Accumulation of Mineral Nutrients by Developing Fruits of Prickly Plume Grevillea (Grevillea annulifera F. Muell.)

1981 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJ Hocking

The nutrition of developing fruits of Grevillea annulifera was studied in its natural habitat on sandy heathland 600 km N. of Perth, W.A. Seeds made up 33% of the dry matter of the fruit at maturity and accumulated over 70% of the Mg, Cu, N, Zn and P, 42-61% of the S, K, Fe, Ca and Mn but less than 20% of the Na. Follicles lost most of their P, Zn and N during fruit ripening and small quantities of Mg and Cu. Dry matter, K, S, Ca, Na, Fe and Mn were not withdrawn from follicles. Retranslocation from follicles could have provided from 24 to 41% of the P, Zn and N in seeds. The seed coat made up 60% of the dry matter of seeds and had most of the K, Ca, Na, Fe and Cl; the embryo had most of the N, P, S, Mg, Zn, Mn and Cu. Levels of most nutrients in embryos of G. annulifera were very high when compared with those in seeds of crop species. Leaves had low levels of most nutrients. The results suggest that G. annulifera has the nutritional characteristics common to xeromorphs and the ability to transport nutrients very efficiently to fruits, and especially to embryos. An ecological survey of nutrient levels in fruits at three localities revealed that within-locality variation was as great as or greater than that between localities. Nutritional information is discussed in relation to flower and fruit shedding by the species. It is suggested that spatial restrictions to fruit growth contribute partly to fruit shedding.

1986 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 155 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJ Hocking

A study was made of mineral nutrient concentrations and distributions in leaves and fruits of 10 species of Grevillea from diverse localities in south-western Australia. Seeds of all species contained high concentrations of mineral nutrients, despite the nutrient-poor soils of their habitats. Leaves and the leathery follicles which contained the seeds typically had very low levels of nutrients. With few exceptions, the concentration and distribution patterns of a particular nutrient in fruits were similar in all the species studied. In these species, over 90% of the P content, and between 50 and 70% of the N, Zn and Cu contents of a fruit were located in seeds. Some species accumulated very high concentrations of a particular nutrient, e.g. Ca in seeds and leaves of G. leucopteris, K in seeds of G. tripartita and Fe in follicles of G. petrophiloides. Ratios of K : Ca concentrations were low (< 1) in seeds of G. candelabroides, G. petrophiloides, G. pinaster and especially G. polybotrya and G. leucopteris, which are characterized by high Ca concentrations in their seeds. In the Grevillea species studied, Na C1 and Fe accumulated in the leathery follicle but not in the seeds. A study of G. leucopteris from 18 localities throughout its ecological and distributional range showed that concentrations and distribution patterns for each nutrient in fruits were similar, irrespective of soil type. It is concluded from the results for G. leucopteris and the other species that there is conservative genetic regulation of seed mineral nutrition in the genus Grevillea.


This chapter compares the leadership capital of two long-serving UK prime ministers: Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher, treble election winners who held office for a decade. Mapping their capital over time reveals two very different patterns. Thatcher began with low levels of capital, building to a mid-term high and final fragile dominance, though her capital fell between elections. Blair possessed very high levels from the outset that gradually declined in a more conventional pattern. Both benefited from electoral dominance and a divided opposition, Thatcher’s strength lay in her policy vision while Blair’s stemmed from his popularity and communication skills. The LCI reveals that both prime ministers were successful without being popular, sustained in office by the electoral system. Towards the end of their tenures, both leaders’ continued dominance masked fragility, ousted when unrest in their parties and policy unpopularity eroded their capital.


Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 232
Author(s):  
Antonio Gallo ◽  
Francesca Ghilardelli ◽  
Alberto Stanislao Atzori ◽  
Severino Zara ◽  
Barbara Novak ◽  
...  

Sixty-four corn silages were characterized for chemicals, bacterial community, and concentrations of several fungal metabolites. Silages were grouped in five clusters, based on detected mycotoxins, and they were characterized for being contaminated by (1) low levels of Aspergillus- and Penicillium-mycotoxins; (2) low levels of fumonisins and other Fusarium-mycotoxins; (3) high levels of Aspergillus-mycotoxins; (4) high levels of non-regulated Fusarium-mycotoxins; (5) high levels of fumonisins and their metabolites. Altersetin was detected in clusters 1, 3, and 5. Rugulusovin or brevianamide F were detected in several samples, with the highest concentration in cluster 3. Emodin was detected in more than 50.0% of samples of clusters 1, 3 and 5, respectively. Kojic acid occurred mainly in clusters 1 and 2 at very low concentrations. Regarding Fusarium mycotoxins, high occurrences were observed for FB3, FB4, FA1, whereas the average concentrations of FB6 and FA2 were lower than 12.4 µg/kg dry matter. Emerging Fusarium-produced mycotoxins, such as siccanol, moniliformin, equisetin, epiequisetin and bikaverin were detected in the majority of analyzed corn silages. Pestalotin, oxaline, phenopirrozin and questiomycin A were detected at high incidences. Concluding, this work highlighted that corn silages could be contaminated by a high number of regulated and emerging mycotoxins.


1971 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 469-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. LaBERGE ◽  
A. W. MacGREGOR ◽  
W. O. S. MEREDITH

The percentage of dry matter, kernel weight, α-amylase activity and β-amylase activity, were determined at several stages of kernel development, from anthesis to harvest, in seven cultivars of Canadian barley. These included 6-row barleys (Conquest, Bonanza, and Keystone), 2-row barleys (Betzes and Centennial), and two 6-rowed selections from crosses between 2-row and 6-row barleys. The patterns for development of β-amylase enzymes were similar in all cultivars, and these activities were low initially, followed by a period of increasing activities commencing about 10 days after anthesis and reaching maximum values 20 days later; they then remained constant until the kernels were harvested. α-Amylase activity increased in all cultivars immediately after anthesis and then decreased to low levels after 10 days of kernel development. The α-amylase activities of Conquest, Bonanza, and Betzes increased again to quite high levels after maturity and just prior to delayed harvesting, owing to unfavorable weather that caused sprouting in these cultivars.


2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 935-943 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tharsila Martins Rios da Silva ◽  
Márcia Regina Martins Alvarenga ◽  
Maria Amélia de Campos Oliveira

OBJECTIVE: to characterize the profiles of families in the area covered by a Primary Health Center and to identify those in a vulnerable situation. METHOD: this is an epidemiological, observational, cross-sectional and quantitative study. 320 home visits were made, defined by a random sample of the areas covered by the Urban Center 1 in the city of São Sebastião, in Brazil's Federal District. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection, elaborated based on the Family Development Index (FDI). RESULTS: there was a predominance of young families, women, and low levels of schooling. The FDI permitted the identification of families in situations of "high" and "very high" vulnerability. The most critical dimensions were: "access to knowledge" and "access to work". CONCLUSION: the study indicated the importance of greater investments in the areas of education, work and income, and highlighted the need for the use of a wider concept of vulnerability by the health services.


2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 2261-2283
Author(s):  
Vera Gelashvili ◽  
Eva María Aguilar Pastor ◽  
María-Jesús Segovia-Vargas ◽  
Maria-del-Mar Camacho-Miñano

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether sheltered employment centers (CEEs) which have a higher rate of professionalization of their managers have better economic returns than those that have a lower one. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire has been drawn up for their managers. After collecting the answers, an index of professionalization classifies the CEEs with managers of high, medium and low levels of professionalism. This index is then correlated with the main financial ratios of companies. Findings The results show that companies with the highest level of managers’ professionalization, on average, have higher economic returns than companies with medium and low rates, although the difference is not very high. This study is an important contribution to academic literature, as it is the first to examine the professionalization of CEE managers. Research limitations/implications Finally, this paper is not short of limitations. The number of responses is small but there are similar studies with similar response rates. Additionally, the scarcity of responses may suggest that there is a lack of interest about the utility of professionalization by some CEEs managers because, perhaps, they do not have the necessary competences to understand its importance in management. Practical implications This study has some main implications for stakeholders: first, CEEs must pay more attention to the professionalization of their management team, because professionalization can lead to meeting its goals and guaranteeing the firm’s growth. Second, training programs in skills and attitudes should be designed to strengthen these competencies. Moreover, managers of social firms should know that the establishment of strategic plans will be useful to identify new opportunities in the market. Social implications Given the important role of these social firms for the employment of people with disabilities, training programs should be promoted by government in order to ensure the professionalization of these companies. Originality/value This research is an important contribution to the literature on this subject because there are no studies about the level of professionalization of CEEs, companies that represent an important value for the economy of a country.


2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-170
Author(s):  
Cristhian David Sua-Cespedes ◽  
José Luis Vélez-Parodi ◽  
Juan Antonio Ramírez-Merlano ◽  
Alexander Torres-Tabares ◽  
Yohana Maria Velasco-Santamaría

Bromatological parameters in 39 Warakú verdadero (Leporinus agassizi) and 21 Warakú pinima (Leporinus fasciatus) fillets were analyzed at three different sites of the Vaupés River, Colombia sampled during a hydrobiological cycle. The bromatological parameters did not shown significant differences in relation to the sites and season of capture. At point 3 and during the descending water season, Leporinus agassizi had the highest values for dry matter (25.24%), protein (19.82%) and ash (2.16%). The highest lipid value for this species was found in low waters at point 1 (2.93%). Leporinus fasciatus showed the highest levels of dry matter (25.19%) and ash (2.16%) at point 3 during ascendant and high waters, respectively. The bromatological parameters tends to vary regarding the time of year. It was possible to determined that these fish species have great potential for continental aquaculture thus constituting a healthy food model.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ke Xu ◽  
Qiang Chai ◽  
Falong Hu ◽  
Zhilong Fan ◽  
Wen Yin

AbstractIntercropping increases the grain yield to feed the ever-growing population in the world by cultivating two crop species on the same area of land. It has been proven that N-fertilizer postponed topdressing can boost the productivity of cereal/legume intercropping. However, whether the application of this technology to cereal/cereal intercropping can still increase grain yield is unclear. A field experiment was conducted from 2018 to 2020 in the arid region of northwestern China to investigate the accumulation and distribution of dry matter and yield performance of wheat/maize intercropping in response to N-fertilizer postponed topdressing application. There were three N application treatments (referred as N1, N2, N3) for maize and the total amount were all 360 kg N ha−1. N fertilizer were applied at four time, i.e. prior to sowing, at jointing stage, at pre-tasseling stage, and at 15 days post-silking stage, respectively. The N3 treatment was traditionally used for maize production and allocations subjected to these four stages were 2:3:4:1. The N1 and N2 were postponed topdressing treatments which allocations were 2:1:4:3 and 2:2:4:2, respectively. The results showed that the postponed topdressing N fertilizer treatments boosted the maximum average crop growth rate (CGR) of wheat/maize intercropping. The N1 and N2 treatments increased the average maximum CGR by 32.9% and 16.4% during the co-growth period, respectively, and the second average maximum CGR was increased by 29.8% and 12.6% during the maize recovery growth stage, respectively, compared with the N3 treatment. The N1 treatment was superior to other treatments, since it increased the CGR of intercropped wheat by 44.7% during the co-growth period and accelerated the CGR of intercropped maize by 29.8% after the wheat had been harvested. This treatment also increased the biomass and grain yield of intercropping by 8.6% and 33.7%, respectively, compared with the current N management practice. This yield gain was primarily attributable to the higher total translocation of dry matter. The N1 treatment increased the transfer amount of intercropped wheat by 28.4% from leaf and by 51.6% from stem, as well as increased the intercropped maize by 49.0% of leaf, 36.6% of stem, and 103.6% of husk, compared to N3 treatment, respectively. Integrated the N fertilizer postponed topdressing to the wheat/maize intercropping system have a promotion effect on increasing the translocation of dry matter to grain in vegetative organs. Therefore, the harvest index of intercropped wheat and maize with N1 was 5.9% and 5.3% greater than that of N3, respectively. This demonstrated that optimizing the management of N fertilizer can increase the grain yield from wheat/maize intercropping via the promotion of accumulation and translocation of dry matter.


2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob S. Rugh ◽  
Douglas S. Massey

AbstractIn this paper we adjudicate between competing claims of persisting segregation and rapid integration by analyzing trends in residential dissimilarity and spatial isolation for African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians living in 287 consistently defined metropolitan areas from 1970 to 2010. On average, Black segregation and isolation have fallen steadily but still remain very high in many areas, particularly those areas historically characterized by hypersegregation. In contrast, Hispanic segregation has increased slightly but Hispanic isolation has risen substantially owing to rapid population growth. Asian segregation has changed little and remains moderate, and although Asian isolation has increased it remains at low levels compared with other groups. Whites remain quite isolated from all three minority groups in metropolitan America, despite rising diversity and some shifts toward integration from the minority viewpoint.Multivariate analyses reveal that minority segregation and spatial isolation are actively produced in some areas by restrictive density zoning regimes, large and/or rising minority percentages, lagging minority socioeconomic status, and active expressions of anti-Black and anti-Latino sentiment, especially in large metropolitan areas. Areas displaying these characteristics are either integrating very slowly (in the case of Blacks) or becoming more segregated (in the case of Hispanics), whereas those lacking these attributes are clearly moving toward integration, often quite rapidly.


2006 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 298-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jónas P. Jonasson ◽  
Gudrun Thorarinsdottir ◽  
Hrafnkell Eiriksson ◽  
Jon Solmundsson ◽  
Gudrun Marteinsdottir

Abstract Jonasson, J. P., Thorarinsdottir, G., Eiriksson, H., Solmundsson, J., and Marteinsdottir, G. 2007. Collapse of the fishery for Iceland scallop (Chlamys islandica) in Breidafjordur, West Iceland. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 298–308. The stock index of the Iceland scallop (Chlamys islandica) in Breidafjordur on the west coast of Iceland has declined drastically in recent years. Total fishing mortality was very high throughout the study period from 1993 to 2003, a period characterized by a steady increase in summer sea surface temperature, in 2003 reaching the highest estimated level of the previous century. Between 1998 and 2005, estimates of chlorophyll a (food availability) fluctuated with periods of low chlorophyll followed by a reduction in muscle weight and high natural mortality. High levels of natural mortality were observed in the main fishing area in the southern part of Breidafjordur. There the stock index had been declining since 1994. Recruitment to the fishable stock was highly variable during the study period, with low recruitment towards the end of the 1990s. Subsequently the fishery has been on relatively few year classes, and the stock has been fragile because of several years of poor recruitment and high natural mortality. Consequently, the stock appeared unable to withstand the fishing pressure and declined to historically low levels, leading to a halt to fishing in 2004.


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