QUALITY OF PINK LADY ® BRAND APPLE
Apple (Malus domestica Borkh, ‘Pink Lady ® brand’) fruit were harvested from one California orchard in 2002, 2003 and 2004 at two or three different maturity stages each year. Fruit were evaluated for background color, firmness, fruit size, percentage of blush, starch index (CTIFL chart), soluble solids, titratable acidity and carbon dioxide (CO2) production and immediately stored at 33 oF in air or in controlled atmosphere (CA). In 2003, additional treatments included 1 ppm of SmartFresh ® (1-MCP) or 2200 ppm of diphenylamine (DPA). Firmness, CO2 production, external condition and internal browning were determined after storage in CA or air and 5 days at 68 oF. Fruit stored in CA conserved higher firmness and produced less CO2. Internal browning was not seen in fruit stored in air, but appeared in fruit after two months storage in CA. The incidence did not increase after longer storage times. SmartFresh ® worked as well as CA in conserving the quality of the fruit. It did not affect the incidence of internal browning, but DPA inhibited internal browning completely. When comparing similar storage atmospheres for all three seasons, the incidence of internal browning was significantly different, being much higher in 2002 and 2004. A mineral analysis of the apple flesh showed differences among the seasons. Concentrations of calcium (Ca), boron (B) and magnesium (Mg) were significantly higher in 2003, corresponding with a lower incidence of internal browning.
STORAGE PERFORMANCE OF APPLE CULTIVARS HARVESTED AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF MATURITY
2 ) but also the bitter pit (14.22 %) and soft rot (15.52 %) incidence, while titratable acidity (0.56 %) was observed in cultivarMondial Gala. The percent weight loss, total soluble solids, total sugar, bitter pit incidence and soft rot increased while, juice content, ti tratable acidity, ascorbic acid and firmness declined with increase in storage duration. The juice con tent (47.68 %), total soluble solids (10.07), total sugar (9.31 %), ascorbic acid (10.11 mg/100g) and soft rot (9.52 %) recorded with early mature fruit, increased to juice content (59.33 %), total soluble solids (12.92), total sugar (12.98 %), ascorbic ac id (12.50 %) and soft rot (15.22 %) accordingly in late mature fruits, while weight loss (3.34 %), titratable acidity (0.59 %), firmness (5.88 kg/cm 2 ), and bitter pit (11.69 %) recorded at early maturity stage, declined with delaying the harvesting to weig ht loss (1.93 %), starch score (3.21), titratable acidity (0.49 %), firmness (4.81 kg/cm 2 ), density of fruit (4.81 g/cm 3 ) and bitter pit (6.63 %) at late maturity stage.
Prevalence of lice on dairy cattle in England and the bordering counties of Wales
A postal questionnaire was used to collect information on the prevalence of lice on cattle on a random sample of dairy farms in England and the bordering counties of Wales. Replies were received from 1040 (52.8 per cent) of the 1970 farms which were mailed. Fifty per cent of farmers reported having ever seen or suspected lice in their herds and 29 per cent reported possible infestations in the winter of 1996/97. Visits were made to 24 farms in the south west of England during February 1998. Twelve of the farmers said that they had seen or suspected lice in their herd since October 1997, and that lice were more frequently observed on the adult cattle. However, examination revealed lice on 18 of the 24 farms, and adult cattle were the least likely group to be infested.