Agriculture

  2010 FEB 25 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "Tomato fruits (cv. Belle) were harvested at the middle-red ripe stage and exposed at 5 degrees C and 10 degrees C for up to 28 days," investigators in Ljubljana, Slovenia report.

  "Weight loss percentage was faster for fruits held at 10 degrees C compared to 5 degrees C. While the weight lost during storage at 10 degrees C was 18.7%, fruits at 5 degrees C over the same period showed a 9.6% loss. There were only slight changes in soluble solids and titratable acids content during the storage period Studied. Although soluble solids increased slightly over the storage period, there were no significant differences between the two temperatures. The titratable acidity, expressed as citric acid, tended to be lower at 5 degrees C, with a significant difference observed only on Day 14 of storage. Total reduction of initial vitamin C content was 3.5 mg/100 g (at the 5 degrees C) and 2.5 mg/100 g (at the 10 degrees C). The results showed that lower temperature did Hot significantly reduce vitamin C content in comparison with higher temperature, with the exception on Day 7 of storage. At both temperatures and at every stage of storage time pericarp firmness decreased as storage time increased. The decrease in firmness was delayed by the lower temperature," wrote D. Znidarcic and colleagues, University of Ljubljana ...read more

  2010 FEB 25 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "Effects of soilless media coconut dust (CD) and empty fruit bunch (EFB) and five electric conductivity (EC) levels of fertilizer (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 dS/m) on growth, yield and fruit quality of rock melon were investigated under greenhouse conditions. Plant height, number of leaves, total leaf area, chlorophyll content, dry weight of leaf, stein and roots, fruit length, diameter, weight and total soluble solids (sweetness) data were collected," scientists in Serdang, Malaysia report ...read more

  2010 FEB 25 - (VerticalNews.com) -- According to a study from Porec, Croatia, "The incidence of viruses infecting local grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) varieties, including six widespread cultivated and 12 endangered varieties in Istria (Croatia), was determined. A total of 781 samples of 18 autochthonous varieties, collected on 41 locations throughout the Istrian Peninsula, were tested by double antibody sandwich-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) for the presence of four grapevine viruses. ...read more