Olive Tree

A study was carried out on the sustainability of forest plantations established on soils contaminated with heavy metals in the vicinity of the former "Kremikovtsi" metalurgic plant. Soils and forest vegetation near the village of Buhovo (black pine Pinus nigra Arn.) and Lokorsko I (red oak Quercus rubra L.) and Lokorsko II (winter oak Quercus sessiliflora Salisb.) were studied. The soils of the area are geochemically enriched with lead, reaching up to 136 mg/kg for Pb under the Black Pine Plantation. The lowest levels of assimilation have the red oak leaves, as evidenced by the analysis of the heavy metals content: Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd and the biological absorption coefficient Ah, and it is recommended that for the soil reclamation to be used this tree species.

This paper presents results from a survey carried out in 2005 among 147 olive tree farmers from the Alto Genil River Basin in Southern Spain regarding the adoption of soil conservation and management practices. Olive tree groves in South-eastern Spain's mountainous areas are subject to a high risk of soil erosion and have to incur in high costs of soil conservation. This results in great difficulties to comply with cross-compliance and to benefit from agri-environmental schemes. Our main objectives are to analyse the current level of adoption of soil conservation practices and to analyse which socio-economic and institutional factors determine such adoption. Three Probit models are estimated. Dependant variables are three different soil conservation practices, namely tillage following contour lines, maintaining the rests of pruning on the ground, and non-tillage with weedicides.

Today, pollution of ecosystems from various sources constitutes one of the most significant concerns in our society. The objective of this study is to evaluate the microbiological quality of the Devoll and Dunavec rivers using key indicators to determine their suitability for agricultural irrigation and food safety. The river water quality for agricultural purposes is evaluated through physical, chemical, and biological indicators. It is estimated that the primary contamination of agricultural products, especially vegetables, by pathogens originates from water. Microbiological indicators are quite important for assessing water quality for agricultural purposes as well as for identifying various pollutants. The present study utilized standard analytical methods to evaluate the most important microbiological and chemical indicators in the waters of the Devoll and Dunavec rivers. Based on the analyzed data of microbiological and chemical indicators such as Escherichia coli, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD 5), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS), the waters of the Devoll and Dunavec rivers are classified as Class 2. These waters are not suitable for food crops to be consumed fresh, where the edible parts are in direct contact with the water, or for root crops that are consumed raw. Overall, the waters of these rivers are considered suitable for irrigating other crops. The study's reliance on microbiological indicators of the waters of the Devoll and Dunavec rivers identified potential sources of pollution, contributing so in determining pathways for improving ecosystems and food safety.

I n order to identify new toxic strain(s) against lepidopteran, the study of 29 crystal-producing B. thuringiensis isolates, present in the laboratory collection, was performed. The comparison of their plasmid patterns narrowed down the collection to 15 representative strains of the different classes. These later were subjected to morphological and molecular studies. The microscopic observation of the crystal produced by each strain showed that 13 of 15 contain one shape while the other two contain two shapes simultaneously. The PCR amplification using specific primers of the cry2 gene allowed to select 6 strains (BUPM109, BLB30, BLB140, BLB200, BLB240 and MEB4) harboring a cry2 gene of the 15 studied isolates. Further molecular study submitted to these strains using bioinformatics methods, PCR with additional specific primers and PCR-RFLP showed that they may have multiple subclasses of gene arranged in operon for some (BLB240 and MEB4) and not for the others. BLB140 was found to harbor a cryptic cry2Ab gene. The SDS PAGE profile indicated that all these isolates produces a 70-65 kDa protein, which corresponds to the typical weight of Cry2A protein, in addition to a 130 kDa protein corresponding to Cry1A protein, found in some (BLB140, BLB240 and MEB4). The Western Blot performed using a polyclonal antibody anti-Aa showed that MEB4 and BLB240 have the Aa protein family, while for the others, no signal was found. Unlike BNS3 and BLB240, MEB4 didn't display a signal of 49 kDa. This band was found to be the result of an extra proteolytic cleavage by E.kuehniellamidgut juice and to be specific to Cry2Aa and neither to Cry1Ac nor Cry1Aa, resulting most probably the resistance of this larvae to Cry2Aa of BNS3. Therefore, the toxicity of the six selected strains was tested against E.kuehniella using BNS3 as reference. It was found that MEB4 presented the high toxicity suggesting that the absence of the extra cleavage may have a positive effect on the global toxicity.

A comparative study of different in the mode of action of the individual Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki BNS3 Cry1Aa and Cry1Ac δ-endotoxins on E. kuehniella larvae was performed in order to investigate the origin of the difference in the response of these larvae to each of the latter. Proteolytic activation was shown to be one of the main steps impaired in E. kuehniella tolerance to Cry1Aa. The absence of two proteinase activities as well as an altered activity level observed in the case of Cry1Aa would be the consequence of proteinase-mediated tolerance of E. kuehniella to this toxin. In situ binding and histopathological effect analyses allowed concluding that the binding of the toxin to BBMV receptors is the key step in E. kuehniella tolerance to Cry1Aa toxin. The latter was slightly bound to apical membranes of epithelial cells that remained intact, whereas Cry1Ac was tightly bound to completely damaged cells basal membranes. The potential involvement of the larval stages in Cry1Aa toxicity was studied by toxicity test and investigation of the various steps of the mode of action. The Cry1Aa δ-endotoxin induced mortality of larvae at high concentrations and at an early stage. Unlike δ-endotoxins BLB1, the δ-endotoxin Cry1Aa shows a significant difference between the LC50 of L1 and L5 suggesting that the L1 stage is more sensitive to a potential toxic effect of the δ-endotoxin. The results of the activation and inactivation kinetics of the δ-endotoxin Cry1Aa by intestinal juice of E. kuehniella larvea as well as histopathological effects investigation, confirmed the presence of differences between the two larval stages. These data were reinforced by characterizations of protease juice content and BBMV receptors in both larval stages studied.

Our aim was to assess the combination of olive tree-related extracts with the most favorable profile of in vitro bioactive properties. We tested the antioxidant (increment of low-density lipoprotein resistance against oxidation), vasoactive (promotion of nitric oxide release and decrease of endothelin-1 production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells), anti-inflammatory (decrease of the endothelial production of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1), and antithrombotic (reduction of the endothelial release of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) capacities of six phenolic extracts and three triterpenic acid solutions (Ps and Ts, respectively). We tested extracts alone and in combination, at nutritional (Ps: 0.05–0.5 μmol/L; Ts: 0.001–0.1 μmol/L) and nutraceutical doses (Ps: 1–10 μmol/L; Ts: 0.25–10 μmol/L). The combination of Ps rich in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol (76%, P2), hydroxytyrosol (95%, P3), and oleuropein (70%, P4) (final nutritional concentration: 0.15 μmol/L; final nutrace...

Since the introduction of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) instruments, there now exists a means of rapidly digitizing intricate structural details of vegetation canopies using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology. In this investigation, Intelligent Laser Ranging and Imaging System (ILRIS-3D) data was acquired of individual tree crowns at olive (Olea europaea L.) plantations in Córdoba, Spain. In addition to conventional tripod-mounted ILRIS-3D scans, the unit was mounted on a platform (12 m above ground) to provide nadir (top-down) observations of the olive crowns. 24 structurally variable olive trees were selected for in-depth analysis. From the observed 3D laser pulse returns, quantitative retrievals of tree crown structure and foliage assemblage were obtained. Robust methodologies were developed to characterize diagnostic architectural parameters, such as tree height (r 2 = 0.97, rmse = 0.21 m), crown width (r 2 = 0.97, rmse = 0.13 m), crown height (r 2 = 0.86, rmse = 0.14 m), crown volume (r 2 = 0.99, rmse = 2.6 m 3 ), and Plant Area Index (PAI) (r 2 = 0.76, rmse = 0.26 m 2 /m 2 ). With the development of such LiDAR-based methodologies to describe vegetation architecture, the forestry, agriculture, and remote sensing communities are now faced with the possibility of replacing current labour-intensive inventory practices with, modern TLS systems. This research demonstrates that TLS systems can potentially be the new observational tool and benchmark for precise characterization of vegetation architecture for improved agricultural monitoring and management.

Background and aim. Olive polyphenols have anti-inflammatory activity, prevent apoptosis by oxidative stress, promote neuroprotection and neurodevelopment, and have antiadipogenic effect in different cell models. The aim of this study was to analyze the possible antiadipogenic effect of olive polyphenols in zebrafish, measuring weight gain, cholesterol, triglycerides and fatty acids. Material and methods. Fertilized eggs were used and incubated in well plates with 26±1°C for 72 hours: Control group in water with dimethyl sulfoxide (0.1%); Intervention group, like the control group, but adding polyphenolic extract (concentration: 100 mg/l). After incubation we proceeded to measure body mass of dry larvae, proteins, total cholesterol, triglycerides and fatty acids.  Results and discussion. No differences were shown between control and intervention group in all the analyzed parameters. These results were inconclusive possibly because we did not take into account that adipose tissue app...

Native Trichogramma-species were collected by weekly exposure of sentinel eggs (depending on availability: Sitotroga cereallela, Ephestia kuehniella, Palpita unionalis) in several olive groves in Portugal, Greece, Egypt and Tunisia from 2002 to 2004. The data obtained suggest a low species diversity of the Trichogramma-fauna in the olive grove ecosystem. T. cacoeciae was collected in Portugal, Tunisia and Egypt. T. bourarachae was collected in Tunisia and Egypt and an unidentified species close to T. bourarachae in Portugal. T. cordubensis was successfully collected in Egypt in a newly established olive plantation near Cairo from eggs of the jasmine moth, Palpita unionalis. The collected species/strains were characterized and compared by molecularbiological methods. Their potential role for use in biological control of olive pests is discussed.

Olives are one of the largest crops in the Mediterranean region, especially in Tunisia. This research assessed the performance of 19 cultivars of olives in rainfed conditions in the region of Chott Mariem during the 2010 to 2013 crop years. Average rainfall for those years was 422 mm in the area. In this study, varietal differences were considered in terms of yield, physical characteristics of the fruit and the oil content. The cultivars examined had their origins in Tunisia, Italy, Spain, France and Morocco. The effect of variety was highly significant (p < 0.05) for all traits. Based on our results, ‘Meski’, ‘Roumi’, ‘Besbessi’, ‘Picholine’ and ‘Lucques’ produced the highest cumulative yield over the four years of study. The largest fruits were given by ‘Tounsi’ and ‘Ascolana’, averaging respectively 7,98 and 6,09 g, whereas ‘Chemlali’ (0,74 g) and ‘Chetoui’ (1,91 g) had the smallest ones. The highest oil content was in ‘Picholine’ (19,62%), ‘Fougi’ (17,42%), ‘Chemlali’ (14,34%...

An insecticidal protein named Vegetative Insecticidal Protein (Vip) produced by Bacillus thuringiensis during its vegetative growth is gaining its popularity as second-generation insecticidal protein because of its lethal effect on insects of class Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera. The research was designed for the confirmation of Vip3 gene presence in soil samples collected from different geographical region of Nepal. For the purpose, 36 soil samples from different places of Nepal were collected. Primers were used for PCR amplification of DNA templates extracted and product size was observed around 1621bp.Out of total sample analyzed, 10% of sample showed the presence of Vip3 gene.

The vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) are very significant in the life of most plants including olive tree (Olea europaea L.), which is of great economic importance. However, due to its wide distribution, especially, in the Mediterranean, it is subject to various environmental stresses, particularly drought and aridity. This study aims to evaluate the percentage of root colonization of olive by arbuscular fungi along a climatic gradient (sub-humid, semi-arid and arid), and to estimate how this varies depending years (2010-2012) and seasons (fall, winter, spring and summer). Results showed that the roots of the olive tree are colonized by arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi under the three types of climate, whatever the season or the study years. Mycorrhization parameters revealed a frequency of colonization (F%) of up to 83%, mycorrhizal intensity (M%) reaching 42% and a rate of arbusculars in the mycorrhizal parts of root fragments (a%) of 4%. Mycorrhizal colonization varies between bioclimatic zones. It is more frequent and intense in the sub-humid climate. Mycorrhiza also varies according to the season; it is more important in spring and slight in winter. This study allowed the characterization, for the first time, of the mycorrhizal status of olive in the northeastern Algeria, and estimate variations of that colonization depending on seasons and climate types.

The infestation due to the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), the key pest in most of world olive groves, has been monitored in six years, from 2004 to 2008 and in 2014, in eight coastal Sicilian olive groves consisting of 'Cerasuola' and 'Nocellara del Belice' cultivars. Infestation was recorded following the classical sampling method based on olive collection and dissection, in order to count live olive fruit fly instars (eggs, larvae and pupae) and exit holes. Four different infestation indexes, all of them calculated using data recorded at harvest, have been used to assess their relationship with the main three quality parameters of the olive oil obtained from the same olive samples processed within 24 hours by quality oil mills: free acidity (% oleic acid), peroxides (mEq O 2 /kg of oil) and total phenols (mg•kg -1 oil). Each year and in each olive grove up to five plots were differently treated with different products allowed in organic agriculture, stopping sprays at least one month before harvest, obtaining different infestation levels. In this study a total of 43 theses were tested, 10 of them involving 'Cerasuola' and 33 'Nocellara del Belice'. The two indexes based on the exit holes produced by mature larvae in olives resulted strictly and positively correlated to the lowering of oil quality. Moreover, among the two infestation indexes based on the occurrence of exit holes at harvest, percentage of olives with exit holes and No. of exit holes per 100 olives, the latter is more sensitive in presence of high infestation levels. No significant relation between infestation indexes and total phenols resulted in our analyses. Nevertheless, when olives are harvested since the end of October to mid-November, and processed by quality oil mills, olives bearing up to 45 % of exit holes produced high quality extra virgin olive oil. Furthermore, all olives bearing up to 62 % of exit holes still produced extra virgin olive oil. Our results, in spite of the widespread prejudices involving an overestimation of damages due to low olive fly infestation, are very close to recent studies on correlation between olive fly attacks and olive oil quality. Late harvesting can lead to worse results at the same olive fly exit holes levels, confirming that timing and quality procedures of harvesting and oil extraction are important almost as much as olive fly control.

The infestation due to the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), the key pest in most of world olive groves, has been monitored in six years, from 2004 to 2008 and in 2014, in eight coastal Sicilian olive groves consisting of ‘Cerasuola’ and ‘Nocellara del Belice’ cultivars. Infestation was recorded following the classical sampling method based on olive collection and dissection, in order to count live olive fruit fly instars (eggs, larvae and pupae) and exit holes. Four different infestation indexes, all of them calculated using data recorded at harvest, have been used to assess their relationship with the main three quality parameters of the olive oil obtained from the same olive samples processed within 24 hours by quality oil mills: free acidity (% oleic acid), peroxides (mEq O2 /kg of oil) and total phenols (mg·kg−1 oil). Each year and in each olive grove up to five plots were differently treated with different products allowed in organic agriculture, stopping sprays at le...

This communication describes a mobile rainfall simulator for mesoplot studies, the calibration tests required for its development, and its performance for evaluating runoff and sediment losses in an experiment on an olive grove under two different soil management methods. The rainfall simulator is based on commercial sprinkles overlapping an effective area for rainfall simulation experiments of 8 x 18 m. It uses a portable power generator, water pumps and five water tanks (of 3000 l each). It is inspired in the design of Sumner et al. 1996. The whole equipment fits into a 700 kg trailer and can be served by a team of three people. In areas without water supply water can be transported in trucks or tractors and stored into the tanks. The calibration tests indicated that the rainfall simulator can provide rainfall intensities from 15 to 35 mm h-1, depending on the number of nozzles used and the water pressure. Calibration tests indicated that it provided acceptable uniformity, an aver...

Background: Olea europaea pollen is an important cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma in southern Spain. For patients allergic to grass pol– len the critical concentration of airborn pollen is 50 grains/m3, but in the case of Olea pollinosis no data is available. Methods: Fifty–six seasonal allergic rhinitis patients (29 in 1994 and 27 in 1995) were included in this study, all of whom lived in Jaen. Daily symptom card were filled in and pollen counts during May and June were performed in both years. A linear regression model was used for analysis of the airborne pollen concentration and the symptom score. Results: Significant correlations among daily counts of Olea pollen and rhinitis symptoms were obtained. Most of our monosensitized patients needed a high Olea pollen concentration in the atmosphere (around 400 grains/m3) to suffer at least from mild allergic rhinitis symptoms. Conclusion: Local conditions with a wide area dedicated to olive tree cultivars resul...

Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai, crops are continuously exposed to soilborne diseases. In many areas of the United States, greenhouse-raised watermelon seedlings are transplanted to the field to allow for early crop establishment and early fruit production. This practice can result in weakened root systems, which potentially make the plant prone to premature senescence and reduce crop productivity. Mycorrhizal fungi have been reported to improve plant growth in many crops through enhanced root growth and function. We hypothesized that amending potting mixes with commercial inocula of mycorrhizal fungi during seeding of watermelon in a greenhouse would improve watermelon production when seedlings were transplanted to the field. Colonization of watermelon roots with mycorrhizal fungi from three commercial formulations was compared with the colonization of onion roots to confirm the efficacy of the mycorrhizae. Two inocula of mycorrhizal fungi that resulted in co...

Two experiments (incubation and greenhouse) were carried out in end of 2018 to evaluate the addition effect of glauconite rock rates on the release of K and some chemical properties as well as the uptake of potassium by wheat plants of sandy soil. Glauconite mineral rates (0, 3, 6, and 9 g kg -1 ) were mixed with 300 g (w/w) soil in plastic pot, and then the distilled water was added to the field capacity of soil and incubation for four time periods (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days). The results indicated that, glauconite rates resulted in significant increases in the available K of studied sandy soil compared to the control treatment. These increases depended upon the application rate and the time of incubation. Additions of glauconite rates and incubation periods caused increases in most soil K forms (soluble, exchangeable, non-exchangeable, residual of K) of the studied soil samples. Also, soil pH values of treated soils decreased with increasing the applied rate of glauconite and incubation periods. On other side, the soil salinity (EC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were increased compared to the control treatment. The dry weight, concentration and uptake values of K were significantly increased with increasing the level of glauconite by wheat plant compared to the control treatment.

Flow cytometry and microsatellite markers were used to determine a genetic fidelity of micropropagated plants from the two Eucalyptus urophylla x E. globulus clones and a Eucalyptus grandis x E. globulus clone derived from adult material. Clones were repeatedly subcultured for 25 subcultures on MS medium supplemented with BA (2.22 µM) and ANA (0.05 µM) for in vitro shoot multiplication. The elongation was performed in MS culture medium supplemented with AIB (2.46 µM) and BA (0.22 µM). The ex vitro rooting and acclimatization phases were lead at the same time. The micropropagated clones showed genetic stability by flow cytometry and microsatellite markers. The results proved that micropropagation, for purposes of rejuvenation, can be a viable technique to generate genetically stable or identical E. globulus hybrid clones.

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) affects 5-10% of newborns and increases the risks of intrauterine demise, neonatal morbidity, and death. In their recent publication, Yeste et al. found the benefits of hydroxytyrosol supplementation on brain remodeling from an IUGR pig model. Additionally, we found a significant decrease in phenolic alcohol (tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol) intake in IUGR pregnant women. Altogether, these findings support the notion that dietetic interventions, through supplementation but mostly via a balanced diet, can ameliorate IUGR complications. Furthermore, diet intervention combined with early biomarkers may allow clinicians to eventually anticipate IUGR diagnosis and help avoid one of the most frequent causes of newborn mortality and morbidity.

Temperature in the Mediterranean Basin, the main area of olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivation, has been projected to rise drastically in the near future threatening olive production. To determine the potential effects of higher temperature on the olive fruiting cycle and vegetative growth, a study with the cultivar 'Picual' has been carried out simulating global warming conditions under field conditions. Temperature-controlled open top chamber (OTC) systems were used to increase the day/night ambient temperature 4 °C throughout the complete reproductive cycle of this species. Three years of study have shown that 4 °C increase of ambient temperature reduces fruit yield and affects fruit characteristics and maturation processes. Smaller fruits, lower pulp/stone ratio, oil yield and anthocyanin contents were observed. The maturation period was forwarded and extended in trees subjected to warmer temperatures. In addition, the vegetative growth was stimulated by the temperature treatment resulting in trees of bigger size.

An isolation method is described which results in the enrichment of Bacillus thuringiensis compared to other members of the genus BaciZIus. This method was compared to previously published methods claimed to have the same effect. We show that our method produced significantly more colonies of B. thuringiensis out of those with a 'presumptive-positive' morphology than the other methods tested. The diversity of the strains isolated by our method was investigated. The variability of the strains isolated suggests that the method does not preferentially select one strain or sub-group of B. thuringiensis over others.

An isolation method is described which results in the enrichment of Bacillus thuringiensis compared to other members of the genus BaciZIus. This method was compared to previously published methods claimed to have the same effect. We show that our method produced significantly more colonies of B. thuringiensis out of those with a 'presumptive-positive' morphology than the other methods tested. The diversity of the strains isolated by our method was investigated. The variability of the strains isolated suggests that the method does not preferentially select one strain or sub-group of B. thuringiensis over others.

A study of plant-parasitic nematodes in the Botanical garden at Ghent University in Belgium revealed the presence of two tropical nematode species, i.e. Scutellonema brachyurus and Meloidogyne incognita. Scutellonema brachyurus was recovered, only once, for the first time in Belgium from Musa basjoo and is morphologically characterized. M. incognita, forming galls on Hedychium greenii, was recovered in all seasons over three consecutive years and is morphologically and molecularly characterized. Although no unequivocal evidence was found to indicate that these nematodes pose a current threat in Belgium, in the light of climate change, it is crucial to improve our knowledge of potential tropical nematode activity in more Northern countries.

This communication describes a mobile rainfall simulator for mesoplot studies, the calibration tests required for its development, and its performance for evaluating runoff and sediment losses in an experiment on an olive grove under two different soil management methods. The rainfall simulator is based on commercial sprinkles overlapping an effective area for rainfall simulation experiments of 8 x 18 m. It uses a portable power generator, water pumps and five water tanks (of 3000 l each). It is inspired in the design of Sumner et al. 1996. The whole equipment fits into a 700 kg trailer and can be served by a team of three people. In areas without water supply water can be transported in trucks or tractors and stored into the tanks. The calibration tests indicated that the rainfall simulator can provide rainfall intensities from 15 to 35 mm h-1, depending on the number of nozzles used and the water pressure. Calibration tests indicated that it provided acceptable uniformity, an aver...

This paper presents some results from a survey carried out in 2004 among 223 olive tree farmers from mountainous areas in the Spanish Southern provinces of Granada and Jaén regarding the adoption of soil conservation and management practices. Olive tree groves in mountainous areas are subject to a high risk of soil erosion and incur a higher cost of soil conservation. This results in greater difficulty to comply with the requirements of the new single payment scheme (cross-compliance) and to benefit from agri-environmental schemes. The main objectives of this study are to analyze the current adoption level of soil conservation practices in this area and to address which socioeconomic and institutional factors determine such adoption. Three probit models are estimated. Dependent variables are three different soil conservation practices, namely tillage following contour lines, maintenance of terraces with stonewalls, and non-tillage with weedicides. Results show a significant increase in the adoption of several soil conservation measures in the last 15 years, especially of non-tillage practices. Some factors positively related with the adoption of soil conservation practices are farm profitability, the presence of young farmers, and continuity of the farming activity by relatives and the use of family labour.

Olive mill technology generates a variety of biomass wastes: olive pits/stones and remaining pomace resultant from olive oil extraction. Solid wastes are also generated during the pruning of olive trees (leaves and small branches). This renewable biomass could be a feasible option in gasification technology. Thermodynamic calculations evaluate the optimum operating parameters of a small scale gasification system. The product gas obtained from the downdraft gasifier has low calorific values: 4.35 MJ kg -1 for exhausted pomace, and around 5.20 MJ kg -1 for olive pits and leaves and prunings. The power system provides 70 kW e and 150 kW th with a biomass consumption of 80-85 kg h -1 . Simulation results show the most important operating parameters are turbine inlet temperature (TIT), pressure ratio (Π) and hot side temperature difference of the heat exchanger (HTHE). High electric efficiency (20%) and overall efficiency (65%) are achievable with such a system.

This paper presents a methodology for assessing the visual quality of agricultural landscapes through direct and indirect techniques of landscape valuation. The first technique enables us to rank agricultural landscapes on the basis of a survey of public preferences. The latter weighs the contribution of the elements and attributes contained in the picture to its overall scenic beauty via regression analysis. The photos used in the survey included man-made elements, positive and negative, agricultural fields, mainly of cereals and olive trees, and a natural park. The results show that perceived visual quality increases, in decreasing order of importance, with the degree of wilderness of the landscape, the presence of well-preserved man-made elements, the percentage of plant cover, the amount of water, the presence of mountains and the colour contrast.

ぉranshumance was one of the main income sources for the inhabitants of Avdella village in Mount Pindos, until a few decades ago. This land use management created a mosaic of different ecological habitats. However, due to urbanization and technology evolution, transhumance was reduced, leading to significant changes for the mountainous grasslands. The purpose of this paper was to determine the changes in vegetation during the period 1983-2003, using landscape metrics. ‒etrics were calculated with Patch Analyst (ArcGIS) in order to assess human impact on biodiversity and landscape characteristics. The analysis showed that changes in land cover during 1983-2003 were the result of transhumance decline and the abandonment of intensive human activities. Landscape metrics indicated expansion of forests and shrublands and reduction of grasslands due to the reduction of grazing animals. ぉhe landscape in Avdella tends to become more fragmented and land use patch distribution more uneven. Land...

El cultivo del olivo actualmente es afectado por dos especies de eriofidos poco conocidas en Argentina. Estos organismos son fitofagos obligados de numerosas plantas, que infestan todos sus organos, excepto las raices; algunos causan danos economicamente significativos al provocar malformaciones en diferentes partes de la planta: falta de crecimiento, acortamiento de brotes, formacion de escoba de brujas, torsion y decoloracion de hojas. Las especies presentes en los olivares de Coquimbito, Maipu, son: Aceria oleae (Nalepa) y Oxycenus maxwelli (Keifer). Con el objetivo de establecer la fluctuacion poblacional de ambas especies se realizo un monitoreo en un monte olivicola ubicado en Maipu, Mendoza. Se seleccionaron plantas con sintomas evidentes de la plaga. Se efectuo, quincenalmente, un muestreo dirigido, extrayendo 30 brotes y 30 inflorescencias o frutos con pedunculo de los cuales se observaron, bajo estereomicroscopio, 100 hojas, 30 yemas vegetativas y 30 inflorescencias o frut...

In recent years, the spread of Verticillium wilt in olive orchards, caused by the soil-borne pathogen Verticillium dahliae, is often related to intensive modern farming of highly productive cultivars, planted at high densities, usually irrigated, and under a mechanised system. The effects of agricultural factors associated with olive orchards were investigated in an important olive-growing area in southern Spain, as tools in predicting outbreaks of the disease. A stratified double-sampling technique was designed to determine the number of olive orchards needed to survey. A sampling survey was conducted from 2002 to 2005 in 873 olive orchards randomly selected, the owners were interviewed for details of agronomic factors, and orchards were inspected for the presence or absence of the disease. Polymerase chain reaction assays were carried out for identifying V. dahliae pathotypes. Pathogen prevalence showed a significant linear correlation with the mean plant density (r 2 = 0.93), associated predominantly with a less virulent non-defoliating pathotype (r 2 =0.96). Overall, irrigation × high density caused disease incidence to peak in super-high-density olive-tree-planting systems. Olive orchards that had V. dahliae, however, did not differ in pathogen prevalence regardless of the olive cultivars. Young olive orchards were significantly more affected by V. dahliae than were old ones, particularly orchards with trees 8 to 12 years old. Irrigation increased pathogen prevalence and disease incidence in very young orchards (<7 years old). The prevalence of the non-defoliating pathotype was statistically high in young orchards whereas the prevalence of a highly virulent defoliating pathotype was high in old orchards.

Olive leaf scab, also known as peacock spot disease caused by Venturia oleagina (syn. Spilocaea oleagina and Fusicladium oleagineum) is the main pathogenic fungus attacking olive trees in major cultivation areas around the world. The causal agent Venturia oleagina is a pathogenic fungus belonging to the phylum Ascomycota, Pleosporales, Venturiaceae, Venturia. The fungus was reported for the first time in France (Castagne 1845). The pathogen has a biotrophic mode of nutrition and causes early defoliation of olive trees, leading to poor growth and fruit yield reduction. One of the main problems preventing interested researchers from working intensely on this pathogen is the isolation process that takes a long time to reach six months to get the pure isolates. Another problem is the inability of the fungus isolates to produces conidia which are considered as the main inoculum source to infect the host plant. Thus, the published papers that studied the fungus at the molecular level are few. For the reasons above, in this study, we proposed a double-step isolation protocol to isolate the pathogen using our innovative medium: olive leaves extraction-Czapek media (OLCZ1:1), with a good percentage of pure isolates obtained, reaching 48% from the total prepared isolates, and decreased the isolation time from six months to about two months. We induced the isolated fungus strains to produce conidia by culturing them in pine needles-based media under UV radiation and conducted the first successful olive infection with artificially produced conidia. Also, we reported the first highly contiguous whole genome sequence (46.08 Mb) of one isolate YUN35 of V. oleaginea. The sequenced genome assembled into 61 contigs with N50 of 1.80 Mb, maximum contig length of 2.54 Mb, average contig length of 0.76 Mb, 11540 genes in total, annotated 9516, and 582 secreted genes, and at least 16 chromosome-size genome was assemblied. The secondary metabolic gene clusters were also identified and located in 13 regions within different genome contigs and compared to other Venturia members. The conducted phylogenetic study based on multi-gene regions (LSU, SSU, ITS, 18S, and EF (TEF1) revealed high similarities with V. oleaginea species from different countries. Percentage of identity between V. oleaginea were 99.9%, 99.15%, 97.97%, 99.8%, 99.32% % in SSU, LSU, EF, ITS, and 18S, respectively. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) clustered the V. oleaginea strains close to each other (one genetic cloud), indicating common ancestry and relatedness to the same genetic pool. This study will guide the interested researchers by introducing a good method to isolate and cultivate the fungus, exhibit some features of the fungus colonies that grow in artificial media, and show the genetic relations between the closest Venturia species, and introduce the method to induce pathogen conidiation to infect the host plant. The described genome sequence and annotation resource will be useful to study the fungal biology, pathogen-host interaction, characterization of genes of interest, and population genetic diversity.

Olive trees have a plentiful bloom but a low percentage of normal fruit set. To improve fruit set, numerous investigations have sought to identify the obstacles that prevent full production. In this work, flower development in five DOP Umbria cultivars (Leccino, Frantoio, Moraiolo, Dolce Agogia and San Felice) was studied throughout different developmental phases, from before microsporogenesis and megasporogenesis to post-anthesis, by morphological and cytohistological observations. Dolce Agogia was the most precocious cultivar, while full flowering was simultaneous in Leccino, Frantoio, Moraiolo and San Felice. Frantoio and Leccino were also good pollen producers, having the highest percentage of pollen viability and germinability. Dolce Agogia can also be considered a good pollen producer in terms of the high quantity of released pollen, but it had the lowest levels of pollen viability and germinability and the highest percentage of aborted flowers and ovaries. Morphological and cytohistological observations on the number of flowers per inflorescence and the number of aborted flowers and ovaries suggest that fruit set was not influenced by the number of flowers per inflorescence, but rather by the number of inflorescences, which depends on the global fruiting potential of the tree.

Ant nests were studied in three olive orchards under different agricultural management located 20 km away from Granada City, Spain. In each orchard, It was monitored the area covered by 60 trees (six contiguous rows of 10 trees each) and five transects of 100 m long and 1 m wide on the alleyways among the tree rows. It was determined

Summary: Seasonal changes of water potential, stomatal conductance and transpiration were studied from May till the end of October 1994, in the leaf of cherry-trees (Prunus avium) grown in the shelter and planted at four tree densities: 100, 200, 625 and 1600 stems/ ha (10m X 10 m, 7m X 7m, 4m X4m and 2,Sm X 2,5m spacing) The spacing treatments did not seem to affect the internal water status of the sheltered cherry-tree. The seasonal pattern of conductance and transpiration generally responded to the leaf water potential pattern. The stomatal conductahe and transpiration in the leaf of the sheltered trees were higher by the end of July, than that of the unsheltered-trees. Stomata seemed to corespond firstly to the increase of Vapor Presure Deficit (V.P.D.) and then to the decreased of the leaf water potential, preventing water loss for both the unsheltered cherry-trees and the herbaceous species. These findings support the concept that the sheltered cherry-trees were less adaptable...

From 2007 to 2008, a new dieback of branches of olive trees was observed in several orchards in central and southern Tunisia. The appearance of this new syndrome coincided with warm temperatures and frequent rainfall from February to April 2007. Affected trees were observed in seven commercial orchards; disease incidence ranged from 1 to 9% and affected trees were randomly distributed in each orchard. Symptoms included abundant dead branches and wilted leaves remained attached. Distinct brown areas appeared on the bark of current-year shoots as well as on larger branches. Cankers on branches that were &gt;2 years old were difficult to detect but were conspicuous in current-year shoots. To determine the etiology of this new syndrome, a study was carried out on samples of affected branches collected from 2007 to 2008 from different areas of the country. Unidentified species of Chaetomium and Phoma were isolated from the margins of the cankers. Koch&#39;s postulates were performed with...

PESTOLIVE (Contribution of olive history for the management of soil-borne parasites in the Mediterranean Basin) is a project funded by ARIMNet, an ERANET action supported by the 7th European Framework Programme and by non-European Mediterranean countries. PESTOLIVE aims at producing knowledge and tools for a new and efficient management of plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) and plant-pathogenic fungi (PPF) in olive (Olea europaea L.) cropping systems and nurseries, while reducing the use of pesticides. Because of the anthropic continuum from Olea post-glacial refuges to Oleasters (domestication) and then to olive-trees (breeding and cropping), the fragmentation of the PPN and PPF communities and of their natural enemies could explain the scattered diversity of the control techniques (especially resistance rootstocks, biocontrol, cropping strategies) developed and applied all around the Mediterranean Basin. The novelty of PESTOLIVE is based on: i) the analysis and the management of the ...

A leaf cuvette has been adapted for use with a pulse-modulation fluorometer and an open gas exchange system. Leaf water potential (*) was decreased by withholding watering from Digitalis lanata EHRH. plants. At different stages of water deficiency the photochemical (qQ) and nomphotochemical (q,E) fluorescence quenching was determined during the transition between darkness and light-induced steady state photosyn- thesis of the attached leaves. In addition, the steady state CO2 and H20 gas exchange was recorded. Following a decrease of leaf water potential with increasing water deficiency, the transition of photochemical quench- ing was almost unaffected, whereas nonphotochemical quenching in- creased. This is indicative of an enhanced thylakoid membrane energization during the transition and is interpreted as a partial inhibition of either the ATP generating or the ATP consuming reaction sequences. Complete reversion of the stress induced changes was achieved within 6 hours after rewatering. In contrast to the variations during transition, the final steady state values of qQ and qE remained unchanged over the entire stress range from -0.7 to -2.5 megascals. From these results we conclude that, once established, electron transport via photosystem H and the transmembrane proton gradient remain unaffected by water stress. These data are indicative of a protective mechanism apinst

Análisis de la actividad ecológica de las arañas en el agroecositema del olivar Manuel Cárdenas Guerrero 11 Importancia del olivar como cultivo El olivo, Olea europaea (Linneo), es un árbol perennifolio, perteneciente a la familia Oleaceae. Esta familia está compuesta por unas 800 especies repartidas entre 24 géneros y distribuidas por casi todo el globo, principalmente en los países cálidos, ya que falta de las regiones más frías del hemisferio Norte. El género fue descrito por primera vez por Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1798), aunque hoy en día por motivos legales se asigna a Linneo. Es una de las plantas cultivadas más antiguas, cuyos orígenes como cultivo apuntan a unos 3.000-4.000 años a.C. en la zona de Palestina (Loukas and Krimbas, 1983, Bartolini et al., 2002). El olivo es el único miembro de la familia Oleaceae con fruto comestible y por tanto de mayor importancia económica, utilizándose además como planta medicinal (Kiritsakis, 1990). Antiguamente también su producto refinado, el aceite, se relacionó con los juegos atléticos, ya que los triunfadores en los Juegos Olímpicos eran coronados con ramas de olivo silvestre y los atletas untaban su cuerpo con aceite de oliva para prepararse a luchar (López, 2001). Es un árbol de tamaño medio, no muy elevado, que alcanza hasta 8-10 m de altura en edad adulta, con copa ancha y tronco grueso, retorcido y a menudo muy corto, dejando ver estas tortuosidades que es planta que puede pasar largamente del millar de años (Loussert y Brousse, 1978). En el tronco se pueden distinguir dos partes, la inferior, más gruesa, al nivel del suelo (cepa o peana), y la superior, que parte de la peana y se subdivide en ramas. En el olivo adulto existe una correspondencia entre raíces y ramas principales a través del tronco, formando los cordones o venas, que le dan al tronco una forma asimétrica. El tronco propiamente dicho es la porción del tallo que se eleva desde la peana y que, a diversas alturas del suelo, se subdivide en ramas. Las ramas que constituyen el olivo se pueden distinguir entre principales y secundarias (Guerrero, 1997; Rapoport, 1997; López, 2001). Las hojas son simples, enteras, de peciolo corto, dispuesto en el mismo plano que el limbo, generalmente lanceoladas. El olivo conserva la copa siempre verde; las hojas formadas desde la primavera hasta el otoño, en realidad persisten en general poco más de un año. A veces algunas hojas se conservan aún por dos años consecutivos. Las hojas son correosas, persistentes durante todo el año, con el margen entero, de un color verde grisáceo por el haz y plateadas por la cara inferior (Guerrero, 1997; Rapoport, 1997; López, 2001). La inflorescencia es un racimo, y cada racimo tiene un número de flores diferente según la variedad que oscila según Loussert (1978) entre 10 y 40. Las flores están constituidas por Análisis de la actividad ecológica de las arañas en el agrocosistema del olivar Manuel Cárdenas Guerrero 12 cuatro sépalos, cuatro pétalos, dos estambres y dos carpelos. Las flores bisexuales o polígamas, se disponen en panículas axilares multifloras, con corola blanca (Guerrero, 1997; Rapoport, 1997; López, 2001). El fruto, la aceituna, era conocida entre los romanos con el nombre de drupa y ha dado nombre a todos los frutos de su clase: carnosos y con el hueso endurecido. En ella se distinguen las siguientes partes: pedúnculo o rabillo, epicarpio o piel, mesocarpio o carne, endocarpio o hueso y embrión o semilla. El epicarpio está unido al mesocarpio, que es la pulpa de la aceituna. El endocarpio está formado por el hueso que protege a la almendra (semilla). La aceituna va experimentando cambios en su coloración al tiempo que engorda. Desde un verde intenso al comienzo de su cuajado, a un verde amarillento según va desarrollándose, aparecen manchas púrpuras al iniciar el envero, sigue una tonalidad púrpura azulada, para terminar, cuando alcanza su madurez plena en una tonalidad negro azulada. Muchos de estos frutos sufren una caída fisiológica en el mes de junio, que puede llegar hasta el 50% de los frutos recién cuajados. El fruto es suculento y muy oleoso de 1 a 3,5 cm de largo, ovoide o algo globoso, verde al principio, que precisa de un ciclo anual para adquirir un color negro-morado en su plena madurez. La composición química media de una aceituna es la siguiente: agua

Large areas in Jordan are planted with olive trees, resulting in the production of large amounts of olive cake (OC) and annually imposing a disposal and pollution burden. This research examined the use of OC compost as a soil amendment and its effect on soil physical properties such as soil water retention and infiltration in terms of depth of penetration and accumulated intake on two soil types: clay (S1) and silt loam (S2). Composting was intended to reduce the harmful effects of untreated OC. Olive cake was added to soil at three levels: 2%, 4%, and 8% by weight. Compared with control (untreated soil), adding composted OC caused significant improvements in soil physical properties considered. The changes in soil properties were, in general, proportional to the levels of compost added. For S2 at the 8% level, the depth of penetration and accumulated intake of water in soil were increased by 36.5% and 34.3%, respectively. For S1, the corresponding increases in the depth of penetration and accumulated intake were 27.1% and 35%, respectively. Furthermore the increase in soil water-holding capacity for S2 and S1 at the 8% level of compost addition was up to 10.3% and 16.5%, respectively.

The genus Galium (Rubiaceae), comprised of approximately 1300 species and used for the treatment of a variety of pathological conditions in folk medicine of many cultures. In this study, antioxidant activities of aerial parts of G. verum were investigated employing various in vitro assay systems, i.e. DPPH and nitric oxide radical scavenging, reducing power and H2O2 scavenging. IC50 for DPPH radical-scavenging activity was 59.6 ± 0.04 μg ml -1 . The extract exhibited potent reducing power at 50 800 μg ml -1 that were comparable with Vitamin C. Also, extract showed very strong nitric oxide-scavenging. IC50 was 1.7 ± 0.01 μg ml -1 . Extract was capable of scavenging hydrogen peroxide in a concentration dependent manner. It showed very strong activity. At 50 μg ml -1 , percentage of inhibition was 92.5 %. The extract exhibited very potent antioxidant activities in all tested models. The total amount of phenolic compounds in extract was determined as gallic acid equivalents (753 ± 21 mg...

This article aims at describing an approach to accompany changes in herd management to increase the proportion of grazed forage in the diet of dairy goats. This research has been developed through collaboration between researchers, extensionists and farmers. The use of grazed forage introduces many sources of uncertainty for the farmers (fluctuating resource, risks of drought or parasite infestations). Therefore, it is difficult to propose a robust technical model that is reliable in a variety of circumstances. This article proposes an approach aimed at making a progressive adaptation of herd management feasible. It is based on a formalisation of farmer practices according to time and space scales and makes it possible to analyse combinations of the various grazed resources in relation to indoor feeding, production management and the epidemiology of gastrointestinal nematodes, used as a model of parasite infections. These representations help in diagnosing the system, identifying the possibilities of adaptation and in discussing corrective actions. In supporting and guiding these innovative processes, researchers and extensionists have to modify the angle from which they observe the situation. This tool was initially developed from data acquired in Mediterranean conditions. However, it might be of interest for other production systems and/or in other regions, in particular for farmers currently involved in intensive systems, who have lost the know-how for managing a grazing herd, but who are concerned by a return to less intensive systems of management in order to fulfil the criteria of sustainable development.

This paper presents the results of our study on mapping the spatial evolution of the land from the modeling process of erosion. This contribution aims at determining rapid changes in land cover and land use and modeling of soil erosion in the study area where we have little data. Analysis of satellite data has identified six main types of land (Land severely degraded, cereal, mix cereal and tree crops, trees, and reforestation) in the watershed of Oued El Mellah north the city of Fez (Morocco). After the loss of soil have been estimated by the RUSLE module integrated into the GIS Idrisi, the results allowed the identification of sectors across the basin where interventions are needed to limit the process of land degradation.

The comparative responses of young olive trees (Olea europaea L. cv ''Chemlali'') to different NaCl salinity levels were investigated over 11 months. Oneyear-old own rooted plants were grown in 10-L pots containing sand and perlite mixture (1:3 v/v). Trees were subjected to three irrigation treatments: CP (control plants that were irrigated with fresh water); SS1 (salt stressed plants irrigated with water containing 100 mM NaCl) and SS2 plants (salt stressed plants irrigated with water containing 200 mM NaCl). Shoot elongation rate, relative water content, leaf water potential and net carbon dioxide exchange rates decreased significantly with increased NaCl salinity level. Under stressed conditions, the increase of Na + and Cl -ions in both leaves and roots was accompanied with that of proline and soluble sugars. The above results show that the accumulation of proline and sugars under stressed conditions could play a role in salt tolerance. The absence of toxicity symptoms under both stress treatments and the superior photosynthetic activity recorded in SS1-treated plants suggest that cv Chemlali is better able to acclimatize to 100 mM NaCl than at 200 mM NaCl. Our findings indicate that saline water containing 100 mM NaCl, the most available water in arid region in Tunisia, can be recommended for the irrigation of cv Chemlali in the arid south of Tunisia.

Olive tree, Olea europaea L., is one of the most commercially important oil crops. A reliable protocol for the genetic transformation of this species has been developed. Embryogenic calli were infected with different Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains harboring pBINUbiG-USint or pGUSINT binary plasmids. These vectors contain the nos-nptII and the uidA gene driven by the maize polyubiquitin Ubi1 and CaMV35S promoter, respectively. Inoculated explants were cocultured for 2 days, and later selected in the presence of 200 mg l -1 paromomycin. The inclusion of a 3 weeks selection period in liquid medium supplemented with 50 mg l -1 paromomycin was critical for elimination of chimaeric calli. Agrobacterium strain AGL1 containing pBINUbiGUSint plasmid yielded higher transformation frequencies than EHA105 or LBA4404. Globular somatic embryos (SE), 1-2 mm diameter, cultured in the selection medium in groups of three, were the best explant for transformation. Using this protocol, transformation frequencies in the range of 20-45%, based on the number of infected explants proliferating in the selection medium, have been obtained. More than 100 independent transgenic lines were generated, and 16 of them converted to plants. Transgenic plants were acclimated and grown in the greenhouse, being phenotypically similar to wild type plants. The uidA gene was strongly expressed in transgenic material during the in vitro regeneration phase; however, b-glucuronidase (GUS) activity in pBINUbiGUSint transgenic plants was neither detected in shoots growing in vitro nor in acclimated plants. Transgenic leaves, however, contained high levels of NPTII protein. By contrast, plants transformed with the pGUSINT plasmid showed a strong GUS activity in leaves. The protocol here described will allow the genetic improvement of this traditional crop.

Clearly indicate who will handle correspondence at all stages of refereeing and publication, also post-publication. This responsibility includes answering any future queries about Methodology and Materials. Ensure that the e-mail address is given and that contact details are kept up to date by the corresponding author. • Present/permanent address. If an author has moved since the work described in the article was done, or was visiting at the time, a 'Present address' (or 'Permanent address') may be indicated as a footnote to that author's name. The address at which the author actually did the work must be retained as the main, affiliation address. Superscript Arabic numerals are used for such footnotes. Highlights are optional yet highly encouraged for this journal, as they increase the discoverability of your article via search engines. They consist of a short collection of bullet points that capture the novel results of your research as well as new methods that were used during the study (if any). Please have a look at the examples here: example Highlights. Highlights should be submitted in a separate editable file in the online submission system. Please use 'Highlights' in the file name and include 3 to 5 bullet points (maximum 85 characters, including spaces, per bullet point).

L’attività dei primi anni dell’Accademia è scarsamente documentata e le uniche fonti disponibili sono le
memorie contenute nel Magazzino toscano e nel successivo Nuovo Magazzino toscano – relative però al
solo periodo 1770-17821 - e le note presenti nella Memoria manoscritta del Montelatici conservata
nell’Archivio storico dell’Accademia. In quest’ultimo diario sono annotate le letture svolte in Accademia
nei primi 20 anni, ma la mancanza di un archivio organizzato impedì la conservazione delle varie memorie
che si trovano disperse in altri archivi e biblioteche.