Robyn McConchie

Promoting consumption of fruit and vegetables for better health. Have campaigns delivered on the goals

Daily intake of fruits and vegetables worldwide remains well below the recommended WHO levels, despite the established health benefits associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. A diversity of policy interventions designed to increase consumption have been conducted in the developed economies around the globe for over a decade, involving significant monetary outlays. The impact of these initiatives remains at best, modest to low, in effecting a significant increase in daily consumption on a sustained basis. Several factors have been identified in both promoting and impeding the increase in fruit and vegetable consumption, including the effects of consumer behaviour. This paper reviews several of the major promotional campaigns from around the world and provides analysis of their level of success, with a view to developing novel approaches for formulating more effective marketing and promotional interventions that will prompt significant change.

Effect Of Nitrogen On The Skin Colour And Other Quality Attributes Of Ripe 'Kensington Pride' Mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Fruit

Summary Near-ripe ‘Kensington Pride’ mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit with green skin colour generally return lower wholesale and retail prices. Pre-harvest management, especially nitrogen (N) nutrition, appears to be a major causal factor. To obtain an understanding of the extent of the problem in the Burdekin district (dry tropics; the major production area in Australia), green mature ‘Kensington Pride’ mango fruit were harvested from ten orchards and ripened at 20 ± 0.5 ° C. Of these orchards, 70% produced fruit with more than 25% of the skin surface area green when ripe. The following year, the effect of N application on skin colour and other quality attributes was investigated on three orchards, one with a high green (HG) skin problem and two with a low green (LG) skin problem. N was applied at pre-flowering and at panicle emergence at the rate of 0, 75, 150, 300 g per tree (soil applied) or 50 g per tree as foliar N for the HG orchard, and 0, 150, 300, 450 g per tree (soil applied) or 50 g per tree (foliar) for the LG orchards. In all orchards the proportion of green colour on the ripe fruit was significantly (P<0.05) higher with soil applications of 150 g N or more per tree. Foliar sprays resulted in a higher proportion of green colour than the highest soil treatment in the HG orchard, but not in the LG orchards. Anthracnose disease severity was significantly (P<0.05) higher with 300 g of N per tree or foliar treatment in the HG orchard, compared with no additional N. Thus, N can reduce mango fruit quality by increasing green colour and anthracnose disease in ripe fruit.

Pre-harvest application of 2, 6-dichloroisonicotinic acid, -aminobutyric acid or benzothiadiazole to control post-harvest storage diseases of melons by inducing systemic acquired resistance (SAR)

Summary Field-grown rockmelon plants were treated with -aminobutyric acid (BABA), 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acid (INA), benzothiadiazole (BTH) or water during fruit development and evaluated for increased resistance against plant diseases or post-harvest pathogens. One experiment was conducted at Camden, NSW, Australia (INA, BABA or water). Two experiments were at Griffith, NSW, Australia (INA, BTH or water). Growing plants and harvested fruits were assessed for disease symptoms from natural infections and assayed for the accumulation of chitinase and peroxidase, two major pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins induced as a result of systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Harvested fruit from both BTH- or INA-treated plants showed a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the severity and incidence of post-harvest storage diseases mainly caused by Fusarium, Alternaria and Rhizopus. However, there were no differences in disease severity and the incidence of rots between using four fortnightly foliar sprays of INA or BTH during flowering and fruit development, or a single spray of BTH, 2 weeks before harvest. Each approach showed an equivalent reduction in storage diseases. Plants treated with BABA showed less resistance against powdery mildew in the field and storage rots from natural inoculum, and lower increases in chitinase and peroxidase activities than those treated with INA. In all trials, an additional post-harvest dip with guazatine [0.05% (w/v)] gave a substantial reduction in melon storage rots. Pre-harvest application of INA or BTH reduced the occurrence of powdery mildew and downy mildew on the leaves. Over the three field-experiments, INA had a small phytotoxic effect causing lesion-like symptoms on leaves and affected plant growth, but not yield, at Camden, when applied during flowering and 2 weeks after flowering. However, INA did not produce any phytotoxic effects in the two experiments at Griffith when applied serially, four times to plants after flowering.

Environmentally‐safe control of postharvest diseases of melons (Cucumis melo) by integrating heat treatment, safe chemicals, and systemic acquired resistance

Abstract The modes of action and effectiveness of hot water treatment and iodine were evaluated and integrated with systemic acquired resistance as alternatives to fungicide for the control of postharvest rots of melon (Cucumis melo). Hot water at 55°C reduced storage rot caused by Fusarium sp. inoculated 24h after dipping. Reduction of rot was partly as a result of host resistance induced from postharvest heat shock, as indicated by the increased activity of peroxidase. However, the germicidal effects of hot water, iodine at room temperature, or hot iodine indicates that most of the reduction of rots occurred when these treatments were applied as postharvest dips. Dipping melons in hot iodine at 55°C was as effective as the commercial fungicide guazatine at 500 ppm. Treatment of melons with hot iodine at 30 ppm increased storage life and maintained fruit firmness to a similar level as that resulting from fungicide treatment. Treating field plants with benzothiadiazole 2 weeks before harvest reduced storage rots of rockmelons as a result of the induction of systemic acquired resistance. Integration of iodine in hot water as a postharvest dip treatment with field treatment to induce systemic acquired resistance gave good control of postharvest rots. Indeed, the total reduction of rots from benzothiadiazole treatment in the field and then a postharvest dip with hot iodine was much greater than the level of control achieved from dipped non‐induced fruit treated with a commercial fungicide.

A single application of Milsana® followed by Bion® assists in the control of powdery mildew in cucumber and helps overcome yield losses

Summary The efficacy of candidate activators of systemic acquired resistance (SAR), Bion® (Syngenta, Basel, Switzerland), Rezist® (Stoller Enterprises, Houston, Texas, USA), and Milsana® (P. J. Margo Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, India), was evaluated for the control of powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) on cucumber and zucchini. Each candidate activator significantly reduced the incidence of disease on both crops in a glasshouse, where spore inoculum was applied to treated leaves. Both Bion® and Rezist® induced increased chitinase activity in plants, confirming their action as activators of SAR. However, Milsana® did not have this effect, suggesting that its mode of action was as a direct inhibitor of infection by spores. In the field, two or three applications of Bion®, at 14-day intervals, gave consistently better results in protecting cucumber plants from powdery mildew. Several applications of Milsana® alone were less effective than a single application of Bion® alone. However, several applications of Bion® adversely affected plant growth, resulting in lower yields. The application of Milsana® before or after Bion® provided effective control of powdery mildew and minimised the adverse effects of Bion® on yield. Application of all three candidate activators alone, on field-grown zucchini did not control powdery mildew, although a systemic increase in chitinase activity occurred in response to Bion® or Rezist®. A greater understanding of the mode of action of Milsana®, and of the interaction between disease load and the timing of activator application(s) may improve the control of powdery mildew.

Photoinhibition and changes in pigments associated with bract browning in waratahs (Telopea spp., Proteaceae)

Summary The relationship between chronic or long-term photoinhibition, pigment changes, and bract browning in ‘Fire and Brimstone’, ‘Olympic Flame’ and ‘Wirrimbirra White’ waratahs [Telopea speciosissima (Smith) R.Br.] was investigated. Plants were grown under full sun, or under 50% shade-cloth over 2 years, with photoinhibition and pigment changes measured in the bracts and leaves at three stages of floral development (tight bud, juvenile open bud, and mature flower). Photoinhibition of waratah bracts was reduced by shading when applied either from flower initiation in late Summer, or from bud expansion in late Winter, until flower maturity in Spring. Outer bracts showed photoinhibition from the tight bud stage of flower development, and inner bracts from the juvenile open stage, while leaves were not affected. Photoinhibition, measured as pre-dawn photochemical efficiency (PE; Fv/Fm), declined in proportion to bract browning. Bracts on waratah plants kept under shade maintained higher chlorophyll, carotenoid, and anthocyanin levels than bracts exposed to full sun, and thus had a more intense flower colour. A significant decrease in bract pigmentation, combined with photoinhibition, indicates that photodamage occurs in bracts exposed to full sun. Leaf browning did not occur, and waratah leaves maintained a higher chlorophyll concentration than bracts in both full sun and shade conditions. Protection from photoinhibition was correlated with the level of UV-absorbing pigments.

Transdisciplinary Project Communication and Knowledge Sharing Experiences in Tanzania and Zambia through a One Health Lens

The project “Strengthening food and nutrition security through family poultry and crop integration in Tanzania and Zambia” brings together animal, crop, and human health specialists, economists, ecologists, social scientists, and practitioners to work with participating communities. It aims to increase poultry value chain, crop farming systems efficiency, and household food and nutrition security and thus requires understanding of, and ability to work effectively within, complex systems. In this context, communication knowledge sharing and synthesis between stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and a range of experiences, perspectives, agendas, and knowledge is a challenge. To address this situation, communication is conceived as a dialog and a participatory process bringing together all stakeholders. This process results in unanticipated and unexpected results that require a high degree of flexibility and adaptability from team members. The paper analyses the approach and aim of the communication strategy developed for the project and the challenges faced.

Seed treatment with benzothiadiazole induces resistance against powdery mildew disease caused by Sphaerotheca fuliginea and increases the activities of pathogenesis-related enzymes in cucumber plants

Summary Applications of acibenzolar S-methyl (ASM), commercially known as Bion® WG 50 [benzothiadiazole (benzo 1, 2, 3) thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester], or Milsana® by seed imbibition were evaluated for their efficacy in protecting cucumber plants against powdery mildew caused by the biotrophic fungus, Sphaerotheca fuliginea.Among the different concentrations of ASM (0, 25, 50, 75, or 100 ?g a.i. ml_1) or Milsana® (10 or 20 ml l_1) tested, soaking seed in 75 ?g a.i. ml_1 ASM for 12 h was the optimum concentration and duration to induce systemic acquired resistance (SAR) without adverse effects on seed germination or seedling vigour. Higher concentrations of ASM delayed the germination of cucumber seed, and longer durations of seed treatment negatively affected the seedling vigour index. Seed treatment with ASM increased the activities of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, but not treatment with Milsana®.The activity of chitinase in cotyledons from ASM-treated seed increased six-fold compared to its activity in untreated (control) plant tissue. Longer durations of soaking with ASM significantly increased chitinase activity in shoot tissues, reaching a peak at 12 h before declining.The enhanced levels of chitinase and peroxidase activity elicited by seed treatment with ASM were similar to those triggered by foliar application of ASM alone, or by seed treatment followed by foliar application of ASM. The application of ASM by seed imbibition significantly reduced the severity of powdery mildew in cucumber cotyledon-disc assays. Increased resistance to powdery mildew in ASM seed-treated cucumber plants was positively correlated with the enhanced activities of PR proteins that are known to be associated with pathogen resistance in cucumber leaves.This research indicates that ASM may be applied as a seed treatment to protect cucumber seedlings against powdery mildew.

Strategies for eliminating chicken manure odour in horticultural applications

Application of chicken manure is commonly practiced in the horticultural industry due to its value as a fertiliser, ability to improve soil properties and relatively low cost. An unpleasant odour is inherently associated with poultry manure and is considered one of the major limitations in applying chicken manure to production land. Odours originating from chicken manure result from a combination of up to 150 compounds including volatile fatty acids, mercaptans, esters, carbonyls, aldehydes, alcohols, ammonia and amines. Odours are mainly generated by decomposition of chicken faeces, feathers, spilled feed, dust and bedding materials. Issues related to odour from chicken manure are associated with three main locations: sites of production and land application and storage areas. Many strategies have been tested for odour management at production sites, however, odour control, associated with storage and land application, are yet to be addressed. Since odour management is one of the major elements of overall environment management in crop production, this review provides an assessment of odour issues associated with use of chicken manure in the horticultural industry with special reference to minimising odour at storage and land application sites.

Nanotechnology in Microbial Food Safety

Abstract Research and development on food nanotechnology applications is rapidly growing, and it is becoming an increasingly important field worldwide. Many of the recent innovations in the global food and beverage industry are related to nanotechnology and have already been successfully utilized on a commercial scale in food processing, production, and packaging including automation. From a microbiological perspective, nanotechnology-based approaches can be applied to enhance the food quality and safety and such applications include but are not limited to the use of nanopackaging materials that improve product storage stability. Nanocomponents with antimicrobial properties that inhibit the growth of pathogenic microbes and activities of spoilage and the detection of food-borne pathogens, such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes using nanosensors and nanomaterial-based assays have been developed. This chapter focuses on the recent advances and future trends in nanotechnology with special reference to microbiological applications in enhancing food quality and safety. Although nanotechnology may hold great promise to improve the quality and microbial safety of foods, there are concerns related to the potential uncertainty of toxicological effects, health risks, and environmental impact of such applications.