Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: We aimed to determine how canopy microclimate influences fruit quality and consumer preference in apples. Our postulate was that consumer preference would be higher for the taste, but not necessarily for the appearance of outer canopy fruit. Outer canopy fruit, exposed to higher irradiance and temperatures, accumulated more phenolics and ascorbic acid, and had higher antioxidant capacities in their peel compared to inner canopy fruit. Phenolic levels and antioxidant capacity were also higher in the flesh of outer canopy fruit while ascorbic acid was higher in the flesh of outer canopy ‘Granny Smith’. From a marketing perspective, outer canopy fruit can be seen as possessing greater potential health benefits. Outer canopy fruit were higher in dry matter content (DMC), sugars and TSS, but lower in TA in the first season of the study. The sweeter and less sour taste of outer canopy fruit was preferred in all three cultivars over two years of study. Sunburnt fruit were higher in DMC, TSS:TA ratio, lower in TA and were perceived to be the sweetest, least sour and lowest in apple flavour and textural attributes. The effect of canopy position on apple flavour and textural attributes was inconsistent. The redder outer canopy ‘Starking’ fruit were preferred by consumers because this cultivar is marketed with full red colour. The appearance of blushed, outer canopy ‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Golden Delicious’, and sunburnt ‘Golden Delicious’ were not preferred by consumers. Consumers are not familiar with such fruit. Blushed ‘Granny Smith’ is downgraded and sometimes sold at a lower price while sunburnt apples are processed or dumped depending on sunburn severity. The consistency of these results was investigated in one season for ‘Golden Delicious’ from five locations. The consumer taste preference differential for inner and outer canopy fruit diminished as canopy size decreased. This indicates that there generally would be no benefit in harvesting and marketing outer and inner canopy ‘Golden Delicious’ separately. We investigated the effect of familiarity on consumer preference by utilising an “experienced” consumer group of farm labourers from Ceres who are familiar with all fruit on a tree compared to an “inexperienced” consumer group of Stellenbosch consumers who are only exposed to fruit on the commercial market and eat apples less frequently. Both groups preferred the taste and appearance of outer canopy ‘Starking’. The taste of sunburnt fruit was preferred by a substantial segment of both consumer groups, but the appearance was preferred by only some Ceres consumers. A small segment of Ceres consumers preferred the taste and appearance of the blushed outer canopy ‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ while some Stellenbosch consumers preferred the taste of outer canopy ‘Golden Delicious’, but not ‘Granny Smith’. Therefore, Ceres consumers who are more familiar with the taste attributes of sunburnt and blushed fruit of green cultivars have a higher preference for the appearance of these fruit. Based on our results, fruit marketers may be able to develop niche markets for outer canopy and sunburnt ‘Golden Delicious’ fruit. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ons het ondersoek hoe vrugkwaliteit en verbruikersvoorkeur in appels deur die blarekoepel mikroklimaat beïnvloed word. Ons vermoede was dat verbruikersvoorkeur hoër sou wees vir die smaak, maar nie noodwendig vir die voorkoms van vrugte aan die buitekant van die boom (buitevrugte) nie. Buitevrugte was blootgestel aan hoër ligstraling en temperature en hul skil het meer fenole en askorbiensuur geakkumuleer asook hoër antioksidantkapasiteit gehad vergeleke met binnevrugte. Fenole en die antioksidantkapasiteit was ook hoër in die vleis van buitevrugte terwyl askorbiensuur hoër was in die vleis van ‘Granny Smith’ buitevrugte. Vanuit bemarkingsperspektief kan buitevrugte gesien word as vrugte met hoër potensiële gesondheidsvoordele. Buitevrugte was hoër in droë materiaal inhoud (DMC), suikers en TSS, maar laer in TA, laasgenoemde slegs in die eerste seisoen van die studie. Verbruikers het die soeter en minder suur smaak van buitevrugte verkies in beide jare van die studie. Vrugte met sonbrand was hoër in DMC, TSS:TA verhouding, laer in TA en was die soetste, minste suur en laagste in appelgeur en tekstuureienskappe. Die effek van blaredakposisie op appelgeur en tekstuureienskappe was variërend. Verbruikers het die rooier buitevrugte van ‘Starking’ verkies. Ons reken dit is omdat hierdie kultivar as ‘n volrooiappel bemark word. Verbruikers het minder van die voorkoms van rooiblos ‘Granny Smith’ en ‘Golden Delicious’ asook van ‘Golden Delicious’ met sonbrand gehou. Verbruikers is nie vertroud met sulke vrugte nie. Rooiblos ‘Granny Smith’ appels word afgradeer en word soms teen laer pryse verkoop terwyl sonbrand appels geprosesseer of uitgeskot word afhangend van die graad van sonbrand. Die konsekwentheid van ons resultate is ondersoek met ‘Golden Delicious’ van vyf lokaliteite. Die smaakvoorkeur differensiaal tussen binne- en buitevrugte het afgeneem met afname in boomgrootte. Oor die algemeen sou daar dus geen voordeel wees om ‘Golden Delicious’ binne- en buitevrugte apart te oes en te bemark nie. Ons het die effek van vertroudheid op verbruikervoorkeur ondersoek deur gebruik te maak van “ervare” verbruikergroep bestaande uit plaasarbeiders in Ceres en “onervare” verbruikersgroep van Stellenbosch. Die Ceres verbruikers is vertroud met al die appels op die boom vergeleke met die Stellenbosch verbruikers wat net blootstelling het aan vrugte op die kommersiële mark en ook minder gereeld appels eet. Beide verbruikersgroepe het die voorkoms en smaak van ‘Starking’ buitevrugte verkies. Substansiële segment van beide verbruikersgroepe het die smaak van sonbrand vrugte verkies, maar die voorkoms van hierdie vrugte is slegs deur sommige Ceres verbruikers verkies. Klein segment Ceres verbruikers het die smaak en voorkoms van ‘Granny Smith’ en ‘Golden Delicious’ buitevrugte verkies terwyl sommige Stellenbosch verbruikers die smaak van ‘Golden Delicious’, maar nie ‘Granny Smith’ buitevrugte verkies het nie. Ceres verbruikers is meer vertroud met die smaakeienskappe van sonbrand en blosvrugte van groen kultivars en het gevolglik hoër voorkeur vir die voorkoms van hierdie vrugte. Gebaseer op ons resultate kan bemarkers moontlik nismark vir gebloste en sonbrand ‘Golden Delicious’ vrugte ontwikkel.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Maintaining constant high yields in „Abate Fetel‟ and „Forelle‟ orchards in South Africa is challenging. Improving productivity in these orchards could be achieved by increasing fruit set and fruit size. Fruit size is an important marketing and quality parameter and has a significant effect on the economic value of fruit. Various protocols to improve fruit set are used by South African producers but these are not well researched. We therefore evaluated different combinations of plant growth regulators including gibberellic acid (GA3), gibberellins 4+7 (GA4+7), GA4+7 combined with 6-benzyladenine (6-BA), aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) and prohexadione-calcium (P-Ca) in combination with trunk girdling during flowering on „Forelle‟ and „Abate Fetel‟ to determine the best fruit set strategy. All applied growth regulators improved fruit set relative to an untreated control over two consecutive seasons, but GA3 and P-Ca reduced return bloom and AVG resulted in smaller fruit size relative to the other treatments. The application of synthetic cytokinins are believed to enhance fruit size by stimulating and extending the cell division period in fruit when applied at the correct stage of fruit growth. In addition, combination of P-Ca with GA4+7 was used successfully on Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) and „Bing‟ sweet cherry to improve fruit size. This combination of GA4+7 and P-Ca was evaluated and combined with 6-BA treatments on European pear (Pyrus communis L.) cultivars, Forelle and Abate Fetel, to see if a similar effect on fruit size could be achieved under South African growing conditions. On both „Forelle‟ and „Abate Fetel‟ the combination of GA4+7 and P-Ca increased fruit size, but was more pronounced in „Abate Fetel‟. Growth regulators N-phenyl-N‟ -1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-ylurea (TDZ), N (2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N‟ -phenylurea (CPPU), 6-BA and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) successfully increased fruit size in pear cultivars Coscia and Spadona in Israel. These growth regulators were applied to „Forelle‟ and „Abate Fetel‟ to determine if a similar effect could be achieved. None of the synthetic cytokinins applied had a significant effect on increasing fruit size in these two cultivars over two consecutive seasons although 6-BA increased return bloom and 2,4-D application resulted in increased fruit set. The stage when the cell division period in „Forelle‟ and „Abate Fetel‟ ends was also determined as 34 and 45 days after full bloom respectively, which can be used in the future to better plan the timing of fruit size enhancement treatments. Based on results from various fruit set and fruit size improvement trials, it can be recommended to use GA4+7 or AVG to increase fruit set on „Forelle‟ and „Abate Fetel‟, depending on the fruit set history of the orchard. Results from fruit size improvement trials were variable, and emphasises the fact that a balance between yield and fruit size must be determined for an orchard to achieve good fruit size and maximum return. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die handhawing van konstante, hoë opbrengste in „Abate Fetel‟ en „Forelle‟ boorde in Suid-Afrika is 'n uitdaging. Produktiwiteit in hierdie boorde kan verhoog word deur vrugset en vruggrootte te verbeter. Vruggrootte is 'n belangrike bemarkings- en kwaliteitsparameter en het 'n betekenisvolle effek op die ekonomiese waarde van vrugte. 'n Verskeidenheid protokolle om vrugset te verbeter word deur Suid-Afrikaanse produsente gevolg, maar hierdie protokolle is nog nie goed nagevors nie. Verskillende kombinasies van plantgroeireguleerders insluitend gibberelliensuur (GA3), gibberellien 4+7 (GA4+7), GA4+7 in kombinasie met 6-bensieladenien (6-BA), aminoetoksievinielglisien (AVG) en prohexadioon-kalsium (P-Ca) in kombinasie met stamringelering is aan „Forelle‟ en „Abate Fetel‟ bome gedurende blomtyd toegedien om die beste vrugsetstrategie te bepaal. Alle plantgroeireguleerdes wat toegedien is het vrugset verbeter relatief tot 'n onbehandelde kontrole oor twee opeenvolgende seisoene, maar GA3 en P-Ca het die aantal blomme in die daaropvolgende seisoen verlaag en AVG het kleiner vruggrootte gelewer relatief tot alle ander behandelings. Dit is wel bekend dat die toediening van sintetiese sitokiniene vruggrootte verbeter deur die stimulering en bevordering van seldeling in vrugte wanneer dit in die regte groeifase toegedien word. Die kombinasie van P-Ca en GA4+7 was suksesvol om vruggrootte te verbeter toe dit aan Japanese pere (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) en „Bing‟ kersies toegedien is. Hierdie kombinasie van GA4+7 en P-Ca is geëvalueer en gekombineer met 6-BA-behandelings op die Europese peer (Pyrus communis L.) kultivars, Forelle en Abate Fetel, om te bepaal of dieselfde effek op vruggrootte bereik kan word onder Suid-Afrikaanse groei kondisies. Op beide „Forelle‟ en „Abate Fetel‟ het die kombinasies van GA4+7 en P-Ca vruggrootte verbeter, maar dit was meer opmerklik in die geval van „Abate Fetel‟. Die groeireguleerders N-feniel-N‟ -1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-ylurea (TDZ), N (2-chloro-4-piridiel)-N‟ -fenielurea (CPPU), 6-BA en 2,4- dichloorfenoksieasynsuur (2,4-D) het vruggrootte verbeter in „Coscia‟ en „Spadona‟ pere in Israel. Hierdie plantgroeireguleerders is toegedien aan „Forelle‟ en „Abate Fetel‟ om vas te stel of dieselfde effek verkry kon word. Nie enige van die sintetiese sitokiniene wat toegedien is het 'n betekenisvolle effek op die verbetering van vruggrootte in hierdie twee kultivars oor twee opeenvolgende seisoene getoon nie, alhoewel 6-BA die verbetering van blom in die daaropvolgende seisoen tot gevolg gehad en 2,4-D vrugset verbeter het. Die stadium waar seldeling in „Forelle‟ en „Abate Fetel‟ eindig is vasgestel as 34 en 45 dae na volblom, onderskeidelik, wat in die toekoms gebruik kan word om die beplanning en tydsberekening van vruggrootte behandelings te verbeter. Na verskeie vrugset en vruggroote verbeterings proewe, kan aanbeveel word dat GA4+7 of AVG gebruik kan word om vrugset in „Forelle‟ en „Abate Fetel‟ te verbeter, afhangende van die vrugset geskiedenis van die boord. Resultate van vruggrootte verbeterings proewe het gevarieër en beklemtoon net weer die feit dat 'n balans tussen opbrengs en vruggrootte bepaal moet word om optimale vruggrootte te handhaaf en so hoë winste te verseker. / SAAPPA

A vocational horticulture curriculum was assessed for its effectiveness in strengthening social bonds and changing attitudes about personal success and job preparedness in a group of juvenile offenders. The curriculum focused on vocational training and entry-level job skills in horticulture and landscaping and prepared the youth for internship positions in grounds maintenance. Pre/post-tests based on Hirsch=s tests of social bond for juvenile delinquents were developed to address attitudes toward school, teachers, peers, opinions on personal success, and environmental attitudes. A separate pre/post test dealt with careers and aspirations. Results from these tests were compared to tests administered at a comparable program in an urban setting. Behavioral records for one semester before and the semester during the horticulture curriculum were compared. Daily journals maintained by service-learning student mentors were analyzed for observational themes, as were teachers' observations and project follow-up interviews. Success of the program was based on the students' successful completion of the program, students' desire and ability to be hired for summer internships and/or employment in horticultural related jobs. Due to the limited size of the study group (6), this research project intends only to provide a profile of several youths' response to vocational horticultural training with regard to the objectives stated above. It is exploratory in nature and offers ideas for future larger scale research and confirms some existing trends in research with juvenile offenders. / Master of Science

No description available.

<p> This thesis project created a landscape design framework for the Student Garden at the College of Charleston that took into account stakeholder needs and landscape constraints, thereby allowing the Garden to better fulfill its mission. Steps for this project were to perform a stakeholder analysis to determine perceptions of mission, vision, and needs for the Garden. This was then paired with a landscape suitability assessment. The assessment was performed in GIS using available soil data from the Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) to analyze for agricultural suitability.</p><p> Based on interview data, stakeholders considered the main mission of the Garden to lie in three areas: education, student research projects, and vegetable production. Landscape suitability analysis determined that the Garden was situated in the least favorable location within its available land area from an ecosystem standpoint. The landscape design incorporated the stakeholder needs of education, research, and production while proposing an expansion in a new, more centralized location that has soil better suited for agriculture along with new infrastructure. It incorporated a centralized building with office, rest area, and shaded work area that has facilities approved for vegetable processing for the CSA. Adjoining the building are beds showcasing sustainable agricultural techniques, greenhouses for seed starting and production, area for a food forest, and open fields for row crops.</p>

Photocopy of typescript. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

In 1959 Abbott Laboratories estimated (3) that every year 60 million persons go on controlled diets. Of these about 34 million have serious obesity problems, 3 million are diabetics and the rest have disorders that demand strict dietary measures.

The purpose of this study was to consider how the rooting of cuttings may be affected by such methods and factors as: type of cutting, time of year when cuttings are best taken, differences between individual species, use of chemicals for the treatment of cuttings, rooting media, and the care of cuttings in the propagation beds. In the past 35 years scientists have done considerable experimenting with the application of organic chemicals on the roots, stems and leaves of various plants. These organic chemicals have come to be known as "plant hormones" or "plant regulators." They have proved to be extremely useful and have affected the plants in rather unusual ways. Growth regulating chemicals are no longer on trial. They now are being used with several kinds of farm crops and ornamental plants. Hormones or growth regulators are chemical substances, made in one part of an organism and transported to other parts where they produce their effects, and they are effective in very minute amounts. This paper will give the present status of knowledge on the use and effectiveness of growth regulators in plant propagation.

Low stone rows and alignments were reported as early as 1904 on the coastal platform of eastern Palliser Bay. In all subsequent references it was assumed that the features were horticultural and, on the grounds of their appearance, of considereable age. Methodical investigation of these claims within the context of a three year archaeological programme (1969-1972) including analysis of prehistoric settlements, economy, and physical anthropology, was regarded as a worthwhile project, since orthodox opinion at the time favoured a later introduction of Polynesian horticulture some centuries after initial settlement of New Zealand about the 9th century AD. Extensive field surveys showed that at least 93ha of the coastal platform between Whatarangi and Cape Palliser had been subject to stone clearance according to several simple principles, such as equal access to the best soils, maintenance of a rectilinear system, and the clear separation of individual plots with boundary markers and paths. In addition, excavations conducted within the major complexes revealed artiificial deepening of the prehistoric topsoil, frequent incorporation of wood charcoal, rare addition of beach gravel, and inclusion of domestic refuse where the walls were adjacent to coastal villages. Both radio-carbon dates and artefacts found in association with the stone structures indicate early establishment of horticulture on this coast by the 12th century AD with an apparent peak of activity and complexity of garden system before the beginning of the 15th century, followed by decline and virtual abandonment. Climatic conditions prevailing in Palliser Bay today preclude cultivation of all Polynesian cultigens except the kumara (Ipomoea batatas) and gourd (Lagenaria siceraria). It is now accepted that mean annual temperature at the time of settlement was 1� - 2�C higher. Even so, growing season length and rainfall would probably not have been adequate for crops such as taro or yam. Within New Zealand, the kumara gardens of Palliser Bay find close parallels on both sides of Cook Strait, and on the eastern coast of the Wairarapa. Similar principles of garden layout applied in the larger Auckland wall complexes, and in 18th century gardens north of Hawkes Bay. From a survey of tropical Polynesian garden structures it appears that an extensive repertoire of horticultural techniques was introduced by the first settlers to temperate New Zealand and despite the loss of variety in cultigens it persisted until the 18th century as a viable means of subsistence.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisors: Robert E. Lyons, Dept. of Plant & Soil Sciences, and Robin W. Morgan, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Includes bibliographical references.