O desenvolvimento de métodos para a conservação pós-colheita de framboesa in natura é de grande importância para a expansão da cultura no país, considerando que o principal entrave deste fruto é o curto período de comercialização. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da aplicação de técnicas pós-colheita na conservação da qualidade de framboesa in natura, através do uso do armazenamento refrigerado, atmosfera modificada, aplicação pós-colheita do 1-metilciclopropeno (1-MCP) e aplicação pré e póscolheita de quitosana. Para isso, foram realizados seis experimentos. No primeiro, avaliou-se a melhor temperatura para a refrigeração dos frutos, sendo estes armazenados a 0, 5, 10 ou 15ºC e 90±5% de UR, por 12 dias (a melhor temperatura foi usada nos experimentos seguintes). O segundo experimento constituiu-se da utilização da atmosfera modificada passiva, armazenando os frutos, por 15 dias, em cloreto de polivinila (PVC - 15 m), polietileno de baixa densidade (PEBD - 10 e 20 m), polietileno de alta densidade (PEAD), polipropileno (PP - 10 m), politereftalato de etileno (PET) não perfurados e perfurados (sem modificação de atmosfera). No terceiro experimento, os frutos foram expostos ao 1-MCP a 0, 100, 500, 1000 e 2000 nL L-1, por 12 horas e, então, armazenados por 12 dias. No quarto experimento foi avaliado o comportamento dos frutos em resposta a aplicação pós-colheita de diferentes concentrações de quitosana. Os frutos foram imersos em soluções a 0, 0,5, 1 e 2%, por cinco minutos e, então, armazenados por 15 dias. No quinto experimento estudou-se a aplicação pré-colheita de quitosana, sendo toda a planta aspergida semanalmente, durante três semanas, nas mesmas concentrações do experimento anterior. Depois de colhidos, os frutos foram armazenados por 12 dias. No sexto experimento foi testada a associação das melhores técnicas pós-colheita estudadas nos experimentos anteriores, sendo que a sua ordem de aplicação resultou em diferentes tratamentos. Os frutos foram armazenados por 20 dias. A temperatura de 0ºC foi a mais indicada para a conservação e ampliação da vida útil de framboesas. A modificação da atmosfera resultante do uso do PEBD 10 m trouxe os melhores resultados na pós-colheita desse fruto. A aplicação do 1-MCP aliada à refrigeração não aumentou o período de comercialização da framboesa, mas manteve os frutos tratados com qualidade superior, sendo concentrações entre 1000 a 2000 nL L-1 as mais indicadas. O uso da quitosana aliada à refrigeração foi eficiente na manutenção da qualidade da framboesa, no entanto, apenas a aplicação na pós-colheita ampliou o período de comercialização. As melhores concentrações para a pré e pós-colheita foram 2 e 1%, respectivamente. A aplicação conjunta da refrigeração, filme plástico, 1-MCP e quitosana em pós-colheita amplia a vida útil do fruto, não importando a ordem de aplicação dos tratamentos. / The development of methods for maintaining fresh raspberry quality has great importance for the berry crop growth in Brazil, considering that the main difficulty has been the short shelf-life of this fruit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of postharvest techniques in quality conservation of fresh raspberry, using cold storage, modified atmosphere, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) application and chitosan application in pre and postharvest. For this purpose six experiments were performed. At first, fruits were stored at 0, 5, 10 or 15°C and 90±5% RH during 12 days, for evaluation of best storage temperature (that was used in all following experiments). The second experiment was the use of modified atmosphere, storing the raspberries for 15 days in polyvinyl chloride (PVC - 15 m), low density polyethylene (LDPE - 10 and 20 m), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP - 10 m), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) without and with holes (this last one being unmodified atmosphere). For the third experiment, the fruits were exposed to 1-MCP at 0, 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 nL L-1 for 12 hours, and then stored during 12 days. The fourth experiment assessed the fruit behavior in response to postharvest application of different chitosan concentrations. The fruits were immersed in solutions of 0, 0.5, 1 and 2% during five minutes and then stored for 15 days. The pre-harvest chitosan application was studied in the fifth experiment, where whole plants were treated with three weekly spray applications, at the same concentrations of the previous experiment, and then the fruit were stored for 12 days. In the sixth experiment, the association of the best treatments from the previous experiments was evaluated. The application order of the techniques led to different treatments, and fruit were stored for 20 days. The 0ºC temperature is the most recommended for the preservation and extension of raspberry shelf-life. The use of LDPE - 10 m provides the best modified atmosphere treatment for raspberry. The 1-MCP application does not increase the raspberry marketing period, but it keeps the treated fruits with superior quality, and the concentrations ranging from 1000 to 2000 nL L-1 are the most indicated. The chitosan is efficient in maintaining the raspberry quality, however, only the postharvest application extends the shelf-life. The best concentration for pre and postharvest are 2 and 1%, respectively. The combined application of cold storage, plastic film, 1-MCP and postharvest chitosan extends the fruit shelf-life, independent of the order of the treatments.

O desenvolvimento de métodos para a conservação pós-colheita de framboesa in natura é de grande importância para a expansão da cultura no país, considerando que o principal entrave deste fruto é o curto período de comercialização. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da aplicação de técnicas pós-colheita na conservação da qualidade de framboesa in natura, através do uso do armazenamento refrigerado, atmosfera modificada, aplicação pós-colheita do 1-metilciclopropeno (1-MCP) e aplicação pré e póscolheita de quitosana. Para isso, foram realizados seis experimentos. No primeiro, avaliou-se a melhor temperatura para a refrigeração dos frutos, sendo estes armazenados a 0, 5, 10 ou 15ºC e 90±5% de UR, por 12 dias (a melhor temperatura foi usada nos experimentos seguintes). O segundo experimento constituiu-se da utilização da atmosfera modificada passiva, armazenando os frutos, por 15 dias, em cloreto de polivinila (PVC - 15 m), polietileno de baixa densidade (PEBD - 10 e 20 m), polietileno de alta densidade (PEAD), polipropileno (PP - 10 m), politereftalato de etileno (PET) não perfurados e perfurados (sem modificação de atmosfera). No terceiro experimento, os frutos foram expostos ao 1-MCP a 0, 100, 500, 1000 e 2000 nL L-1, por 12 horas e, então, armazenados por 12 dias. No quarto experimento foi avaliado o comportamento dos frutos em resposta a aplicação pós-colheita de diferentes concentrações de quitosana. Os frutos foram imersos em soluções a 0, 0,5, 1 e 2%, por cinco minutos e, então, armazenados por 15 dias. No quinto experimento estudou-se a aplicação pré-colheita de quitosana, sendo toda a planta aspergida semanalmente, durante três semanas, nas mesmas concentrações do experimento anterior. Depois de colhidos, os frutos foram armazenados por 12 dias. No sexto experimento foi testada a associação das melhores técnicas pós-colheita estudadas nos experimentos anteriores, sendo que a sua ordem de aplicação resultou em diferentes tratamentos. Os frutos foram armazenados por 20 dias. A temperatura de 0ºC foi a mais indicada para a conservação e ampliação da vida útil de framboesas. A modificação da atmosfera resultante do uso do PEBD 10 m trouxe os melhores resultados na pós-colheita desse fruto. A aplicação do 1-MCP aliada à refrigeração não aumentou o período de comercialização da framboesa, mas manteve os frutos tratados com qualidade superior, sendo concentrações entre 1000 a 2000 nL L-1 as mais indicadas. O uso da quitosana aliada à refrigeração foi eficiente na manutenção da qualidade da framboesa, no entanto, apenas a aplicação na pós-colheita ampliou o período de comercialização. As melhores concentrações para a pré e pós-colheita foram 2 e 1%, respectivamente. A aplicação conjunta da refrigeração, filme plástico, 1-MCP e quitosana em pós-colheita amplia a vida útil do fruto, não importando a ordem de aplicação dos tratamentos. / The development of methods for maintaining fresh raspberry quality has great importance for the berry crop growth in Brazil, considering that the main difficulty has been the short shelf-life of this fruit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of postharvest techniques in quality conservation of fresh raspberry, using cold storage, modified atmosphere, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) application and chitosan application in pre and postharvest. For this purpose six experiments were performed. At first, fruits were stored at 0, 5, 10 or 15°C and 90±5% RH during 12 days, for evaluation of best storage temperature (that was used in all following experiments). The second experiment was the use of modified atmosphere, storing the raspberries for 15 days in polyvinyl chloride (PVC - 15 m), low density polyethylene (LDPE - 10 and 20 m), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP - 10 m), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) without and with holes (this last one being unmodified atmosphere). For the third experiment, the fruits were exposed to 1-MCP at 0, 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 nL L-1 for 12 hours, and then stored during 12 days. The fourth experiment assessed the fruit behavior in response to postharvest application of different chitosan concentrations. The fruits were immersed in solutions of 0, 0.5, 1 and 2% during five minutes and then stored for 15 days. The pre-harvest chitosan application was studied in the fifth experiment, where whole plants were treated with three weekly spray applications, at the same concentrations of the previous experiment, and then the fruit were stored for 12 days. In the sixth experiment, the association of the best treatments from the previous experiments was evaluated. The application order of the techniques led to different treatments, and fruit were stored for 20 days. The 0ºC temperature is the most recommended for the preservation and extension of raspberry shelf-life. The use of LDPE - 10 m provides the best modified atmosphere treatment for raspberry. The 1-MCP application does not increase the raspberry marketing period, but it keeps the treated fruits with superior quality, and the concentrations ranging from 1000 to 2000 nL L-1 are the most indicated. The chitosan is efficient in maintaining the raspberry quality, however, only the postharvest application extends the shelf-life. The best concentration for pre and postharvest are 2 and 1%, respectively. The combined application of cold storage, plastic film, 1-MCP and postharvest chitosan extends the fruit shelf-life, independent of the order of the treatments.

As plantas, assim como outros organismos, possuem a capacidade de se defenderem contra ataque de patógenos. Uma das respostas desencadeadas pelo reconhecimento do patógeno pelas células vegetais é a reação de hipersensibilidade (RH), que envolve a morte imediata das células do sítio primário de infecção, oferecendo resistência ao crescimento do patógeno. Muitas evidências sugerem a participação da mitocôndria neste processo de morte celular programa. O nim (Azadirachta indica) é conhecido devido as suas propriedades medicinais e inseticidas, sendo que os estudos sobre a ação inseticida dessa planta restringem-se a análise de seus mecanismos de ação sobre insetos e também de seus efeitos sobre trabalhadores rurais que fazem uso de produtos a base de nim. Entretanto não há na literatura pesquisada, trabalhos de seus impactos sobre o sistema vegetal. A partir dos resultados previamente obtidos em nosso laboratório e com as análises dos dados da literatura, consideramos de grande importância dar continuidade a esse estudo do efeito do nim como elicitor, avaliando quais mecanismos que levam ao fenômeno de resistência vegetal. O extrato de nim (EB) foi preparado a partir das sementes, sendo caracterizado bioquimicamente pela quantificação de compostos fenólicos, açúcares e proteínas. A atividade antioxidante foi avaliada sendo possível observar que o extrato das sementes de nim possui forte atividade antioxidante de maneira dose-dependente com IC50 de 14,85 mg/mL. Para os ensaios biológicos foi utilizado EB nas concentrações de 0,1 a 5 mg/mL isolado ou em associação com AS a 1 µmol/L ou 1 mmol/L. Para determinação da morte celular foi observado o efeito do EB nas concentrações de 5 e 0,1 mg/mL isolado ou em associação com AS 1 µmol/L nos tempos de 0 a 8 horas. Diante dos resultados foi observado que o EB na concentração de 0,1 mg/mL isolado ou em associação com AS 1 µmol/L foi capaz de causar morte celular em células de Rubus fruticosus de forma mais significativa do que o EB isolado ou em associação com AS na concentração de 5 mg/mL. No tempo de 8 horas, foi observado uma porcentagem de morte celular de 64 % para células elicitadas com EB 0,1 mg/mL isolado e 71 % para células elicitadas com EB 0,1 mg/mL em associação com AS. A diminuição da produção de EROs e da produção de AS endógeno bem como o aumento da produção de compostos fenólicos foi observado em células intactas elicitadas com EB isolado. No entanto quando a células foram elicitadas com EB em associação com AS observamos uma diminuição da produção de compostos fenólicos com o aumento da produção de AS endógeno. Em mitocôndrias isoladas foi avaliado o consumo de oxigênio, o potencial de membrana e a produção de EROs com o EB isolado e sua associação com AS 1 mmol/L. Foi observado que o EB isolado ou em associação com AS foi capaz de diminuir a velocidade de consumo de oxigênio pela cadeia respiratória sendo este efeito mais acentuado quando o nim foi administrado juntamente com AS, onde a porcentagem de inibição da velocidade de consumo de oxigênio pela cadeia respiratória na presença de EB em associação com AS foi de 79 % no estado 3 da respiração e 62 % no estado 4. Sobre o potencial de membrana observamos que o EB isolado ou em associação com AS foi capaz de diminuir o potencial de membrana, porém de forma pouco significativa. Para a produção de EROs observamos que o EB isolado foi capaz de diminuir a produção de EROs em mitocôndrias isoladas em cerca de 55 a 20 % na presença de antimicina A e 39 a 10 % na presença de rotenona, porém quando o EB foi administrado juntamente com AS observamos uma diminuição da produção de EROs somente para o EB nas concentrações de 0,5; 1 e 5 mg/mL. Com os resultados apresentados neste trabalho e os resultados obtidos anteriormente em nosso laboratório é possível sugerir que o extrato das sementes de nim possui um efeito protetor sobre células de Rubus fruticosus. / Plants, like other organisms, have the capacity to defend themselves against attack by pathogens. One of the responses triggered by pathogen recognition by plant cells is the hypersensitive response (HR), which involves the immediate death of cells in the primary site of infection, providing resistance to the pathogen growth. In this regard, it has been well established that mitochondria are involved in cell death. The neem tree (Azadirachta indica) is known due to its medicinal and insecticidal properties; studies on the insecticidal action of this plant had been restricted to the analysis of their action mechanisms on insects and their effects on rural workers who use neem-based products. However, its impact on plant systems has not been addressed. Considering previous results from our laboratory and literature data we assessed the effects of neem as elicitor, particularly the mechanisms leading to the phenomenon of plant resistance. The neem extract (EB) was prepared from the seeds, characterized biochemically by quantification of phenolic compounds, sugars and proteins. The extract showed strong dose-dependent antioxidant activity (IC50 of 14.85 mg/mL). EB concentrations of 0.1-5 mg/mL, alone or in association with 1 mol/L or 1 mmol/L SA (salicylic acid), were used for the biological assays. For cell death assays, EB was employed in concentrations of 0.1 and 5.0 mg/mL, alone or in association with 1 mol/L SA, during 0-8 hours. EB (0.1 mg/mL), alone or in association with 1 mol/L SA, induced Rubus fruticosus cell death more efficiently than EB alone or in association with 5 mg/mL SA. After 8 hours, a 64% of death of cells elicited with 0.1 mg/mL EB and 71% of death of cells elicited with 0.1 mg/mL EB in association with SA, was observed. Decrease in ROS generation and production of endogenous SA, as well as increased production of phenolic compounds, was observed in intact cells elicited with EB alone. However, when cells were elicited with EB in association with SA, a decreased production of phenolic compounds and an increased production of endogenous SA, was observed. In isolated mitochondria, it was measured oxygen consumption, membrane potential and ROS production for EB alone or in association with 1 mmol/L SA. In either conditions, EB decreased oxygen consumption by the respiratory chain, an effect more pronounced in association with SA: ~79 % inhibition for state 3 and ~ 62 % for state 4 respiration. Also, either neem alone or in association with SA decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as ROS generation to an extent of 55-20% in the presence of antimycin A and 39-10% in the presence of rotenone; in association with SA, EB decreased ROS at 5, 1 and 0.5 mg/mL. Together with our previous study, these results suggest that neem seeds extract has a protective effect on Rubus fruticosus cells by scavenging, via phenolic compounds, reactive oxygen species generated by SA, thereby decreasing its action as cell death inducer.

No description available.

No description available.

Un des principaux challenges pour prédire la composition, la structure et la dynamique des communautés végétales est de déterminer comment l’environnement biotique et abiotique va modifier la direction et l’amplitude des interactions entre plantes. L’objectif de ma thèse est de mettre en évidence le rôle prépondérant des interactions complexes (impliquant plus de deux compartiments biotiques) dans la dynamique forestière et plus particulièrement dans la dynamique de régénération des ligneux d’intérêt sylvicole tel que le chêne sessile. Les résultats soulignent l’importance de prendre en compte : (i) l’effet des cervidés sur les patrons de réponses des interactions entre plantes le long des gradients de ressources, (ii) les interactions indirectes et notamment la facilitation indirecte, (iii) des paramètres démographiques différents en relation avec la phénologie des espèces en présence, (iv) la séparation des mécanismes sous-jacents à une interaction écologique multiple via un suivi des conditions environnementales. Ainsi, ma thèse appuie l’idée que les gestions se focalisant sur une unique pression et ignorant les autres pressions ne sont pas capables de maintenir des populations d’espèces cibles car elles ne tiennent pas compte des interactions multiples. Ceci souligne l’importance d’utiliser des stratégies complémentaires pour permettre la pérennité des écosystèmes forestiers et notamment une régénération suffisante dans le cadre des changements globaux que sont le changement climatique et la surabondance de cervidés. / One of the main challenges to predict vegetation dynamics and plant community composition is to identify how biotic and abiotic factors modify the nature and magnitude of plant-plant interactions. The objective of my thesis is to highlight the leading role of multiple interactions (involving more than two biotic compartments) in forest understory dynamics and more specifically regeneration dynamics of target species such as sessile oak. The results emphasize the importance of: (i) effects of deer on response patterns of plant-plant interactions along resource gradients, (ii) indirect interactions, in particular indirect facilitation, (iii) demographic parameters in relation to species phenology, (iv) distinguishing among underlying mechanisms of multiple interactions thanks to environmental monitoring. Thus, my thesis supports the idea that management practices focusing on a single pressure, while ignoring others, are unable to conserve populations of target species because they don’t consider multiple interactions. This highlights the importance to use complementary management strategies to achieve sustainability in the context of global changes (climatic change and deer overabundance).

Exotic species alter the streamside plant community by changing the resources available to the stream food web, causing cascading changes throughout the entire aquatic ecosystem. To better understand the impacts of exotic litter species on stream communities, investigations were made at global and local levels. A meta-analysis was performed to understand which environmental and litter quality factors impact native and exotic litter decay rates on the global scale. It was found that exotic species are likely to decay faster than native species at larger mesh sizes, and in warm temperature environments because high quality exotic leaves have a lower C:N ratio than native leaves. An urban litter decay experiment in Victoria, B.C. streams contrasting Alnus rubra, Salix sitchensis, Hedera sp., Rubus armeniacus and plastic trash found that trash decays more slowly than leaf litter, but leaf species all decay at the same rate, and stream invertebrates colonize all litter types equally. Significant differences in litter decay rates and invertebrate community alpha and Shannon diversities were also observed across the four different streams. The more that is learned about the impacts of exotic leaf litter, the better we are able to respond to keep streams as healthy and as biodiverse as possible. / Graduate / 2017-08-10 / 0329 / 0793 / kimkenn@uvic.ca

Field studies were conducted during 2006 and 2007 to evaluate control of saw greenbriar and southern dewberry by various pasture herbicides and to assess forage tolerance of Tifton 85 bermudagrass to these herbicides. Herbicides evaluated in each study included triclopyr, picloram, 2,4-D, fluroxypyr, dicamba, aminopyralid, metsulfuron methyl and various combinations of the above. Visual ratings were taken on each herbicide efficacy experiment. Visual evaluations of phytotoxicity, measurements of dry matter yield, and forage quality were quantified for each of the bermudagrass tolerance trials. Saw greenbriar was best controlled at approximately one year after treatment by triclopyr at 10.9% ae v/v with diesel as the carrier (88-98%), although the lower rate of triclopyr + diesel at 0.87% ae v/v + 5% v/v and triclopyr alone at 0.87% ae v/v provided 49 to 86% control. Triclopyr + fluroxypyr at 0.25% ai v/v + 0.086% ai v/v gave best control of southern dewberry in both years when applied as an individual plant treatment (IPT) six weeks after shredding. In general, shredding 45 days prior to herbicide application gave an advantage to southern dewberry control versus not shredding. In 2006, triclopyr + fluroxypyr (IPT) was the only treatment to decrease Tifton 85 dry matter yield at the first harvest, with no effect observed at the second harvest. In 2007, both broadcast treatments containing triclopyr + fluroxypyr and the IPT treatment of triclopyr decreased dry matter yield at the first harvest, with triclopyr (IPT) being the only treatment to lower dry matter yield at the second harvest. Field studies were also conducted in 2006 and 2007 to assess sharppod morningglory control in Roundup Ready Flex® and LibertyLink® cotton systems. Herbicides evaluated included glyphosate, glufosinate, prometryn, fluometuron, and diuron. Visual ratings of percent weed control and sharppod morningglory plant counts were taken to assess control. Prometryn at 1.8 kg ai ha⁻¹ and fluometuron at 1.8 kg ai ha⁻¹ provided significant preemergence control (33-81%) of seedling sharppod morningglory. All rates of glyphosate (1.06 and 1.54 kg ai ha⁻¹) and glufosinate (0.45 and 0.6 kg ai ha⁻¹) controlled sharppod morningglory from 55 to 100% at both application timings. The addition of diuron at 1.12 kg ai ha⁻¹ to glyphosate and glufosinate at the late season application enhanced sharppod morningglory control by 3 to 16%. Additionally, in both years, no reduction in cotton yield was observed in the morningglory infested treatment when compared to the weed free treatment.

Landscape heterogeneity is thought to differ among farm management types (i.e. organic and conventional), and this difference is hypothesized to result in variations in pest control by natural enemies. However, it is unclear if these variations in pest control are driven by landscape structure or by farm management practices themselves. Remotely sensed datasets were used to describe the landscape structure surrounding a group of organic and conventional caneberry farms in Oregon and Washington that have different leafroller parasitism rates attributed to farm management type. A finer scale survey was done at one of the farms using the remotely sensed data as well as field surveys. Landscape metrics of diversity, richness and percent non-crop were used to describe the landscapes surrounding the farm fields at scales ranging from 0.05 km to 5.00 km for the large scale study, and 0.05 km to 0.20 km for the fine scale study. In the fine scale study, data on parasitoid species assemblages, diversity, and parasitism rate were collected and analyzed against the calculated landscape metrics spatially and seasonally. The purpose of this study was to quantify effects of farm management type on habitat structure, effect of habitat structure on leafroller parasitism rate, and to access correlations between landscape metrics calculated at the landscape and field scale. Overall, the farms were embedded in a landscape that was broadly similar, with very few differences in landscape structure occurring between organic and conventional farms. Organic farms had higher vegetation height class diversity at the largest scale compared to conventional farms, while conventional farms had significantly higher percent non-crop area compared to organic farms. There was no significant effect of any of the calculated landscape metrics on parasitism rates. In the field scale study, no correlations were found between habitat metrics and parasitism rates, or between field based metrics and those calculated at the landscape scale. The results of this study suggest that conventional and organic caneberry farms in the Willamette Valley are broadly similar in the habitat conditions they provide parasitoids. This suggests that management changes to pesticide use alone could increase levels of leafroller biological control on conventional farms to levels that are comparable to those seen on organic farms. Our comparisons of the landscape scale and field scale landscape metrics showed no connection, this suggests that direct comparisons cannot be made with these particular metrics at these very different scales. Rather than comparing these types of data, it may be more useful to combine them in order to increase the resolution and predictive power of remotely sensed data for describing landscapes at broad scales. / Graduation date: 2013

No description available.