Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) Is an Underutilized Crop with a Great Potential

Plukenetia volubilis (Euphorbiaceae) is an underutilized oilseed crop native to the Amazon basin, where it has been utilized by humans since Incan times. The large seeds contain approximately 45–50% lipid, of which approximately 35.2–50.8% is α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3, ω-3) and approximately 33.4–41.0% is linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6, ω-6), the two essential fatty acids required by humans. The seeds also contain 22–30% protein and have antioxidant properties. Due to its excellent nutritional composition and good agronomic properties, it has attracted increasing attention in recent years, and cultivation is expanding. When considering current global challenges, a reformation of our food systems is imperative in order to ensure food security, mitigation of climate change, and alleviation of malnutrition. For this purpose, underutilized crops may be essential tools which can provide agricultural hardiness, a reduced need for external inputs, climate resilience, diet diversification, and improved income opportunities for smallholders. Plukenetia volubilis is a promising up and coming crop in this regard and has considerable potential for further domestication; it has an exceptional oil composition, good sensory acceptability, is well suited for cultivation, and has numerous potential applications in, e.g., gastronomy, medicine, and cosmetics

Vegetative propagation of the underutilized oilseed crop sacha inchi (<i>Plukenetia volubilis</i> L.)

Underutilized crop species have the potential to aid in alleviating some of the challenges faced by the world today; reduced food security and malnutrition, land degradation, and climate change. The incorporation of little-known crops into sustainable agricultural systems provides new developmental opportunities and can increase the resilience of food production systems. However, measures need to be taken to address issues of variation in product quality and access to propagation material. Plukenetia volubilis L. (Euphorbiaceae) is an oleaginous liana native to the Amazon basin. It is of growing economic importance in the food, pharmaceutic, cosmetic and horticultural industries, however, commercial cultivars are lacking and the genetic variation within the species is very high. Furthermore, the majority of landraces of P. volubilis are susceptible to nematodes. In order to attain plants with a consistent quality and yield, vegetative propagation schemes are beneficial. Grafting is an especially favourable technique which enables the selection of pest and disease resistant rootstocks in combination with high-yielding or ornamentally valuable scions. Three different grafting techniques combined with three different systems of protection were tested on P. volubilis and evaluated according to the growth of the scions following grafting. The experiment was carried out under nursery conditions in the San Martín region of Peru, where P. volubilis is commonly cultivated. Regardless of the grafting technique, a 100% survival rate was found for plants covered with a plastic bag following grafting. This result may aid in the further domestication of P. volubilis by providing farmers with access to plant material of consistent quality and allowing the selection of pest resistant rootstocks in combination with high-yielding scions

Zadovoljstvo medicinskih sestara organizacijom rada u domovima za starije osobe kojima je osnivač grad Zagreb

U radu se govori o zadovoljstvu medicinskih sestara organizacijom rada u domovima za starije osobe kojima je osnivač Grad Zagreb. Kada se govori o starijim osobama, tada se misli na one koje imaju 65 i više godina. U radu se naglašava da dom za starije može osnovati i država, ali i jedinice lokalne i područne samouprave te drugi. Nadalje se spominje organizacija rada u domovima za starije osobe, a samim se time spominju i zakonski okviri usluga u socijalnoj skrbi. U domovima se pružaju usluge u okviru smještaja, poludnevnog i cjelodnevnog boravka i sl. Također, tijekom rada naglašavaju se uloga i zadaće medicinskih sestara u domovima za starije te se na općenitoj razini govori o zadovoljstvu radom, odnosno zadovoljstvu na radnome mjestu. Ujedno je provedeno istraživanje u domovima za starije kojima je osnivač Grad Zagreb, a opći je cilj toga istraživanja bio utvrditi koliko su ispitanici upoznati s raznim aspektima njihovoga svakodnevnog rada u domu za starije osobe

Lipid composition of the amazonian ‘mountain sacha inchis’ including Plukenetia carolis‑vegae Bussmann, Paniagua & C. Téllez

Varias especies amazónicas de Plukenetia son fuentes extraordinariamente ricas en ácidos grasos poliinsaturados, en particular en ácido α-linolénico. Aquí se presenta por primera vez la composición lipídica de la Plukenetia carolis-vegae, de semillas grandes y recientemente descrita, y se compara con Plukenetia huayllabambana, dos cultivares de Plukenetia volubilis y un híbrido recientemente desarrollado entre P. volubilis y P. carolis-vegae. Todas las especies y cultivares tenían un contenido muy alto de ácidos grasos poliinsaturados, 82,6-86,7% del total de ácidos grasos, y al menos un 46,6% de ácido α-linolénico del total de ácidos grasos. El contenido más alto se encontró en P. carolis-vegae, que tenía un 57,4%. El contenido excepcionalmente alto de ácido α-linolénico sugiere que P. carolis-vegae puede ser una importante fuente dietética derivada de plantas de este ácido graso esencial y que la especie tiene un potencial considerable para una mayor domesticación y comercialización de sus semillas y su aceite. Se llevó a cabo un análisis de TAG para los dos cultivares de P. volubilis, en los que predominaron el LLnLn y el LnLL, y para P. huayllabambana, en el que el LLnLn constituyó la mayor fracción, seguido del LnLnLn, lo que indica que esta especie de semillas grandes también tiene interesantes propiedades dietéticas.Revisión por pares