ABSTRACT1-MCP is a competitive, gaseous ethylene inhibitor, which binds irreversibly to ethylene receptors and thereby blocks effects of ethylene in plants. The potential for 1-MCP to delay ripening in avocado cv. 'Pollock' fruit was examined under tropical ambient storage conditions. Fruits harvested at commercial maturity were exposed to 300 nll -1 1-MCP gas for 20 h under 27± 2 ˚C and then stored under ambient conditions (27± 2 ˚C and relative humidity 65 ± 2%). Fruits were assessed daily for fresh weight, firmness, skin colour, fungal rot development and glossiness. The antifungal activity in diethylether extracts of fruit peel was assessed through thin layer chromatography (TLC) coupled with Cladosporium bioassay. Exposure to 1-MCP extended the shelf life up to 9 days of fruit by 2.2 fold as compared to the shelf life of 4 days of the controls. Stem end rot caused by Botryodiplodia theobromae was found to be the shelf-life determining factor of the fruits. 1-MCP treatment resulted in a significant (p< 0.05) delay in change in peel colour, softening and glossiness of fruit as compared to the controls. Bioassays using Cladosporium fungus revealed the presence of antifungal activity at Rf 0.75 in both 1-MCP treated and control fruits. 1-MCP treatment was effective in delaying the decline of antifungal activity in fruit apparently along with the delay of other ripening-related changes and minimizing losses encountered during storage under warmer ambient conditions.
Climate change is considered one of the most challenging current global issues. Adaptability to changes is considered as one of the two major approaches to face the impact of climate change. This study examined the type of adaptation strategies used by the homegardeners in selected locations of South Asia and evaluated the extent to which the choices of such strategies are influenced by the socioeconomic characteristics of the homegardeners. Data for 368 homegardens in five locations in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka were collected through a household survey. Commonly used adaptation strategies by the farmers were examined to identify the level of adaptability of homegardeners to the probable impacts of climate change. A binomial probit model was estimated using pooled data to identify the factors determining the probability of adoption, considering the tree crop diversity of the garden, ownership of livestock, perceptions on climate
The present publication is the second APN Science Bulletin (2012) to be published in the APN's Third 5-year Strategic Phase, which runs until March 2015, and is a publication aimed to satisfy the keen minds of both the science and non-science communities with an interest in Global Environmental Change in the Asia-Pacific Region.
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