Persea americana

Recent enhancement of the pool of known molecular markers for avocado has allowed the construction of the first moderately dense genetic map for this species. Over 300 SSR markers have been characterized and 163 of these were used to construct a map from the reciprocal cross of two Florida cultivars 'Simmonds' and 'Tonnage'. One hundred thirty-five primer pairs amplified 163 usable loci with 20 primer pairs amplifying more than one locus. 'Tonnage' was heterozygous for 152 (93%) loci, whereas 'Simmonds' was heterozygous for 64 (39%). Null alleles were identified at several loci. Linkage maps were produced for both reciprocal crosses and combined to generate a composite linkage map for the F1 population of 715 individuals. The composite map contains 12 linkage groups. Linkage groups ranged in size from 157.3 cM (LG2) to 2.4 cM (LG12) and the number of loci mapped per group ranged from 29 (LG1) to two (LG12). The total map length was 1,087.4 cM. Only seven markers were observed to have segregation distortion (α ≤ 0.05) across both sub-composite (reciprocal) maps. Phenotypic data from traits of horticultural interest are currently being collected on this population with the ultimate goal of identifying useful quantitative trait loci and the development of a marker-assisted selection program.

Persea americana is a major and cheap source of nutrients-containing protein fruit and commonly referred to as Avocado pear. It is a green-skin, fleshy body and may be spherical or pear-shaped and ripens easily after harvest, significantly reducing its shelf-life. The average storage time before spoilage is 3-6 days. The fruit is highly cherished by many and as such a significant dietary contribution, in developing countries. However, the poor shelf-life of the fruit has led to its high perishability, huge post-harvest losses and market glut during harvest. In this study, fresh, undamaged, firm, healthy-looking, ripe avocado fruits purchased from Oba Market and New-Benin market were left free of dust and insects under room temperature for between 5-6 days to undergo a natural process of spoilage. A homogenate of each of the sample was achieved by blending 25 grams of the sample in 225 ml of sterile 1.5 % peptone water with a sterile glass blender. Serial dilutions of up to 10-1-10-5 were made and 1 ml of each of the dilutions were transferred into sterile Petri dishes and respectively mixed with 15 ml of an appropriate sterile media and incubated at a temperature of 37 o C for 48 hours, while the Sauboraud dextrose agar (SDA) was left at room temperature for 5 days. After incubation, bacterial and fungal colony-forming units were counted and used to determine the total aerobic viable counts (TAVC), total coliform counts (TCC), Escherichia coli counts (EC), Staphylococci counts (SC) and total fungi counts (FC). Representative colonial isolates were subsequently subcultured on nutrient agar slants and stored at a temperature of 4 o C prior to characterization. Phenotypic identification of microbes was performed according to standard methods. The present study revealed that the coliform bacteria (TCC = 2.42 x 10 3 cfu/g and 2.06 x 10 3 cfu/g) accounted for a significant fraction of the total bacterial population (TAVC = 2.75 x 10 4 cfu/g and 9.68 x 10 3 cfu/g) isolated from spoiled pear produce. Hence, Erwinia and Klebsiella aerogenes of genus of Enterobacteriaceae, were the main spoilage bacteria; while Phytophthoras species (FC = 1.73 x 10 4 cfu/g and 1.02 x 10 4 cfu/g) was the main spoilage fungus of pear produce sold in the two Nigerian markets. The isolation of pathogenic organisms also calls for a public health concern.

Edible film adalah lapisan tipis yang digunakan untuk melapisi makanan (coating), dan berfungsi sebagai pembawa bahan tambahan makanan. Penggunaan pati biji alpukat dalam membuat edible film menambah nilai limbah biji alpukat. Pati biji alpukat mengandung amilosa dan amilopektin yang bisa membentuk lapisan tipis. Namun, ada beberapa kelemahan pada film edible seed starch edible. Kitosan adalah bahan yang menjanjikan yang dapat digunakan untuk pengembangan pelapis dan film yang dapat dimakan pada tingkat industri karena karakteristik pembentuk filmnya, biodegradable, tidak beracun, dan antimikroba.Tujuan dari pekerjaan ini adalah
untuk mengevaluasi pengaruh konsentrasi kitosan (2%, 3%, dan 5%) pada sifat-sifat film edible starch seed edible. Penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan 4 formulasi dan 3 kali pengulangan setiap pengujiannya. Formulasi dalam penelitian ini antara lain; K1 (kitosan 2%), K2 (kitosan 3%), K3 (kitosan 5%), dan K4 (kitosan 0%). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konsentrasi chitosan yang digunakan berbeda-beda mempengaruhi derajat ketebalan, ketahanan air, dan laju transmisi uap air. Perlakuan terbaik dalam penelitian ini adalah perlakuan K2 (kitosan 3%) dengan tingkat ketebalan 0,126 mm, ketahanan air 48.0%, laju transmisi uap air 0,01 g / (cm2 jam), dan kemampuan sebagai penghalang terbaik untuk buah melon jika dibandingkan dengan keuda formulasi lainnya.

Application of transformation and other biotechnological tools in avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is hampered by difficulties in obtaining mature somatic embryos capable of germination at an acceptable rate. In this work, we evaluated the effect of different compounds affecting medium water relations on maturation of avocado somatic embryos. Culture media were characterized with respect to gel strength, water potential and osmotic potential. Improved production of mature somatic embryos was achieved with gelling agent concentrations higher than those considered standard. The osmotic agents such as sorbitol and PEG did not have positive effects on embryo maturation. The number of w-o mature somatic embryos per culture was positively correlated with medium gel strength. Gel strength was significantly affected by gelling agent type as well as by gelling agent and PEG concentration. Medium water potential was influenced by sorbitol concentration; incorporation of PEG to a culture mediu...

Minyak Bumi merupakan sumber energi yang tak  dapat diperbaharui, dengan meningkatnya kebutuhan dalam penggunaan bahan bakar ini menyebabkan persediaan minyak bumi semakin berkurang. Hal ini jika dibiarkan terus menerus bisa jadi persediaan akan habis. Untuk mengatasi hal tersebut, maka banyak usaha untuk mendapatkan energi alternatif, antara lain dengan menggunakan minyak nabati sebagai bahan baku biodiesel. Salah satunya adalah minyak yang dihasilkan oleh biji buah alpukat (Persea americana). Minyak yang dihasilkan alpukat cukup tinggi dibandingkan dengan ninyak nabati lain. Saat ini biji alpukat belum dimanfaatkan secara optimal, bakan hanya dibuang begitu saja. Padahal biji alpukat memiliki kandungan lemak nabati yang tersusun dari senyawa yang jika diproses lebih lanjut bisa menjadi bahan bakar alternatif berupa biodiesel. Senyawa tersebut sangat unik, karena memiliki komposisi yang sama dengan biodiesel solar. Selain itu, kadar belerang dalam alpukat lebih sedikit dibandingkan dengan kadar belerang dalam solar. Hal ini membuat pembakaran berlangsung sempurna sehingga gas buangnya lebih ramah lingkungan. Biji alpukat merupakan bahan biomassa yang mengandung trigliserida serta kandungan asam lemak bebas (FFA) pada minyak biji alpukat rendah yakni 0,367% sehingga dapat dijadikan biodiesel dengan proses transesterifikasi.
Kata Kunci: Biji alpukat (Persea americana), biodiesel, transesterifikasi, minyak nabati, trigleserida

Additional index words: breeding, Persea americana Abstract. Shortening the juvenile period is highly important for fruit tree breeding projects. Four girdling dates were tested in an attempt to shorten the juvenile period in 9 crosses of 3-year-old avocado (Persea americana Mill.) seedlings. Early September girdling was more effective than later or no girdling. It increased flowering intensity significantly, increased the

The experiment aimed to study the frequency, nectar and/or pollen and hoarding time of bees in avocado flowers and verify the effect of their visits in fruits production. It was marked six inflorescences (three covered and three uncovered) with two replications to evaluate the effect of cross pollination in fruition percentage. The honey bees showed two peaks of hoarding (by 11 to 12 a.m. and 5 p.m.) following the flowers opening of different avocado groups (groups A and B), as much nectar as pollen. However, the honey bees presented a peak greater in the morning than afternoon for nectar, in 1997 and changed in 1998. There was not difference between the periods, for pollen. The fruition percentage was significantly different between the covered treatments (produced less) and uncovered ones (produced more). The crop reduced 81.25% without pollinators.

This work was undertaken to analyze the ripening process of avocados variety Hass (Persea americana Mill.) by image processing (IP) methodology. A set of avocados (10 samples) was used to follow the changes in image features during ripening by applying a computer vision system, extracting color and textural parameters. Other 16 avocados were used to evaluate the firmness and mass loss. Three maturity stages of avocados were established, and a classification was obtained by applying principal component analysis and k-nearest neighbor algorithm. During the ripening process (12 days), avocado firmness decreased from 75.43 to 2.63 N, while skin color values kept invariable during 6 days; after that, a decrement in the peel green color (a*) was observed (−9.68 to 2.32). Image features showed that during ripening the color parameters (L*, a*, and b*), entropy (4.29 to 4.00), angular second moment (0.287 to 0.360), and fractal dimension (2.58 to 2.44) had a similar path as compared to mass loss, a*, and firmness ripening parameters, respectively. Relationships between image features and ripening parameters were obtained. The parameter a* was the most useful digital feature to establish an acceptable percentage of avocado classification (>80%) in three different maturity stages found. Results obtained by means of IP could be useful to evaluate, at laboratory level, the ripening process of the avocados.

Background Throughout history women have tried to control or enhance their fertility using herbal remedies, with various levels of societal support. Caribbean folk medicine has been influenced by European folk medicine, either through the early Spanish and French settlers or through the continuous immigration of Spanish-speaking peoples from Venezuela. Some folk uses are ancient and were documented by Galen and Pliny the Elder. Methods Thirty respondents, ten of whom were male were interviewed from September 1996 to September 2000. The respondents were obtained by snowball sampling, and were found in thirteen different sites, 12 in Trinidad (Paramin, Talparo, Sangre Grande, Mayaro, Carapichaima, Kernahan, Newlands, Todd's Road, Arima, Guayaguayare, Santa Cruz, Port of Spain and Siparia) and one in Tobago (Mason Hall). Snowball sampling was used because there was no other means of identifying respondents and to cover the entire islands. The validation of the remedies was conducted with a non-experimental method. Results Plants are used for specific problems of both genders. Clusea rosea, Urena sinuata and Catharanthus roseus are used for unspecified male problems. Richeria grandis and Parinari campestris are used for erectile dysfunction. Ageratum conyzoides, Scoparia dulcis, Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita maxima, Gomphrena globosa and Justicia pectoralis are used for prostate problems. The following plants are used for childbirth and infertility: Mimosa pudica, Ruta graveolens, Abelmoschus moschatus, Chamaesyce hirta, Cola nitida, Ambrosia cumanenesis, Pilea microphylla, Eryngium foetidum, Aristolochia rugosa, Aristolochia trilobata, Coleus aromaticus, Laportea aestuans and Vetiveria zizanioides. The following plants are used for menstrual pain and unspecified female complaints: Achyranthes indica, Artemisia absinthium, Brownea latifolia, Eleutherine bulbosa, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Eupatorium macrophyllum, Justicia secunda, Parthenium hysterophorus, Wedelia trilobata, Abelmoschus moschatus, Capraria biflora, Cordia curassavica, Croton gossypifolius, Entada polystachya, Leonotis nepetaefolia, Eryngium foetidum, Aristolochia rugosa, Aristolochia trilobata and Ambrosia cumanenesis. Conclusion Native Caribbean plants have been less studied that those from Africa, India and Europe. Chamaesyce hirta has scientific support but as a diuretic. Other plants with level 3 validity for reproductive issues are: Achyranthes indica, Coleus aromaticus, Hibiscus rosa-sinesis, Parthenium hysterophorus and Ruta graveolens. The non-experimental validation method can be used to advise the public on which plants are safe, effective and useful, and which are not; pending clinical trials. This is especially important since so few clinical trials are conducted on Caribbean plants.

The extraction efficacy of avocado fruit peels (AP) and seeds (AS) with the use of vacuum microwave-assisted aqueous extraction (VMAAE) was optimized in this study, with regard to extract’s total phenolic content (TPC), maximum antioxidant activity and minimal operational cost. Temperature (79.64 and 78.11 °C for AP and 43.90 and 45.26 °C for AS), time (11.89 and 11.75 min for AP, 10.18 and 10.28 min for AS), ratio of water to raw material (16.45% and 10.02% for AP, 38.73% and 37.65% for AS) and microwave power (5708.04 and 5699.10 W for AP, 5549.08 and 4797.29 W for AS) were estimated statistically as the optimal conditions in order to achieve high rates of extracts with high TPC and antioxidant activity using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH●) scavenging radical methods, respectively. VMAAE performed under these conditions resulted in received extracts with TPC (0.352 gallic acid equivalent-GAE/g fresh AP/min and 0.124 GAE/g fresh AS/min). Furthermore, it was calculated the...

Optimum in vitro germination of pollen grain of the avocado cultivars Fuerte, Nabal, Ettinger, Bacon and Zutano occurred at 25 °C. However, there were significant differences between cultivars in percentage germination and relative humidity (RH) requirements for optimum pollen grain growth. The most sensitive cultivar to relative humidity was Fuerte, in which the germination of pollen grain rose from 11.4%, at 40% RH, to about 50%, after one hour at 100% RH. The germination% of Nabal pollen grain was already high at 40% RH and was not increased by higher relative humidity. Increased relative humidity also helped to sustain the viability of avocado pollen. At 30 °C and 5% RH the pollen grains of Fuerte quickly lost its ability to germinate, at 40% RH for 1 hour, germination was reduced spectacularly compared to pollen kept in saturated with moisture environment where it was not affected the first 24 hours. The effects of temperature and relative humidity on fruit-set and yield of avo...

Introduction: This research work was carried out to determine chemical components of Persea
americana seed. Persea americana (avocado) is widely grown fruit in parts of South East,
Nigeria, where it is used as a medicinal plant in the treatment of several ailments by alternative
medical practitioners.
Materials and Methods: The chemical components of Persea americana seed includes the
proximate and minor components. The fleshy part of the fruit was removed to obtain the seed.
The dried seeds were ground to powder and dried to constant weight.

Changes in soluble sugar and starch reserves in avocado (Persea americana Mill. on `Duke 7' rootstock) fruit were followed during growth and development and during low temperature storage and ripening. During the period of rapid fruit size expansion, soluble sugars accounted for most of the increase in fruit tissue biomass (peel: 17% to 22%, flesh: 40% to 44%, seed: 32% to 41% of the dry weight). More than half of the fruit total soluble sugars (TSS) was comprised of the seven carbon (C7) heptose sugar, D-mannoheptulose, and its polyol form, perseitol, with the balance being accounted for by the more common hexose sugars, glucose and fructose. Sugar content in the flesh tissues declined sharply as oil accumulation commenced. TSS declines in the seed were accompanied by a large accumulation of starch (≈30% of the dry weight). During postharvest storage at 1 or 5 °C, TSS in peel and flesh tissues declined slowly over the storage period. Substantial decreases in TSS, and especially...

Simple pebble tools, ephemeral cultural features, and the remains of maritime and terrestrial foods are present in undisturbed Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene deposits underneath a large human-made mound at Huaca Prieta and nearby sites on the Pacific coast of northern Peru. Radiocarbon ages indicate an intermittent human presence dated between ~15,000 and 8000 calendar years ago before the mound was built. The absence of fishhooks, harpoons, and bifacial stone tools suggests that technologies of gathering, trapping, clubbing, and exchange were used primarily to procure food resources along the shoreline and in estuarine wetlands and distant mountains. The stone artifacts are minimally worked unifacial stone tools characteristic of several areas of South America. Remains of avocado, bean, and possibly cultivated squash and chile pepper are also present, suggesting human transport and consumption. Our new findings emphasize an early coastal lifeway of diverse food procurement strategies that suggest detailed observation of resource availability in multiple environments and a knowledgeable economic organization, although technologies were simple and campsites were seemingly ephemeral and discontinuous. These findings raise questions about the pace of early human movement along some areas of the Pacific coast and the level of knowledge and technology required to exploit maritime and inland resources.

Penelitian ini bertujuan menguji kualitas selai alpukat yang dibuat dengan perlakuan 3 jenis pemanis alami berbeda ditinjau dari aspek kadar air, nilai a w , total sugar, total mikroba, total padatan terlarut, dan uji hedonik. Parameter penelitian meliputi kadar air, nilai a w , total sugar, total mikroba, total padatan terlarut dan kesukaan selai alpukat dengan perlakuan pemberian jenis pemanis T1=gula aren, T2=gula pasir, T3=madu. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain rancangan acak lengkap (RAL) dengan tiga perlakuan dan tujuh kali pengulangan. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis dengan menggunakan ANOVA untuk parameter kadar air, nilai a w , total sugar, total mikroba, total padatan terlarut. Sedangkan untuk parameter kesukaan menggunakan uji Kruskal Wallis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat pengaruh pemberian jenis pemanis alami berbeda terhadap kualitas kadar air, nilai a w , total sugar, dan total padatan terlarut selai alpukat. Selai dengan pemberian pemanis gula aren merupakan perlakuan pemberian pemanis dengan kualitas terbaik yang menghasilkan selai alpukat dengan kadar air = 14,73%, nilai a w 0,832, total sugar 39,509%, total mikroba 5,3.10 3 CFU/g dan total padatan terlarut 81,9%. Dari segi kesukaan, selai dengan pemberian pemanis gula pasir paling disukai baik secara warna, rasa, aroma, tekstur, dan overall.

One approach micropropagation avocado rootstock is the multiplication of commercial interest. In the present study aimed to identify the suitable culture medium for the stages of establishment and induction of buds of cultivars Huevo de Toro and butter, for which settled internodal segments with axillary buds (micropiles) in the media MS, DCR and Yasuda culture, added with 2 mg L-1 of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), 0.3 mg L-1 indolbutirico acid (AIB), 2 g L-1 of oxytetracycline and 2 g L-1 benomyl. The variables contamination, oxidation and viability of the explants were evaluated 14 days after sowing. The culture medium was Yasuda stage suitable for aseptic accommodation which induced the most viable explants (> 40%). These were subcultured in mass seedlings induction, MS, DCR and Yasuda supplemented with 20% coconut water (AC), 2 mg L-1 BAP, 0.5 mg L-1 of gibberellic acid (AG3) and 0.01 mg L-1 indoleacetic acid (AIA) (M1, M2 and M3); 2 g L-1 casein hydrolyzate (CH), 1 mg L-1 BAP and 0.3 mg L-1 AIB (M4, M5 and M6). The number of seedlings s per explants, seedlings length and number of leaves at 60 and 90 days subculture was evaluated. In the growing Huevo de Toro, M1 and M2 are satisfactory means for the proliferation of seedlings values 1.19-1.5, 1.07-1.09 cm seedlings length, and the number of sheets 1.21. For the cultivar butter, M3, was the best for the variables: number of seedlings (1.89-214), seedlings length (1.21-1.23 cm) and number sheets (1.21-2.38).

Objective: The anti-inflammatory potential of colored avocado seed extract (CASE) was explored based on the ethnobotanical
use of avocado seed for inflammatory diseases.
Introduction: Chronic inflammation contributes to many diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and arthritis. Avocado seeds have been used ethnobotanically for their anti-inflammatory properties.

The contribution of xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH, EC 1.1.1.204) to fruit size was investigated using the normal and small-fruit variants of Persea americana Mill. cv. ‘Hass’. Inhibition of XDH by treatment of normal fruit, in the linear phase of growth (phase II), with allopurinol (Allo) arrested fruit growth. Adenine (Ade), a less effective inhibitor of this enzyme, also arrested fruit growth when applied in phase II and slowed fruit growth when applied in phase III. A time-course study on the activity of XDH in mesocarp tissue from normal and small fruit showed that maximum activity occurred late in phase II and that the peak in activity was absent in mesocarp of the small fruit. Feeding Ade to growing fruit in phase III caused a transient decline in fruit growth (measured as change in fruit length). Thereafter, growth resumed although fruit size was irreversibly affected. Treatment of fruit with Ade and Ade-containing cytokinins altered activity of another molybdenum enzyme, aldehyde oxidase (EC 1.2.3.1). Cytokinin oxidase was induced by cytokinin and auxin. Purine catabolism via hypoxanthine/xanthine was operative in normal fruit and in mesocarp from the small-fruit variant and as expected, Allo treatment caused accumulation of xanthine and adenine. In the absence of an increase in XDH during growth of the small-fruit phenotype, low levels of Ade were interpreted as resulting from respiration-enhanced adenylate depletion. Stress and/or pathogen induction of the alternative oxidase pathway is proposed as a possible cause.