scholarly journals Parasitological analysis of green leaf lettuce cultivated in different production systems

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 801
Author(s):  
Juliana Santiago Santos ◽  
Cristina Atsumi Kuba ◽  
Francislaine Anelize Garcia Santos ◽  
Aline Da Silveira Batista ◽  
Stênio Clemente Paião Sitolino ◽  
...  

This study analysed parasite contamination in green leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa), grown in different cultivation systems (conventional, organic, and hydroponic), from a family farmer cooperative in the municipality of Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil. Samples were collected at weekly intervals during five months, totalling 180 vegetable samples (60 samples of leaf lettuce from each cultivation system). Lettuce leaves were washed with 0.5% Extran MA 02, and the resulting fluid subjected to sedimentation and centrifugal flotation for recovery of parasite structures. Overall, 71 samples (39.4%) were contaminated with at least one parasite structure, 34 (47.9%) from lettuce grown in the hydroponic system, 20 (28.2%) from the organic system, and 17 (23.9%) from the conventional system. Entamoeba spp. cysts were the most common parasite structures found in the leafy vegetables, with the highest cyst counts found in the hydroponic system (p = 0.003). It is concluded that, regardless of the cultivation system (conventional, organic, or hydroponic), there is a possibility of green leaf lettuce contamination by intestinal parasites. Measures that improve sanitary conditions during production, as well as proper hygiene during the preparation of raw leafy vegetables, may be important to reduce contamination and consequent transmission of parasite diseases from raw leafy vegetable consumption.

Horticulturae ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Yi-Ju Wang ◽  
Amanda J. Deering ◽  
Hye-Ji Kim

Our previous study reported that fresh produce grown in aquaponic and hydroponic systems can pose potential food safety hazards due to an accidental introduction of contaminated fish and cross-contamination between the systems. In this study, we examined the effects of plant species and age on the likelihood and level of internalization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in aquaponic and hydroponic systems. Four plant species, basil (Ocimum basilicum L. cv. Genovese), cilantro (Coriandrum Sativum L.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa cv. Cherokee), and kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica), received root damage treatment as seedlings before transplanting or mature plants at three weeks after transplanting by cutting off 1-cm tips of one-third of the roots. Enrichments and selective media were used for the isolation, and presumptive positive colonies were confirmed by PCR for the presence of stx1 gene in plant tissues, recirculating water, and fish feces collected at four weeks after transplanting. In hydroponic systems, STEC was found neither in the solution nor in the roots and leaves of all four plant species, possibly through improved sanitation and hygiene practices. However, consistent with our previous findings, STEC was found in the water, on the plant roots, and in the fish feces in aquaponic systems, even after thorough sanitation prior to the study. Regardless of plant age, STEC was internalized in the roots of all plant species when the roots were damaged, but there was no difference in the degree of internalization with STEC among plant species. STEC was present in the leaves only when seedlings received root damage treatment and were grown to maturity, indicating that root damage allows STEC to internalize in the roots within a week, but a longer period is required for STEC to internalize into the leaves. We concluded that root damage on seedlings can cause the internalization of E. coli O157:H7 in the edible parts of leafy vegetables and herbs in soilless production systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 3761
Author(s):  
Wen-Lii Huang ◽  
Wei-Hsiang Chang ◽  
Shu-Fen Cheng ◽  
Huai-Yuan Li ◽  
Hsiu-Ling Chen

Once in soil and water, metals can enter the food chain, and the consumption of contaminated crops can pose a serious risk to human health. This study used pot experiments to evaluate the accumulation of metal elements and their influence on levels of antioxidants in vegetables. The current study clearly demonstrates that metals accumulated in the five vegetables that were planted in the contaminated soils, especially so for water spinach. Cd accumulation of all of the vegetables planted in the contaminated soils was greater Cu. The low accumulation rate that was seen in sweet potato leaf, potato, and tomato indicated their suitability for planting in suspected contaminated soil, such as at farms nearby metal industries, in replacement of high accumulators, such as leafy vegetables. The non-carcinogenic HI of Cd exposure from water spinach and sweet potato were >1, whereas those for Cu were <1. This study suggests that residents may experience health risks due to vegetable consumption, and that children are vulnerable to the adverse effects of heavy metal ingestion.


2012 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 486-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata Feledyn-Szewczyk

Abstract The research was conducted from 2008 to 2010, and compared the influence of different weed control methods used in spring wheat on the structure of the weed communities and the crop yield. The study was carried out at the Experimental Station of the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation - State Research Institute in Osiny as part of a long-term trial where these crop production systems had been compared since 1994. In the conventional and integrated systems, spring wheat was grown in a pure stand, whereas in the organic system, the wheat was grown with undersown clover and grasses. In the conventional system, herbicides were applied two times in a growing season, but in the integrated system - only once. The effectiveness of weed management was lower in the organic system than in other systems, but the dry matter of weeds did not exceed 60 g/m2. In the integrated system, the average dry matter of weeds in spring wheat was 4 times lower, and in the conventional system 10 times lower than in the organic system. Weed diversity was the largest in spring wheat cultivated in the organic system. In the conventional and integrated systems, compensation of some weed species was observed (Viola arvensis, Fallopia convolvulus, Equisetum arvense). The comparison of weed communities using Sorenson’s indices revealed more of a similarity between systems in terms of number of weed species than in the number of individuals. Such results imply that qualitative changes are slower than quantitative ones. The yield of grain was the biggest in the integrated system (5.5 t/ha of average). It was 35% higher than in the organic system, and 20% higher than in conventional ones.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olha Sydorovych ◽  
Charles W. Raczkowski ◽  
Ada Wossink ◽  
J. Paul Mueller ◽  
Nancy G. Creamer ◽  
...  

AbstractConventional agriculture often aims to achieve high returns without allowing for sustainable natural resource management. To prevent environmental degradation, agricultural systems must be assessed and environmental standards need to be developed. This study used a multi-factor approach to assess the potential environmental impact risk of six diverse systems: five production systems and a successional system or abandoned agronomic field. Assessment factors were soil quality status, amount of pesticide and fertilizer applied and tillage intensity. The assessment identified the best management practices (BMP)–conventional tillage system as a high-risk system mostly because of extensive tillage. The certified organic system was also extensively tilled and was characterized by P build-up in the soil, but performed well based on other assessment factors. Conversely, the BMP–no tillage and the crop–animal integrated system were characterized as low risk mainly because of reduced tillage. The paper discusses assessment strengths and weaknesses, ways to improve indicators used, and the need for additional indicators. We concluded that with further development the technique will become a resourceful tool to promote agricultural sustainability and environmental stewardship and assist policy-making processes.


Author(s):  
Evgeniy Nedelkin ◽  
◽  
Alexander Khrustalev ◽  
Anna Babenko ◽  
Sergey Slepchenko ◽  
...  

The article presents the results of an archaeoparasitological and palynological study of a sample taken from the sewage drain of the Chorgun Tower. This is a fortification on the territory of the village of Chernorechie (South-Western Crimea). According to archaeological research, the construction of the keep dates back to the third quarter of the 15th century. Four types of eggs of intestinal parasites infecting humans and synanthropic animals were identified in the sample. Regarding parasitic and infectious gastrointestinal diseases, human whipworm and roundworm eggs found in the sample are indicative of relatively unfavorable sanitary conditions of the fortification. Based on the features of the archaeoparasitological spectrum, it can be concluded that anthelminthic agents were used or food with antiparasitic effects against roundworms was consumed. The difficult sanitary and epidemiological situation was also complicated by synanthropic rodents, such as rats and domestic mice, which could be a constant source of dangerous infections in the Chorgun Keep. A palynological study of the contents of the sewage runoff made it possible to obtain additional information on the nutrition of people who used the latrine facilities in the Chorgun Keep. What is equally important is that the study demonstrates the possibilities of methods for the study of canalization as a source of bioarchaeological information.


Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feledyn-Szewczyk ◽  
Radzikowski ◽  
Stalenga ◽  
Matyka

The purpose of the study was to compare earthworm communities under winter wheat in different crop production systems on arable land—organic (ORG), integrated (INT), conventional (CON), monoculture (MON)—and under perennial crops cultivated for energy purposes—willow (WIL), Virginia mallow (VIR), and miscanthus (MIS). Earthworm abundance, biomass, and species composition were assessed each spring and autumn in the years 2014–2016 using the method of soil blocks. The mean species number of earthworms was ordered in the following way: ORG > VIR > WIL > CON > INT > MIS > MON. Mean abundance of earthworms decreased in the following order: ORG > WIL > CON > VIR > INT > MIS > MON. There were significantly more species under winter wheat cultivated organically than under the integrated system (p = 0.045), miscanthus (p = 0.039), and wheat monoculture (p = 0.002). Earthworm abundance was significantly higher in the organic system compared to wheat monoculture (p = 0.001) and to miscanthus (p = 0.008). Among the tested energy crops, Virginia mallow created the best habitat for species richness and biomass due to the high amount of crop residues suitable for earthworms and was similar to the organic system. Differences in the composition of earthworm species in the soil under the compared agricultural systems were proven. Energy crops, except miscanthus, have been found to increase earthworm diversity, as they are good crops for landscape diversification.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 8-13
Author(s):  
Mariana Araújo Ortega ◽  
Tássia Tuane Moreira Dos Santos ◽  
Paulo Marçal Fernandes

The corn crop has a marked sensitivity to biotic and abiotic stresses. As a control method, basically, transgenic plants have been used in association with chemical control. However, frequent applications of insecticides affect the conservation of biodiversity, and consequently, the natural regulation of insect populations. Thus, the objective of the work was to compare the diversity of arthropodofauna associated with the cultivation of corn in organic and conventional systems. The experiments were carried out at Fazenda Nossa Senhora Aparecida, in Hidrolândia/GO, in two areas: one in a consolidated organic system and the other in a conventional system. The organic area (1 ha) was sown with the Creole variety Palha Roxa and no type of cultural treatment was carried out. The conventional area (10 ha) was sown with a transgenic hybrid resistant to the herbicide glyphosate 30F53VYHR and two chemical fertilizers were applied, for planting and cover, two applications of herbicides and an application of insecticide. To survey the arthropodofauna, in each area, two collections were made with six pitfall soil traps. The first collection was carried out in the vegetative stage and the second in the reproductive stage, approximately at 35 and 80 days after planting, respectively. The traps were kept in the field for a week. In addition, a collection with entomological net was carried out in 10 plants chosen at random. The collected insects were stored in plastic pots containing 70% alcohol and taken to the laboratory for quantification and identification. The data referring to the total of insects collected were submitted to the T test at 5% probability. In the two collected with pitfall traps, the largest number of arthropods was collected in the area of ​​organic cultivation, with greater diversity of orders and families in this area. In the collection performed with entomological network, there was no difference between the places of cultivation. Organic crops provide better conditions for establishment and development for insects, especially those that spend some life in the soil. Therefore, the diversity of arthropods is greater in this cultivation system.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-247
Author(s):  
Rúbia Rejane Ribeiro ◽  
Jose Luiz Rodrigues Torres ◽  
Valdeci Orioli-Junior ◽  
Hamilton Cesar De Oliveira Charlo ◽  
Dinamar Márcia Da Silva Vieira

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different sources and doses of organic and mineral fertilization on the production of green-leaf lettuce. The experiment design used randomized blocks in a factorial scheme (6×3), with six doses of fertilizers (1 = 0; 2 = 25; 3 = 50; 4 = 100; 5 = 150, and 6 = 200% of the recommended fertilization for green-leaf lettuce crop) and three sources of fertilizers [cattle manure (CaM) and chicken manure (ChM), decomposed, on a wet basis and applied 100% at planting at the doses: CaM – 0, 12.5, 25, 50, 75, 100 Mg ha-1; ChM – 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 Mg ha-1; mineral fertilization (MF) varying the N levels: 0, 37.5, 75, 150, 225, 300 kg ha-1 plus 400 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and 60 kg ha-1 of K2O]. The fertilization with CaM and ChM was more efficient than the MF at increasing the production of green-leaf lettuce, mainly because of  the higher residual effects of P in the Oxisol. The ChM provided a higher soil pH, P and K, while the CaM provided a higher soil Mg, organic carbon and organic matter. The dose with 144% of organic fertilization exclusively on a wet basis corresponding to 72 Mg ha-1 of CaM and 29 Mg ha-1 of ChM resulted in the highest green-leaf lettuce yield.


2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Toscano ◽  
F. Branca ◽  
Antonio Ferrante ◽  
D. Romano

Organic production must be carried out following the EU regulations and their protocols. On the contrary, conventional cultivation instead can be carried out using the best agronomic approaches available and using the latest innovative resources. Organic cultivation is more widespread in permanent crops (olive and grape crops) than vegetable ones, and even less in protected cultivation systems, due to the high intensity production processes which render the application of organic growing protocols more complex. The comparison between the two systems of cultivation, organic and conventional, is difficult because the two cultivation methods are often carried out in different farms and hence in different environmental conditions. Cultivation using the two methods was conducted in a greenhouse from November to March 2017/2018. Results demonstrated that the total fruit yield zucchini squash in organic cultivation was not significantly different to the conventional one (43.2 Mg ha-1 and 46.4 Mg ha-1, respectively). The agronomic inputs (fertilizers, fungicides, and insecticides) were higher in the organic cultivation system than conventional one. The water use efficiency was higher in the conventional cultivation system (150.6 kg m-3 ha-1) compared to the organic one (147.6 kg m-3 ha-1). No statistically significant differences were found for the fruit number per plant and for the marketable fruit at the end of the growing period. Significant differences for the harvest period were only detected for fresh weight, shape index, firmness, and titratable acidity. In conclusion, this work demonstrated that the organic system required higher inputs compared to the conventional cultivation. The extensive experience of the grower allowed for comparable yields between the two systems.


Author(s):  
Lynette Morgan

Abstract This chapter focuses on plant factories, which is an indoor, enclosed, crop cultivation system where the growing environment is precisely controlled to maximize production. Topics covered are the history and background of plant factories,advantages of plant factories, criticisms of plant factories, costs and returns of plant factories, domestic and other small-scale plant factories, crops produced including pharmaceuticals, vertical or multilevel systems, including moveable systems, crop nutrition in plant factories, plant factory environments, lighting, environmental control and plant quality in plant factories, and automation and robotization.


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