Mitigation of carbon using Atriplex nummularia revegetation

The use of abandoned or marginally productive land to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions may avoid competition with food and water production. Atriplex nummularia Lindl. is a perennial shrub commonly established for livestock forage on saline land, however, its potential for carbon mitigation has not been systematically evaluated. Similarly, although revegetation is an allowable activity to mitigate carbon within Article 3.4 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's Kyoto Protocol, there is a paucity of information on rates of carbon mitigation in soils and biomass through this mechanism. For six sites where A. nummularia had been established across southern Australia four were used to assess changes in soil carbon storage and four were used to develop biomass carbon sequestration estimates. A generalised allometric equation for above and below ground biomass was developed, with a simple crown volume index explaining 81% of the variation in total biomass. There were no significant differences in soil organic carbon storage to 0.3 m or 2 m depth compared to existing agricultural land-use. Between 2.2 and 8.3 Mg C ha−1 or 0.2–0.6 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 was sequestered in above and below ground biomass and this translates to potential total sequestration of 1.1–3.6 Tg C yr−1 on saline land across Australia. Carbon income and forage grazing may thus provide a means to finance the stabilization of compromised land

Seasonal changes in photosynthesis of the non-astringent persimmon cultivar Fuyu in subtropical Australia

Seasonal changes in net carbon dioxide assimilation (A) were measured over 2 season in a high-yielding ‘Fuyu’ orchard at Palmwoods, Queensland, Australia. Similar patterns of A were recorded in both seasons with only one peak, occurring between 8-11 weeks after full bloom. The peak in A appears to coincide with the period of maximum root growth and stage II of fruit growth. A rates were positively correlated with leaf N (r = 0.85, P<0.05), and moderately negatively correlated with leaf starch (r = -0.82, P <0.05) and specific leaf weight (r = -0.58, P<0.05), indicating an inhibitory feedback mechanism. Specific leaf weight and leaf starch were highly positively correlated (r=0.92, P<0.05). The study suggests that maintaining leaf N within a desirable critical range may be important for maximising fruit growth and for the accumulation of starch reserves for next season crop

Factors affecting blemishing of persimmon in New Zealand and Australia

Blemishing is a major quality defect of persimmon both in Australia and New Zealand. Several studies were conducted on the incidence and development of blemish in 4 well-managed orchards in both countries. Over 10 different types of blemishing were identified and documented. Of the blemishes identified, wind rub caused the greatest reduction in marketable fruit. The occurrence of this disorder was 5 times higher in Australia than in New Zealand in spite of windrun in New Zealand being 2–2.5 time higher than in Australia. The lower incidence of wind rub in New Zealand appears to be due to the use of Y trellising, whereas, in Australia, trees are free-standing. The incidence of sunburn varied markedly with season. The incidence of this disorder was reduced by bird-netting (5-15% shade factor) which is the standard management practise in Australia. Line, apex and concentric cracking were minor problems in most orchards. Methods for controlling blemishing in commercial orchards are outlined

The pattern and control of reproductive development in non-astringent persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.): a review

Non-astringent persimmon is rapidly expanding as a new fruit crop in warm subtropical regions of the world. Most research and development of this fruit crop has occurred in Japan, where there is a considerable amount of published literature on its performance. Much of this information is not readily accessible to other countries and needs to be interpreted and modified for other climatic regions. This paper reviews reproductive events from floral initiation to the completion of fruit growth. The timing and significance of these events is described in relation to the phenological cycle. Method of improving flowering, reducing fruit drop and altering the fruit maturity period are discussed

Teores de carboidratos em órgãos lenhosos do caquizeiro em clima tropical Carbohydrate content in persimmon tree woody organs in tropical climate

Nas fruteiras caducifólias, o metabolismo de carboidratos constitui-se no principal mecanismo que garante a sua sobrevivência no período de dormência, estando, também, relacionado ao seu potencial produtivo em safras subseqüentes. Conhecer a forma como a planta utiliza esses carboidratos durante o seu desenvolvimento é um passo importante para o entendimento das suas relações fonte-dreno e para fundamentar algumas práticas de manejo, como a poda e o raleio de frutos. Caracterizar a variação dos teores de amido e de carboidratos solúveis totais em órgãos lenhosos do caquizeiro (Diospyros kaki L.), no decorrer do seu desenvolvimento fenológico, foi o objeto de investigação do presente estudo. O trabalho foi conduzido em um pomar de caquizeiros localizado na área experimental da Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" (ESALQ), em Piracicaba, Estado de São Paulo, durante o ciclo 2002/2003. A fenologia das plantas foi caracterizada pelo período de ocorrência e duração do alongamento dos ramos, florescimento, desenvolvimento dos frutos e das folhas e do abortamento natural de frutos. A variação dos teores desses carboidratos em ramos e em raízes foi analisada tendo por base os diferentes estádios fenológicos. Ocorreram variações significativas no teor desses carboidratos no período de estudo. A mobilização do amido nos ramos teve grande importância na sustentação de um novo ciclo de brotações. O maior consumo de amido ocorreu durante a abscisão foliar, e a reposição no seu estoque, nos ramos e nas raízes ocorreu, principalmente, entre o florescimento e a abscisão foliar.<br>In deciduous fruit trees, the carbohydrate's metabolism are recognized as the main mechanism that ensures their survival during the rest period. Besides it, the very same metabolism is related to the productive potential in subsequent harvest seasons. Knowing how the plants use those carbohydrates during their development and growth is an important step in the right direction to understand the relation source-drain more effectively along with building up the fundamentals of some handling practices, for instance, the pruning and fruit thinning. The objective of the present study was to characterize how the total soluble sugars content and the starch vary in woody organs of the persimmon tree (Diospyros kaki L) in elapsing of its phenological development. This study was carried out in the experimental area of the Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" (ESALQ) in Piracicaba - SP, during the cycle 2002/2003. The phenology of persimmon tree was described by the occurrence period and prolongation of shoot growth, flowering, fruit growth, leaf expansion and natural abortion of fruits. The carbohydrates content in stems and roots were analyzed based on different phenological stages. The results showed a significant variation in the starch and total soluble sugars content in the sampled organs. The starch's mobilization in stems was of foremost importance to sustain the beginning of a new growing cycle. It is worth mentioning that the consumption of starch was increased during the leaf fall and therefore a replacement in its stock took place, not only in the stems but also in the roots, during the flowering and the leaf abscission