VEGETABLES

Author: Mateos Bernal Rosa María.
Year: 2005.
University: GRANADA [www.ugr.es].
Place of defense: Estación Experimental del Zaidín.
Place of preparation: Estación Experimental del Zaidín (C.S.I.C.).

Summary: The pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is one of the most horticultural products consumed by the world's population, it has a tremendous agricultural, nutritional and commercial. The pepper is a product with low caloric intake for its low fat. However, it is an important source of natural antioxidants such as vitamin C, so its consumption gives added value for its beneficial effects for our health. Spain is one of the world's leading producers of pepper so that growing conditions and environmental factors affecting the development of the plant and the fruit are of great interest in agriculture. Considering these issues, the objectives of this Doctoral Thesis have been studying the effect of the herbicide 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid) on the response mechanisms of the main antioxidant systems of this plant species. Furthermore, we have investigated the levels of antioxidant enzyme in the fruits of different varieties of peppers, and its evolution during maturation and in different environmental conditions of light, temperature and radiation. Lastly, he has studied the path of synthesis of vitamin C and its participation in the process of maturation of the fruits of pepper. The data obtained have enabled us to lay the groundwork biochemical and molecular systems of the main antioxidant in both leaves and fruits pepper, and how they are involved in the processes of response to abiotic stress, as well as the maturation of the fruits.

Author: LÓPEZ CASADO GLORIA MARÍA.
Year: 2005.
University: MÁLAGA [www.uma.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS.
Place of preparation: DEPARTAMENTO DE BIOLOGÍA MOLECULAR Y BIOQUÍMICA/ESTACIÓN EXPERIMENTAL A LA MAYORA CSIC.

Summary: This thesis deals with the biomechanical properties that characterize the cuticle and skin of the fruit tomato and its relationship with cracked. The cracked fruit is a problem that affects the lives of the same post, causing significant losses in production and quality commercial. This fisiopatía is characterized by the appearance of cracks in the fruit at the end of its period of maturation, either when it is on the ground, or once it is collected. In this work dissertation addresses the problem of cracked fruit and assessing first the effect that holds the saline irrigation in the incidence of cracks, morphological characters and mechanical properties of the skin of fruit in mature green stage and red mature two vultivares with different susceptiblidad the cracks. The conditions saline decreases the incidence of cracks, empowering those morphological characters and mechanics of skin of the fruit that confer resistance cracked. Secondly, it conducts an approximation of the role played by internal pressure of the fruit in the daily cycles of expansion and contraction as proposed mechanism for the development of cracks. Finally, assessing the mechanical properties of the curtícula fruit basis for the role they play their various components, stressing the importance of the quantity of compounds polisacarídicos partners wing cuticle as an element that sets difference in the stiffness of the cuticle of fruits tomato cultivars with different susceptibility to cracked.