Efectos de un sistema integrado de recolección para pequeños productores en la calidad de la aceituna recogida

Small producers confront specific challenges when they opt to produce high-quality olive fruit. Limited resources for investing in harvest machinery and manpower are the main reasons for continuing a traditional harvest method that puts the final product and its economic value at risk. This paper discusses the efficiency of an integrated harvest system as a possible solution to these specific challenges. The system is formed by a newly designed manual harvesting device and the use of a cooling room near the olive grove. Both systems were evaluated to assess their feasibility for optimum conditions before processing. The combined effect of the harvesting method and cold storage on the fruit characteristics (incidence of decay, skin color, weight loss, firmness, respiration, and ethylene production) was evaluated on three different varieties (‘Arbequina’, ‘Picual’ and ‘Verdial’) and four different storage times (0, 4, 8, and 14 days). The results indicate that the proposed harvesting method in combination with an appropriate cooling system offers an affordable alternative for obtaining fruit with the best physiological characteristics.Los pequeños productores se enfrentan a retos específicos, cuando optan por producir aceitunas de alta calidad. La imposibilidad económica de invertir, tanto en maquinaria de cosecha, como en mano de obra es la razón principal que obliga a continuar una recolección tradicional que pone en riesgo el producto final y su valor económico. Este estudio analiza la eficiencia de un sistema de recolección integrado como una posible solución a estos desafíos específicos. El sistema está formado por un dispositivo de recogida manual de nuevo diseño y el uso de una cámara de frío en la finca. El efecto combinado del método de recolección presentado y el almacenamiento en frío sobre las características de la fruta (incidencia de podredumbre, color de piel, pérdida de peso, firmeza, respiración y producción de etileno) se evaluó en tres variedades diferentes (‘Arbequina’, ‘Picual’ y ‘Verdial’) y diferentes tiempos de almacenamiento (0, 4, 8, 14 días). Los resultados indican que la combinación de un método de recolección mecánica y un sistema de enfriamiento adecuado ofrece una alternativa económicamente asequible para obtener frutos con las mejores características fisiológicas

Preenfriamiento y conservación en frío de aceitunas (cv Picual) almacenadas en contenedores con una capacidad de 400 kg

The cooling of olives stored in containers with a capacity of 400 kg risk accumulation of respiration heat and subsequent fruit deterioration. Pre-cooling the fruit to 5 °C before cold storage was studied as a possible solution to overcome this obstacle. The fruit temperature within the containers was recorded daily for 14 days and oil was extracted at days 0, 4, 8, and 14. A second experiment evaluated a rapid pre-cooling procedure at -18 °C for 3 min. No significant alterations at the level of the examined parameters were recorded. The internal temperature of the control container declined and stabilized at around 12 °C. The temperature of the pre-cooled fruit increased to up to 8 °C. The examined parameters showed no significant alterations in either experiment and the rapid pre-cooling treatment did not lead to any visible ‘chill injuries’. A pre-cooling treatment at 5 °C was successfully introduced at the farm of a small producer.El enfriamiento de aceitunas almacenadas en contenedores (400 kg) corre el riesgo de acumulación de calor respiratorio y posterior deterioro de la fruta. Se estudió el preenfriamiento de la fruta a 5 °C antes del almacenamiento en frío como una posible solución para superar este obstáculo. La temperatura de la fruta dentro de los contenedores se registró diariamente durante 14 días y el aceite se extrajo los días 0, 4, 8 y 14. Un segundo experimento evaluó un procedimiento de preenfriamiento rápido a -18 °C durante 3 min. No se registraron alteraciones significativas a nivel de los parámetros examinados. La temperatura interna del recipiente de control disminuyó y se estabilizó alrededor de 12 °C. La fruta pre-enfriada aumentó hasta 8 °C. Los parámetros examinados no mostraron alteraciones significativas en ambos experimentos y el preenfriamiento rápido no provocó “lesiones por frío” visibles. Se introdujo con éxito un tratamiento de pre-enfriamiento a 5 °C en la finca de un pequeño productor

Metal availability and bio-accessibility in water-logged soils: in vitro experiments

Presentado al congreso European Geosciences Union. General Assembly, 2010. 2-7 mayo en Viena, Austria.Reducing conditions of submerged soils were simulated in vitro by keeping various soil samples for various times of reaction (between 1 and 15 days) in sealed flasks and N2 atmosphere under an aqueous solution, 0.01 M CaCl2 containing 1 g/l glucose. Surface samples of soils from urban green areas of Ljubljana (LJU), Torino (TOR) and Sevilla, were chosen. In the latter case, two samples of the same soil were included, before (SE-0) and after (SE-8) receiving a composted biosolid (two yearly doses of 80000 kg/ha) obtained from sewage sludge, often used as amendment by the Parks & Gardens Service of the local Government. A fifth soil (QUE) was chosen from the area affected by an accident where 2 million m3 of metal-rich mine tailings were spilled over the Guadiamar river (SW Spain) and its riparian areas. This highly polluted soil was included for comparison. Values of Eh, pH and several metal concentrations were determined in the solution after each time, and metal availability and bio-accessibility were estimated in the soils after treatment. The metals studied were Fe, Mn and some of those called ‘urban’ metals, namely Cu, Pb and Zn.Peer reviewe

Síntesis y eficacia de formulaciones de liberación lenta del herbicida Mesotriona

Ponencia presentada en el XV Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Malherbología SEMh 2015 “La Malherbología y la Transferencia Tecnológica” Sevilla, 19 al 22 de octubre de 2015[ES]: Se ha comprobado la eficacia de formulaciones desarrolladas mediante complejos surfactante-sepiolita en la reducción de la lixiviación del herbicida mesotriona. Entre las formulaciones desarrolladas se ha escogido aquella que presentaba un perfil de liberación más lento en ensayos in vitro. Al aplicarse en columnas de suelo se observó una lixiviación del herbicida y acumulación con la formulación comercial en los segmentos inferiores a diferencia de la formulación desarrollada, que se correlacionaba con un incremento de la bioeficacia en los segmentos superiores. En experimentos en parcelas de campo, a diferencia de la formulación comercial, no se observó un rebrote de las malas hierbas al usar la formulación desarrollada. [EN]: Synthesis and efficiency of slow release formulations of the herbicide mesotrione. The bioefficay of developed formulations based on surfactant-sepiolite complexes for reduced leaching of the herbicide mesotrione was tested. The formulation with a slower release pattern in in-vitro experiments was chosen for soil column and field experiments. In soil columns, the commercial formulation was leached and accumulated in the lower segments unlike the synthesized formulation, with a higher amount retained in the upper segments which was also correlated with a higher bioefficacy. In field experiments, a regrowth of weeds with the clay-based formulation was not observed, unlike the commercial formulation.Esta investigación ha recibido financiación a través de los proyectos CMT2009-07425 (MEC) cofinanciado por el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) y el Proyecto Bilateral Hispano-Argentino PRI-PIBAR-2011-1393 (MINECO-MINCYT). Carmen Galán agradece la beca Predoctoral disfrutada y asociada al Proyecto de Excelencia P09- RNM-4581.Peer Reviewe

Maternal body weight and gestational diabetes differentially influence placental and pregnancy outcomes

Context: Maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can both contribute to adverse neonatal outcomes. The extent to which this may be mediated by differences in placental metabolism and nutrient transport remains to be determined. Objective: Our objective was to examine whether raised maternal body mass index (BMI) and/or GDM contributed to a resetting of the expression of genes within the placenta that are involved in energy sensing, oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic pathways. Methods: Pregnant women from Spain were recruited as part of the “Study of Maternal Nutrition and Genetics on the Foetal Adiposity Programming” survey at the first antenatal visit (12–20 weeks of gestation) and stratified according to prepregnancy BMI and the incidence of GDM. At delivery, placenta and cord blood were sampled and newborn anthropometry measured. Results: Obese women with GDM had higher estimated fetal weight at 34 gestational weeks and a greater risk of preterm deliveries and cesarean section. Birth weight was unaffected by BMI or GDM; however, women who were obese with normal glucose tolerance had increased placental weight and higher plasma glucose and leptin at term. Gene expression for markers of placental energy sensing and oxidative stress, were primarily affected by maternal obesity as mTOR was reduced, whereas SIRT-1 and UCP2 were both upregulated. In placenta from obese women with GDM, gene expression for AMPK was also reduced, whereas the downstream regulator of mTOR, p70S6KB1 was raised. Conclusions: Placental gene expression is sensitive to both maternal obesity and GDM which both impact on energy sensing and could modulate the effect of either raised maternal BMI or GDM on birth weight

Estudio de suelos de parques y jardines de Sevilla: relación entre diversos parámetros generales de los suelos y los contenidos de Cu y Zn, y efecto de la profundidad en la toma de muestras.

8 páginas, 4 tablas. Aparece publicado en el Capítulo 5: Química y mineralogía del suelo. Trabajo que fue presentado con motivo del II congreso Ibérico de la Ciencia del Suelo que tuvo lugar en Huelva (España) del 13 al 17 de junio de 2006, como parte de la actividad científica de la Sociedad Española de la Ciencia del Suelo (SPCS) y la Sociedade Portuguesa da Ciência do Solo (SPCS).[EN] The urban soils of Seville have been studied within a European project (URBSOIL) during recent years. Relatively high levels of some metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) have been found in the nearest sites to the historical city centre suggesting a definite human influence. In general, a high metal availability has been found, which is a cause of concern. The object of this work was to study the relations between some general parameters in soils (pH, texture, electrical conductivity, calcium carbonate equivalent, organic carbon, N, C/N ratio) and the Cu and Zn contents, as well as to study the effect of depth on and the relations between them.[ES]Los suelos urbanos de Sevilla han sido estudiados en los últimos años dentro del proyecto URBSOIL. Previamente se habían encontrado niveles relativamente elevados de algunos metales (Cu, Pb y Zn) en las zonas más cercanas al centro histórico de la ciudad, con lo que parece evidente la influencia humana en el origen de estos metales. En general se había encontrado una alta disponibilidad de los metales, lo que incrementa la preocupación por este tipo de contaminación. El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar las relaciones entre los parámetros generales de los suelos (pH, granulometría, conductividad eléctrica, carbonato, carbono orgánico, nitrógeno y relación C/N) y los contenidos de Cu y Zn, así como estudiar la variación con la profundidad. Para ello, se han tomado muestras en un total de 32 puntos, a dos profundidades (0 a 10 cm y 10 a 20 cm) en varios parques y jardines de Sevilla, desde diciembre de 2003 a marzo de 2004. Las muestras se caracterizaron midiendo sus propiedades más importantes y sus contenidos pseudototales de Cu y Zn por digestión con agua regia.]Peer reviewe

Effects of the presence of a composted biosolid on the metal immobilizing action of an urban soil

The influence of a composted biosolid from urban wastewater treatment on the retention and solubility of Cu, Pb or Zn added to a soil was studied by batch sorption/desorption experiments, equilibrating both materials and their mixtures with solutions containing various metal concentrations. The composted biosolid adsorbed less Cu or Pb and slightly more Zn than the soil, and thus caused a noticeable decrease in the retention of Cu or Pb and an increase in Zn adsorption by soil-biosolid mixtures, but these effects in the mixtures were not additive for any metal. The pH effects were studied by means of (log metal concentration)/pH diagrams. It was shown that Cu behaviour was different from that of the other metals: the relation between pH and Cu concentrations suggested similar solubilities in the presence of the biosolid and the mixtures, whereas the biosolid-free soil gave data located on a region of the diagram corresponding to slightly lower solubility. In the case of Pb or Zn, the data for the biosolid were located in a region of the diagram corresponding to clearly lower solubilities than those for the biosolid/soil mixtures. It was concluded that the biosolid has little effect on metal solubility when it is mixed with the soil in the proportions used here.Peer reviewe

Effect of an organic amendment on availability and bio-accessibility of some metals in soils of urban recreational areas.

A composted biosolid from wastewater treatment was added to soils of two public parks of Sevilla, and successive samples were taken during one year. In one of the parks, a second addition of biosolid was carried out after the first year. The soil contents in metals (pseudo-total) and their plant-available and oral bio-accessible fractions were significantly altered when the soils were amended with biosolid. Increase of the bio-accessible metal contents represents a deterioration of the environmental quality of recreational areas, where hand-to-mouth transfer of pollutants to children is likely to occur, although part of the metals added might be leached by rainfall or irrigation. The limits established in several countries for metal contents of soils in recreational areas are often exceeded after application of the biosolid. A careful study of the metal contents of recycled wastes is thus recommended before being used for green area maintenance.The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia under project no. CTM2005-02256, and the help of the Spanish Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas under project no. 2004-4-0E-322.Peer reviewe

Trace metal availability in soils amended with metal-fixing inorganic materials

Immobilization of metals by two materials (zeolite, AZ, and a synthetic, carbonate-rich material, “slovakite”, SL) was tested in a pot experiment with two soils from urban areas of Sevilla and two soils affected by a mine spill. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L. Hispanic) was grown in the pots, and metal contents were measured after 31 days in shoots and roots. Available metal was estimated by extraction with CaCl2 (readily soluble), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA; plant available), a mixture of organic acids (soluble by root exudates), and glycine (bioaccessible by ingestion). Neither treatment caused significant differences on plant growth or metal contents of shoots, whereas roots contained more Cu in the SL treatments. Root Zn uptake was reduced in all cases, but reduction of Pb in roots was observed only in AZ treatments of the mine-spill soils. The effects on metal availability were often methoddependent. Decrease of CaCl2 data were observed only in the mine-spill soils. EDTA-soluble metals were clearly decreased by both materials. Bioaccessible Zn were decreased by either material in several cases (but not in the most heavily polluted soil), whereas Cu or Pb data were less conclusive.Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia for the financial support of this work under Project no. CTM2005-02256.Peer reviewe

Variations of metal availability and bio-accessibility in water-logged soils with various metal contents: in vitro experiments

Reducing conditions of submerged soils were simulated in laboratory experiments by keeping various soil samples from urban areas under an aqueous solution in sealed flasks for several lengths of time. A polluted soil from a different origin was also included for comparison. Metals dissolved at various times were determined, and availability and bio-accessibility of metals present in the solid phase were estimated. Although significant amounts of Fe and Mn were dissolved, other metals were released to the solution to a much lesser extent. This effect is attributed to the greater solubility of reduced forms of Fe and Mn, and the small amounts of other metals dissolved during water-logging were related with metals retained by, or occluded in, the reduced Fe or Mn compounds. The amounts of available and bio-accessible metals remaining in the solid phase were significantly increased by water-logging, particularly the latter form. Such increase of metal mobility is likely to favour metal leaching to the water table as well as the transfer of potentially toxic elements to humans during recreational activities.Peer Reviewe