Open pitaya (Stenocereus thurberi) flowers were marked at 10, 20, 30 and 40 days after floration (DAF). When fruit were formed, they were collected from each of the dates with the objective of evaluating physical, physiological and quality changes before and after harvest. In fruits with different DAF, the analyses of fruit size (diameter and length), weight, density, firmness, color in pulp and peel (L*, a* and b*), respiration rate (CO₂) and ethylene production were carried out. In the case of ripe and overripe fruit, in addition to the variables mentioned above, pH, percentage of total soluble solids TSS and total acidity (% citric acid equivalents) were evaluated. Fruit with 40 DAF were stored for up to 14 days at 25 ℃ and 80% RH to evaluate daily changes in respiration rate and ethylene production. It was found that during development the fruit tended to grow more in length than in diameter. In color, the best indicators of changes during fruit development were the parameters L* and b* for peel and for flesh L* and a*. For firmness in pitaya fruits, no significant differences were found with the methodology used. Changes in ethylene production and respiration rate during storage and development showed the usual behavior of climacteric fruits. Pitaya fruits with 40 FDD presented quality characteristics similar to those accepted by the consumer for this type of fruit. It is concluded that it is possible to evaluate the different stages of development in DDF of pitaya fruit based on the changes of the color space variables L*, a* and b*, in addition to the fact that the fruit follows the classical climacteric behavior.

This article presents a methodology to perform quality analysis on the cadastral map, based on the tools provided by open (public or free) license geographic information systems (GIS). The errors presented in the cadastral map have a direct impact on the information systems, which can lead to erroneous decisions and to an increase in the costs of maintenance and updating of spatial data. The methodology developed was used and tested by Costa Rica’s Cadastre and Registry Regularization Program; as a product of this program, a continuous cadastral map has been created for Costa Rica, on which cadastral and registry transactions will be processed within the National Registry of Costa Rica. The methodology allows detecting, locating and classifying errors in the cadastral map for easily correcting, so that this map correctly represents the reality of the properties that conform it.

The effects of different storage temperatures (2, 4 and 8 ℃) and their corresponding optimal heat treatment conditions on the quality, physiological and biochemical indexes of Cucumber Fruits during storage were studied by using the quadratic regression orthogonal rotation combination design. The effects of different storage temperatures (2, 4 and 8 ℃) and their corresponding optimal heat treatment conditions on the chilling injury, hardness, weightlessness rate, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), H₂O₂, super oxygen anion free radical (O^2-), ASA and GSH were determined. The results showed that heat treatment could inhibit chilling injury, while heat treatment combined with 4 ℃ low temperature storage could effectively inhibit the decline of fruit hardness and weight loss rate, delay the increase of peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities, inhibit the increase of H₂O₂ and superoxide anion free radical O^2- and significantly inhibit the browning of cucumber, delay the decline of ascorbic acid and maintain the content of GSH, it was beneficial to adjust the balance of active oxygen system. The results showed that under the storage condition of 4 ℃, the hot water treatment condition of cucumber was 39.4 ℃ and 24.3 min, which could delay the senescence of cucumber fruit and better maintain the quality of cucumber fruit.

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) was introduced to Mexico in 1959. Currently there is an estimated planted area of 835.96 ha and a production of 8,730.27 tons. The fruit is mainly consumed fresh, but quickly loses its external appearance due to dehydration and browning, which limits its commercialization, an alternative may be minimal processing and adjuvant treatments that extend the shelf life. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of coating with cactus mucilage (Opuntia ficus-indica), in the preservation of minimally processed rambutan stored at 5 °C, in two types of packaging. The rambutan was sanitized with chlorinated water (80 ppm), the epicarp was removed and batches were formed for each treatment. The factors were type of container (polyethylene bag and polystyrene container), coating (with and without coating) and time (0, 3, 6, 6, 10 and 12 d). The coating consisted of mucilage obtained from developing cladodes (15–21 cm), applied by dipping. All treatments were stored at 5 ℃. Total soluble solids (TSS), firmness (N) and color (L*, a*, b*, chroma and hue angle) were evaluated at each storage period. Also, 40 untrained judges (47% male and 53% female) evaluated sensory acceptability, consumption intention and acceptance/rejection. The results showed significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) of package type on firmness, chroma and hue angle. Coating had an effect on L* value and product acceptability. Consumption intention was higher, and was maintained for 10 days, in fruits with coating and packaged in polyethylene bags, stored at 5 ℃.

A problem in post-harvest of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is the heterogeneity in fruit ripening, due to differences in the time of fruit set and the inability to ripen on the tree, a situation that causes inconsistencies in quality and differences in the response to preservation and processing technologies. In postharvest, the application of ethylene gas in hermetic chambers has been used to advance ripening; however, the use of ethylene releasers in liquid form (ethephon) has been proposed as an alternative, mainly for the treatment of low volumes of fruit. The present work was carried out in the production zone of Salvador Escalante (Michoacán, Mexico) with the objective of evaluating the effect of the application of two concentrations of ethephon on the time and homogenization of fruit ripening of avocado cultivars (cv.) Hass and Méndez. Fruits with 23.4% (cv. Hass) and 24% (cv. Méndez) of dry matter were harvested; one group was immersed in a solution of ethephon 500 mg/L and the other in 1,000 mg/L, both for 5 minutes; the treated fruits plus a control were stored at 20 °C for 11 days. Changes in respiration, ethylene production, weight loss, firmness, epicarp and pulp color, total phenol, chlorophyll and total carotenoid concentrations were evaluated. The results showed that ethephon doses of 1,000 mg/L in cv. Hass and 500 mg/L in cv. Méndez presented a ripening process 2 days earlier than the control.

Forests have ecological functions in water conservation, climate regulation, environmental purification, soil and water conservation, biodiversity protection and so on. Carrying out forest ecological quality assessment is of great significance to understand the global carbon cycle, energy cycle and climate change. Based on the introduction of the concept and research methods of forest ecological quality, this paper analyzes and summarizes the evaluation of forest ecological quality from three comprehensive indicators: forest biomass, forest productivity and forest structure. This paper focuses on the construction of evaluation index system, the acquisition of evaluation data and the estimation of key ecological parameters, discusses the main problems existing in the current forest ecological quality evaluation, and looks forward to its development prospects, including the unified standardization of evaluation indexes, high-quality data, the impact of forest living environment, the acquisition of forest level from multi-source remote sensing data, the application of vertical structural parameters and the interaction between forest ecological quality and ecological function.