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Edith Cowan University

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Articles 1 - 30 of 32

Full-Text Articles in Agriculture

Application Of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy And Chemometrics For The Rapid Detection Of Insect Protein Adulteration From A Simulated Matrix, Dongdong Ni, Joost L. D. Nelis, Amanda L. Dawson, Nicholas Bourne, Pablo Juliano, Michelle L. Colgrave, Angéla Juhász, Utpal Bose May 2024

Application Of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy And Chemometrics For The Rapid Detection Of Insect Protein Adulteration From A Simulated Matrix, Dongdong Ni, Joost L. D. Nelis, Amanda L. Dawson, Nicholas Bourne, Pablo Juliano, Michelle L. Colgrave, Angéla Juhász, Utpal Bose

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The popularity of insect protein as a food and feed supplement is growing. Protein quality, end use and prices vary considerably between different insect species, which may incentivise insect protein adulteration. Here, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometrics were used to detect the presence of cricket, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) and mealworm proteins in a simulated complex insect protein mixture. Additionally, BSFL protein powders collected from three commercial sources were investigated to determine whether the NIR-based technology can discriminate the proteins obtained from different companies based on their composition. The proximate analysis suggests compositional protein, fat and chitin differences between …


Water Loss: A Postharvest Quality Marker In Apple Storage, Mahmood Ul Hasan, Zora Singh, Hafiz M. S. Shah, Jashanpreet Kaur, Andrew Woodward Jan 2024

Water Loss: A Postharvest Quality Marker In Apple Storage, Mahmood Ul Hasan, Zora Singh, Hafiz M. S. Shah, Jashanpreet Kaur, Andrew Woodward

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Apple fruit can be stored for long periods of time, especially with the use of controlled atmosphere storage, but like many fruits and vegetables are susceptible to water loss. Water loss can result in compromised appearance such as skin shriveling, as well as loss of firmness, and reduced saleable weight, which in turn affect the income of growers and other industry stakeholders. Preharvest factors that can influence water loss in apples during the postharvest period include climate, cultivar, fruit size, tree age, orchard practices, and harvest maturity. Postharvest factors such as the storage temperature, relative humidity, storage type, and duration …


Pre- And Post-Harvest Elicitation With Methyl Jasmonate And Salicylic Acid Followed By Cold Storage Synergistically Improves Red Colour Development And Health-Promoting Compounds In Blood Oranges, Mekhala D. K. Vithana, Zora Singh, Mahmood Ul Hasan Jan 2024

Pre- And Post-Harvest Elicitation With Methyl Jasmonate And Salicylic Acid Followed By Cold Storage Synergistically Improves Red Colour Development And Health-Promoting Compounds In Blood Oranges, Mekhala D. K. Vithana, Zora Singh, Mahmood Ul Hasan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Red blush is one of the key quality markers of blood orange fruit (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck). Therefore, the influence of pre- (1, 2, and 3 mM) and postharvest (0.5, 1, and 1.5 mM) methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and salicylic acid (SA) (1, 2, and 3 mM) treatments on redness, colouring pigments, and health-promoting compounds in cold stored ‘Tarocco Ippolito’ blood oranges was investigated. Preharvest application of 3 mM MeJA significantly increased rind citrus colour index (CCI) by 43.3% and colorimetric coordinate a* (redness) by 3.1% and decreased h° (hue angle, 0 = red), L* (lightness), and b* (yellowness) by 13.7%, …


Melatonin Application Suppresses Oxidative Stress And Maintains Fruit Quality Of Cold Stored ‘Esperanza’ Raspberries By Regulating Antioxidant System, Hafiz M. S. Shah, Zora Singh, Mahmood Ul Hasan, Jashanpreet Kaur, Eben Afrifa-Yamoah, Andrew Woodward Jan 2024

Melatonin Application Suppresses Oxidative Stress And Maintains Fruit Quality Of Cold Stored ‘Esperanza’ Raspberries By Regulating Antioxidant System, Hafiz M. S. Shah, Zora Singh, Mahmood Ul Hasan, Jashanpreet Kaur, Eben Afrifa-Yamoah, Andrew Woodward

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Raspberries are highly perishable and have a short storage life. To extend its storage life, we evaluated the impact of preharvest melatonin (MEL) application (0, 50, 100, 200 mol L−1), three days before harvest, on the activities of oxidative and antioxidative enzymes and quality attributes in ‘Esperanza’ raspberries up to 10 d cold storage. The 200 mol L−1 MEL-treated raspberries exhibited a significant reduction in disease incidence while maintaining higher marketable fruit and activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, ascorbate peroxidase and catalase as compared to control. Additionally, it reduced activities of polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and …


What Goes In And What Comes Out: A Scoping Review Of Regenerative Agricultural Practices, Rebecca Voisin, Pierre Horwitz, Stephanie Godrich, Ros Sambell, Katherine Cullerton, Amanda Devine Jan 2024

What Goes In And What Comes Out: A Scoping Review Of Regenerative Agricultural Practices, Rebecca Voisin, Pierre Horwitz, Stephanie Godrich, Ros Sambell, Katherine Cullerton, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This scoping review examined peer-reviewed and gray literature to explore what a “no-to-low external input” statement means for regenerative agriculture. Five organic amendment inputs (compost extract, manure, mulch, biochar, food systems waste) and four land management processes (livestock management and integration, crop diversity, tillage reduction, comprehensive approach) were identified. Findings include “no-to-low external input” models arising from processes which function to displace external inputs (e.g., synthetic fertilizer). Organic amendment inputs and regenerative land management processes promote biology and improve nutrient cycling at soil, farm, and landscape scales. Regenerative agriculture overlaps with other farming practices including those associated with agroecology and …


Simulated Temperatures Of Forest Fires Affect Water Solubility In Soil And Litter, Konrad Miotliński, Kuenzang Tshering, Mary C. Boyce, David Blake, Pierre Horwitz Jun 2023

Simulated Temperatures Of Forest Fires Affect Water Solubility In Soil And Litter, Konrad Miotliński, Kuenzang Tshering, Mary C. Boyce, David Blake, Pierre Horwitz

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

As wildfires are of increasing concern in a warming world, there is a need to understand how fire temperatures affect solute concentrations of forest litter and soils in drinking water catchments. In addition, the concentrations are expected to be affected by time since the previous fire. We sampled soil and litter from recently (2 months) and less recently (4.5 years) burnt sites from jarrah forest in SW Australia. The samples were heated at 250°C, 350°C, and 500°C for 30min followed by leaching to determine solute compositions at these temperatures and in unburnt samples. At 250°C–350°C, we found increased concentrations of …


Trends In Maintaining Postharvest Freshness And Quality Of Rubus Berries, Hafiz Muhammad Shoaib Shah, Zora Singh, Jashanpreet Kaur, Mahmood Ul Hasan, Andrew Woodward, Eben Afrifa-Yamoah Jan 2023

Trends In Maintaining Postharvest Freshness And Quality Of Rubus Berries, Hafiz Muhammad Shoaib Shah, Zora Singh, Jashanpreet Kaur, Mahmood Ul Hasan, Andrew Woodward, Eben Afrifa-Yamoah

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Blackberries and raspberries, commonly known as Rubus berries, are commercially grown worldwide across different climates. Rubus berries contain wide array of phytochemicals, vitamins, dietary fibers, minerals, and unsaturated fatty acids. Nevertheless, these berries have short storage life which is the major constraint in their supply chains leading to higher postharvest losses. Inappropriate harvest handling, physical bruising, insect pests, and postharvest diseases lower the acceptability of fruit among consumers and other supply chain stakeholders. Additionally, the susceptibility to microbial decay, fruit softening, higher ethylene production, respiratory activity, and increased oxidation of anthocyanins, phenolics, and flavonoids considerably affects the marketability of Rubus …


Enhancing Crop Resilience By Harnessing The Synergistic Effects Of Biostimulants Against Abiotic Stress, Anam Asif, Maratab Ali, Muslim Qadir, Rajmohan Karthikeyan, Zora Singh, Ravjit Khangura, Francesco Di Gioia, Zienab F. R. Ahmed Jan 2023

Enhancing Crop Resilience By Harnessing The Synergistic Effects Of Biostimulants Against Abiotic Stress, Anam Asif, Maratab Ali, Muslim Qadir, Rajmohan Karthikeyan, Zora Singh, Ravjit Khangura, Francesco Di Gioia, Zienab F. R. Ahmed

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Plants experience constant exposed to diverse abiotic stresses throughout their growth and development stages. Given the burgeoning world population, abiotic stresses pose significant challenges to food and nutritional security. These stresses are complex and influenced by both genetic networks and environmental factors, often resulting in significant crop losses, which can reach as high as fifty percent. To mitigate the effects of abiotic stresses on crops, various strategies rooted in crop improvement and genomics are being explored. In particular, the utilization of biostimulants, including bio-based compounds derived from plants and beneficial microbes, has garnered considerable attention. Biostimulants offer the potential to …


1 H-Cyclopropa[B]Naphthalene: A Novel Ethylene Antagonist For Extending Storage Life And Maintaining Quality Of Climacteric And Suppressed Climacteric Plums, Poe N. Kyaw, Zora Singh, Vijay Y. Tokala Jan 2023

1 H-Cyclopropa[B]Naphthalene: A Novel Ethylene Antagonist For Extending Storage Life And Maintaining Quality Of Climacteric And Suppressed Climacteric Plums, Poe N. Kyaw, Zora Singh, Vijay Y. Tokala

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Ethylene is a key trigger that governs the rate of fruit ripening, storability, and postharvest quality of fresh fruit. Efficient inhibition of ethylene action is essential to slow down the postharvest ripening processes, extend storage life and maintain optimum fruit quality during storage. Ethylene antagonist compounds with the likelihood of application as liquid formulation would facilitate managing ethylene broadly as both preharvest and/or postharvest treatments. This study examined the effects of different aqueous formulations of 1 H-cyclopropa[b]naphthalene (NC) as an ethylene antagonist in the cold stored (1 °C) Japanese plums ‘Angeleno’ (suppressed-climacteric) and ‘Tegan Blue’, which exhibit climacteric peaks, respectively. …


Performance Analysis Of Two Typical Greenhouse Lettuce Production Systems: Commercial Hydroponic Production And Traditional Soil Cultivation, Lichun Wang, Songrui Ning, Wengang Zheng, Jingyu Guo, Youli Li, Yinkun Li, Xiaoli Chen, Alon Ben-Gal, Xiaoming Wei Jan 2023

Performance Analysis Of Two Typical Greenhouse Lettuce Production Systems: Commercial Hydroponic Production And Traditional Soil Cultivation, Lichun Wang, Songrui Ning, Wengang Zheng, Jingyu Guo, Youli Li, Yinkun Li, Xiaoli Chen, Alon Ben-Gal, Xiaoming Wei

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Due to the shortage of land and water resource, optimization of systems for production in commercial greenhouses is essential for sustainable vegetable supply. The performance of lettuce productivity and the economic benefit in greenhouses using a soil-based system (SBS) and a hydroponic production system (HPS) were compared in this study. Methods: Experiments were conducted in two identical greenhouses over two growth cycles (G1 and G2). Three treatments of irrigation volumes (S1, S2, and S3) were evaluated for SBS while three treatments of nutrient solution concentration (H1, H2, and H3) were evaluated for HPS; the optimal levels from each system …


A Synthetic Wheat L-System To Accurately Detect And Visualise Wheat Head Anomalies, Chris C. Napier, David M. Cook, Leisa Armstrong, Dean Diepeveen Jan 2023

A Synthetic Wheat L-System To Accurately Detect And Visualise Wheat Head Anomalies, Chris C. Napier, David M. Cook, Leisa Armstrong, Dean Diepeveen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Greater knowledge of wheat crop phenology and growth and improvements in measurement are beneficial to wheat agronomy and productivity. This is constrained by a lack of public plant datasets. Collecting plant data is expensive and time consuming and methods to augment this with synthetic data could address this issue. This paper describes a cost-effective and accurate Synthetic Wheat dataset which has been created by a novel L-system, based on technological advances in cameras and deep learning. The dataset images have been automatically created, categorised, masked and labelled, and used to successfully train a synthetic neural network. This network has been …


Proteomic Exploration Reveals A Metabolic Rerouting Due To Low Oxygen During Controlled Germination Of Malting Barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.), Clare E. O'Lone, Angéla Juhász, Mitchell Nye-Wood, Hugh Dunn, David Moody, Jean-Philippe Ral, Michelle L. Colgrave Jan 2023

Proteomic Exploration Reveals A Metabolic Rerouting Due To Low Oxygen During Controlled Germination Of Malting Barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.), Clare E. O'Lone, Angéla Juhász, Mitchell Nye-Wood, Hugh Dunn, David Moody, Jean-Philippe Ral, Michelle L. Colgrave

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is used in malt production for brewing applications. Barley malting involves a process of controlled germination that modifies the grain by activating enzymes to solubilize starch and proteins for brewing. Initially, the grain is submerged in water to raise grain moisture, requiring large volumes of water. Achieving grain modification at reduced moisture levels can contribute to the sustainability of malting practices. This study combined proteomics, bioinformatics, and biochemical phenotypic analysis of two malting barley genotypes with observed differences in water uptake and modification efficiency. We sought to reveal the molecular mechanisms at play during controlled germination …


Insight Into The Role Of Melatonin In Mitigating Chilling Injury And Maintaining The Quality Of Cold-Stored Fruits And Vegetables, Hafiz Muhammad Shoaib Shah, Zora Singh, Eben Afrifa-Yamoah, Mahmood Ul Hasan, Jashanpreet Kaur, Andrew Woodward Jan 2023

Insight Into The Role Of Melatonin In Mitigating Chilling Injury And Maintaining The Quality Of Cold-Stored Fruits And Vegetables, Hafiz Muhammad Shoaib Shah, Zora Singh, Eben Afrifa-Yamoah, Mahmood Ul Hasan, Jashanpreet Kaur, Andrew Woodward

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Chilling injury (CI) causes significant losses in fruits and vegetables during cold storage. CI symptoms exhibited as browning, off-flavour and sunken spots, reduced juice content, uneven ripening and softening in fresh horticultural produce. Application of melatonin (MT) effectively mitigates CI in cold-stored fruits and vegetables. This comprehensive review focuses at discussing symptoms, the mechanism of CI, regulation of melatonin-mediated chilling tolerance, and meta-analysis of CI reduction in horticultural produce. Melatonin mitigates CI, maintains quality of cold-stored horticultural produce by upregulating early hydrogen peroxide signalling, activities of antioxidant enzymes after inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and membrane …


Led Illumination For High-Quality High-Yield Crop Growth In Protected Cropping Environments, Md Momtazur Rahman, David L. Field, Soyed M. Ahmed, Md Tanvir Hasan, Mohammad Khairul Basher, Kamal Alameh Jan 2021

Led Illumination For High-Quality High-Yield Crop Growth In Protected Cropping Environments, Md Momtazur Rahman, David L. Field, Soyed M. Ahmed, Md Tanvir Hasan, Mohammad Khairul Basher, Kamal Alameh

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Vegetables and herbs play a central role in the human diet due to their low fat and calory content and essential antioxidant, phytochemicals, and fiber. It is well known that the manipulation of light wavelengths illuminating the crops can enhance their growth rate and nutrient contents. To date, it has not been easy to generalize the effects of LED illumination because of the differences in the plant species investigated, the measured traits, the way wavelengths have been manipulated, and the plants’ growing environments. In order to address this gap, we undertook a quantitative review of LED manipulation in relation to …


Effective Plant Discrimination Based On The Combination Of Local Binary Pattern Operators And Multiclass Support Vector Machine Methods, Vi N T Le, Beniamin Apopei, Kamal Alameh Jan 2019

Effective Plant Discrimination Based On The Combination Of Local Binary Pattern Operators And Multiclass Support Vector Machine Methods, Vi N T Le, Beniamin Apopei, Kamal Alameh

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Accurate crop and weed discrimination plays a critical role in addressing the challenges of weed management in agriculture. The use of herbicides is currently the most common approach to weed control. However, herbicide resistant plants have long been recognised as a major concern due to the excessive use of herbicides. Effective weed detection techniques can reduce the cost of weed management and improve crop quality and yield. A computationally efficient and robust plant classification algorithm is developed and applied to the classification of three crops: Brassica napus (canola), Zea mays (maize/corn), and radish. The developed algorithm is based on the …


Habitat Characteristics Provide Insights Of Carbon Storage In Seagrass Meadows, Inés Mazarrasa, Jimena Samper-Villarreal, Oscar Serrano, Paul S. Lavery, Catherine E. Lovelock, Núrià N. Marbà, Carlos M. Duarte, Jorge A. Cortés Jan 2018

Habitat Characteristics Provide Insights Of Carbon Storage In Seagrass Meadows, Inés Mazarrasa, Jimena Samper-Villarreal, Oscar Serrano, Paul S. Lavery, Catherine E. Lovelock, Núrià N. Marbà, Carlos M. Duarte, Jorge A. Cortés

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Seagrass meadows provide multiple ecosystem services, yet they are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Because of their role as carbon sinks, protection and restoration of seagrass meadows contribute to climate change mitigation. Blue Carbon strategies aim to enhance CO2 sequestration and avoid greenhouse gasses emissions through the management of coastal vegetated ecosystems, including seagrass meadows. The implementation of Blue Carbon strategies requires a good understanding of the habitat characteristics that influence Corg sequestration. Here, we review the existing knowledge on Blue Carbon research in seagrass meadows to identify the key habitat characteristics that influence Corg sequestration in seagrass …


Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes And Imbalance In Angiogenic Growth Mediators And Oxidative Stress Biomarkers Is Associated With Advanced Maternal Age Births: A Prospective Cohort Study In Ghana, Enoch Odame Anto, William K. Owiredu, Samuel A. Sakyi, Cornelius A. Turpin, Richard K. Ephraim, Linda A. Fondjo, Christian Obirikorang, Eric Adua, Emmanuel Acheampong Jan 2018

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes And Imbalance In Angiogenic Growth Mediators And Oxidative Stress Biomarkers Is Associated With Advanced Maternal Age Births: A Prospective Cohort Study In Ghana, Enoch Odame Anto, William K. Owiredu, Samuel A. Sakyi, Cornelius A. Turpin, Richard K. Ephraim, Linda A. Fondjo, Christian Obirikorang, Eric Adua, Emmanuel Acheampong

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background Advanced maternal age (AMA) has been associated with negative pregnancy outcomes. Oxidative stress (OS) and defective placental dysfunction are contributing factors. This study determined the association between AMA and adverse pregnancy outcomes, OS biomarkers and angiogenic growth mediators (AGMs) in normal pregnancies. Methods This prospective cohort study conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) Department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) finally included 175 normal pregnant women comprising, 58 AMA (35–45 years), 55 (30–34 years) and 62 optimal childbearing age (20–29 years). Venous blood samples were collected at 28–32 weeks for soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), placental growth …


Manipulating Graded Exercise Test Variables Affects The Validity Of The Lactate Threshold And Vo2peak, Nicholas A. Jamnick, Javier Botella, David B. Pyne, David Bishop Jan 2018

Manipulating Graded Exercise Test Variables Affects The Validity Of The Lactate Threshold And Vo2peak, Nicholas A. Jamnick, Javier Botella, David B. Pyne, David Bishop

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background To determine the validity of the lactate threshold (LT) and maximal oxygen uptake (V_ O2max) determined during graded exercise test (GXT) of different durations and using different LT calculations. Trained male cyclists (n = 17) completed five GXTs of varying stage length (1, 3, 4, 7 and 10 min) to establish the LT, and a series of 30-min constant power bouts to establish the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS). V_ O2 was assessed during each GXT and a subsequent verification exhaustive bout (VEB), and 14 different LTs were calculated from four of the GXTs (3, 4, 7 and 10 …


Forest Type Influences Population Densities Of Nocturnal Lemurs In Manompana, Northeastern Madagascar, Alex Miller, Harriet R. Mills, Tantely Ralantoharijaona, Nicole A. Volasoa, Chantal Misandeau, Lounès Chikhi, Roberta Bencini, Jordi Salmona Jan 2018

Forest Type Influences Population Densities Of Nocturnal Lemurs In Manompana, Northeastern Madagascar, Alex Miller, Harriet R. Mills, Tantely Ralantoharijaona, Nicole A. Volasoa, Chantal Misandeau, Lounès Chikhi, Roberta Bencini, Jordi Salmona

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Forest loss, fragmentation, and anthropization threaten the survival of forest species all over the world. Shifting agriculture is one of these threatening processes in Madagascar. However, when its cycle is halted and the land is left to regenerate, the resulting growth of secondary forest may provide a viable habitat for folivorous and omnivorous lemur species. We aimed to identify the response of nocturnal lemurs to different successional stages of regenerating secondary, degraded mature, and mature forest across a mosaic-type landscape. We surveyed four nocturnal lemur species (Avahi laniger, Microcebus cf. simmonsi, Allocebus trichotis, and Daubentonia madagascariensis) in four forest types …


Linkages Between Ecosystem Services And Human Wellbeing: A Nexus Webs Approach, Zoe Leviston Dr, Iain Walker, Melissa Green, Jennifer C. Price Jan 2018

Linkages Between Ecosystem Services And Human Wellbeing: A Nexus Webs Approach, Zoe Leviston Dr, Iain Walker, Melissa Green, Jennifer C. Price

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Ecosystems provide benefits to people, and, in turn, people individually and collectively affect the functioning and wellbeing of ecosystems. Interdependencies between ecosystem services and human wellbeing are critical for the sustainable future of ecosystems and human systems alike, but they are not well understood. We offer an account of these interdependencies from the perspective of social psychology. Using the Nexus Webs framework (Overton et al., 2013), we explore how a fuller knowledge of coupled social-ecological systems will benefit resource management and decision-making in contested spaces. We challenge the tacit notion that ecosystem health and human wellbeing are linearly related, and …


Dietary Nitrate And Diet Quality: An Examination Of Changing Dietary Intakes Within A Representative Sample Of Australian Women, Jacklyn K. Jackson, Amanda J. Patterson, Lesley K. Macdonald-Wicks, Catherine P. Bondonno, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Natalie C. Ward, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Julie E. Byles, Mark A. Mcevoy Jan 2018

Dietary Nitrate And Diet Quality: An Examination Of Changing Dietary Intakes Within A Representative Sample Of Australian Women, Jacklyn K. Jackson, Amanda J. Patterson, Lesley K. Macdonald-Wicks, Catherine P. Bondonno, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Natalie C. Ward, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Julie E. Byles, Mark A. Mcevoy

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Dietary nitrate is increasingly linked to a variety of beneficial health outcomes. Our purpose was to estimate dietary nitrate consumption and identify key dietary changes which have occurred over time within a representative sample of Australian women. Women from the 1946–1951 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health with complete food frequency questionnaire data for both 2001 and 2013 were included for analysis. Dietary nitrate intakes were calculated using key published nitrate databases. Diet quality scores including the Australian Recommended Food Score, the Mediterranean Diet Score and the Nutrient Rich Foods Index were calculated along with food group …


Trophic Roles Of Tadpoles In Tropical Australian Streams, Katrin Schmidt, Melanie L. Blanchette, Richard G. Pearson, Ross A. Alford, Aaron M. Davis Oct 2017

Trophic Roles Of Tadpoles In Tropical Australian Streams, Katrin Schmidt, Melanie L. Blanchette, Richard G. Pearson, Ross A. Alford, Aaron M. Davis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Tadpoles can be abundant consumers in stream ecosystems, and may influence the structure and function of streams through their feeding activities and interactions with other organisms. To understand the contribution of tadpoles to stream functioning, and the potential impact of their loss, it is necessary to determine their diets and how they might influence food-web structure. Using gut-content analysis and stable-isotope analysis of N and C, we determined the main food sources and trophic positions of tadpoles of five native frog species, invertebrates, and fish in upland and lowland Australian Wet Tropics streams. Omnivory was prevalent among the tadpoles and …


Analysis Of The Anti-Cancer Effects Of Cincau Extract (Premna Oblongifolia Merr) And Other Types Of Non- Digestible Fibre Using Faecal Fermentation Supernatants And Caco-2 Cells As A Model Of The Human Colon, Samsu U. Nurdin, Richard K. Le Leu, Graeme P. Young, James Constantine R. Stangoulis, Claus T. Christophersen, Catherine A. Abbott Apr 2017

Analysis Of The Anti-Cancer Effects Of Cincau Extract (Premna Oblongifolia Merr) And Other Types Of Non- Digestible Fibre Using Faecal Fermentation Supernatants And Caco-2 Cells As A Model Of The Human Colon, Samsu U. Nurdin, Richard K. Le Leu, Graeme P. Young, James Constantine R. Stangoulis, Claus T. Christophersen, Catherine A. Abbott

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Green cincau (Premna oblongifolia Merr) is an Indonesian food plant with a high dietary fibre content. Research has shown that dietary fibre mixtures may be more beneficial for colorectal cancer prevention than a single dietary fibre type. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of green cincau extract on short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production in anaerobic batch cultures inoculated with human faecal slurries and to compare these to results obtained using different dietary fibre types (pectin, inulin, and cellulose), singly and in combination. Furthermore, fermentation supernatants (FSs) were evaluated in Caco-2 cells for their effect on …


Superior Inhibitory Control And Resistance To Mental Fatigue In Professional Road Cyclists, Kristy Martin, Walter Staiano, Paolo Mensaspa, Tom Hennessey, Samuele M. Marcora, Richard J. Keegan, Kevin G. Thompson, David T. Martin, Shona R. Halson, Ben Rattray Jan 2016

Superior Inhibitory Control And Resistance To Mental Fatigue In Professional Road Cyclists, Kristy Martin, Walter Staiano, Paolo Mensaspa, Tom Hennessey, Samuele M. Marcora, Richard J. Keegan, Kevin G. Thompson, David T. Martin, Shona R. Halson, Ben Rattray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose:

Given the important role of the brain in regulating endurance performance, this comparative study sought to determine whether professional road cyclists have superior inhibitory control and resistance to mental fatigue compared to recreational road cyclists.

Methods:

After preliminary testing and familiarization, eleven professional and nine recreational road cyclists visited the lab on two occasions to complete a modified incongruent colour-word Stroop task (a cognitive task requiring inhibitory control) for 30 min (mental exertion condition), or an easy cognitive task for 10 min (control condition) in a randomized, counterbalanced cross-over order. After each cognitive task, participants completed a 20-min time …


Sustainable Water Management For Urban Agriculture, Gardens And Public Open Space Irrigation: A Case Study In Perth, Raju Sharma Dhakal, Geoff Syme, Edward Andre, Charles Sabato Jan 2015

Sustainable Water Management For Urban Agriculture, Gardens And Public Open Space Irrigation: A Case Study In Perth, Raju Sharma Dhakal, Geoff Syme, Edward Andre, Charles Sabato

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Urban agriculture has been increasingly popular as a form of modern agriculture in urban settings. It includes community gardens, fruit orchards, home gardens, veggie patches, public open spaces, reserves, urban forest, and recreational landscaping. However, irrigation using urban water supply has been identified as a major constraints for the development of urban agriculture. This study presents a sustainable water management trial at Butler, a northern sub-urban development in Perth, Western Australia, for urban irrigation. The trial system consists of a number of water saving features including untreated fit-for-purpose groundwater supplied via a third pipe network, drip irrigation, local weather station, …


A Real-Time Plant Discrimination System Utilising Discrete Reflectance Spectroscopy, Paul Symonds, Arie Paap, Kamal Alameh, J Rowe, C Miller Jan 2015

A Real-Time Plant Discrimination System Utilising Discrete Reflectance Spectroscopy, Paul Symonds, Arie Paap, Kamal Alameh, J Rowe, C Miller

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

An advanced, proof-of-concept real-time plant discrimination system is presented that employs two visible (red) laser diodes (635. nm, 685. nm) and one near-infrared (NIR) laser diode (785. nm). The lasers sequentially illuminate the target ground area and a linear sensor array measures the intensities of the reflected laser beams. The spectral reflectance measurements are then processed by an embedded microcontroller running a discrimination algorithm based on dual Normalised Difference Vegetation Indices (NDVI). Pre-determined plant spectral signatures are used to define unique regions-of-classification for use by the discrimination algorithm. Measured aggregated NDVI values that fall within a region-of-classification (RoC) representing an …


The Extent Of Heat On Health And Sustainable Farming In Ghana - Bawku East, Kwasi Frimpong, Jacques Oosthuizen, Eddie J. Van Etten Jan 2014

The Extent Of Heat On Health And Sustainable Farming In Ghana - Bawku East, Kwasi Frimpong, Jacques Oosthuizen, Eddie J. Van Etten

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Little is known about the health effects of heat in outdoor work and appropriate work and rest schedules for farmers working in developing countries. As temperatures continue to increase in tropical regions, such as Northern Ghana, it is necessary to evaluate how farmers experience and respond to high heat exposures. In this study, WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) estimates and the ISO work / rest standards were applied to a cohort of farmers in the rural areas of Bawku East, Northern Ghana, to assess how farmers respond to high heat and how much they rest to protect their health, as …


Experiences Of Heat Stress Vulnerability And Climate Change Among Farmers In Ghana, Kwasi Frimpong, Jacques D. Oosthuizen, Eddie J. Van Etten Jan 2014

Experiences Of Heat Stress Vulnerability And Climate Change Among Farmers In Ghana, Kwasi Frimpong, Jacques D. Oosthuizen, Eddie J. Van Etten

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The trend over the last decade of increasing temperature associated with climate change with the impacts being felt in the poorest communities of the developing world is unequivocal. Bawku East of northern Ghana is assessed as one of the poorest communities. Being a farming community the study investigates the extent of farmers’ experiences on heat and climate change. A selected number of 308 farmers from a farming population of over 15,000 were interviewed about heat stress and climate change to gauge their level of vulnerability to heat stress at the household and farm levels, as well as their general experiences …


Compositional Variation In Sugars And Organic Acids At Different Maturity Stages In Selected Small Fruits From Pakistan, T Mahmood, F Anwar, M Abbas, Mary Boyce, N Saari Jan 2012

Compositional Variation In Sugars And Organic Acids At Different Maturity Stages In Selected Small Fruits From Pakistan, T Mahmood, F Anwar, M Abbas, Mary Boyce, N Saari

Research outputs 2012

Selected soluble sugars and organic acids were analyzed in strawberry, sweet cherry, and mulberry fruits at different ripening stages by HPLC. The amounts of fructose, glucose and sucrose were found to be: strawberry (1.79-2.86, 1.79-2.25 and 0.01-0.25 g/100 g FW), sweet cherry (0.76-2.35, 0.22-3.39 and 0.03-0.13 g/100 g) and mulberry (3.07-9.41, 1.53-4.95 and 0.01-0.25 g/100 g) at un-ripened to fully-ripened stages, respectively. The strawberry, sweet cherry and mulberry mainly contained tartaric, citric and ascorbic acids in the range of 16-55, 70-1934 and 11-132 mg/100 g; 2-8, 2-10 and 10-17 mg/100 g; 2-118, 139-987 and 2-305 mg/100 g at un-ripened to …


The Application Of A Visual Data Mining Framework To Determine Soil, Climate And Land-Use Relationships, Yunous Vagh Jan 2012

The Application Of A Visual Data Mining Framework To Determine Soil, Climate And Land-Use Relationships, Yunous Vagh

Research outputs 2012

In this research study, the methodology of action research dynamics and a case study was employed in constructing a visual data mining framework for the processing and analysis of geographic land-use data in an agricultural context. The geographic data was made up of a digital elevation model (DEM), soil and land use profiles that were juxtaposed with previously captured climatic data from fixed weather stations in Australia. In this pilot study, monthly rainfall profiles for a selected study area were used to identify areas of soil variability. The rainfall was sampled for the beginning (April) of the rainy season for …