In recent years there has been a considerable amount of work done on developing chemicals that would inhibit mold growth when applied to fresh fruit, and at the same time, be acceptable to man when taken orally. This would save many thousands of tons of fresh produce that are lost each year by spoilage before it ever reaches the consumer. Along with the development of new chemicals to inhibit mold growth there is a substantial amount of research being done on developing a packaging film that will prevent recontamination of the produce, at the same time allowing the passage of gasses into and out of the package to allow respiration of the fruit. During the present century much emphasis has been placed on growing certain varieties of fruit for our specific needs. It has been found that particular varieties are better for canning and that other varieties are better for freezing. With the release of atomic energy for peaceful use in 1933 by the United States Congress, a new era of food preservation was introduced. Men in the scientific fields believe it is possible to extend the shelf-life of fresh fruits without altering their physical condition to great extent. Many institutions have been awarded grants and contracts to work on various phases of food preservation with atomic energy. Utah State University was awarded a contract by the United States Army Quartermaster Corp to study the use of gamma radiation for extending the shelf-life of fresh produce. It was with this idea in mind that work for this thesis was conducted to study the effects of gamma radiation, fungicides, and packaging film on the microbial growth on certain varieties of strawberries and cherries. In addition, experiments were conducted using fungicides and packaging films in order to lower the dose of radiation necessary to prevent mold growth. In order for this method of preserving fresh fruit to become successful, new and more economical methods and techniques in handling the materials will have to be developed.

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Auf Versuchsflächen des Friedhofes in Pirna (Sachsen) wurden unter alten und jungen Birken verschiedene Stauden und Gräser getestet. Untersucht wurde, wie sich die Konkurrenz um Wasser, Nährstoffe und der Einfluss von Schatten und Laubfall der Gehölze auf das Anwuchsverhalten, die Entwicklung, den Pflege- und Materialaufwand der getesteten Pflanzen auswirkt. Besonders geeignet als Unterpflanzen sind im Ergebnis der fünfjährigen Versuche die Gänsekresse (Arabis), das Stachelnüsschen (Acaena) und der Schlangenbart (Ophiopogon). Der Bericht enthält Informationen zum Anwuchsverhalten der Arten in den ersten zwei Jahren und ihrer weiteren Entwicklung. Empfehlenswert sind eine optimale Pflanzvorbereitung mit mindestens 10 cm Bodenaustausch, die Pflanzdichte von 18 Pfl./m² und vier Pflegedurchgänge im Jahr. Ein Ereigniskalender zeigt die Monate der Blüten- und Fruchtschmuckbildung und der Laubfärbung der Versuchspflanzen.

Trädgårdsdammen utgör en naturlig oas där både människor och djur kan söka vila och skydd. Den lugna miljön eller innovativa vattenleken skänker observatören både glädje och inre lugn. Idag finns det en uppsjö av material och hjälpmedel på marknaden för att konstruera dammar och vattensystem. Men informationen om materialen och produkternas ursprung och tillverkningsprocess är inte lika lätt att få tag på och därför ämnar jag med denna uppsats ge en övergripande bild av de vanligaste materialen som används vid konstruktion av trädgårdsdammar. De material som tas upp i jämförelsen är bentonit, betong, polyeten, polyvinylklorid och syntetgummi. Materialen jämförs därefter utifrån sina respektive koldioxidutsläpp från råvarukällor till färdiga dammaterial eller produkter. Målet är således att på ett överskådligt sätt påvisa de olika materialens klimatpåverkan. Resultatet visar att de dammdukar som baseras på olja och gummi påverkar miljön mindre i form av koldioxidutsläpp, vilket beror på att det krävs mindre material för att anlägga en trädgårdsdamm med dessa material jämfört med bentonitlera och betong. Detta kan dock i viss mån vägas upp av de respektive materialens hållbarhet på längre sikt.

Litteraturstudiens bakgrund presenterar att behov finns för att öka jämlikheter inom hälsa i samhället samt att detta kan utföras genom att främja hälsans bestämningsfaktorer som påverkas bland annat av individers levnadsvanor, miljörelaterade förhållande och sociala nätverk. Utomhusvistelse i natur och trädgård en viktig hälsofrämjande faktor. Trädgårdsarbete har studerats i översiktsstudier, dock utifrån en preventiv ansats och därmed saknas översikter med promotiv ansats. Litteraturstudien syftar till att sammanställa evidens för hur trädgårdsarbete kan fungera som hälsopromotiv friskfaktor. Detta görs genom att besvara frågeställningarna hur utformningen av TA kan se ut för att verka hälsofrämjande samt vilka hälsoeffekter som bidrar till att TA fungerar hälsofrämjande. Med litteraturstudie som metod undersöks kvalitativa, kvantitativa och mixed method studier med samtliga i populationen som urval. Resultatet visar på hälsoeffekter gällande levnadsvanor, välmående och social hälsa samt förslag på fungerande utformning av trädgårdsarbete i form av trädgårdsaktiviteter & trädgårdstyp, trädgårdsmaterial, kontakt med naturen, ledarskap & kunskap samt tidsspann. Sammanfattningsvis föreslås trädgårdsarbete vara ett hälsopromotivt verktyg som kan främja befolkningens välbefinnande, hälsa och jämlikhet bland hälsoklyftor i samhället genom anpassningar utefter behov. / The literature study presents in the background the need to increase equalities in health insociety with promotion of the social determinates of health. Which is influenced by individuals' lifestyles, environment and social networks for example. Time spent outdoors in nature and gardens is an important factor for health-promotion. Gardening has been studied in overview studies, but based on a preventive approach and an overview with promotive approach is lacking. The literature study amins to compile evidence for how gardening can function as a health-promoting health factor. Which is answered with questions at issue about how the gardening design can be health promotive and which health related effects can contribute to gardening being health promotive. With a literature study as method, qualitative, quantitative and mixed method studies are examined with the population assample. The results showed health effects regarding lifestyle, well-being and social healt has well as suggestions for functional design of gardening in the form of gardening activities & garden type, gardening materials, contact with nature, leadership & knowledge and timespan. In summary, gardening is proposed as a health promotive tool to support and improve the population's well-being, health, and increase equalities in health in society through adaptations when necessary.

Sanding and pruning are two practices used in the cranberry industry for vine management and yield stimulation. This study compared the effects of varying levels of sanding and pruning in April 2006 on vine canopy characteristics and yield over the course of two growing seasons. Each practice was applied at four levels: sanding at four depths: control (0 cm), light (1.5 cm), moderate (3.0 cm), or heavy (4.5 cm) of sand; pruning at four numbers of passes with a commercial pruner: control (0 passes), light (1 pass), moderate (2 passes), and heavy (3 passes). Pruning levels had no affect on upright density over the two seasons whereas heavy sanding treatment decreased the number of uprights per unit area significantly. A linear increase in light penetration was observed for the first season only as intensities increased for both pruning and sanding. Number of fruiting uprights relative to total uprights decreased in the first year as intensity increased for sanding and pruning. This effect continued in the second year for sanding treatments. Yield and net returns averaged over the two years were greatest in lightly pruned plots, followed by lightly sanded plots. Moderate and heavy treatments were associated with lower yields and net returns than those for the controls.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Horticulture)) --University of Limpopo, 2007 / Bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC) has been used for many years by the people of South Africa for medicinal purposes. The herbs was only harvested from the wild, therefore data on the effects of mineral nutrition on total antioxidant activity had not been established. The objective of this study was to determine the seasonal effect of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) nutrition on total antioxidant activity (TAA) in cultivated bush tea leaves. Treatments consisted of 0, 100, 200, 300, 400 or 500 kgha-1 N, P or K in a randomized complete block design with four replications under 50 % shade nets. Three (N, P and K) parallel trials were conducted per season (autumn, winter, spring and summer). TAA was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) method and analyzed in a spectrophotometer. Results of this study demonstrated that regardless of season, the application of N, P and K fertilizers increased quadratically levels of TAA in bush tea with most of the increase occurring between 0 and 300 N, 300 P and 200 K kgha-1. Therefore, for improved total antioxidant content in bush tea leaves, 300 N, 300 P and 200 K kgha-1 N are recommended. / National Research Foundation (NRF), Agricultural Research Council(ARC-LNR)

Lettuce is a highly nutritional crop that is sensitive to multiple stresses, including salt stress. The decreasing availability of salt-free water is posing a major challenge to growing nutritious lettuce in hydroponic systems. Despite evidence that salt stress affects yield and nutrition, its impacts on economically important growth stages are overlooked. This study addressed the knowledge gaps regarding the salt stress impact on romaine lettuce. Four independent experiments were conducted in controlled environment conditions using 2-38 lettuce genotypes, to assess the effects of salt stress at rosette or head formation. An increase in sodium chloride (NaCl) levels (0 to 150 mM) linearly decreased lettuce biomass. A positive association was observed between NaCl and sodium to potassium ion ratio. Lettuce was found to be sensitive to salt above 40 mM NaCl. The phenotyping of 38 lettuce genotypes revealed significant variability in salt stress tolerance. Genotype, Green forest exhibited a higher decline in fresh and dry biomass compared to Burgundy delight, indicating its higher sensitivity to salt stress. Sodium accumulation was significantly higher in both genotypes under salt stress, while potassium decreased in Green forest but remained relatively stable in Burgundy Delight. Hydro-primed lettuce had higher photosynthetic efficiency and oxidative stress tolerance than the control. Hydro-priming seed treatment could be used as a cost-effective priming technique to boost economic efficiency under stress. In addition, the low sodium: potassium ratio and high biomass can be used as indicators for selecting salt-tolerant genotypes.

Abstract In my study I have investigated how a constructed outdoor green environment can be used, managed and how it works. The study also investigates the concept of social sustainability, where, for example, civil dialogue is a method to promote this. This investigation mainly gives account for the inhabitants viewpoint but also a gardeners perspective. The study focuses on the planning process of the study object, what the outcome has been and how the users of the green environment, think about the result. In the process there has been a strong concern of involving the residents and others using the area. I also discuss the results concerning plantation problems, which I can see may influence the site identity and the quality of green areas, which in turn also can affects the residents relationship to it. The result also suggests that there still are possibilities for improvements in the dialogue and the participation of the residents of the area under the concept that’s been named "Dynamic habitat". The outdoor green environment can also further provide life quality for the inhabitants and other users, while it hopefully at the same time, promote the knowledge of ecosystem services. / Sammanfattning I min studie har jag undersökt hur en grön utemiljö kan planeras samt hur den kan användas, fungera och förvaltas. Studien undersöker även hur medborgardialog kan genomföras i ett projekt. Egen inventering av områdets gröna ytor samt intervjuer med brukare och personer som har varit med i planering och genomförande av platsen, ligger till grund för arbetet. Resultatet visar att de områden och funktioner som planerats och gestaltats; nya stigar, grillplatser, lekytor och sittplatser, används och uppskattas av de boende. Resultatet visar även att det finns möjlighet för de boende att påverka och engagera sig i utemiljön men att uppkomsten av växtrelaterade problem påverkar de boendes upplevelse av platsen. Här kan eventuellt förvaltningsformen vara av betydelse, där personliga relationer med den som sköter platsen kan bidra till ökad förståelse och kommunikation. En slutsats är att utökat deltagande och engagemang hos de boende gällande de gröna ytorna i området, kan både främja platsens identitet, social inkludering och ge kunskap och förståelse om olika ekosystemtjänster.