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Abstract Background The production and consumption of cherries has increased recently due to consumer awareness of their health benefits, since they are rich in polyphenolics (namely anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids). Global sweet cherry production increased over the last 16 years from 1.9 to 2.32 million tons, with Turkey, USA, Iran, as the main producers. Sour cherry production has been static during the same period at around 1.1–1.3 million tons concentrated in Europe, with the Russian Federation as the predominant producer. Scope and approach This review presents a comprehensive survey of the current literature on sweet and sour cherries, from the origin and distribution of the fruit crop to their antioxidant and health properties. Moreover, possible further investigations are highlighted after summarizing the existing body of knowledge. Key findings and conclusions Sweet cherries are mostly consumed fresh, and are also highly perishable, whereas sour cherries are most frequently processed. Sweet cherries are appreciated for their organoleptic aspects, such as taste, texture and color, whereas processed sour cherries are recognized for their higher bioactive content. Both sweet and sour cherries exert beneficial health effects to counteract oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, modulate blood glucose, and enhance cognitive function. Sour cherries supplementation in particular, has been reported to benefit in recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. The health benefits derived from consuming cherries should increase this fruit tree crop cultivation and improve the agricultural practices and food processing technology to provide consistent and reliable supply of these fruits. Highlights • Sweet cherries production has increased, while sour cherries has remained static. • Cherries contain high level of polyphenolics (anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids). • Sweet and sour cherries exert beneficial health effects. • Among other health benefits, cherries counteract oxidative stress and inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Marshall Islands Program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has completed a series of radiological surveys at Bikini, Rongelap, Utrōk, and Enewetak Atolls in the Marshall Islands designed to take a representative sample of food supplies with emphasis on determining Cs activity concentrations in common food plants. Coconuts ( Cocos nucifera L.) are the most common and abundant food plant, and provided a common sample type to characterize the level and variability of activity concentrations of Cs in plant foods collected from different islands and atolls. Other dominant food types included Pandanus ( Pandanus spp.) and breadfruit ( Actocarpus spp.). In general, the activity concentration of Cs in food plants was found to decrease significantly between the main residence islands on Bikini, Rongelap, Utrōk, and Enewetak Atolls. The mean activity concentration of Cs measured in drinking coconut meat and juice was 0.72 (95 % CI 0.68-0.77) and 0.34 (95 % CI 0.30-0.38) Bq g, respectively, on Bikini Island; 0.019 (95 % CI 0.017-0.021) and 0.027 (95 % CI 0.023-0.031) Bq g, respectively, on Rongelap Island; 0.010 (95 % CI 0.007-0.013) and 0.007 (95 % CI 0.004-0.009) Bq g, respectively, on Utrōk Island; and 0.002 (95 % CI 0.0013-0.0024) and 0.002 (95 % CI 0.001-0.0025) Bq g, respectively, on Enewetak Island. High levels of variability are reported across all islands. These results will be used to improve the accuracy and reliability of predictive dose assessments, help characterize levels of uncertainty and variability in activity concentrations of fallout radionuclides in plant foods, and allow atoll communities to make informed decisions about resettlement and possible options for cleanup and rehabilitation of islands and atolls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two outdoor shiitake (Lentinula edodes) cultivation experiments, established in Missouri USA in 1999 and 2000, produced mushrooms in 2000–2005. We examined shiitake production in response to substrate species, inoculum form, inoculum strain, and inoculation timing, using total mushroom weight per log as the primary response variable with log characteristics as covariates. The significantly greater mushroom weight produced by sugar maple logs compared with white or northern red oak was attributable to the higher proportion of undiscolored wood volume in the maple logs, rather than to bark thickness or log diameter. The “wide temperature range” shiitake strain produced significantly greater yield compared with the “warm” or “cold” weather strains. Both the wide-range and warm-weather strains were stimulated to fruit by significant rain events, while the cold-weather strain was responsive to temperature. Inoculation with sawdust spawn gave significantly greater yield than colonized wooden dowels or pre-packaged “thimble” plug inoculum. The second and third full years following inoculation were the most productive. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The extent of Oregon white oak woodland and savanna ecosystems in the U.S. Pacific Northwest has diminished significantly during the past century due to land use changes and fire suppression. Planting Oregon white oak seedlings is often necessary when restoring these plant communities. Our objective was to determine the efficacy of post-planting treatments for establishing Oregon white oak seedlings on sites characterized by low growing season precipitation and coarse-textured soils. We evaluated the effects of control of competing vegetation, tree shelters, fertilization, irrigation, and planting date on growth of planted seedlings. Survival was generally high (90%), but growth rate varied substantially among treatments. Plastic mulch increased soil water content and increased annual seedling height growth by an average of 56% relative to one-time manual removal of competing vegetation. Solid-walled tree shelters reduced browse damage and increased mean annual height growth compared to mesh shelters and no shelter by averages of 7.5 and 10.9 cm, respectively. Controlled-release fertilizer applied at planting did not consistently increase seedling growth. Weekly irrigation (3.8 L/seedling) increased first-year seedling growth only where mulch also was applied. Seedlings planted by late February had greater root growth by summer than those planted in early April. Soil water management was necessary for best seedling growth, and the improved height growth in solid-walled tree shelters allowed the terminal shoot to grow more quickly above the height of animal browse. Our results indicate effective methods for establishing Oregon white oak seedlings, but these results may also be applicable to establishment of other tree species on similarly droughty sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the potential for forest-farming production of medicinal plants in the temperate hardwood forests of the eastern US, forest floor microenvironments were examined in a chronosequence of even-aged forests and in canopy gaps of an uneven-aged forest in the midwestern US. Measurements of light, air and soil temperature, relative humidity, and vapor pressure deficit were taken on a diurnal basis several times each month during the growing season. In canopy gaps, measurements were taken along transects from the gap center into interior forest cover. Results showed that all of the microenvironmental variables are influenced by stand structure and age and thus influence the growth environment for forest-farming production. Soil and air temperatures were the most stable parameters with greater diurnal variation in air temperatures, relative humidity, and vapor pressure deficits. Light was the most variable parameter measured in both forest structures, ranging from near full sunlight in canopy gaps to less than 2% of full sunlight under the canopies of older forests. Spatial variability of light was very high in uneven-aged forest, and interior conditions were found beyond 8 m from a gap center. Temporal variability in both forest structures was also significant, with daily and seasonal patterns for most microenvironmental variables. Significant interactions among structural. spatial, and temporal variables precluded simple summarization of main parameter effects. With both even and uneven-aged stand structures, silvicultural manipulation would likely be needed to optimize conditions for a range of understory plants that could be produced on a commercial basis. However, the different structures imply different treatments and intensities of treatment, with scheduling being a function of the microenvironmental requirements of specific forest-farming crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osmia cornifrons (Radoszkowski) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) is an effective orchard pollinator. Considering the honey bee population decline in recent years, the conservation and propagation of O. cornifrons as an alternative managed pollinator is important in ensuring adequate pollination of tree fruit crops in the eastern United States. A field study was conducted to determine if nest modifications could reduce mite parasites and parasitoid natural enemies that attack managed O. cornifrons. Paraffin-coated paper liners (straws) were added to create modified nests, and were compared with the unmodified nests (i.e., nests without paper liners). In each nest, we recorded the number of nest cells with cleptoparasitic mites Chaetodactylus krombeini (Baker), and the presence of a parasitoid wasp Monodontomerus obscurus (Westwood). We also recorded the number of cocoons, male pupae, female pupae, and unconsumed pollen-nectar provision masses in these nests. Results showed that using paper liners in nest-tunnels greatly reduced the invasion of natural enemies of managed populations of O. cornifrons. Most notably, the addition of paper liners provided protection from invasion by C. krombeini mites, as the mean number of nest cells with mites were significantly lower in these lined nests compared to the nests without paper liners. A significantly higher number of male and female cocoons of O. cornifrons were recorded in the nests with paper liners. The population of M. obscurus was almost negligible in this field study. These results suggest that using nests with paper liners may accelerate the O. cornifrons population establishment and propagation in commercial orchards of rosaceous fruit crops, and possibly in other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]