Resenha crítica do artigo: Folhas, talos, cascas e sementes de vegetais: composição nutricional, aproveitamento na alimentação e análise sensorial de preparações.

Autoria da resenha: Aline Aparecida Oliveira Silva - Pedagoga - Acadêmica de Nutrição

STORCKL, Cátia Regina; NUNESI, Graciele Lorenzoni; OLIVEIRA, Bruna Bordin; BASSO, Cristiana. Folhas, talos, cascas e sementes de vegetais: composição nutricional, aproveitamento na alimentação e análise sensorial de preparações. Disponível em: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/cr/v43n3/a8413cr6971.pdf. Acesso em: 23 set 2016.

O artigo de Cátia Regina Storckl, Graciele Lorenzoni Nunesi e Bruna Bordin Oliveira, estuda a composição de folhas, talos, cascas e sementes de vegetais, visando o aproveitamento total de frutas e hortaliças na alimentação. 

Foi destacado o alto desperdício de alimentos no Brasil, o qual poderia alimentar 35 milhões de pessoas, fato que também influencia diretamente a economia e os problemas sociais do país.

As partes não aproveitáveis dos alimentos poderiam ser utilizadas enfatizando o enriquecimento alimentar, diminuindo o desperdício e aumentando o valor nutricional das refeições, pois talos e folhas podem ser mais nutritivos do que a parte nobre do vegetal como é o caso das folhas verdes da couve-flor que, mesmo sendo mais duras, contêm mais ferro que a couve manteiga e são mais nutritivas que a própria couve-flor. (SOUZA, 2007).

O trabalho desenvolvido se estrutura em resumo, introdução, material e métodos, resultados e discussão, considerações finais e referência. Nos material e métodos utilizados, foram apresentados os alimentos do estudo: moranga, batata inglesa, chuchu, espinafre, couve-flor, beterraba, cenoura, banana, manga e melão, além do procedimento utilizado para a higiene e manipulação dos mesmos. Também foram desenvolvidas 13 receitas utilizando as folhas, cascas, talos e sementes das frutas e hortaliças. A análise sensorial foi realizada por meio do teste de aceitação dos provadores baseando-se na escada hedônica que variou de gostei muito até desgostei muito.

Nos resultados e discussão ressaltou-se o teor de calorias, carboidratos, proteínas, minerais, fibras e polifenóis nas aparas de frutas e hortaliças in natura, e, consequentemente, foi analisado os mesmos elementos, no entanto em preparações elaboradas. 

A partir dessas análises, os autores perceberam que na parte "não-utilizável" dos alimentos foram obtidos índices nutricionais maiores em relação ao padrão, principalmente em se tratando da fibra alimentar.

Portanto, é fundamental que conheçamos a composição nutricional de cada alimento, incluindo o que consumimos de fato até as partes que jogamos no lixo, pois estas podem ter mais valores nutricionais agregados ao alimento. Com isso, melhoraríamos os cardápios e dietas proporcionando benefícios à saúde das pessoas, além de diminuir os desperdícios e reduzir os custos de cada alimento. 

Agriculturas, v.13, n.2, 2016

Transtornos alimentares e suas influências

Elaine Lopes, psicóloga graduada pela Universidade Católica de Santos e também especialista em transtornos alimentares e obesidade, fala sobre as características dos diferentes tipos de distúrbios e como eles podem afetar o cotidiano

A maneira com que o indivíduo se relaciona com seu próprio corpo e com sua mente é um fator que, na maioria das vezes, define como ele irá lidar com as diversas áreas de sua vida. Quando sente dificuldade em encarar suas angústias ou, até mesmo, pequenas questões do dia-a-dia, pode optar por descarregar suas frustrações na maneira como se alimenta. Por isso, é extremamente importante ficar atento às mudanças bruscas nos hábitos alimentares daqueles que estão próximos, pois podem ser um indicativo de que esteja sofrendo de algum distúrbio.

Os transtornos alimentares possuem características diferentes, mas todos podem trazer consequências que afetam o desenvolvimento pessoal, social e profissional, pois fazem com que a pessoa se preocupe exacerbadamente com sua imagem e isso passa a ser sua prioridade. Assim, passam a se sentir culpadas quando se alimentam ou se tornam fixadas em determinado tipo de alimentação. Além disso, existe também quem sofre de compulsão por comer, onde se perde o controle sobre o que é consumido e tem a sensação de insatisfação constante.

A bulimia, por exemplo, é caracterizada pela necessidade de expulsar do organismo aquilo que se considera excessivo e que pode prejudicar a manutenção do físico e o emagrecimento. Nesse processo de expurgo comumente são utilizados laxantes, indução de vômito ou, até mesmo, prática de exercícios em excesso. “A pessoa bulímica geralmente possui um pensamento perfeccionista e extremamente autocrítico e o ato de se alimentar está carregado de emoções com as quais ele não sabe lidar”, explica Elaine Lopes. Muitas vezes o indivíduo também sente vergonha de admitir o que come e é muito comum que ele esconda a comida. Outro fator preocupante é o sentimento de culpa que o invade após esses episódios podendo levá-lo, em casos extremos, ao suicídio.

Já a anorexia se caracteriza, principalmente, pelo temor intenso de adquirir peso. Nesse caso, há a recusa de manter o peso mínimo considerado saudável para sua idade e altura. Existe a rejeição de ingerir alimentos, pois acredita que já está acima do peso. De acordo com Elaine, as exigências e a cultura da beleza que se estabelecem atualmente em nossa sociedade fazem com que a pessoa desenvolva uma imagem distorcida de si. “Ela passa a se enxergar de uma maneira totalmente diferente do que realmente é. Desta forma, começa a buscar alternativas para chegar àquela forma física que acredita ser a ideal e deixa de se alimentar de forma saudável”, ressalta.

Mas também existem aqueles que se tornam obcecados em alimentação saudável e sofrem da chamada ortorexia. Essa condição ainda não é reconhecida pelos manuais diagnósticos e estáticos de transtornos mentais e consiste na busca excessiva por hábitos alimentares saudáveis. “Por demonstrarem uma preocupação demasiada em consumir apenas alimentos saudáveis, os ortoréxicos acabam excluindo alguns grupos de seu cardápio, sem fazer a substituição adequada. Desta forma, ficam suscetíveis a diversas enfermidades”, alerta a psicóloga.

Assim como a falta de alimentação ou obsessão por alimentos saudáveis, a compulsão por comida também é um transtorno que deve ser tratado de forma adequada. “Esse distúrbio pode ser identificado quando se observa a perda do controle sobre o que é consumido, comer sem limites, mastigar e engolir rápido e esconder seus hábitos alimentares. Todos esses comportamentos, em sua maior parte, são acompanhados da culpa, pois existe a consciência de que não há necessidade de comer tanto”, afirma Elaine. Além disso, a compulsão pode ser o gatilho para desencadear outros transtornos como anorexia e bulimia nervosa. “É preciso o auxílio da psicoterapia para identificar o que causa essa compulsão e tratá-la, para que não evolua”.

Ainda segundo a psicóloga, geralmente é possível evitar os primeiros indícios de transtornos alimentares ainda na infância. “Nessa fase a criança sofre a influência direta dos pais, na sua criação e desenvolvimento. Por isso é fundamental cultivar a ideia de corpo saudável e bonito, independente da silhueta e do peso”, orienta. Desta forma, existe a possibilidade de impedir que a situação se agrave e evolua para um quadro de distúrbios mais severos.

É importante ressaltar que, para se classificar um transtorno alimentar, é necessário que haja a distorção da imagem corporal, ou seja: a forma que a pessoa se vê não corresponder a forma que ela de fato é. E ao observar sinais de que o problema já existe, é preciso procurar sempre um profissional para obter um diagnóstico exato e iniciar um tratamento, quando necessário. “A psicoterapia pode ser necessária para auxiliar a pessoa a lidar com as questões que desencadeiam esses distúrbios, algumas vezes deve ser aliada à psiquiatria e também ao acompanhamento de um nutricionista, que trará orientação sobre a maneira correta de se alimentar”, finaliza Elaine.

Sobre Elaine Lopes – Elaine é psicóloga, especialista em transtornos alimentares e obesidade, possui formação em Master Practitioner em PNL e Coach Sistêmico. Atualmente é sócia-proprietária e responsável pela divisão de saúde e bem-estar da Soar Desenvolvimento Humano.

in EcoDebate, 19/09/2016

Árvore símbolo do Paraná, araucária caminha para extinção

Iniciativas públicas e privadas são implantadas para reverter a condição da Araucaria angustifolia

Araucária. Foto: Divulgação

A araucária, árvore símbolo do Paraná, está entre as espécies da flora brasileira ameaçadas de extinção e com alto risco de desaparecimento na natureza em um futuro próximo. Faz parte da lista de espécies ameaçadas de extinção da IUCN (The World Conservation Union – A União Internacional para Conservação da Natureza) e da Lista Oficial de Espécies da Flora Brasileira Ameaçada de Extinção do IBAMA – Instituto Brasileiro de Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis. De vulnerável, em 1998 e 2000, a Araucaria angustifolia passou para a categoria ?criticamente em perigo? em 2006.

Pesquisas indicam que a Floresta com Araucária já perdeu aproximadamente 97% de sua área original, o que compromete totalmente a variabilidade genética da araucária. Esse quadro se deve, dentre outros fatores, à conversão das áreas de florestas nativas (Floresta com Araucária) para a agricultura, ao crescimento das cidades e ao uso da madeira. Em 2001, mapa do Ministério do Meio Ambiente já mostrava que áreas de floresta com araucária em estágio avançado de conservação não passavam de 0,8% (66 mil hectares) de remanescentes. O Paraná já chegou a ter 8 milhões de hectares cobertos por Floresta com Araucária. Hoje a situação é muito mais grave.

Restauração

Preocupada com a condição da Araucaria angustifolia, a professora de gestão ambiental da Universidade Positivo, Leila Maranho, propõe a criação e implantação de projetos de recuperação das áreas degradadas antes ocupadas pela Floresta com Araucária permitam a restauração de processos biológicos e genéticos. Ela sugere também que a restauração de floresta com araucária contribuirá com o resgate da cultura local, tais como lendas, contos, estórias, culinária, arte, entre outros. ?Um aspecto merecedor de destaque é a forte depauperação das características culturais associadas ao uso de espécies nativas desse bioma, principalmente da araucária?, observa.

Para o diretor executivo da Sociedade de Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem e Educação Ambiental (SPVS) e membro da Rede de Especialistas em Conservação da Natureza, Clóvis Borges, a Floresta com Araucária continua sendo visada para exploração pela existência de madeira com valor econômico, não só a araucária mais outras muitas espécies. ?E embora ilegal e sem sustentação técnica, há esforços políticos pressionando o poder público a facilitar a degradação dessas áreas a partir, inclusive, de licenciamentos ocorridos nos últimos anos e que são bastante contestáveis em termos de legalidade?, denuncia.

União de esforços

A professora Leila coloca que empresas, organizações, instituições e poder público devem unir esforços para aumentar o número de áreas protegidas de Floresta com Araucária, investir em pesquisa, fiscalizar e aplicar a legislação em áreas nativas desmatadas, fatores imprescindíveis para evitar que a espécie desapareça de vez. Borges complementa que, para proteger os remanescentes que já existem, mesmo que estejam muito fragmentados, devem ser criadas novas Unidades de Conservação públicas e privadas. Além disso, devem ser estabelecidas políticas públicas que permitam a valorização de áreas nativas bem conservadas para o proprietário privado, a partir de diferentes mecanismos de PSA – Pagamento por Serviços Ambientais.

Resgate e conservação

Para contornar a situação da araucária existem inúmeros projetos que visam o reflorestamento e uso sustentável, programas de resgate e conservação da araucária, projeto de uso e conservação da araucária na agricultura familiar e criação e implantação de Unidades de Conservação em áreas de Floresta com Araucária, lista a professora Leila.

Borges avalia que há muito pouca coisa ocorrendo nos dias de hoje de fato voltada à conservação da natureza, o que implica não só na busca da conservação da araucária como de todo o ecossistema a que pertence a Floresta com Araucária. Um exemplo de ação concreta de proteção de áreas naturais remanescentes desse ecossistema é o programa Desmatamento Evitado, desenvolvido pela SPVS. Em 12 anos de operação, os resultados apontam para um sucesso de mais de 36% de Reservas Particulares do Patrimônio Natural, criadas e manejadas, em relação ao número de proprietários apoiados ao longo do período.

A Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural (RPPN) Mata do Uru é um exemplo. Mantida pelo Grupo Positivo, por meio do Instituto Positivo em parceria com a SPVS e família Campanholo, fica região da Lapa (PR), a área de cerca de 128 hectares, ao lado de quase 300 hectares do Parque Estadual do Monge, abriga uma área preservada de Floresta com Araucária. Lá é realizado o Programa de Educação Ambiental, que convida os visitantes a conhecer a fundo a Floresta com Araucária e todas as suas peculiaridades.

Controvérsias

No entanto, de acordo com Borges, existe um conjunto amplo de atividades que não estão direcionadas à conservação da biodiversidade envolvendo a espécie Araucaria angustifolia e que não devem ser interpretados equivocadamente. ?Estímulos ao plantio de araucária para finalidades econômicas é um trabalho paralelo, que pode ser admitido, mas que é secundário em relação a ações diretas de conservação de áreas naturais?, acentua.

Também ocorrem muitas iniciativas relacionadas ao “manejo sustentável” de araucária, pleiteando a exploração das árvores maiores nos últimos remanescentes como a “única forma de conservação” existente. ?Uma afirmação mentirosa e demagógica, mas que politicamente é aceita em setores de órgãos ambientais do governo e na própria academia em situações isoladas?, reclama Borges.

Por fim, a intensificação de ações e projetos de conservação e preservação da espécie é condição obrigatória para que a araucária sobreviva. Caso contrário, num prazo não muito longo, a espécie será uma imagem bordada na bandeira do Paraná e vista e conhecida apenas em fotografias e livros didáticos.

Sobre o Instituto Positivo

Alinhado à estratégia de sustentabilidade e em consonância com a principal vocação do Grupo Positivo, o Instituto Positivo tem a Educação como foco prioritário. Ele articula e promove iniciativas que contribuam para o aumento da qualidade da educação básica do país, direcionando os seus investimentos para ações sustentáveis e estruturantes. O IP atua por meio de três frentes: Fortalecimento da Gestão Municipal para a Educação, Produção e Disseminação de Conhecimento e Mobilização Social Estruturada.

Sobre a Rede de Especialistas de Conservação da Natureza

A Rede de Especialistas de Conservação da Natureza é uma reunião de profissionais, de referência nacional e internacional, que atuam em áreas relacionadas à proteção da biodiversidade e assuntos correlatos, com o objetivo de estimular a divulgação de posicionamentos em defesa da conservação da natureza brasileira. A Rede foi constituída em 2014, por iniciativa da Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza.

Sobre o Programa Desmatamento Evitado

Anteriormente chamado de Programa de Adoção de Floresta com Araucária, o Programa Desmatamento Evitado é um exemplo de ação bem sucedida envolvendo a iniciativa privada para a conservação de áreas naturais ameaçadas. Iniciado em 2003, o Programa apresenta como principal objetivo a conservação dos últimos remanescentes em bom estado de conservação da Floresta com Araucária, estabelecendo um mecanismo de ?adoção de áreas?, em que a SPVS identifica e cadastra proprietários, os aproximando de empresas interessadas em apoiá-los, bem como a conservação dos remanescentes em suas propriedades. Em 2007, o Programa ganhou escala por meio de novas parcerias firmadas e, desde então, apresenta um resultado de mais de 4.500 hectares de remanescentes e cerca de 33 propriedades apoiadas ? distribuídas nos três estados do sul do Brasil ? viabilizadas pelo apoio de 17 instituições.

Sobre a SPVS

A Sociedade de Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem e Educação Ambiental (SPVS) é uma instituição brasileira, fundada em 1984, em Curitiba. É reconhecida como uma das organizações não-governamentais conservacionistas mais atuantes no Brasil. Uma das características mais acentuadas das atividades desenvolvidas pela SPVS diz respeito à inovação, como prática para incorporar valor às ações de conservação de natureza, estabelecer uma conceituação adequada sobre o tema e dar escala para uma agenda de iniciativas que hoje começam a ser incorporadas nos negócios e percebidas como essenciais às atividades econômicas e à qualidade de vida das pessoas.

in EcoDebate, 21/09/2016

Pulverização aérea para conter mosquito Aedes Aegypti é inconstitucional, diz PGR

Janot alerta para danos imediatos aos ecossistemas e risco de intoxicação humana

A pulverização de substâncias químicas por aeronaves para conter doenças causadas pelo mosquito Aedes aegypti é inconstitucional por ofender a preservação do meio ambiente, além de trazer riscos à saúde humana. O posicionamento é do procurador-geral da República, Rodrigo Janot, na Ação Direta de Inconstitucionalidade (ADI) 5.592, enviada ao Supremo Tribunal Federal. Por haver perigo de danos imediatos aos ecossistemas e risco de intoxicação humana, ele pede concessão de medida cautelar.

A Lei 13.301/2016 dispõe sobre a adoção de medidas de vigilância em saúde diante de situações de iminente perigo à saúde pública pela presença do mosquito Aedes aegypti, transmissor da dengue, da chincungunha e da zica. A ação proposta por Janot volta-se contra o trecho da legislação que afirma ser fundamental a pulverização de produtos químicos para conter os mosquitos (art.1º, §3º).

Segundo Janot, além de ser duvidosa a efetividade da medida, ela traz impactos negativos como contaminação do meio ambiente e intoxicação da população, podendo causar dores de cabeça, náuseas, dificuldades respiratórias e alergias na pele. Após a dispersão química, as substâncias acabam atingindo residências, escolas, creches, hospitais, clubes, feiras, comércio de rua e ambientes naturais, meios aquáticos, como lagos, lagoas e centrais de fornecimento de água para o consumo humano.

Outro ponto abordado pelo procurador-geral na ação é a questão da finalidade, alertando que a medida não contribui efetivamente para o combate ao mosquito, que possui hábitos domiciliares, ao abrigo das pulverizações. “Não se admite previsão legal de medidas vãs do poder público, em respeito à carência de recursos materiais e humanos, e ao dinheiro recolhido compulsoriamente dos contribuintes”, complementa.

O PGR argumenta que não há certeza quanto à eficácia nem quanto à segurança da medida. “Pelo contrário, os estudos existentes indicam em sentido oposto, pela ineficácia e periculosidade da dispersão de produtos químicos por aeronaves. É incompatível com a ordem constitucional previsão legal que admita medida cujos efeitos positivos à saúde e ao meio ambiente não foram comprovados, mas que, bem ao contrário, a maior parte da informação disponível sugere que seja ineficiente e dano”, sustenta.

Íntegra da ADI 5592

Fonte: Procuradoria-Geral da República

in EcoDebate, 22/09/2016

Salva de marajó, hortelã, marcela e outras plantas medicinais

Alimentação funcional

FLASH VI SCIAGRO #14 PLANTAS MEDICINAIS

Reaproveitamento de alimentos - 1

Reaproveitamento de alimentos - 1

Uma foto publicada por Marcos Roberto Furlan (@quintaisimortais) em Set 24, 2016 às 2:36 PDT

Fatores antinutricionais - 1

Fatores anrinutricionais - 1

Uma foto publicada por Marcos Roberto Furlan (@quintaisimortais) em Set 24, 2016 às 7:33 PDT

Livro: Recuperação Ambiental da Mata Atlântica - Editora UESC

http://www.uesc.br/editora/livrosdigitais2016/recuperacao_ambiental_mata_atlantica.pdf

Livro: Alimentação: problemas e soluções - Editora UESC

http://www.uesc.br/editora/livrosdigitais2015/alimentacao_problemas_e_solucoes.pdf

Livro: O desafio da agricultura sustentável - Editora UESC

http://www.uesc.br/editora/livrosdigitais2015/o_desafio_da_agricultura.pdf

Livro: Nossas Árvores - Editora UESC

http://www.uesc.br/editora/livrosdigitais2015/nossas_arvores.pdf

Mandating fruits and vegetables in school meals makes a difference, study finds

Date: March 12, 2013

Source: Health Behavior News Service, part of the Center for Advancing Health

Summary:

State laws that require minimum levels of fruits and vegetables in school meals may give a small boost to the amount of these foods in adolescents' diets, according to a new study.

State laws that require minimum levels of fruits and vegetables in school meals may give a small boost to the amount of these foods in adolescents' diets, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. This effect was strongest in students who had no access to fruits and vegetables at home.

With the recent requirements from the USDA's National School Lunch Program to incorporate healthier options in school meals, the researchers wanted to find out if such laws made a difference in student fruit and vegetable consumption.

At the time the data were collected, the only states in the study that required high schools to provide a minimum number of servings of fruits and vegetables were California and Mississippi, said Daniel Taber, Ph.D., MPH, research scientist with the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago and lead author on the study.

Students in California and Mississippi who had limited access to fruits and vegetables at home, typically ate unhealthy snacks and who got a school lunch four to five days a week reported an average of 0.45 cups more fruit and 0.61 cups more vegetables than did those who lived in states with no fruit or vegetable requirements in school lunches. Intake was highest in adolescents with access to fruits and vegetables at home.

School nutrition standards have been targeted by policymakers as a way to reduce obesity and disparities in diet, and to get teenagers into the habit of eating fruits and vegetables. Mississippi and other southern states have been aggressive about improving school foods as a means of combating obesity, Taber said. "They are seeing evidence already. Reports in last few months show that childhood obesity is declining in Mississippi."

"The study is excellent but the data does not reflect the new school meal regulations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture than went into effect in July 2012," said Deborah Beauvais, RD, district supervisor of school nutrition for the Gates Chili and East Rochester School Districts in New York and a spokesperson f or Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Newer rules affect all schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and require that a half-cup of fruit or vegetable and up to two cups be in every lunch menu each day, noted Beauvais, adding, "These changes will make the findings from this study more likely." Introducing young people to eating fruits and vegetables regularly in schools helps them want to eat them elsewhere, Beauvais observed. "School cafeterias are becoming recognizable as educational centers."

Story Source:

Materials provided by Health Behavior News Service, part of the Center for Advancing Health. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Daniel R. Taber, Jamie F. Chriqui, Frank J. Chaloupka. State Laws Governing School Meals and Disparities in Fruit/Vegetable Intake. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2013; 44 (4): 365 DOI:10.1016/j.amepre.2012.11.038

Cite This Page:

Health Behavior News Service, part of the Center for Advancing Health. "Mandating fruits and vegetables in school meals makes a difference, study finds." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 March 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130312092225.htm>.

Keep your fruit close and your vegetables closer

Date: April 30, 2012

Source: SAGE Publications

Summary:

College students wishing to eat healthier may want to invest in a clear fruit bowl says a recent article. The new study found that when fruits and vegetables are within arm's reach, students are more likely to eat them. Furthermore, making fruit and vegetables more visible increases the intake of fruit, but the same does not hold true for vegetables.

College students wishing to eat healthier may want to invest in a clear fruit bowl says a recent article published in the Environment and Behavior. The new study found that when fruits and vegetables are within arm's reach, students are more likely to eat them. Furthermore, making fruit and vegetables more visible increases the intake of fruit, but the same does not hold true for vegetables.

Researchers Gregory J. Privitera and Heather E. Creary tested a total of 96 college students by placing apple slices and carrot cuts in either clear or opaque bowls at a table close to the participants or at a table two meters away. Participants watched as the food was taken out of its packaging and were told that they were welcome to eat it.

After leaving the students alone with the food for ten minutes, the researchers found that when apples and carrots were left close to the participants, those healthy foods were more likely to be eaten. Interestingly, making the food more visible to participants by placing them in clear bowls increased the intake of the apples but not the carrots. The researchers explained that this might be due to the fact that fruit is sweeter and may induce more motivation to eat than bitter-tasting vegetables.

"Apples, but not carrots, have sugar, which is known to stimulate brain reward regions that induce a 'wanting' for foods that contain sugar," the authors wrote. "Hence, apple slices may be more visually appealing than carrots."

Privitera and Creary also offered suggestions for the structure of dining and café settings on college campuses.

"Many dining facilities on college campuses are structured in a buffet," the researchers wrote. "Placing foods in locations that are more proximate (closest to seating area or entrance) and visible (in open containers at the front or easiest to reach locations in the buffet) could increase intake of these foods among college students."

Story Source:

Materials provided by SAGE Publications. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

G. J. Privitera, H. E. Creary. Proximity and Visibility of Fruits and Vegetables Influence Intake in a Kitchen Setting Among College Students. Environment and Behavior, 2012; DOI: 10.1177/0013916512442892

Cite This Page:

SAGE Publications. "Keep your fruit close and your vegetables closer." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 April 2012. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430140027.htm>.

Gardening as a child may lead college students to eat more veggies

Date: September 19, 2016

Source: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Summary:

As researchers nationwide try to get college students to eat healthier foods, they’re finding that gardening may lead to a lasting habit of eating more fruits and vegetables. That’s a recent conclusion from the “Get Fruved” project. “Get Fruved,” an acronym for “Get Your Fruits and Vegetables,” is a collaborative project among eight American universities.

“Get Fruved,” an acronym for “Get Your Fruits and Vegetables,” is a $4.9 million collaborative project among eight American universities, including the University of Florida. At UF, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is leading the campus study. One of the first steps of the project is to better understand what factors predict and influence the health behaviors of college and high school students.

Credit: UF/IFAS

As researchers nationwide try to get college students to eat healthier foods, they're finding that gardening may lead to a lasting habit of eating more fruits and vegetables.

That's a recent conclusion from the "Get Fruved" project. "Get Fruved," an acronym for "Get Your Fruits and Vegetables," is a $4.9 million collaborative project among eight American universities, including the University of Florida. At UF, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is leading the campus study. One of the first steps of the project is to better understand what factors predict and influence the health behaviors of college and high school students.

A new study from Get Fruved shows if college students gardened as a child or use their green thumbs now, chances are they will eat more fruits and vegetables than those who don't.

"This finding is particularly relevant, given the recent popularity of school gardens and farm-to-school projects," said Anne Mathews, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of food science and human nutrition and lead author of the study.

Little to nothing is known about how participating in gardening projects influences nutrition habits after participation in the project ends, Mathews said.

In the study, investigators interviewed 1,351 college students and divided them into four groups:

• Students who gardened while growing up. • Students who garden now. • Students who gardened while growing up and now. • Students who have never gardened.

Of the students surveyed, 30 percent gardened as a child, and 38 percent currently garden. Students who gardened as a child or report current gardening ate 2.9 cups of fruits and vegetables daily, while those who said they never gardened ate 2.4 cups of fruits and vegetables per day.

"We found that if your parents gardened but you did not, just watching them did not make a difference in how much fruits and vegetables you eat in college. Hands on experience seems to matter," said Mathews.

The new data support the idea of more gardening lessons at school or through a group such as Florida 4-H, Mathews said. With more gardening opportunities for children, researchers reason that college students might consume more produce.

"Get Fruved" uses peer interaction, social media and campus events to try to get high school and college students to eat more fruits and vegetables, exercise more and manage stress more effectively. They also may expand gardens, work to improve access to healthy foods at campus eateries, hold dance events and challenge each other to exercise more.

National statistics show an alarming increase in adolescent obesity, the target of this study. The percentage of people aged 12 to 19 who were obese increased from 5 percent to nearly 21 percent from 1980 to 2012, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The latest study results are published in an abstract in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and will be presented by Jennifer Loso, a recent UF/IFAS graduate and student research assistant with Mathews, at the annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition on Oct. 16 in Boston.

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Original written by Brad Buck.Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Cite This Page:

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. "Gardening as a child may lead college students to eat more veggies." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 September 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160919110301.htm>.

Fish oil may help improve mood in veterans

Date: September 22, 2016

Source: Texas A&M University

Summary:

Low concentration of fish oil in the blood and lack of physical activity may contribute to the high levels of depressed mood among soldiers returning from combat, according to researchers.

Low concentration of fish oil in the blood and lack of physical activity may contribute to the high levels of depressed mood among soldiers returning from combat, according to researchers, including a Texas A&M University professor and his former doctoral student.

In a study titled "Fatty Acid Blood Levels, Vitamin D Status, Physical Performance, Activity and Resiliency: A Novel Potential Screening Tool for Depressed Mood in Active Duty Soldiers," researchers worked with 100 soldiers at Fort Hood to identify which factors affected moods in returning soldiers.

The research was conducted by Major Nicholas Barringer when he was a Texas A&M doctoral student under the direction of Health & Kinesiology Professor and Department Head Richard Kreider, in collaboration with several current and former members of the U.S. Army, and colleagues at Texas A&M.

"We looked at how physical activity levels and performance measures were related to mood state and resiliency," Kreider says. "What we found was the decrease in physical activity and the concentration of fish oil and Omega-3s in the blood were all associated with resiliency and mood."

Kreider says fish oil contains Omega-3 fatty acids that help to boost brain function. He says studies also show that fish oil acts as an anti-inflammatory within the body -- helping athletes and soldiers manage intense training better. Fish oil content is especially important for soldiers due to the consistent training and physical regiments performed in and out of combat and risk to traumatic brain injury.

The study originated from research conducted by Colonel Mike Lewis, M.D. who examined Omega-3 fatty acid levels of soldiers who committed suicide compared to non-suicide control and found lower Omega-3 levels in the blood were associated with increased risk of being in the suicide group.

Barringer says he believes these findings to be significant toward addressing some of the issues many soldiers face.

"The mental health of our service members is a serious concern and it is exciting to consider that appropriate diet and exercise might have a direct impact on improving resiliency," Barringer notes.

In order to properly measure soldiers physically, Kreider and Barringer developed a formula they say has the potential to assist in effectively screening soldiers with potential PTSD ahead of time. The formula measures a number of factors including: fitness and psychometric assessments, physical activity, and additional analysis.

"By improving resiliency in service members, we can potentially decrease the risk of mental health issues," Barringer says. "Early identification can potentially decrease the risk of negative outcomes for our active service members as well as our separated and retired military veterans."

"The military is using some of our exercise, nutrition, and performance-related work and the findings may help identify soldiers at risk for depression when they return from combat tours," Kreider notes. He says that by working to identify such high-risk issues faced by soldiers, it can set a precedent that will benefit not only military leadership, but also the general public.

"The public must realize that our soldiers need support before, during, and after their service," Kreider explains. "There needs to be a time for soldiers to transition, become re-engaged within a community, and stay engaged in that community."

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Texas A&M University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Nicholas D. Barringer, Russ S. Kotwal, Michael D. Lewis, Leslee K. Funderburk, Timothy R. Elliott, Stephen F. Crouse, Stephen B. Smith, Michael Greenwood, Richard B. Kreider.Fatty Acid Blood Levels, Vitamin D Status, Physical Performance, Activity, and Resiliency: A Novel Potential Screening Tool for Depressed Mood in Active Duty Soldiers. Military Medicine, 2016; 181 (9): 1114 DOI:10.7205/MILMED-D-15-00456

Cite This Page:

Texas A&M University. "Fish oil may help improve mood in veterans." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 September 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160922104406.htm>.

Edible crickets can be reared on weeds and cassava plant tops

Date: September 22, 2016

Source: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)

Summary:

To become a sustainable alternative to meat, reared crickets must be fed feeds other than the chicken feed that is most commonly used today. Researchers now present a study that shows that there are weeds and agricultural by-products that actually work as single ingredients in feeds for crickets. The study was conducted in Cambodia, where many children suffer from malnutrition and where the need for cheap protein is large.

Deep fried corn tortillas with garlic fried house crickets, white bean mash with smoked garlic, rocoto salsa, epazote, and avocado, salsa verde, onion and cilantro.

Credit: Jenny Svennås-Gillner

To become a sustainable alternative to meat, reared crickets must be fed feeds other than the chicken feed that is most commonly used today. Researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences now present a study which shows that there are weeds and agricultural by-products that actually work as single ingredients in feeds for crickets. The study was conducted in Cambodia, where many children suffer from malnutrition and where the need for cheap protein is large.

The study was led by Anna Jansson, professor of animal physiology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The results have very recently been published in the Journal of Insects as Food and Feed.

"Since there are both climate and environmental benefits of eating insects, we believe that this habit will become more common, also in Western countries. What our study shows is that it is possible to rear crickets on feeds that don't compete with other kinds of food production," says Anna Jansson.

Reared insects are increasingly seen as an environmentally friendly alternative to meat, even by the United Nations. The future food for a growing world population.

In the Western world there is a cultural reluctance to eating insects, but also a cautious curiosity, and there is an increasing interest among scientists. In other parts of the world, such as Asia, there is a tradition to eat insects, and some species are regarded as delicacies. Many insects also seem to have a high nutritional value. So far, people mainly catch wild insects, but rearing them is emerging as a way to meet the growing demand.

Crickets are prized as food and they also seem to be quite easy to rear. Today crickets are usually reared on chicken feed, and this production has limited environmental benefits compared to chicken production, since crickets and chickens grow equally well on this feed. Also, this feed is too expensive for poor people, and its nutritional value is so high that people could just as well eat it themselves.

To be a climate and environmentally smart food, crickets have to be reared on feeds that have little value in other kinds of agricultural production, such as residues or weeds, and they must be cheap enough for poor people. Scientists know that many cricket species can feed on "a little of everything" but very few attempts have been made to rear crickets on residues, and none using weeds.

What Anna Jansson and her colleagues now show is that there are weeds and residues that perform as well as chicken feed for the Cambodian field cricket. Now their recommendations are passed on to people who want to rear crickets in Cambodia.

A number of Cambodian weeds and various residues from agricultural and other food production were tested in the study. Today these commodities are available for free or nearly free, which means that even very poor people would be able to rear crickets, at least to cover their own family's needs. The best ingredients were cassava tops and the weed Cleome rutidosperma (Fringed Spider Flower or Purple Cleome), both of which could be used as a single ingredient cricket feed.

Background to the project

Cambodia is one of the world's poorest countries. It is estimated that 40 percent of Cambodian children under the age of 5 suffer from malnutrition, which inhibits both their physical and mental development. The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences has for many years run Sida-funded PhD projects in developing countries, and this project is one example.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

P. Miech, Å. Berggren, J.E. Lindberg, T. Chhay, B. Khieu, A. Jansson. Growth and survival of reared Cambodian field crickets (Teleogryllus testaceus) fed weeds, agricultural and food industry by-products. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 2016; 1 DOI:10.3920/JIFF2016.0028

Cite This Page:

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). "Edible crickets can be reared on weeds and cassava plant tops." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 September 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160922093154.htm>.

Popeye was right: There’s energy in that spinach

Date: September 22, 2016

Source: American Technion Society

Summary:

Using a simple membrane extract from spinach leaves, researchers have developed a cell that produces electricity and hydrogen from water using sunlight. Based on photosynthesis, and technology paves the way for clean fuels from renewable sources.

Using a simple membrane extract from spinach leaves, researchers from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have developed a bio-photo-electro-chemical (BPEC) cell that produces electricity and hydrogen from water using sunlight. The raw material of the device is water, and its products are electric current, hydrogen and oxygen. The findings were published in the August 23 online issue of Nature Communications.

The unique combination of a human-made BPEC cell and plant membranes, which absorb sunlight and convert it into a flow of electrons highly efficiently, paves the way for the development of new technologies for the creation of clean fuels from renewable sources: water and solar energy.

The BPEC cell developed by the researchers is based on the naturally occurring process of photosynthesis in plants, in which light drives electrons that produce storable chemical energetic molecules, that are the fuels of all cells in the animal and plant worlds.

In order to utilize photosynthesis for producing electric current, the researchers added an iron-based compound to the solution. This compound mediates the transfer of electrons from the biological membranes to the electrical circuit, enabling the creation of an electric current in the cell.

The electrical current can also be channeled to form hydrogen gas through the addition of electric power from a small photovoltaic cell that absorbs the excess light. This makes possible the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy that is stored as hydrogen gas formed inside the BPEC cell. This energy can be converted when necessary into heat and electricity by burning the hydrogen, in the same way hydrocarbon fuels are used.

However, unlike the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels -- which emit greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere and pollute the environment -- the product of hydrogen combustion is clean water. Therefore, this is a closed cycle that begins with water and ends with water, allowing the conversion and storage of solar energy in hydrogen gas, which could be a clean and sustainable substitute for hydrocarbon fuel.

The study was conducted by doctoral students Roy I. Pinhassi, Dan Kallmann and Gadiel Saper, under the guidance of Prof. Noam Adir of the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Prof. Gadi Schuster of the Faculty of Biology and Prof. Avner Rothschild of the Faculty of Material Science and Engineering.

"The study is unique in that it combines leading experts from three different faculties, namely three disciplines: biology, chemistry and materials engineering," said Prof. Rothschild. "The combination of natural (leaves) and artificial (photovoltaic cell and electronic components), and the need to make these components communicate with each other, are complex engineering challenges that required us to join forces."

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided byAmerican Technion Society. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Roy I. Pinhassi, Dan Kallmann, Gadiel Saper, Hen Dotan, Artyom Linkov, Asaf Kay, Varda Liveanu, Gadi Schuster, Noam Adir, Avner Rothschild. Hybrid bio-photo-electro-chemical cells for solar water splitting. Nature Communications, 2016; 7: 12552 DOI:10.1038/ncomms12552

Cite This Page:

American Technion Society. "Popeye was right: There’s energy in that spinach." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 September 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160922085743.htm>.

Intercropping: Intersection of soil health, production

Date: September 21, 2016

Source: American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA)Summary:Plant diversity in intercropping leads to more diversity below ground too. Researchers are working to find the right combination for optimal crop and soil performance.

Chris Pelzer, Ann Bybee-Finley, and Casey McManus (L-R) clean up the edges of a cowpea plot about 30 days after planting the first field site for the experiment. Four different plant species are planted together in a team effort to diversify and add nutrients to the soil.

Credit: Sustainable Cropping Systems Lab

Plant scientist Ann Bybee-Finley says her first field experiment was humbling. "I felt like a very small scientist in a very big world," she said.

Bybee-Finley researches intercropping at Cornell University. Intercropping is a complex practice of farming where different plant species are grown in the same space. Most conventional farmers only plant one crop per field or plot. This practice, called monoculture farming, is more convenient for farmers, but it can make the plants more vulnerable. For example, if one plant gets a disease, the others are likely to catch it. Weeds are more likely to find a home in spaces that are very similar. As a result, monoculture farming can be dependent on expensive synthetic chemicals to ward off weeds and diseases.

Droughts and other weather events can also damage entire monoculture fields. Bybee-Finley says a bad drought in 2012 shaped her vision of agriculture. "The stories of crop failure made me want to understand how to make farming practices more resilient, especially as climate change makes extreme weather events more frequent."

Intercropping gives farmers more options if one of their crops fails. "It's like a diversified stock portfolio," said Bybee-Finley. Plant diversity leads to more diversity below ground too. Plants that add organic matter and nutrients when they decompose replenish the soil.

In her experiment, Bybee-Finley planted four cover crops, which are plants that add fertility to the soil and protect it from erosion. She planted two grasses, pearl millet and sorghum, and two legumes, cowpea and sunn hemp. The grasses are well known for their ability to add organic matter to tired soils whose nutrients have been depleted by years of farming. Legumes are also good for the soil because their roots release nitrogen when they decompose. These cover crops are also a feed source for cows and other livestock, providing farmers another source of income.

In her experiment, Bybee-Finley found the grasses and legumes that grew at the same pace were more productive because they weren't competing for space and resources as much as plants that grew at different rates. On the other hand, she found that some plant combinations grew more, while others had more nitrogen.

"I'm sure there's a sweet spot," said Bybee-Finley, "There's so many unexplored avenues and questions to ask: Which species should I plant together? And how many of each?"

Bybee-Finley said the next step for this experiment is to see which plant combinations were the most nutritious for animals.

For experiments with lots of variables like this one, Bybee-Finley says you end up with a complex set of conclusions. "When you're looking at an entire system it makes it harder to have an immediate take-away," she said. "It takes longer to come up with a definite conclusion."

But Bybee-Finley is comfortable with complexity. "Diversity begets diversity," she said. "Agricultural science is beginning to look beyond the simplified strategy of planting only one crop per rotation."

For Bybee-Finley, intercropping is full of tradeoffs, and the life lesson of agriculture is that plants don't always behave the way you expect them to. "The miracle of biology is that plants, no matter what you do, will do exactly what they want to do."

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided byAmerican Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA). The original item was written by Rossie Izlar. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

K. Ann Bybee-Finley, Steven B. Mirsky, Matthew R. Ryan.Functional Diversity in Summer Annual Grass and Legume Intercrops in the Northeastern United States.Crop Science, 2016; 56 (5): 2775 DOI:10.2135/cropsci2016.01.0046

Cite This Page:

American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA). "Intercropping: Intersection of soil health, production." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 September 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160921095406.htm>.

Whitefly confused by cacophony of smells

Date: April 28, 2014

Source: Newcastle University

Summary:

Bombarding pests with smells from many different plants temporarily confuses them and hinders their ability to feed, new research has shown. Exposing the whitefly to a heady aroma of cucumber, courgette, watercress, watermelon, cabbage and bean, the team found the insects became temporarily disorientated. Weaving their way between the plant cells to reach the sap is technically challenging and the team found the whiteflies failed to feed while they were being bombarded with the different plant chemicals.

Bombarding pests with smells from many different plants temporarily confuses them and hinders their ability to feed, new research has shown.

Biologists at Newcastle University, UK, have been exploring the potential of harmless plant volatiles as an alternative to pesticides in greenhouses.

Testing a phenomenon known as the 'confusion effect' -- whereby animals and humans become inefficient at a task when they are bombarded with lots of distracting information -- the team pumped a mixture of plant smells into a greenhouse growing tomato plants.

Exposing the whitefly to a heady aroma of cucumber, courgette, watercress, watermelon, cabbage and bean, the team found the insects became temporarily disorientated.

Like other insect pests, whitefly feed by pushing their long mouthpiece -- or stylets -- into the leaf until it reaches the plant's main source of nutrients travelling through the phloem. Weaving their way between the plant cells to reach the sap is technically challenging and the team found the whiteflies failed to feed while they were being bombarded with the different plant chemicals.

Publishing their findings this week in the academic journal Agronomy of Sustainable Development, research leads Dr Colin Tosh and Dr Barry Brogan said this method of control could be an important step towards a more sustainable method of pest control.

"It's like trying to concentrate on work while the TV's on and the radio's blaring out and someone's talking to you," explains Dr Tosh, based in Newcastle University's School of Biology. "You can't do it -- or at least not properly or efficiently -- and it's the same for the whitefly.

"Whiteflies use their sense of smell to locate tomato plants. By bombarding its senses with a range of different smells we create 'sensory confusion' and the result is that the insect becomes disorientated and is unable to feed.

"Because the effect is temporary -- we saw it last no more than 15 hours -- it's unlikely this method alone could be used to control crop pests. But this is an easy and safe way of buying the plants time until their own chemical defense mechanisms kick in. Used in conjunction with other methods, sensory confusion opens up a whole new area in sustainable pest control."

Trialeurodes vaporariorum -- or whitefly -- is a major worldwide pest of greenhouse crops and is traditionally controlled using chemical pesticides or biological methods such as parasites.

Previous studies have shown that whitefly become 'restless' when a number of plant species are mixed together rather than being exposed to a single crop. The aim of this latest research, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), was to artificially create this mixed environment for a single crop greenhouse.

Measuring the time it took from the insect settling on a plant to accessing the plant sap, the team showed that hardly any of the whiteflies exposed to a range of smells started feeding from the phloem within 15 hours from the time of exposure. By comparison, the majority of whiteflies exposed to just the single smell released by the tomato plants started feeding within this time.

Dr Brogan, also based in the School of Biology, adds: "Plants talk to each other when they are under attack -- producing chemicals which warn other plants close by of the threat. At the same time, they produce a chemical which is unpleasant to the predator.

"But this response doesn't happen immediately, so if we can confuse the insects long enough to give the plants time to defend themselves this may go someway to reducing crop losses."

The team have now started the next phase of the study to investigate ways of helping plants to talk to each other and better switch on their defenses.

Story Source:

Materials provided by Newcastle University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Colin R. Tosh, Barry Brogan. Control of tomato whiteflies using the confusion effect of plant odours. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 2014; DOI: 10.1007/s13593-014-0219-4

Cite This Page:

Newcastle University. "Whitefly confused by cacophony of smells." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 April 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140428074646.htm>.

'Neighbor plants' determine insects' feeding choices

Date: February 14, 2014

Source: Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)

Summary:

Insects are choosier than you might think: whether or not they end up feeding on a particular plant depends on much more than just the species to which that plant belongs. The quality of the individual plant is an important factor as well. As is the variety of other plants growing around it. But what, ultimately, makes an insect choose one plant over another?

In her PhD thesis, Olga Kostenko uses ragwort as an example to show that the ‘neighborhood’ in which a plant grows is more important for insects in the end than how the plant tastes.

Credit: Netherlands Institute of Ecology

Insects are choosier than you might think: whether or not they end up feeding on a particular plant depends on much more than just the species to which that plant belongs. The quality of the individual plant is an important factor as well. As is the variety of other plants growing around it. But what, ultimately, makes an insect choose one plant over another?

It's a question ecologists have struggled with for decades, and the answer could have a major impact on attempts to use insects for controlling crops or attacking outbreak species such as ragwort. Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) is native to the Netherlands but its abundance in areas such as ex-arable fields can make it a pest, as it is toxic to horses and farmers can't use fields where it grows for hay.

In her PhD thesis, Olga Kostenko uses ragwort as an example to show that the 'neighborhood' in which a plant grows is more important for insects in the end than how the plant tastes. If, for instance, ragwort plants grow in a plant community with many tall neighbors, insects will not even notice them. Consequently, the effectiveness of using insects to control such plants is limited.

Field experiments

But before she could weigh the importance of these factors, Kostenko first had to do some pioneering research into plant quality in particular. Most knowledge about the role of plant quality so far had been based on controlled laboratory experiments. Whether it would still be as important a factor under natural conditions was unknown.

Kostenko took up the challenge, planting no fewer than 1750 plants on ex-arable fields at Mossel (Ede, the Netherlands), with remarkable results. Not only did she find that plant quality wasn't the most important factor, she also discovered that the way the plants tasted to insects was actually affected by the neighborhood in which they grew.

And not just the present neighborhood: even plants and insects that inhabited the same spot in the past had an effect on the chemical composition of the next generation of plants. These changes in turn affected the number and the performance of insects feeding on an individual plant.

So for ragwort, having good -- or bad -- neighbors is literally a matter of life and death.

Story Source:

Materials provided by Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Cite This Page:

Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). "'Neighbor plants' determine insects' feeding choices." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 14 February 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140214101557.htm>.

Parasitoid larvae in caterpillars affect behaviour of moths

Date: November 15, 2011

Source: Wageningen University and Research Centre

Summary:

Parasitoid larvae that feed within caterpillars that eat cabbage plants influence the plant via the caterpillar, making the cabbage plant an unattractive prospect for moths looking for a spot to lay their eggs.

Saliva from caterpillars of the large cabbage white (top row) and the small cabbage white (bottom row). The caterpillars were uncolonized (left) or colonized by either the Cotesia glomera parasitoid (middle) or the Hyposoter ebeninus parasitoid (right). The colour of the saliva differs depending on the caterpillar and the species of parasitoid that attacks the caterpillar.

Credit: Erik Poelman

Parasitoid larvae that feed within caterpillars that eat cabbage plants influence the plant via the caterpillar, making the cabbage plant an unattractive prospect for moths looking for a spot to lay their eggs. Together with French colleagues, researchers from the Entomology Laboratory at Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, will be publishing their discovery this week in the journal PNAS.

Plants that are gnawed at by caterpillars produce blends of volatiles that attract parasitic wasps, parasitoids. These wasps lay eggs in the caterpillars, after which the parasitoid larvae devour their host. So rather than turning into butterflies, the caterpillars are actually helping to produce a new generation of wasps. So in fact, the parasitoids are rescuing the plants from their attackers. During their development, the parasitoid larvae influence the caterpillars they are developing in and in turn, the caterpillars influence the cabbage plant; and all with far-reaching consequences for the diamondback (or cabbage) moth.

Cabbage plants eaten by cabbage white caterpillars are particularly attractive to female diamondback moths in search of a plant on which to lay their eggs. However, if the caterpillars have been colonized by parasitoids, the plants become less attractive to the diamondback moths. The level of impact depends on the species of parasitoid that is developing within the caterpillars.

To find out exactly how the parasitic wasps alter the cabbage plants, the researchers monitored the activity of 9 genes that are activated when the caterpillars of the small and large cabbage white gnaw the cabbage plant. The researchers used caterpillars that were parasitized with one of three different species of parasitoids. The plants appear to respond differently to two types of caterpillars, but the actual species of parasitoid that is developing within the caterpillar makes a much bigger difference. It is the saliva of the caterpillars that affects the plant's response. Interestingly enough, each individual species of parasitoid has a different effect on the quality of the caterpillars' saliva, which is reflected in the colour of the saliva.

This research carried out by researchers from the Universities of Wageningen and Rennes shows that parasitic wasps that infest cabbage white caterpillars do not only kill the caterpillars, but also make the cabbage plants less attractive to another enemy, the diamondback moth. Diamondback moths throughout the world have become resistant to countless insecticides, and there is an urgent need for alternative pesticides. In the case of cabbage whites, biological pest control gives the cabbage plants extra protection against diamondback moths. Researcher Erik Poelman calls this a 'spectacular' discovery, and adds: "This could help us to develop an environmentally-friendly way of protecting cabbage plants from diamondback moths."

Story Source:

Materials provided by Wageningen University and Research Centre. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

E. H. Poelman, S.-J. Zheng, Z. Zhang, N. M. Heemskerk, A.-M. Cortesero, M. Dicke. Parasitoid-specific induction of plant responses to parasitized herbivores affects colonization by subsequent herbivores. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011; DOI:10.1073/pnas.1110748108

Cite This Page:

Wageningen University and Research Centre. "Parasitoid larvae in caterpillars affect behaviour of moths." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 November 2011. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115132902.htm>.

Caterpillars that eat multiple plant species are more susceptible to hungry birds

Date: June 16, 2014

Source: University of California - Irvine

Summary:

Biologists have learned that caterpillars that feed on one or two plant species are better able to hide from predatory birds than caterpillars that consume a wide variety of plants.

A tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) caterpillar feeds on black cherry (Prunus serotina), which was the only plant consumed by this species at the research field site.

Credit: Michael Singer / Wesleyan University

For caterpillars, having a well-rounded diet can be fraught with peril.

UC Irvine and Wesleyan University biologists have learned that caterpillars that feed on one or two plant species are better able to hide from predatory birds than caterpillars that consume a wide variety of plants.

This is probably because the color patterns and hiding behaviors of the caterpillar "specialists" have evolved to allow them to blend into the background flora more effectively than caterpillars that eat many different plant species. Moving among these diverse plant types, the nonspecialists are not as camouflaged, making them easier for hungry birds to spot.

"It's a classic example of risk vs. reward," said Kailen Mooney, associate professor of ecology & evolutionary biology at UC Irvine. "Evolutionarily speaking, a caterpillar must choose between having a broad array of plants to feed upon but facing increased risk of being nabbed by a bird" and having a very limited menu but being less exposed to predators.

Mooney and Michael Singer, associate professor of biology at Wesleyan, led the study, which appears in the early online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week.

Furthermore, the researchers found that all of this matters a lot to the plants. A species consumed by caterpillars more vulnerable to birds (those with varied diets) benefits from birds removing those caterpillars. In contrast, a plant species fed upon by caterpillars better able to hide from birds (those with highly restricted diets) doesn't benefit as much from birds and must instead defend itself.

Mooney noted that this insight into the secret lives of caterpillars reveals not only the processes driving the evolution of insect diets but also the broad significance of caterpillar feeding for associated plants and birds.

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of California - Irvine. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

M. S. Singer, I. H. Lichter-Marck, T. E. Farkas, E. Aaron, K. D. Whitney, K. A. Mooney. Herbivore diet breadth mediates the cascading effects of carnivores in food webs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1401949111

Cite This Page:

University of California - Irvine. "Caterpillars that eat multiple plant species are more susceptible to hungry birds." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 June 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140616151500.htm>.