Stem Pigmentation in Lowbush Blueberry.

Flower power: Floral and resource manipulations reveal how and why reproductive trade‐offs occur for lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)

Plant reproductive trade-offs are thought to be caused by resource limitations or other constraints, but more empirical support for these hypotheses would be welcome. Additionally, quantitative characterization of these trade-offs, as well as consideration of whether they are linear, could yield additional insights. We expanded our flower removal research on lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angusti...

Suppression of Escherichia coli O157:H7 by Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Using the Lowbush Blueberry Agroecosystem as a Model System

Wildlife as a source of microbial contamination is a food safety concern. Deer feces (scat) have been determined as a point source for Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of fresh produce. The ecological role of the scooped scarab (Onthophagus hecate (Panzer)), a generalist dung beetle species common in Maine blueberry fields, was explored as a biological control agent and alternatively as a...

Impact of Procyanidins from Different Berries on Caspase 8 Activation in Colon Cancer

SCOPE The aim of this work is to identify which proapoptotic pathway is induced in human colon cancer cell lines, in contact with proanthocyanidins extracted from various berries. METHODS AND RESULTS Proanthocyanidins (Pcys) extracted from 11 berry species are monitored for proapoptotic activities on two related human colon cancer cell lines: SW480-TRAIL-sensitive and SW620-TRAIL-resistant. A...

Metal and PAH Concentrations in Fruit of Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. (Lowbush Blueberry) A Comparison Among Whitney Pier, North Sydney, and Supermarket

Characterization of Changes in Polyphenols, Antioxidant Capacity and Physico-Chemical Parameters during Lowbush Blueberry Fruit Ripening

Changes in major polyphenols, antioxidant capacity, and selected physico-chemical parameters were examined in lowbush blueberry during fruit ripening. Polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavonols, flavan-3-ols, and anthocyanins), density, soluble solid content, pH, titratable acidity, sugars, organic acids, and antioxidant capacity were determined in fruits of four maturities: green, pink/red, blue, ...