Response of Shiraz grapevines to five different training systems in the Barossa Valley, Australia

Own‐rooted Shiraz, spaced 1.5 m apart in 2.75 m wide rows, were compared under five different training systems in the Barossa Valley, South Australia over five seasons starting 1995–96. Our objective was to determine how training affected fruit composition and crop yield in a context of efficient vineyard management. Training systems were: (i) low single wire (LSW), in which vines were trained to bi‐lateral cordons, 1.0 m above the ground, non‐shoot‐positioned; (ii) high single wire (HSW), a higher cordon (1.8 m) version of LSW; (iii) vertically shoot positioned (VSP); (iv) Scott Henry, where canopies of alternate vines were cordon‐trained and shoot‐positioned upwards (SHU) or downwards (SHD); and (v) minimally pruned (MIN), the same as LSW, except vines were not annually spur‐pruned. Crop yields (kg/m of row), over four seasons, averaged 4.9 (MIN), 2.9 (combined Scott Henry), 3.2 (VSP), 2.6 (HSW) and 2.9 (LSW). The greatest year‐to‐year variation in yield occurred with MIN and Scott Henry training. Crop weight of SHD vines was inferior to that of SHU vines in two seasons due to fewer shoots and bunches per vine, and to fewer bunches per shoot. Individual berry weights (g) were consistently least with MIN (0.89), and greatest with VSP (1.17). Fruit from all training systems exhibited similar rates of sugar accumulation during two seasons in which repeated measures of fruit maturation were made. Excepting the relatively light yields observed in 1999–2000, sugar accumulation was delayed in MIN vines, relative to other training systems, even when MIN harvest was delayed up to two weeks. The delay is most readily explained by the greater crops of MIN vines. Berry total anthocyanins and total phenolics concentrations (mg/g berry fresh wt.) at harvest were not greatly affected by training system. Berry anthocyanins and total phenolics exhibited a negative relationship with crop/m of canopy and a slight positive relationship with bunch exposure when evaluated across all training systems. Experimental plot soil depth and water availability affected cane pruning weights, yield per vine, berry weight, and canopy characteristics. LSW, HSW and MIN training systems all provided good yields of high quality fruit, although MIN did have a tendency to produce excessive crops in some years. VSP and Scott Henry training were less attractive due to their inherently greater canopy management requirements.     

PREDICTING AVAILABLE LYSINE LOSSES DURING HEAT PROCESSING1

Mathematical models, which are amalgams of empirical equations and reaction kinetics, were used to predict the destruction of available lysine in proteins. R²-values for plots of predicted versus observed values ranged from 0.8 to 0.9. Changes in water activity, sugar, salt, oil, pH, time and temperature are considered by the model. The model can adjust for different sugars by employing an algorithm based upon the mutarotation constant for a specific sugar. A plot of sugar mutarotation constant against the appropriate loss rate coefficient demonstrated the relation between these two measures (R²= 0.8). Nomograms for predicting the loss rate coefficient and the activation energy, which can be used in an industrial application, are presented.     

Graph models for PLA folding problems

This paper considers combinatorial optimization models for the problem of reducing the chip area of programmable logic arrays (PLAs) by folding. In particular, we focus on the variable and block folding problems, and we present theoretical optimization models based on the compatibility graph, on the incompatibility graph and on the representative hyper-graph of a PLA.     

Nutrient Composition of Fresh Retail Pork

The nutrient composition of fresh pork was studied in samples from 71 carcasses. On separable lean, nutrient composition was determined for 7 raw retail cuts from one side of each of 11 carcasses, and nutrient retention was determined on the 7 matching cuts from the other side that had been cooked by common household methods. Loins from 60 additional carcasses were analyzed to determine whether USDA grades 1, 2, and 3 and region of production affected nutrient composition. The data indicated that variation in nutrient composition of pork is more dependent on the retail cut within the carcass than either the grade or the region of production of the carcass. Cooking method significantly affected retention of most of the nutrients analyzed.