In cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) cultivation, farmers typically rent colonies of honey bee (Apis mellifera) for pollination. However, the efficiency of this bee at pollinating cranberries in Oregon, as in other regions, is questionable. Bumble bees (Bombus sp.) are reportedly effective in other regions, but their impact in Oregon is unknown. My objectives were to: (i) Compare bumble bee and honey bee pollination efficiencies under caged conditions; (ii) Estimate the abundance of bumble bees, honey bees, and other pollinators on an Oregon cranberry farm; and iii) Analyze and compare sources of pollen collected by bumble bees and honey bees in Oregon cranberries. In comparing pollination efficiencies of bumble bees and honey bees under caged conditions, the analysis of variance of data from the cage study indicated that bumble bee and honey bee pollinated plants yielded statistically equivalent average numbers of cranberries (1421 ± 302.5 and 1405 ± 347.6 berries/m², respectively) and weight of berries (11.5 ± 2.42 and 11.5 ± 2.77g/m²). However, bumble bees may have increased fruit set in honey bee treatments. On one occasion, bumble bees were found in the honey bee treatment, and may have contributed to the pollination of flowers in these plots. To estimate the abundance of pollinators, visual observations and were blue vane traps were utilized. Thirty-four timed visual observations in transects of cranberry beds were performed over on four dates during cranberry bloom. Blue vane traps were set-up on five occasions during bloom for two day periods. In the visual observations, honey bees (3.5 ± 0.58/min) were observed more frequently than bumble bees (1.2 ± 0.20/min). Bumble bees of four species made up 69.1% of trapped bees while honey bees made up 16.6% of bees caught in blue vane traps. On an Oregon cranberry farm during bloom periods in 2009, 2010 and 2011, pollen was collected from honey bee colonies using pollen traps. In 2010 and 2011, pollen was hand collected from reared bumble bee (B. vosnesenkii) colonies at the same farm. A total of 2937 honey bee pollen loads and 171 bumble bee pollen samples (137 scopal pollen loads, and 34 samples from with the colony) were individually acetolyzed and compared to a reference collection using light microscopy. Each pollen load was homogenized and 100 pollen grains were identified and counted to determine the percentage of each pollen type. Pollen collected by honey bees consisted of 29.1 ± 1.4% (2009), 18.3 ± 2.4% (2010), and 23.0 ± 1.1% (2011) cranberry pollen. Cranberry pollen contributed a higher percentage (56.0 ± 6.1%, and 70.4 ± 4.3% in 2010, and 2011, respectively) in bumble bee collected pollen. Both bee species collected pollen from non-target plants including those in the following families: Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Ranunculaceae, and Roseaceae. Native bumble bees (B. vosnesenskii) collected more cranberry pollen than pollen from non-target plants, and consistently collected a higher proportion of cranberry pollen than honey bees. The results of these studies suggest that native bumble bees may be adequate for cranberry pollination in Curry County, Oregon. However, the size of bumble bee populations may vary from year to year due to climactic conditions, availability of nesting sites, and forage before and after cranberry bloom. Thus the dependability and consistency pollination services rendered to cranberry crops by bumble bees needs to be further investigated in relation to population fluxuations. / Graduation date: 2012

The growth and yield response of strawberry (Fragaria X annassa Duch.) and cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait) to various growth inhibitors, but especially to paclobutrazol (PP333), and fertilizers were investigated in glasshouse and field studies. PP333 decreased vegetative growth in a rate-dependent manner in both strawberry and cranberry. PP333 delayed fruit ripening in strawberry and decreased fruit set and fruit size in cranberry. PP333 decreased pollen germination of strawberry. Soil residues of PP333 were biologically active when measured 11 weeks after application in the strawberry study and when measured after 50 weeks in a cranberry study. In a field study with cranberry, PP333 caused a decrease in vegetative growth and an increase in flowering in the next season after treatment. Two-dimensional partitioning was used to account for yield variation from treatment effects on adjusted yield variates. The truss number was the most important contributor to yield variation in the strawberry, but was not affected by treatments. PP333 made a substantial contribution to yield variation in strawberry through its effect on fruit development and ripening. In the cranberry, fruit set was the major contributor to yield variation and PP333 influenced yield substantially through its effect on fruit set. In glasshouse studies, PP333 decreased shoot elongation in cranberry within 3 weeks of application, and increased the number of branches on primary shoots. Buds were formed within 7 weeks of treatment and some of the buds contained flowers. Shoot growth was greater with a high rate of NPK fertilizer than with the low fertilizer rate and was greater in peaty soil than in sandy soil. While bud set was not modified by soil type or fertilizer rate, high NPK fertilizer decreased floral induction. Some effects of PP333 treatment were decreased by gibberellic acid, but generally these effects here not reversed. In a field study with the cranberry, PP333 increased flower bud set for flowering and non-flowering uprights but slightly decreased floral induction for non-flowering uprights. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

Routine consumption of blueberries and cranberries has been shown to have great health benefits. Blueberries have high amounts of anthocyanin content per serving. Anthocyanins are known to be powerful antioxidants and are linked to the reduction of heart disease and cancer. New research suggests that the berries may also play a role in slowing down age related diseases such as memory loss and tissue damage caused by Alzheimer's. In addition the berries have a variety of essential vitamins and minerals that are important for overall health. Cranberries have long been used to treat urinary tract infections due to the high composition of benzoic and other acids. Both types of berries are rich in vitamin A and retinoids which have been linked to reducing certain cancers such as colon, lung and breast cancer in addition to the benefits they encompass for maintenance of eyesight. The health benefits associated with the components in the berries make them an attractive choice for extracting desirable active ingredients. A dynamic high pressure extraction setup that consisted of an extractor and a collection vessel maintained at high pressure using back pressure regulators was built to extract active components from the berry powders using supercritical CO2 and an entrainer (ethanol) in order to increase the solvating power of the supercritical fluid. Experiments were done at temperatures ranging from 42°C to 50°C and pressures up to 197 bars; extracts were analyzed using a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Successfully extracted desirable components included important vitamins such as vitamin A and biotin. Furthermore useful acids such as ricinoleic acid, palmitic acid, benzoic acid and the omega-9 acids oleic acid as well as octadecanoic acids were extracted. In addition to the desired active ingredients extracted, at the operating conditions chosen, some pesticides and insecticides that were present in the initial fruit powders were also extracted.

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Bakgrund: Urinvägsinfektion (UVI) är den vanligaste förekommande bakteriella infektionen på äldreboenden. Idag behandlas den oftast med antibiotika men med det ständiga hotet av antibiotikaresistens krävs det andra alternativ till prevention. Tranbär är en nordamerikansk frukt som förekommer i olika former; tranbärsjuice, tranbärskapslar, tranbärspulver eller tranbärscocktails och som används som alternativ behandling. På grund av anatomiska skillnader, där kvinnans urinrör är närmre anus, är kvinnor överrepresenterade i studier om urinvägsinfektion. Syfte: Syftet var att med hjälp av studier undersöka om det går att förebygga urinvägsinfektioner, med fokus på äldre, med hjälp av tranbär och redogöra för andra effekter av dess behandling. Metod: En kvantitativ litteraturstudie med artiklar hämtade från CINAHL och PubMed, internationella databaser för forskning inom medicin och omvårdnad. Artiklarna granskades med SBU:s (statens beredning för medicinsk och social utvärdering) mall för kvalitetsgranskning.  Resultat: Resultatet av denna studie visar på att tranbär uppvisar effekt i prevention av urinvägsinfektioner i jämförelse med placebo eller annan intervention. Enstaka studier påvisar ett icke signifikant resultat trots en viss minskning i incidensen av urinvägsinfektioner. Speciellt god effekt har tranbär på Escherichia coli (E. coli bakterier) och dess vidhäftningsförmåga. Tranbär påverkar E. coli bakteriens fimbrier och försvårar därmed vidhäftningen. Till följd av tranbärsintervention rapporteras minskad användning av antibiotika.  Konklusion: Tranbärets effekt har uppvisat flera positiva resultat och är ett alternativ som är värt att överväga. Tranbär är ett billigare alternativ som kan ersätta kontinuerliga doser av antibiotika och det medför inte samma mängd biverkningar. Om det dessutom används som tillägg till antibiotikabehandling kan det minska antalet antibiotikaförskrivningar vilket på lång sikt minskar utvecklingen av antibiotikaresistens. Tranbär kan rekommenderas till äldre för att förebygga och behandla urinvägsinfektioner. / Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common bacterial infection in nursing homes. Today it is usually treated with antibiotics but with the constant threat of antibiotic resistance other alternatives to prevention are required. Cranberries are a North American fruit that comes in various forms; cranberry juice, cranberry capsules, cranberry powder or cranberry cocktails. Due to anatomical differences, where the woman's urethra is closer to the anus, women are overrepresented in studies of urinary tract infections. Aim: The aim was to examine with the help of studies whether it is possible to prevent urinary tract infections, with focus on older care recipients, with the help of cranberries and account for other effects of its treatment. Method: A quantitative literature review with articles taken from CINAHL and PubMed, international databases for research in medicine and nursing. The articles were reviewed with SBU's (the Swedish Agency for Medical and Social Evaluation) criteria for quality review. Results: The results of this study show that cranberry demonstrates an effect in the prevention of urinary tract infections in comparison to placebo or other interventions. A few of the studies show a non-significant result despite some reduction in the incidence of urinary tract infections. Cranberry has particularly good effect on Escherichia coli (E. coli bacteria) and its adhesion. Cranberries affects the fimbriae of E. coli bacteria to make adhesion more difficult. Less use of antibiotics is reported after intake of cranberry. Conclusion: The effect of cranberry has shown several positive results and is an option worth considering. Cranberries can be seen as an unnecessary cost but could replace continuous doses of antibiotics. Cranberries are also a cheaper alternative and they do not cause the same amount of side effects as antibiotics. If it is used as a supplement to antibiotic treatment, it may not be necessary to prescribe antibiotics, which in long-term reduces the development of antibiotic resistance. Cranberry can be recommended to elderly for prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections.