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Mechanical behavior of catching surfaces used for fruit harvesting
59-64.Views:272Various fruit gathering devices are important part of tree shakers used in fruit harvesting. The catching surface is generally used in the form of a stretched thin sheet interacting with the falling fruit. This interaction depends on many factors such as the shape and mass of the fruit, the falling height and the mechanical properties of the catching material.
In recent investigation different canvas, composite and silk materials were selected and their mechanical behavior was experimentally determined. Using the energy conservation principle, the main impact characteristics of the falling fruit was derived and used. Static and dynamic loading tests were carried out using spherical intenders and artificial fruits. Investigations have shown that, using the appropriate material characteristics, the catching surface can serve as a cushioning material and it can considerably reduce the impact stresses in the falling fruits.
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Impact of boron foliar fertilization on annual fluctuation of B in sweet cherry leaves and fruit quality
27-30.Views:1159The goal of the study was to examine response of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) to boron (B) fertilization. The experiment was conducted during 2005-2007 in West Hungary on mature cv. `Germersdorfi 3' grafted on Prunus mahaleb rootstock.
Sweet cherry trees planted on a calcareous chernozem soil. Trees were foliar-fertilized with B. Foliar B sprays were performed: (1) in the spring, at the stage of white bud, beginning of flowering (B1), and (2) repeated 5 weeks after full bloom (B2). In each of spring spray treatments, B was applied at a rate of 0.15 kg ha-I. Trees untreated with B served as a control.
The results showed that B fertilization had effect on B concentration in leaf tissues, mostly after ripening. B was present significantly higher amount in leaf in treated samples after ripening.
Mean fruit weight was slightly increased by B fertilization. Fruit sensitivity to cracking was not influenced by B fertilization. Nevertheless, from our data it can be conclude that the sensitivity of fruit to cracking is improved when the fruit is riper, the fruit density and fruit weight are higher. The soluble solids varied between 15.0 and 15.9% according to the treatments. Our results for the monosaccharides investigated varied between 5.1 and 7.2 as glucose and fructose as well. Galactose and sucrose was detected very small amount in the unprocessed cherries. Applied B treatments increased sugar contents but decreased organic acid contents in sweet cherry fruits.
It is concluded that under conditions of this experiment, B fertilization can be recommended in sweet cherry culture to improve fruit quality and their appearance.
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Assessment of fruit firmness of pepper using non-destructive physical measurements, in response to different growing and pruning technologies
59-62.Views:244The European market demands vegetable products of the highest quality and this commercial quality must be maintained till the goods reach the customer. One of these important quality parameters is the fruit firmness of pepper.
The experiments were aimed at to find out the influence of different growing methods (soil or rockwool-based) and pruning technologies (to 1, 2, 3 or 4 shoots) on the yield and fruit firmness of three pepper varieties (HO F1, Karpia Fl and Pritavit F1) which are common in Hungary. Fruit firmness was measured by the non-destructive impact method.
On the basis of the results, in unheated forcing the pruning to 1, 2 or 3 shoots can be suggested for all three varieties, as well as the utilisation of rockwool in their growing.
The non-destructive impact method has been found suitable for testing the fruit firmness of pepper varieties. In the experiments involving different growing mediums pepper stands were found to show significant differences, however the different pruning methods had no significant influence on fruit firmness.
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Reproductive biology of Duranta repens L. (Verbenaceae) in relation to its environment
51-55.Views:434Impact of environmental changes (temperature and RH) on reproductive biology in Duranta repens (Verbenaceae) growing at ten different sites of Agra was studied. It flowers throughout the year, with optimum flowering in September. The flowers are arranged in loose clusters on terminal or axillary racemes. They are either blue or lavender in colour, hermaphrodite, actinomorphic and complete. The plants exhibit floral polymorphism (increase and decrease in number of petals and stamens) and considerable variation in extent of pollen fertility, floral density, insect pollinators and fruit-set percentage. The changes in temperature and relative humidity during the entire flowering period, was found associated with the variation in floral structure, pollen fertility and fruit-set percentage. Based on the percentage of fruit-set during different seasons of a year, there were three distinct periods, namely maximum, moderate and minimum periods. The present paper deals with the comparative view of reproductive biology of this ornamental plant in these periods. During the months of August—November when temperature ranges between 13.7-36.6 °C and RH between 79-89% the plant exhibits maximum fruit-set percentage (68-85%). This was associated with maximum flowering, increase in floral size, and increase in visitation rates of pollinators and higher degree of pollen fertility. On the other hand, with temperature reaching to the maximum (15.1-41.5 °C) and reduction in RH (14.1-41.3%), the percentage of fruit-set was reduced to the minimum (21-30%). During this period, number of flowers/plant, floral size, pollen fertility, visitation rates of pollinators were reduced to the minimum. During this period floral polymorphism was also 'recorded.
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The impact of location, row direction, plant density and rootstock on the sunburn damage of apple cultivars
19-30.Views:1195The effect of row direction (N-S, E-W), plant density (conventional and intensive) and rootstock (M9, MM106 and crab apple) on the sensitivity of 41 apple cultivars to sunburn injury was studied at 6 locations (Derecske, Kálmánáaza, Nagykutas, Nagylapos, Siófok, Tornyospálca).
During the observations the cultivars had rootstock-specific properties in respect of sunburn-susceptibility. Accordingly, the injury was decreased in the order: M9, MM106 and seedling rootstocks. The differences in sensitivity depend on the canopy of trees, caused finally by the growing vigour of rootstocks. Accordingly, the highest value of sunburn injury was observed on M9 rootstock, because this rootstock has a dwarfing effect upon the scion cultivars. Thus, vegetative area of these trees grow very slowly and the foliage is not enough compact to protect the fruit from solar radiation. The size and density of the foliage increased in the order: M9, MM 106 and crab apple seedling as rootstock. Moreover, relationships were demonstrated between the diameter of upper part of the crown, the leaf area, the number of fruits per tree and the injury of sunburn.
Authors categorized the cultivars in respect of values of sunburn incidence: 1. „Not sensitive", II. „Moderately sensitive" and HI. „Strongly sensitive" categories were constituted. Generally, Topaz and Gala cultivars showed low damage (or were free from symptoms), in contrast to this, Golden mutants suffered relatively much. The most sensitive cultivar was Jonica on all the three rootstocks. We searched for relationship between the fruit quality parameters and the frequency of sunburn. Significant correlation was found in the cases of fruit size and the extent of cover-colour. The latter is interpreted with the fact that the best coloured fruits are found on the periphery of crown as a consequence of more intense irradiation.
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Simultaneous impact of the different water supply and year type on processing tomato yield
79-81.Views:381A two year (2008 and 2009) open field experiment was conducted to study the effect of irrigation on the yield parameters and fruit components of processing tomato. Two different treatments were applied: regularly irrigated (RI), irrigation cut-off 30 days before harvest (CO), compared with unirrigated control (RF). The optimal water supply was calculated from average daily temperature. The aims of the study were to investigate the effect of different water supply on yield quantity. The regularly irrigated plant stands gave significantly higher yield, and unirrigated plants showed yield loss.Water supply had strong positive (R2=0.81) effect on marketable yield and average fruit weight (R2=0.78). Linear regression showed, that 46.5 mm more water supply caused 10 t/ha more marketable yield, and 13.4 mm more water supply caused 1 g more in the average fruit weight. The irrigation increased the Brix yield as well.
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Burrowing nematode (Radopholus similis) abundance, distribution and agronomic impact on bananas in Kirinyaga County, Kenya
7-14.Views:144Burrowing nematodes (Radopholus spp.) are the most significant parasites of bananas (Musa spp.) world over. They feed on the root tissue of bananas resulting to toppling disease at the fruit bearing stage. This study assessed the impact of farmers selected agronomic practices that influenced distribution of burrowing nematodes. We also assessed the abundance of Radopholus spp. across four AEZs namely; UM 2, UM 3, LM 3 and LM 4 of Kirinyaga County, Kenya. Purposive sampling was done on April, 2024 targeting farmers that grew ‘dwarf Cavendish’ variety of bananas, those that grew an average of 25 banana stems and those whose farms that were 1km apart. A structured questionnaire was issued to ninety farmers to collect demographic information and to determine their awareness of burrowing nematodes and toppling disease. Soil and banana root samples were also collected to determine abundance and distribution of burrowing nematodes. Data from the questionnaire and samples was subjected to R -statistical software and analysed at p≤ 0.02. The study revealed that majority of banana farmers practised mixed cropping and were not aware of toppling disease associated with Radopholus spp. It also revealed that majority of banana farmers were male and of ˃ 50 years of age. The findings also showed Radopholus spp was rarely distributed in lower AEZs of LM 3 and LM 4 compared to Pratylenchus spp. which was pre- dominantly distributed in upper AEZs of UM 2 and UM 3 in both soil and root samples.
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Influence of environment in electro-chemical quality of tomato
17-20.Views:320The aim of the research was to investigate the impact of different cultivation environments of tomato cultivars, the electro-chemical and the qualitative traits of the tomato fruits. The quality of tomato fruit harvesting was evaluated at the Laboratory of Institute of Horticulture and Viticulture University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna. Two hybrids of tomatoes were tested Belle-F1 and AmaF1, in two locations and two different treatments (open field and plastic tunnels). Model of experimental fields was based on random method and included three replications. Following parameters were analyzed and tested: pH, Rh, P-Value, Nitrates and the content of vitamin C. The values of pH for treatment in the open field and indoor production system were not significant (4.47 to 5.05). For P-Value derived from the two treatments the maximal values were without significant differences, while minimal values were significant. Study has shown also that the highest values of nitrate content (16.34 mg, open field) compared to average value differences were + 0.384 mg or 43.83% higher. In indoor production the nitrate content was lower in compared with plants cultivated in open fields, so these differences were +3.81 mg or 26.4 0%, and highly significant for both levels. In relation to vitamin C content, the highest value was identified in the indoor systemof 298.6mg, with variations from the overall average of 16.43% or + 42.15 mg. The coefficient of variation values for both levels was of 29.96 respectively 27.31%.
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Economics of sea buckthorn production and processing in Hungary
21-25.Views:477This study focuses on the business management-related advantages and disadvantages of sea buckthorn production and processing based on economic analyses. It is the main objective of the authors to identify the expected economic findings in a high standard plantation with different average yields. A deterministic model calculation was performed on the basis of technological processes, using the primary data collected from enterprises dealing with sea buckthorn production. The calculation is based on the assumption of a 10 hectare plantation with intensive production technology (high soil quality (golden crown value: 32 GC per ha), irrigation, high plant density per hectare). The cost and income relations and the long-term return of the plantation were examined in the case of different average yields (12 t ha-1, 18 t ha-1 and 24 t ha-1). Under the economic circumstances of 2016, the planting cost of an intensive plantation is around 4-4.1 million HUF ha-1. In the years following the fruit-bearing stage, direct production costs are between 2.5-3.9 million HUF ha-1, depending on the given average yield. On the contrary, 5.6-11.1 million HUF ha-1 revenue can be reached based on the current market prices, resulting in a gross margin of 3.1-7.1 million HUF ha-1. Under the modelled circumstances, return is realised on the plantation’s costs in 6-8 years. The net present value (NPVr=3.24%) calculated for the 15-year-long life cycle of the 10-hectare plantation is between 151-466 million HUF, while the internal rate of return (IRR) is between 23-45%. From the business management aspect, the advantage of sea buckthorn production is that it provides better income and return at a planting cost which is similar to that of other small fruits and berries. At the same time, the disadvantage of sea buckthorn production is the fact that yields are harvested every two years due to the technological characteristics of harvesting. The negative impact of this bi-yearly yield on liquidity can be eliminated with the so-called delayed planting.
