Natural parasitism in fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) and interaction with wild hosts surrounding apple orchards adjacent to Atlantic Forest fragments in Paraná State, Brazil

The South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is an important pest in the subtropical region of Brazil. This insect has tritrophic relation between wild fruits and parasitoids and is associated with apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) orchards adjacent to the Atlantic Forest in Paraná. We thus investigated the degree of infestation of the fruit fly and natural parasitism in wild and cultivated fruits surrounding apple orchards. For this purpose, we collected fruits of Acca sellowiana (Berg.) Burret, Campomanesia xanthocarpa (Mart), Eugenia uniflora L., Eugenia pyriformis Cambessèdes, Psidium cattleianum Sabine, Psidium guajava (L.), Annona neosericea Rainer and Eriobotrya japonica (Thumb) in apple orchards adjacent to the Atlantic Forest located in Campo do Tenente, Lapa and Porto Amazonas counties. In total, we collected 18,289 fruits during four growing years. The occurrence of A. fraterculus depends on the susceptible period of apple fruits. A. sellowiana and P. cattleianum were considered primary fruit fly multipliers and P. guajava was secondary, all occurring after the apple harvest (IS period). The group of parasitoids with A. fraterculus was Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes, 1924) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), Opius bellus (Gahan, 1930), Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti, 1911) and Doryctobracon brasiliensis (Szépligeti, 1911) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) all of which are first records in the Atlantic Forest in Paraná. First record of O. bellus occurring in the State of Paraná, as well as, first record of the tritrophic association between host plant A. neosericea, parasitoids D. areolatus and O. bellus and fruit fly A. fraterculus. The host P. cattleianum stood out among the Myrtaceae species in regard to the high diversity of parasitoid species (81% of parasitoids). The total number of Figitidae species (76.5%) was higher than that of Braconidae species. The influence of climatic events in southern Brazil on wild fruit production should be further studied to understand the association of A. fraterculus with the tritrophic relationship.

Combined Surfactant and Enzyme-Assisted Extraction of Pectin from Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.) Fruits

Introduction. Commercial pectin is usually obtained from apples or citrus fruits. However, some wild fruits, such as hawthorn, are also rich in pectin with valuable nutritional and medical properties. The research objective was to study and improve the process of combined surfactant and enzyme-assisted extraction of pectin from hawthorn fruits. Study objects and methods. The study involved a 1% solution of Polysorbate-20 surfactant and a mix of two enzymes, namely cellulase and xylanase, in a ratio of 4:1. The response surface methodology with the Box-Behnken experimental design improved the extraction parameters. The experiment featured three independent variables – temperature, time, and solvent-to-material ratio. They varied at three levels: 20, 40, and 60°C; 120, 180, and 240 min; 15, 30, and 45 mL per g. Their effect on the parameters on the pectin yield was assessed using a quadratic mathematical model based on a second order polynomial equation. Results and discussion. The response surface methodology made it possible to derive a second order polynomial regression equation that illustrated the effect of extraction parameters on the yield of polyphenols. The regression coefficient (R2 = 98.14%) and the lack-of-fit test (P > 0.05) showed a good accuracy of the model. The optimal extraction conditions were found as follows: temperature = 41°C, time = 160 min, solvent-to-material ratio = 32 mL per 1 g. Under the optimal conditions, the predicted pectin yield was 14.9%, while the experimental yield was 15.2 ± 0.4%. The content of galacturonic acid in the obtained pectin was 58.5%, while the degree of esterification was 51.5%. The hawthorn pectin demonstrated a good complex-building ability in relation to ions of copper (564 mg Cu2+/g), lead (254 mg Pb2+/g), and cobalt (120 mg Co2+/g). Conclusion. Combined surfactant and enzyme-assisted extraction made improved the extraction of pectin from hawthorn fruits. The hawthorn pectin can be used to develop new functional products.

Phenolic Profiles and Biological Activities of Extracts from Edible Wild Fruits Ehretia tinifolia and Sideroxylon lanuginosum

Ehretia tinifolia Linnaeus (Boraginacea) and Sideroxylon lanuginosum Michaux (Sapotaceae) are wild fruits consumed in North America and are appreciated for their pleasant flavor and sweet taste. However, details regarding their composition and biological properties in the available literature are scarce. This study reports the phenolic composition, antioxidant, antiproliferative activities, and digestive enzymatic inhibition of amberlite-retained methanolic extracts from both fruits. Results revealed that these wild fruit extracts are rich in antioxidants. S. lanuginosum had lower phenolic but higher flavonoid contents (21.4 ± 1.5 mg GAE/100 g FW and 6.42 ± 0.9 mg CE/100 g FW) than E. tinifolia (64.7 ± 2.6 mg GAE/100 g FW and 5.1 ± 0.4 mg CE/100 g FW). HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis showed rosmarinic acid as a major polyphenol in E. tinifolia and quercetin glucoside in S. lanuginosum. Polyphenols content in E. tinifolia was related to a significant free radical scavenging ability: DPPH (EC50 = 0.32 ± 0.03 mg/mL), TEAC (4134 ± 9.7 μM TE/g dry extract), and hemolysis inhibition (IC50 = 58.55 ± 2.4 μg/mL). Both extracts were capable of inhibiting α-glucosidase, partially inhibiting α-amylase, and showed no inhibition against lipase, while showing antiproliferative activity against HeLa, HT-29 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Our study revealed that these wild fruit extracts are rich in health-beneficial phytochemicals and hold significant potential for elaborating functional foods.

Processing Effect on Antioxidant Composition of Processed Products of Wild Edible Fruits of Sikkim Himalayas

The processing effect on the processed products of wild edible fruits found in Sikkim Himalayas namely Chuirri (Diploknema butyracea), Achuk (Hippophae salicifolia), Mehel (Docynia indica), Muslendi (Elaeagnus latifolia) and Famphal (Machilus edulis) was quantified in this study. The value of the fruits is high enough to contribute and enhance the nutrient daily requirements of humans. Therefore, a study to assess the loss or change in their antioxidant composition before and after processing was carried out. The phytochemical characteristics of the fruits were analyzed according to standard methods on both the fresh and its various processed products. Comparing all the five wild fruits and their processed products, it was observed that there was a significant loss of nutrients during processing which occurred in its bioactive compound and composition of their processed foods. Although it has a potential to be a source of antioxidants, other nutrients also implement for utilization as food preserves and consumed in the form of food supplements. It will be promote the nutritional potential of the wild fruits as well as add value to the processed products among local people for consumer acceptability which can be further fortified as export items and to uplift the socio-economic status of the local community.

Development of Nonagricultural Activity in Countryside: Trends and Directions

The article is devoted to the development nonagricultural activities such as storage, processing and marketing of agricultural products, rural trade, tourism in rural areas, folk crafts, domestic and socio-cultural services for the rural population, harvesting and processing of wild fruits and berries and etc. in the countryside.

The Early Neolithic tell of Vrbjanska Čuka in Pelagonia

Vrbjanska Čuka is a tell site in the region of Pelagonia (Macedonia) established 8000 years ago by the Neolithic communities. Later it was used as an agricultural unit during the Roman era and the Middle Ages when it was also employed as a burial area. The excavations performed in the 1980s and during the last five years indicate a Neolithic farming society that constructed large buildings made of daub in a settlement enclosed by a circular ditch. The buildings had many clay structures, such as ovens, granaries, bins and grinding areas for processing cereals and bread production. The Neolithic communities used sophisticated fine pottery and modeled figurines and altars, while the stone tools were mainly used for cutting trees, harvesting and grinding. Apart from the cereal-based food (einkorn wheat, emmer wheat or barley), the inhabitants of Vrbjanska Čuka consumed lentils, peas and a variety of gathered wild fruits, while cattle, caprovine, mussels, fish and wild game meat was also part of a diet, as well as the dairy products. This paper will be a summary of a variety of data provided from the current international and multidisciplinary research of the site that involves excavation, prospection, geomagnetic survey, study of material culture, examination of architecture, radiocarbon dating, geoarchaeological, archaeobotanical, archaeozoological, lipid and use-wear analyses, as well as the topographic and 3D modeling. The recent knowledge on Vrbjanska Čuka provides novel understanding of the Early Neolithic in Pelagonia and contributes to the more extensive research of first farming societies in the Balkans.

Some wild fruits from amazon biodiversity: composition, bioactive compounds, and characteristics

Brazil is one of the countries that share a part of the Amazon region that has been called Legal Amazon. Amazon forest offers the most extraordinary biodiversity of flora and fauna on the planet and, on its surface, can cohabit 50% of the total existing living species. According to some botanists, it would contain about 16-20% of the species that exist today. This region has native fruits with antioxidants and antiproliferative activities already reported by some authors. Consumption of these fruits would be an alternative because they are good sources of nutritional constituents, such as minerals, fibre, vitamins, water, and caloric content. However, the number of scientific studies related to their health benefits is still low. Eugenia stipitata, Myrciaria dubia H. B. K. (Mcvough), Endopleura uchi (Huber) Cuatrecasas, Eugenia punicifolia (Kunth) D.C and Garcinia madruno. Among the main compounds reported are the most interesting groups: phenolic compounds, unsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, phytosterols, and tocopherols, flavonoids, vitamin B, vitamin A, and vitamin C, and carotenoids. The main beneficial effect of the Amazon fruits is the antioxidant effect; other functional properties as medicinal, antimicrobial, antimutagenic, antigenotoxic, antigenotoxic, and antiinflammatory, antinociceptive, antidiabetic, and gastroprotective, are also reported. Therefore, these fruits can be considered a valuable source of functional foods due to their phytochemical compositions and their corresponding antioxidant activities.