. This review provides detailed information about sunflower seed composition and processing, including processes to remove phenolic compounds from meals. The main part of the review concerns the structure and functionality of the two major protein fractions, helianthinin and 2S albumins. Regarding functionality, emphasis is on solubility, thermal behaviour and surface activity. Protein structure and functionality are discussed as a function of extrinsic factors such as pH, ionic strength, temperature and the presence of other seed components, particularly chlorogenic acid. In addition, sunflower proteins are compared from a structural and functional point of view with other plant proteins, particularly soy proteins. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


    Anaphylaxis to lipid transfer protein from sunflower seeds

    ALLERGY, Issue 10 2010
    A. Yagami
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Disturbance and habitat use: is edge more important than area?

    OIKOS, Issue 1 2006
    Alissa E. Moenting
    In their efforts to maximize fitness while reducing the probability of dying, animals must decide which patches to forage in, when to forage, and how long to forage in each patch. Each decision will be modified by habitat and habitat disturbance. We evaluate the effects of habitat disturbance on foraging behaviour by imagining an initially homogeneous environment that is altered to create patches of different sizes. Disturbance increases predation risk, or otherwise alters patch profitability. Foragers can respond by changing their pattern of foraging, or by reducing their activity. We develop predictions for each scenario. We then test the predictions with data on the abundance and foraging activity of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) in and around four sizes of circular disturbed patches. We created the patches by mowing vegetation in an abandoned hay field in northern Ontario, Canada. The treatments had no effect on vole density, and there was no consistent relationship between vole activity and distance from the edge of disturbed patches. Incidental predation of sunflower seeds, our measure of vole foraging behaviour, declined linearly with increasing patch circumference (edge). Seed consumption by meadow voles, and predation by voles on lower food levels, correlates with the length of edge habitat rather than with the area disturbed. Adaptive behaviour can thereby explain edge effects that, under current priorities emphasizing area, would appear at odds with conservation ecology. [source]


    Responses of Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) to pirimiphos-methyl, spinosad, and combinations of pirimiphos-methyl and synergized pyrethrins,

    PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 2 2004
    Fangneng Huang
    Abstract Field control failures with pirimiphos-methyl against the rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton), in Weslaco, Texas, USA, led us to investigate the susceptibility of this particular strain to pirimiphos-methyl, spinosad, pyrethrins synergized with piperonyl butoxide, and pirimiphos-methyl combined with synergized pyrethrins. In laboratory bioassays, 50 eggs of C cephalonica were exposed to untreated and insecticide-treated corn and sunflower seeds to determine larval survival after 21 days, egg-to-adult emergence after 49 days, and larval damage to seeds at both exposure periods. Pirimiphos-methyl at both 4 and 8 mg kg,1 did not prevent larval survival or egg-to-adult emergence of C cephalonica on either corn or sunflower seeds, and seed damage was evident at both rates. The C cephalonica strain was highly susceptible to spinosad at 0.5 and 1 mg kg,1. At both spinosad rates, reduction in larval survival, egg-to-adult emergence, and seed damage relative to the control treatment was ,93% on both corn and sunflower seeds. Pirimiphos-methyl and spinosad were generally more effective against C cephalonica on corn than sunflower seeds. The C cephalonica strain was completely controlled on corn treated with 1.5 mg kg,1 of pyrethrins synergized with 15 mg kg,1 of piperonyl butoxide. Many larvae survived and became adults on corn treated with synergized pyrethrins at ,0.75 mg kg,1. Corn treated with pirimiphos-methyl at 4, 6 or 8 mg kg,1 in combination with 0.38 to 1.5 mg kg,1 of synergized pyrethrins reduced larval survival by ,95%, egg-to-adult emergence by ,97%, and seed damage by ,94%. Our results suggest that the C cephalonica strain can be controlled on corn by combining pirimiphos-methyl with synergized pyrethrins or with synergized pyrethrins at the labeled rate. Although spinosad is not currently labeled for use on stored corn and sunflower seeds, it appears to be effective against C cephalonica on both commodities at very low rates. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


    Development of a PCR test to detect the downy mildew causal agent Plasmopara halstedii in sunflower seeds

    PLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 2 2007
    R. Ioos
    Plasmopara halstedii, the causal agent of downy mildew of sunflower, is an obligate parasite but viable sporangia and oospores of the pathogen may be found in a quiescent state in seeds of sunflower and therefore may be transported with sunflower seeds in international commercial exchanges. In order to prevent the spread of this pathogen, especially the introduction of potentially new races, an efficient method to analyse sunflower seed samples is required. In this study, a P. halstedii -specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was developed based on the ribosomal large sub unit (LSU) DNA. The forward (PHAL-F) and reverse (PHAL-R) PCR primers were designed from two polymorphic regions of LSU. After screening 22 isolates of P. halstedii corresponding to different races and countries and 32 other oomycete, deuteromycete and ascomycete isolates, the PHAL-F/R primers amplified only a single PCR band of c. 310 bp from P. halstedii. The PHAL-F/R PCR test could detect as little as 3 pg of P. halstedii genomic DNA per 20 µL reaction volume and enabled the direct detection of P. halstedii in 35 g sunflower seed samples without the need for any prior biological baiting step. An internal amplification control (IAC) was developed to help discriminate against false negative samples due to the potential presence of inhibitory compounds in DNA extracts. The test was successfully used on samples of naturally contaminated seeds. These new molecular tools should be of great interest for quarantine seed testing purposes. [source]