The World Saffron and Crocus collection: Strategies for establishment, management, characterisation and utilisation

[EN] Since 2007, the European Commission AGRI GEN RES 018 "CROCUSBANK" action has permitted the creation of the alleged World Saffron and Crocus Collection (WSCC), a unique collection which contains a representation of the genetic variability present in saffron crop and wild relatives at global scale. At present the germplasm collection, housed at the Bank of Plant Germplasm of Cuenca (BGV-CU, Spain), consists of 572 preserved accessions representing 47 different Crocus species (including saffron Crocus) and is expected to increase up to more than 600 accessions by the end of CROCUSBANK action (May 2011). The preserved biodiversity of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) covers a wide range of the genetic variability of the crop and currently consists of 220 accessions from 15 countries: 169 of these come from European cultivation countries, 18 from commercial areas in non EU countries, 26 from regions of minimal or relict production and/or from abandoned fields and 7 from commercial nurseries. The non-saffron Crocus collection currently comprises 352 accessions: 179 collected from the wild in 12 countries of natural distribution, 24 from donations of public and private institutions, 91 from commercial nurseries and 58 acquired from BGV-CU collection management. Here we provide a record of collections, activities concerns and current strategies for documentation, conservation, characterisation, and management of the collection as important tools for researchers with interest in these valuable genetic resources. Many of the results presented in this paper are an outcome of the project "Genetic Resources of Saffron and Allies" (CROCUSBANK, http://www.crocusbank.org). This action receives financial support from the European Commission, Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development, under the Council Regulation (EC) No. 870/2004 establishing a Community Programme on the conservation, characterisation, collection, and utilisation of genetic resources in Agriculture (018 AGRI GEN RES ACTION). In addition some of the activities presented took a long period of time and have been partially supported by the following projects or actions: RFP-1 (Consejeria de Agricultura, JCCM, Spain), 05-172/IA-35 (Consejeria de Agricultura, JCCM, Spain), PAI09-0021-0413 and PBI09-0025-1537 (Consejeria de Educacion y Ciencia, JCCM, Spain), RF2008-0012-C03 (Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria, MEC, Spain), RF2004-0032-C03 (Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria, MEC, Spain). Special thanks to the following donor's institutions: Regulatory Council for the "La Mancha Saffron" designation of origin (DOP, La Mancha, Spain); The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (Denmark); Asociacion de Naturalistas del Sureste (ANSE, Spain); Centro de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agroalimentaria de Aragon (CITA, Spain); MTS Schipper & Elberse (Holland); Botanic Garden Utrecht University (The Netherlands); National Botanic Garden of Belgium (Belgium); Jardin Alpin du Lautaret (France); Frega S. R. L. (Argentina); Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville Geneve (Switzerland); Herbario Sant (Spain); Conservatoire Botanique National de Brest (France); Jardin des Plantes Medicinales et Aromatiques (France); Baby Brand Saffron (India); Azienda Agricola di Di Marco Amalia (Italy); Azienda Agricola IL Vecchio Maneggio (Italy); New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research (New Zealand); Ljubljana University Botanic Garden (Slovenia) and the Afghanistan Government. We thank very much the traditional saffron growers of different countries (Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Iran, Morocco, etc.), associations, companies, researchers, forest rangers and all the people who have contributed with materials included in the collection (for more detailed information see the website www.crocusbank.org). Fernandez, J.; Santana, O.; Guardiola, J.; Molina Romero, RV.; Heslop-Harrison, P.; Borbely, G.; Branca, F.... (2011). The World Saffron and Crocus collection: strategies for establishment, management, characterisation and utilisation. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 58(1):125-137. doi:10.1007/s10722-010-9601-5 Senia 125 137 58

Relation Structure moléculaire - Odeur Utilisation des Réseaux de Neurones pour l’estimation de l’Odeur Balsamique

Les molécules odorantes (parfums ou flaveurs) sont utilisées dans une grande variété de produits de consommation, pour inciter les consommateurs à associer les impressions favorables à un produit donné. La Relation Structure moléculaire-Odeur (SOR) est cruciale pour la synthèse de ces molécules mais est très difficile à établir due à la subjectivité de l’odeur. Ce travail présente une approche de prédiction de l'odeur des molécules basée sur les descripteurs moléculaires. Les techniques d’analyse en composantes principales (PCA) et de d’analyse de colinéarité permettent d’identifier les descripteurs les plus pertinents. un réseau de neurones supervisé5 à deux couches (cachée et sortie) est employé pour corréler la structure moléculaire à l’odeur. La base de données décrite précédemment est utilisée pour l’apprentissage. Un ensemble de paramètres est modifié jusqu’à la satisfaction de la meilleure régression. Les résultats obtenus sont encouragent, ainsi les descripteurs moléculaires convenables corrèlent efficacement l'odeur des molécules. C’est la première étape d’un modèle générique en développement pour corréler l'odeur avec les structures moléculaire

The private sector, international development and NCDs

This article addresses an area that has been largely underserved by the development community, and one in which there is a particularly good opportunity for the private sector to take a lead in making a difference to employees, customers and local communities: chronic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It highlights the extent of the epidemic of NCDs in developing countries, sets out the 'business case' for the private sector to act on NCDs, and gives examples of initiatives by business to ensure that the healthy choice really is an easier choice for employees, consumers and local communities. It makes the case that, to be genuinely sustainable, businesses should be addressing health as a core part of what they do and, by working in partnership - as called for by the Millennium Development Goals - they can make a real difference and become part of the solution. Identifying ways in which this can be done should form a key part both of planning for, and action after, the UN High-level Meeting on NCDs, to be held in September 2011

Matrix-Matching as an Improvement Strategy for the Detection of Pesticide Residues

More than 90% of the pesticides residues in apples are located in the peel. We developed a gas chromatography/ion trap tandem mass spectrometry method for investigating all detectable residues in the peel of 3 apple varieties. Sample preparation is based on the use of the Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe method on the whole fruit, the flesh, and the peel. Pesticide residues were quantified with solvent‐matched and matrix‐matched standards, by spiking apple sample extracts. Matrix effects dependent on the type of extract (fruit, flesh, or peel) and the apple variety were detected. The best data processing methods involved normalizing matrix effect rates by matrix‐matched internal/external calibration. Boscalid, captan, chlorpyrifos, fludioxonil, and pyraclostrobin were the most frequently detected pesticides. However, their concentrations in the whole fruit were below European maximum residue levels. Despite negative matrix effects, the residues in peel were detected at concentrations up to 10 times higher than those in whole fruits. Consequently, other pesticide residues present at concentrations below the limit of quantification in the whole fruit were detected in the peel

The properties of cellulose insulation applied via the wet spray process

Cellulose fibre insulation is a sustainable thermal insulation material made out of recycled paper. It can be installed in open walled cavities using the wet spray method. The isotherm of loose cellulose insulation fibres was determined using dynamic vapour sorption to study their relationship with water. The types of water within the fibres, known as bound and unbound water was studied via a differential scanning calorimetry method. Wet spray cellulose samples were produced with varying water content and subjected to compression, and thermal conductivity testing. Results showed that density, modulus of elasticity, and thermal conductivity all increased with water dosage. The increase in these properties was higher when the material was sprayed with water than when it was dry compacted. These are factors which need to be considered for when applying wet-spray cellulose fibre insulation, in order to ensure the properties of the material are consisten

A review on the properties of cellulose fibre insulation

The building sector is constantly innovating in its use of materials with regards to sustainability. There is a need to use cost effective, environmentally friendly materials and technologies which lessen the impact of a construction in terms of its use of non-renewable resources and energy consumption. Cellulose fibre insulation is an eco-friendly thermal insulation material made from recycled paper fibres. It offers good thermal properties and has a low embodied energy. However due to lack of expertise in its application and properties, cellulose insulation is not widely used in comparison to more traditional insulation materials. The present paper reviews the available research on cellulose fibre insulation, its manufacture, installation, and performance. The paper focuses the physical properties of cellulose insulation, the environmental factors that affect these properties, and possible means of future innovation

Control by Osmotic Pressure of Voltage-Induced Permeabilization and Gene Transfer in Mammalian Cells

AbstractCells can be transiently permeabilized by a membrane potential difference increase induced by the application of high electric pulses. This was shown to be under the control of the pulsing buffer osmotic pressure, when short pulses were applied. In this paper, the effects of buffer osmotic pressure during electric treatment and during the following 10min were investigated in Chinese hamster ovary cells subjected to long (ms) square wave pulses, a condition needed to mediate gene transfer. No effect on cell permeabilization for a small molecule such as propidium iodide was observed. The use of a hypoosmolar buffer during pulsation allows more efficient loading of cells with β-galactosidase, a tetrameric protein, but no effect of the postpulse buffer osmolarity was observed. The resulting expression of plasmid coding for β-galactosidase was strongly controlled by buffer osmolarity during as well as after the pulse. The results, tentatively explained in terms of the effect of osmotic pressure on cell swelling, membrane organization, and interaction between molecules and membrane, support the existence of key steps in plasmid-membrane interaction in the mechanism of cell electrically mediated gene transfer

Recovery of hydroxycinnamic acids from renewable resources by adsorption on zeolites

The aim of the study is to examine the adsorption capacity of hydroxycinnamic compounds (ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, cinnamic acid) on zeolite adsorbents (FAU- and *BEA-type structure) versus Amberlite resin XAD16. The pH and contact time effects on adsorption were evaluated. The adsorption capacity was dependent on pH and higher at pH less than pKa1. The kinetic adsorption is faster onto FAU and *BEA zeolites than onto XAD16 resin. Maximum adsorption capacities were calculated for the target compounds for pH=3.5 by using the Langmuir isotherm model. They reached higher values for zeolites than for XAD16 and are respectively of 139, 122 and 109 mg g-1 for ferulic, p-coumaric and cinnamic acids. Values around 30 mg g-1 were observed for XAD16. Desorption ratios are close to 100 % for *BEA zeolite and XAD16 resin in the presence of ethanol 96 %. The use of regenerated zeolites leads to a loss of adsorption capacities of 30 % for the cinnamic acid and 20 % for the two other acids. It was concluded that *BEA zeolites are particularly interesting adsorbants to isolate the hydroxycinnamic compounds from vegetal extracts

Evaluation and prevention of the negative matrix effect of terpenoids on pesticides in apples quantification by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

The sample matrix can enhance the gas chromatography signal of pesticide residues relative to that obtained with the same concentration of pesticide in solvent. This paper is related to negative matrix effects observed in coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry ion trap (GC/MS2) quantification of pesticides in concentrated extracts of apple peel prepared by the Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) method. It is focused on the pesticides most frequently used on the apple varieties studied, throughout the crop cycle, right up to harvest, to combat pests and diseases and to improve fruit storage properties. Extracts from the fleshy receptacle (flesh), the epiderm (peel) and fruit of three apple varieties were studied by high-performance thin-layer chromatography hyphenated with UV–vis light detection (HPTLC/UV visible). The peel extracts had high concentrations of triterpenic acids (oleanolic and ursolic acids), reaching 25mgkg−1, whereas these compounds were not detected in the flesh extracts (<0.05mgkg−1). A significant relationship has been found between the levels of these molecules and negative matrix effects in GC/MS2. The differences in the behavior of pesticides with respect to matrix effects can be accounted for by the physicochemical characteristics of the molecules (lone pairs, labile hydrogen, conjugation). The HPTLC/UV visible method developed here for the characterization of QuEChERS extracts acts as a complementary clean-up method, aimed to decrease the negative matrix effects of such extracts

Evaluación de combinaciones de aceites esenciales y aceites esenciales con hidrosoles sobre actividades antimicrobianas y antioxidantes]

International audienceContext: Essential oils (EO) are commonly extracted from plants by steam distillation in which an aqueous phase called hydrosol (HD) is obtained. Unlike EO, hydrosol studies have been limited despite the interest of the food, cosmetic and phytotherapeutic industries to find natural preservative alternatives to synthetic ones. Aims: To evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant efficacies of combinations of essential oils (EOs) and essential oils and hydrosols (HDs) of Lippia alba, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Thymus vulgaris. Methods: The EOs and HDs were characterized by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Then, they were screened against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger using the microdilution method for the four first strains and the agar diffusion method for Aspergillus niger. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated using ABTS method. Results: Interactions between essential oils, and essential oils and hydrosols were found to be as microbicide, and for the first time, antioxidant using the fractional inhibitory concentration. When compared with individual EOs, EO-EO combinations diminished the microbicide minimum concentration. Conclusions: The Thymus vulgaris EO-HD combination, in comparison with individual extracts, diminishes by four times the MBC against Escherichia coli and decrease by half their antioxidant capacity.Contexto: Los aceites esenciales (AEs) se extraen comúnmente de las plantas por destilación con arrastre de vapor en la que se obtiene una faseacuosa llamada hidrosol (HDs). A diferencia de los AE, los estudios de los HD han sido limitados a pesar del interés de las industrias alimentaria,cosmética y fitoterapéutica de encontrar alternativas naturales de conservación.Objetivos: Evaluar la eficacia antimicrobiana y antioxidante in vitro de las combinaciones de AEs, AEs e HDs de Lippia alba, Rosmarinus officinalis y Thymus vulgaris.Métodos: Los AEs e HDs fueron caracterizados por cromatografía de gases con detector de ionización en llama y cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas. Luego se realizaron pruebas de detección contra Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans y Aspergillus niger utilizando el método de microdilución para las cuatro primeras cepas y el método de difusión en agar para Aspergillus niger. La actividad antioxidante se evaluó utilizando el método ABTS.Resultados: Se encontró que las interacciones entre los aceites esenciales, aceites esenciales e hidrosoles eran microbicidas y, por primera vez,antioxidantes usando la concentración inhibidora fraccionada. Cuando se compararon con AEs individuales, las combinaciones AE-AEdisminuyeron la concentración microbicida mínima.Conclusiones La combinación de tomillo AE-HD; en comparación con los extractos individuales, disminuye en cuatro veces el MBC contraEscherichia coli y disminuye a la mitad su actividad antioxidante