Effects of Black Leaf Streak Disease and Sigatoka Disease on fruit quality and maturation process of bananas produced in the subtropical conditions of southern Brazil

Banana fruits are harvested at the green-mature stage (pre-climacteric) in order to allow sufficient time for transport and marketing. The time between the harvest and the initiation of the natural ripening process is called green life (GL), which is closely correlated to physiological age. Sigatoka Disease (SD: also called yellow Sigatoka) and Black Leaf Streak Disease (BLSD; also called black Sigatoka) are the main foliar diseases affecting banana production. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of these diseases on banana GL and postharvest behavior in subtropical conditions (southeastern Brazil). The results showed that both diseases shortened the banana's GL when compared to control bananas of the same physiological age. Moreover, fruits from infested plots showed higher values of CO2 (+100% for SD and +300% for BLSD) and C2H4 production (+30% for SD and +60% for BLSD) at the climacteric peak. BLSD caused 40% reduction in fruit weight. Fruits from plants with a high degree of SD or BLSD undergo an altered maturation process. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.MA

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome associated with COVID-19: An Emulated Target Trial Analysis.

RATIONALE: Whether COVID patients may benefit from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) compared with conventional invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the effect of ECMO on 90-Day mortality vs IMV only Methods: Among 4,244 critically ill adult patients with COVID-19 included in a multicenter cohort study, we emulated a target trial comparing the treatment strategies of initiating ECMO vs. no ECMO within 7 days of IMV in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (PaO2/FiO2 <80 or PaCO2 ≥60 mmHg). We controlled for confounding using a multivariable Cox model based on predefined variables. MAIN RESULTS: 1,235 patients met the full eligibility criteria for the emulated trial, among whom 164 patients initiated ECMO. The ECMO strategy had a higher survival probability at Day-7 from the onset of eligibility criteria (87% vs 83%, risk difference: 4%, 95% CI 0;9%) which decreased during follow-up (survival at Day-90: 63% vs 65%, risk difference: -2%, 95% CI -10;5%). However, ECMO was associated with higher survival when performed in high-volume ECMO centers or in regions where a specific ECMO network organization was set up to handle high demand, and when initiated within the first 4 days of MV and in profoundly hypoxemic patients. CONCLUSIONS: In an emulated trial based on a nationwide COVID-19 cohort, we found differential survival over time of an ECMO compared with a no-ECMO strategy. However, ECMO was consistently associated with better outcomes when performed in high-volume centers and in regions with ECMO capacities specifically organized to handle high demand. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

MOUNTAIN BANANAS FROM THE FRENCH WEST INDIES

Banana production is a key economic resource in the French West Indies. It is essential that growers in this region enhance their sales by proposing new products—such as mountain bananas—in response to high market competition from other exporting regions where production costs are lower. The quality of mountain bananas is officially recognised in Europe on the basis of a real taste difference. All French West Indian bananas grown at altitudes over 250 m ASL according to specifications can be sold under the mountain banana label. Mountain banana features can be assessed via objective data. At harvest stage, mountain bananas are denser, bulkier and less susceptible to wound anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum musae, than lowland bananas, probably because of their higher mechanical resistance. Sensorial differences have also been documented in ripe bananas. At the same harvest stage and under identical ripening conditions, mountain bananas have a firmer texture, more intense yellowish pulp, and higher sugar and aromatic compound contents. A jury taste test analysis confirmed the sensorial differences between lowland and mountain bananas. The results of a multisite study indicated that temperature and rainfall during bunch growth are the main factors that distinguish mountain bananas

Multilayer Wound Magnetic Core FEM Simulation Using Apparent Anisotropic Material Model

International audienc

Effects of magnetic core geometry on abnormal tripping of residual current circuit breakers

International audienc

Necrotic leaf removal, a key component of integrated management of

Introduction. Bananas are harvested at the green preclimacteric stage prior to sale. The time between harvest and the initiation of the natural ripening process is called green life. Black Leaf Streak Disease and Sigatoka Disease are the main foliar diseases affecting banana production. Sigatoka Disease (SD) is due to Mycosphaerella musicola, which frequently causes early ripening in commercial banana plantations, considered as an important source of damage. Our work aimed at determining the effectiveness of the removal of necrotic leaves, one month before harvest, on recovering banana quality arising from SD-infested plants. Materials and methods. Banana plants (totaling 80) at the flowering stage were selected in an experimental plot. These plants were divided into two groups of SD infestation levels: level 1 (Severity Index at flowering  25%). We divided each group into two treatments: a treatment with no necrotic leaf removal and a treatment with necrotic leaf removal. Fruits were harvested at the same physiological age, at 900 degree-days. Fruit quality was characterized by weight, diameter, % of ripe fruit in the field and fruit green life. Results. Our results showed that the removal of necrotic leaves causes a reduction in size parameters but leads to a strong reduction in SD effects on the fruit maturity, thereby preventing premature ripening. Banana plants whose necrotic leaves were removed produced fruit with a very long green life. Discussion. Removal of necrotic leaves allows thwarting the negative effect of SD on fruit physiology. This shows that the presence of necrosis during the last month of fruit growth is responsible for this fruit physiological modification characterized by early ripening. Conclusion. Removal of necrotic leaves one month before the date of harvest may be a technique that can limit production losses when the infestation level by SD is high

Impacto de las enfermedades foliares de Sigatoka sobre la calidad del banano

International audienceno abstrac