Introduction. Farm typologies and cropping practice typologies generally aim at seeking determinants of existing crop management strategies. They constitute the first step for setting improvement goals for cropping systems. Though there are a host of farm typology methods, few deal specifically with farmers’ practices, and even fewer investigate the correlations between practices. We propose here a framework for analysing the determinants of crop management, based on a vision of a crop management sequence condensed into logical combinations of cropping techniques. Materials and methods. This analytical framework was applied to the case of Guadeloupian citrus production, using a representative sample of 41 producers. Three stages were necessary to implement our analytical framework. At stage 1, logical and ordered combinations of cropping practices (CCPs), constitutive of observed as well as reference crop managements (RCMs), were identified through expert analysis. Based on measurements of deviations between farmers’ CCPs and RCMs’ CCPs, a typology of cropping practices was next built. At stage 2, the performances of farmers’ crop managements were evaluated using relevant indicators. Finally, at stage 3, constraints – either related to the environment or to the whole farm management – that determined producers’ cropping practices were identified for making, with the stakeholders, proposals for further technical improvements. Results. Crop management sequences were condensed into five CCPs. A technical profile was then determined for every producer, before a multiple correspondence factorial analysis was run. It identified two groups of producers with contrasting technical profiles. The collective analysis of these results pointed out “weed management” as a major constraint on the cropping systems, revealing that the RCM was inadequate in a context of impossible mechanisation. Discussion. Restructuring complex sequences of cropping techniques into five logical combinations of techniques enabled the comparison with a reference crop management. The cropping systems’ constraints and the objectives for further improvements were then set up collectively by the farmers and social stakeholders, along with the researchers. This analysis constitutes the first stage of a process of redesigning cropping systems, and its result provides a sound basis for a participatory approach

Introduction. The avocado (Persea americana Mill.) fruit is sensitive to chilling injury (CI) when exposed to low temperatures. High lipid content in avocado pulp makes it prone to oxidation, resulting in rancidity and subsequent production of undesirable flavours and quality loss during storage. Materials and methods. Avocado fruit (cv. Becon) were treated with 1 μL.L-1 1-MCP for 24 h at 20 °C, and thereafter stored at 4 °C for 21 d under low oxygen atmosphere (3.5% O2), followed by transferring to 20 °C for 14 d to simulate the shelf life. The CI index, firmness, peel colour, relative electrical conductivity (EC), respiration, ethylene evolution, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, peroxidase (POD) activity, peroxide value and iodine value were measured throughout the storage period. Results and discussion. The CI incidence and severity of fruit treated with a combination of 1-MCP and low oxygen were significantly lower and delayed compared with the other treatments. The combined application of 1-MCP and low oxygen treatment was effective and delayed the onset of climacteric peaks of respiration and ethylene production. The delay was associated with reductions in fruit softening and cell membrane permeability as expressed by EC. The results of MDA content and POD activity of fruit treated with a combination of 1-MCP and low oxygen were significantly reduced. Moreover, significantly lower peroxide values and higher iodine values suggested that a combination of 1-MCP and low oxygen treatment effectively controlled the lipid oxidation in avocado fruit pulp. Conclusion. Overall, the results support the hypothesis that combined treatment (as compared with either 1-MCP or low oxygen treatment) was the most effective for alleviation of CI, lipid oxidation stability and extending the shelf life of avocado fruit under low temperature storage

Introduction. Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) is a multipurpose, tropical fruit tree originating in Africa. Although the main commercial production of tamarind fruits takes place in Asia and America, tamarind plays an essential subsistence role in rural West Africa. This study highlights the importance of tamarind in traditional diets of rural communities in Benin, Mali and Senegal. Methods. Ethnobotanical field data was gathered through structured individual interviews, semi-structured group discussions, agricultural calendars and participatory mapping with 220 informants of eleven ethnic groups across four agroecological zones. Data was processed by quantitative and qualitative analytical methods. Results. Tamarind adds vitamins and minerals, as well as the traditionally appreciated sour taste, to drinks and meals. It is consumed daily and year-round by many rural West Africans. Ethnic similarities and differences in food use patterns of tamarind highlight the importance of tamarind in West African subsistence. The results include detailed descriptions of tamarind processing and traditional meal preparations of tamarind fruits, seeds, flowers and leaves. Conclusions. Documentation of local knowledge on tamarind processing and uses is needed to assist local and regional promotion and domestication efforts of tamarind to prevent a further decline in tamarind tree populations. High local use and demand for tamarind fruits and leaves in subsistence should stimulate the development of sustainable production as well as conservation efforts, in order to secure a continued harvest and satisfy local demand for this important traditional food in the future

Introduction. Les aires protégées représentent un immense réservoir de ressources biologiques dont dépendent fortement les populations riveraines. La non-prise en compte des savoirs locaux constitue souvent un frein aux politiques de conservation et d’utilisation durable de la biodiversité dans ces aires. La réserve de Pama, située en zone soudanienne au sud-est du Burkina Faso, est un bon exemple de la divergence existant entre les besoins d’autosubsistance des populations riveraines et la nécessité de conserver la biodiversité. L’évaluation de l’importance socio-économique de cette réserve pour les populations riveraines pourrait permettre de mieux adapter la stratégie de gestion des ressources naturelles. Matériel et méthodes. Des enquêtes ethnobotaniques ont été menées en se basant sur des interviews individuelles. Les informations obtenues à partir de l’interrogation de 30 personnes ressources ont permis (1) de recenser les différentes utilisations faites de la réserve par les populations locales ainsi que l’impact de ces utilisations sur la flore et (2) d’évaluer la perception des villageois sur la façon de gérer les ressources de leur forêt. Résultats. Un total de 58 espèces végétales de la réserve, soit plus de 15 % de la flore locale, fournissent diverses ressources aux populations riveraines, dont du matériel de construction (90 % de réponses), des plantes médicinales (73,33 %), des plantes alimentaires (73,33 %), etc. Les espèces végétales les plus sollicitées se sont révélées être entre autres Vitellaria paradoxa (80 %), Parkia biglobosa (66,67 %), Diospyros mespiliformis (33,33 %), Gardenia erubescens (33,33 %), Lannea microcarpa (33,33 %), Tamarindus indica (33,33 %), Andropogon gayanus (26,67 %) et A. chinensis (26,67 %) Certaines de ces espèces se sont révélées de plus en plus rares du fait de la dégradation des conditions climatiques, de l’exploitation abusive de bois vert et de l’appauvrissement des sols. Conclusion. L’étude que nous avons menée sur la réserve de Pama nous conduit à préconiser un renforcement des mesures de protection de l’environnement par l’implication des populations riveraines. Par ailleurs, la plantation en champ d’espèces utiles en voie de raréfaction serait une action apte à limiter la pression d’exploitation sur la réserve

Introduction The effect of temperature on the stability of three purified anthocyanin sources in a soft drink (pH 3, 10 °Brix) stored at (4, 20, 30 and 50) °C for 60 days was investigated. Materials and methods. Anthocyanins from Andean blackberries (Rubus glaucus Benth.), açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and black carrot (Daucus carota L.) were purified and concentrated on a laboratory scale by adsorption to a styrene divinylbenzene copolymer. Two classical empirical approaches (Arrhenius and Ball models) were used to describe the thermal degradation kinetic of these three anthocyanins. Results. No degradation was detected during the refrigerated storage (4 °C). At all temperatures, the degradation rate constant (k) for black carrot anthocyanins was less than those in açai and blackberry (0.42  ×  10-2, 0.77  ×  10-2 and 1.08  ×  10-2).d-1 respectively, at 30 °C). Anthocyanins in black carrot degraded less rapidly than those in açai and Andean blackberry. The activation energy (Ea) for degradation of black carrot anthocyanins was (63.2  ±  4.3) kJ.mol-1, and (66.3  ±  2.7) kJ.mol-1 and (91.2  ±  0.4) kJ.mol-1 for açai and blackberry anthocyanins, respectively, at 20–50 °C. These higher Ea of blackberry anthocyanins as compared with those of black carrot and açai imply that a small temperature increase is sufficient to degrade them more rapidly. Conclusion. Our results clearly showed that anthocyanins from black carrot have a good stability during thermal storage (4 °C to 50 °C) with regard to blackberry and açai anthocyanins. Acylation of black carrot anthocyanins probably explains their greater stability. Acylated anthocyanins have shown to be promising alternatives to the use of synthetic dyes in drink systems

Introduction. Brazil cherry or grumichama is a little-known, underutilized fruit species of the Myrtaceae family; this tree forms part of CATIE’s field collection of tropical fruits. It is native to southern Brazil and cultivated on a small scale in Brazil, Paraguay, Florida and Hawaii. Materials and methods. Fruit traits were assessed among 12 seedling trees of the same source of origin, and the potential of fresh fruit and derived products was surveyed among employees and students. Results and discussion. Fruit traits (total soluble solids, fruit weight, fruit diameter, flesh weight, seed weight and number of seeds per fruit) differed significantly among the 12 trees. Survey respondents rated derived products such as yellow jam, (red grumichama  +  citrus) jam and (red grumichama  +  mocha) jam higher than fresh fruit, red jam, grumichama wine and juice. Conclusion. Grown in home gardens as an ornamental or as a fruit-bearing tree, or planted as a living fence or windbreak, this fruit crop merits a place in tropical and subtropical settings due to the attractiveness of the tree, its foliage and bloom, its tasty fruit, its contribution to agricultural biodiversity, and the possibility of generating value-added products at the farm, household or community level. For fruit production, vegetative propagation is recommended to retain high quality traits

Introduction In Morocco the olive growers rely totally on pesticides to control the black scale Saissetia oleae, although this technique has adverse effects on natural enemies, on product quality and on the environment. However, the pesticides are not used efficiently because of ignorance of the developmental cycle of the insect, and of the periods of vulnerable instar presence. We studied these two parameters. Next, we tested the efficacy of the pesticide and we studied the effect of pruning on the scales as an alternative to chemicals. Materials and methods The seasonal trend of the black scale was studied in two olive orchards near Essaouira, in the west of Morocco, during 2005 and 2006. One of these orchards was subject to chemical treatment in 2007, while two new orchards were selected to study the effect of pruning on the scales. The evolution of crawler and nymph density on different olive tree organs was followed in order to discover their preferences for these different organs. Results and discussion The seasonal trend study showed the presence of one generation of S. oleae per year and the tendency to colonise young organs rather than old ones. The optimum of mobile instar population coincided with the beginning and the end of July. On the organs of the chemically-treated samples, numbers of crawlers and nymphs were highly reduced. The results showed a small-scale infestation in pruned trees compared with the unpruned trees (control). Conclusion. Though the chemical control has good results, pruning remains very efficient and can help improve the control of the black scale populations without harming the environment