SOIL AND CLIMATE DETERMINE ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF WALNUTS

Author(s):  
Fernando Figueroa ◽  
Javier Marhuenda ◽  
Amadeo Gironés-Vilaplana ◽  
Débora Villaño ◽  
Adela Villaño ◽  
...  

Factors as variety, soil and climatic conditions can influence the nutritional composition of walnuts and its resultant biological activity. The aim of this work was to study the influence of soil and climate factors in the antioxidant capacity of 10 different varieties of nuts, obtained from two experimental cultivars with different weather and soil conditions. Ten different varieties of walnut samples were obtained from two experimental cultivars, analyzing the antioxidant capacity by ORAC, DPPH• and ABTS+ methods. Eureka and Tehama walnuts showed the highest antioxidant capacity. Only Chico and Serr varieties (measured by ABTS+ method) and Franquette variety (measured by ORAC assay) increased their antioxidant capacity when cultured in Torre Blanca plots. The growing in El Chaparral plots increased the antioxidant capacity of every different variety. Minor temperature (especially when it reaches over -0 ºC) and humidity, as well as an increase on the annual rainfall are noteworthy factors that influence on the increase of antioxidant capacity of the wide majority of the analyzed walnuts.

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Felipe Noriega ◽  
Claudia Mardones ◽  
Susana Fischer ◽  
Cristina García-Viguera ◽  
Diego A. Moreno ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: The native Chilean white strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. chiloensis) is a semi-domesticated crop that has a characteristic aroma and flavor and a low production in southern Chile. However, edaphoclimatic conditions can influence on fruit quality attributes and its health benefits. Establishing a link between seasonal changes and aroma or biological activity require detailed research in exploring bioactive compounds. OBJECTIVE: The present work assessed how seasonal and local changes varied the content of bioactive compounds and therefore change their aromatic quality and the response of biological activity. METHODS: White Strawberry from two seasons and two locations were investigated; FCC1, FCC2 (Fragaria chiloensis from Contulmo, 2017 and 2018 season, respectively), FCP1, FCP2 (F. chiloensis from Purén, 2017 and 2018 season, respectively). Measurement of changes on volatile compounds were studied by SPME/GC-MS. Analyses of variations on phenolic compounds were investigated by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn with total polyphenolic content and antioxidant capacity by using DPPH • and ORAC assays by spectrophotometric and fluorimetric methods. The relationship between different concentrations of compounds and in vitro biological activity including inhibitory tests for α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase were analyzed. RESULTS: In the fruit extracts, 38 volatiles and 27 phenolic compounds were identified detecting differences among the samples, being affected by climatic conditions and location. The total content of ellagic acid and its derivatives was 6.54 mg 100 g–1 FW for FCC1, showing statistical differences with respect to the rest strawberries. Nonetheless, the antioxidant capacity tests revealed high antioxidant capacity for all samples, being FCP2 the significantly highest activity (3314μmol Trolox 100 g–1 FW by DPPH • assay) compared to the rest of locations and seasons. Additional inhibitory tests α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase showed statistically differences due to seasonal and location changes where was observed higher ellagic acid derivates content and bioactivity. The Chilean white strawberry extracts were effective inhibitors of α-glucosidase (non-competitive) and acetylcholinesterase (competitive) activities, respectively, presenting FCC1 the most potent inhibitory effects. CONCLUSIONS: A higher ellagic acid content in Chilean white strawberry, affected by seasonal and location changes, influenced on the biological activity potential. Therefore, the relatively high antioxidant capacity, phytochemical composition and biological activity potential, of these aromatic fruits, offer a great opportunity for the rural developments, however it will be necessary to implement good practices that would guarantee batch-to-batch replicability for quality and composition of these foods for the future.


Author(s):  
Mujiyo Mujiyo ◽  
Rahayu Rahayu ◽  
Novi Rahmawati Sutopo

<em>Research</em><em> activity is a form of expert service by the Research Group (RG) of "Agricultural Development Based on Local Soil-Land Characteristics" to its partner of the Wonoagung Wonogiri Organic Agriculture Association (Perkumpulan Pertanian Organik Wonoagung Wonogiri,</em> <em>PPOWW). </em><em>The provision of suitable land for plant growth by partner is a required aspect in the development of certain commodities. Expert services by the RG is involving the implementation of land suitability evaluation based on agroclimatic conditions. The objective of the activity is to provide data and information on land suitability levels for certain commodities based on climatic conditions. The area which became the object of this research activity is where the PPOWW partner is located; namely Sidoharjo Sub-district, Wonogiri Regency. The secondary data was obtained from relevant sources in the form of annual rainfall (mm year<sup>-1</sup>), annual average air temperature (°C) and annual average humidity (%). The method of agroclimate suitability evaluation was carried out by following the procedure from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), by matching climatic conditions with plant growth requirements. Plant commodities that were evaluated for their suitability were durian, salak, mangosteen, apples and avocado. The results showed that durian is a suitable commodity (S1) with climatic conditions in Sidoharjo Sub-district. Salak and avocado are quite suitable commodities (S2). Meanwhile, mangosteen is a commodity which is moderately suitable (S3); whereas apple is a commodity that is not suitable (N). Durian, salak and avocado are commodities which have the potential to be developed by PPOWW in Sidoharjo Sub-district. The next stage of the evaluation implementation requires data and information on the suitability of soil conditions.</em>


2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-132
Author(s):  
Zenia Michałojć ◽  
Zbigniew Jarosz

Six species of <i>Magnolia</i> L., growing in the Botanical Garden of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin which is located on the north-western outskirts of the city of Lublin, were studied during the period 2006-2008. The aim of this study was to determine the dynamics of leaf and flower development in these <i>Magnolia</i> species under the climatic and soil conditions of Lublin as well as to evaluate the size of their leaves and long shoots. The present study included the following species: <i>M. acuminata</i> L.,<i> M. kobus</i> DC, <i>M. liliiflora</i> Desr., <i>M. salicifolia</i> Siebold et Zuch, <i>M</i>. x <i>soulangiana</i> Soul.- -Bod., and <i>M. tripetala</i> L. The magnolia trees were planted in 1968-1989 on grey-brown podzolic soil derived from loess. The study area is affected by the continental climate which is characterized by large annual amplitude of temperatures, long summers as well as long and cold winters. The long-term average annual air temperature for this region is 8.1<sup>o</sup>C, while the long-term average annual rainfall reaches 541.6 mm. The obtained results showed that, among the <i>Magnolia</i> species studied, <i>M. salicifolia</i> flowered earliest under the climatic and soil conditions of Lublin, while <i>M. tripetala</i> was the last to bloom. Full leaf development, on average for the study period, was recorded earliest in <i>M. salicifolia</i> and <i>M. liliiflora</i>, whereas it occurred latest in <i>M. tripetala</i>. The leaves of <i>M. tripetala</i> were characterized by the greatest length and width, while the smallest leaves were recorded in <i>M. kobus</i>. <i>M. liliiflora</i> was found to show the smallest annual shoot increments and the lowest number of leaves.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 708
Author(s):  
Boris Duralija ◽  
Predrag Putnik ◽  
Dora Brdar ◽  
Anica Bebek Markovinović ◽  
Sandra Zavadlav ◽  
...  

The Republic of Croatia has a long tradition of fruit growing due to its geographical location, climatic conditions, and high quality of fruit crops, especially apple fruits. Apples can be used for the formulation of functional foods either in processed form (e.g., juice), or as a by-product (e.g., apple pomace). However, there is a growing demand for functional foods derived from ancient and traditional plant sources as they are recognized as a very valuable source of health-promoting bioactive ingredients. Similarly, old apple cultivars (Malus domestica Borkh.) are characterized by good morphological and pomological properties, less need for chemicals during cultivation and the higher share of biologically active compounds (BACs) with better sensory acceptability compared to commercial cultivars. However, their nutritional and biological potential is underestimated, as is their ability to be processed into functional food. The importance in preserving old apple cultivars can also be seen in their significance for improving the nutritional composition of other apple cultivars through innovative cultivation strategies, and therefore old local apple cultivars could be of great importance in future breeding programs.


Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 624
Author(s):  
Yan Shan ◽  
Mingbin Huang ◽  
Paul Harris ◽  
Lianhai Wu

A sensitivity analysis is critical for determining the relative importance of model parameters to their influence on the simulated outputs from a process-based model. In this study, a sensitivity analysis for the SPACSYS model, first published in Ecological Modelling (Wu, et al., 2007), was conducted with respect to changes in 61 input parameters and their influence on 27 output variables. Parameter sensitivity was conducted in a ‘one at a time’ manner and objectively assessed through a single statistical diagnostic (normalized root mean square deviation) which ranked parameters according to their influence of each output variable in turn. A winter wheat field experiment provided the case study data. Two sets of weather elements to represent different climatic conditions and four different soil types were specified, where results indicated little influence on these specifications for the identification of the most sensitive parameters. Soil conditions and management were found to affect the ranking of parameter sensitivities more strongly than weather conditions for the selected outputs. Parameters related to drainage were strongly influential for simulations of soil water dynamics, yield and biomass of wheat, runoff, and leaching from soil during individual and consecutive growing years. Wheat yield and biomass simulations were sensitive to the ‘ammonium immobilised fraction’ parameter that related to soil mineralization and immobilisation. Simulations of CO2 release from the soil and soil nutrient pool changes were most sensitive to external nutrient inputs and the process of denitrification, mineralization, and decomposition. This study provides important evidence of which SPACSYS parameters require the most care in their specification. Moving forward, this evidence can help direct efficient sampling and lab analyses for increased accuracy of such parameters. Results provide a useful reference for model users on which parameters are most influential for different simulation goals, which in turn provides better informed decision making for farmers and government policy alike.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 327
Author(s):  
Nicolás Verdugo-Vásquez ◽  
Gastón Gutiérrez-Gamboa ◽  
Emilio Villalobos-Soublett ◽  
Andrés Zurita-Silva

In the 90s, as in other countries, transformation of Chilean viticulture brought about the introduction and spread of European grapevine varieties which has resulted in a massive loss of minor local and autochthonous grapevine varieties traditionally grown in several wine growing regions. Fortunately, in recent years, autochthonous and minority varieties have been revalued due to their high tolerance to pests and diseases and because of their adaptation to thermal and water stress triggered by global warming. In this study, we assessed the nutritional status of two autochthonous grapevines grafted onto four different rootstocks under the hyper-arid climatic conditions of Northern Chile over three consecutive seasons. The results showed that R32 rootstock induced high N, P, Ca, Mg and Mn levels in blades compared to Harmony rootstock. R32 rootstock and to a lesser extent, 1103 Paulsen and 140 Ruggeri rootstocks kept balanced levels of nutrients in blades collected from Moscatel Amarilla and Moscatel Negra grapevine varieties. Additionally, Harmony presented slight nutritional imbalance compared to the rest of studied rootstocks due to its low absorption of Mg, Mn, Ca and P, and its high K absorption, which was exacerbated under warm weather and salinity soil conditions. These results may provide a basis for specific cultivar/rootstock/site combinations, a nutritional guide for the viticulturists of Northern Chile, and options to diversify their production favoring the use of minority and autochthonous varieties that adapt well to hyper-arid conditions of Northern Chile.


1951 ◽  
Vol 41 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 149-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. H. Nicholson ◽  
G. Alderman ◽  
D. H. Firth

1. The methods of investigation of the effect of ground water-level on crop growth, together with tho field installations in use, are discussed.2. Direct field experiments are handicapped by the difficulties of achieving close control on a sufficiently large scale, due to considerable variations of surface level and depth of peat within individual fields and to rapid fluctuations in rainfall and evaporation. Many recorded experiments are associated with climatic conditions of substantial precipitation during the growing season.3. Seasonal fluctuations of ground water-level in Fen peat soils in England, in natural and agricultural conditions, are described.4. The local soil conditions are outlined and the implications of profile variations are discussed.5. The effective control of ground water-level on a field scale requires deep and commodious ditches and frequent large underdrains to ensure the movement of water underground with sufficient freedom to give rapid compensatory adjustment for marked disturbances of ground water-level following the incidence of heavy rain or excessive evaporation.6. A working installation for a field experiment in ordinary farming conditions is described and the measure of control attained is indicated.


Author(s):  
Sandoval-Gallegos Eli Mireya ◽  
Arias-Rico José ◽  
Cruz-Cansino Nelly del Socorro ◽  
Ramírez-Ojeda Deyanira ◽  
Zafra-Rojas Quinatzin Yadira ◽  
...  

The aim of the present research was to determine the effect of boiling on nutritional composition, total phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, physicochemical and morphological characteristics of two edible plants Malva parviflora (mallow leaf) and Myrtillocactus geometrizans (garambullo flower). The plants had an important nutritional composition as carbohydrates (48-70 %), dietary fiber (36-42 %) and protein (13 %), as well as total phenolic compounds (468-750 mg GAE/100 g db) with a high antioxidant capacity. However, boiling originated the decrease of soluble compounds, carbohydrates, total phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and physicochemical properties. Plants changed to dark colors and physicochemical properties were affected, except to water retention capacity, oil retention capacity and viscosity, which had the same values in mallow leaves (raw and boiled), but increased water retention capacity in garambullo flowers, it may be by changes in the morphology observed. Therefore, is to suggest the raw consumption or with minimal cooking of these plants to avoid changes caused by thermal treatment.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willem G Coetzer ◽  
Trudy R Turner ◽  
Christopher A Schmitt ◽  
J Paul Grobler

Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) are one of the most widely distributed non-human primate species found in South Africa. They occur across all the South African provinces, inhabiting a large variety of habitats. These habitats vary sufficiently that it can be assumed that various factors such as pathogen diversity could influence populations in different ways. In turn, these factors could lead to varied levels of selection at specific fitness linked loci. The Toll-like Receptor (TLR) gene family, which play an integral role in vertebrate innate immunity, is a group of fitness linked loci which has been the focus of much research. In this study, we assessed the level of genetic variation at partial sequences of two TLR loci (TLR4 and 7) and a reproductively linked gene, acrosin (ACR), across the different habitat types within the vervet monkey distribution range. Gene variation and selection estimates were also made among 11 – 21 primate species. Low levels of genetic variation for all three gene regions were observed within vervet monkeys , with only two polymorphic sites identified for TLR4, three sites for TLR7 and one site for ACR . TLR7 variation was positively correlated with high mean annual rainfall, which was linked to increased pathogen abundance. The observed genetic variation at TLR4 might have been influenced by numerous factors including pathogens and climatic conditions. The ACR exonic regions showed no variation in vervet monkeys, which could point to the occurrence of a selective sweep. The TLR4 and TLR7 results for the among primate analyses was mostly in line with previous studies, indicating a higher rate of evolution for TLR4. Within primates, ACR also showed signs of positive selection, which was congruent with previous reports on mammals. Important additional information to the already existing vervet monkey knowledge base was gained from this study, which can guide future research projects on this highly researched taxon as well as help conservation agencies with future management planning involving possible translocations of this species.


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