The benefits of integrating agricultural components into silvopastoral systems are widely known, but the limited knowledge about ecological processes in the establishment phase impedes the use of this technology. The objective of this study was to evaluate interactions between fruit tree species and the sward layer under canopies of trees in the establishment phase of silvopastoral systems in M...

Abstract Background Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems, abundant in prokaryotes, are composed of a toxin gene and its cognate antitoxin. Several toxins implied to affect the physiological state stress tolerance bacteria population. We previously identified chromosomally encoded hok - sok type I TA system Erwinia amylovora , causative agent fire blight disease on pome fruit trees. A high-level inducti...

The foundation of many plant-ant mutualisms is ant protection of plants from herbivores in exchange for food and/or shelter. While the role of symbiotic ants in protecting plants from stem- and leaf-feeding herbivores has been intensively studied, the relationship between ant defense and measures of plant fitness has seldom been quantified. We studied ant aggression, damage by herbivores and se...

The reproductive phenology of six tree species, Dicorynia guianensis , Vouacapoua americana , Eperua grandiflora , Carapa procera, Virola michelii and Chrysophyllum sanguinolentum, has been monitored in the Paracou stands over several years. A large variation of flowering rates exists among the species and from year to year. The tallest trees bloom and fruit more frequently than the smallest. T...

Annual yields per tree for ‘Starkspur Supreme Delicious’ apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) trees on nine size-controlling rootstock were related linearly to number of fruit per tree at harvest each year, independent of rootstock. Mean fruit weight was inversely and less closely related to number of fruit per tree when adjusted for tree size (fruit load). Annual yield-fruit count data for 9 years a...

The fungal genus Venturia Sacc. (anamorph Fusicladium Bonord.) includes plant pathogens that cause substantial economic damage to fruit crops worldwide. Although Venturia inaequalis is considered a model species in plant pathology, other Venturia spp. also cause scab on other fruit trees. Relative to the substantial research that has been conducted on V. inaequalis and apple scab, little resear...

Electrocoagulation (EC) is an electrochemical technique which has been employed in the treatment of various kinds of wastewater. In this work the potential use of EC for the treatment of palm oil mill effluent (POME) was investigated. In a laboratory scale, POME from a factory site in Chumporn Province (Thailand) was subjected to EC using aluminum as electrodes and sodium chloride as supporting...

Orchard intensification is motivated by the desire to produce fruit early in the life of the orchard to rapidly recover establishment costs. Intensification is possible using dwarfing rootstocks that control tree size, induce early cropping and produce large quantities of fruit compared to the amount of wood produced. Therefore, this study attempts to compare some yield and fruit properties of ...