Summary A field study was undertaken to examine the effect of fertiliser type and weed control system on grain yield, yield components and weed population in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum. var. durum) grown in a 4‐year rotation [bare fallow–barley (Hordeum vulgare)–vetch (Vicia sativa)–wheat]. Fertilisation treatments were: no fertilisation, organic fertilisation with 2500 kg ha−1 of compost (sheep manure and cereal straw) and chemical fertilisation with 100–60–60 kg ha−1 of NPK. Weed‐control treatments were: no control, herbicide, harrowing with long‐flex spring tines and strip sowing with inter‐row hoeing. Chemical fertilisation increased grain yield with respect to the other treatments, amongst which no significant differences were noted. Weed‐control systems afforded no improvement in yield compared with controls; indeed, yields obtained using inter‐row hoeing were lower. The weed population consisted of a large variety of species, of which the most important were Convolvulus arvensis and Polygonum aviculare. Application of weed‐control systems reduced weed density. Herbicide was the most effective, reducing weed biomass by 80%, whilst harrowing and hoeing reduced weed biomass by 40% and 52% respectively. Inter‐row hoeing does not appear to be a viable alternative to herbicides, when used as the sole weed control method in a non‐diverse cropping system in Mediterranean climates. The lack of response to compost suggests a need for further long‐term research.

The cultural practices tested provided an adequate productivity of fresh pepper and a better quality of the final product. According to the results of the present study, the increase in plant density and the substitution of manual harvesting by mechanical harvesting could be profitable practices with respect to the Jaranda variety of pepper used for the manufacture of smoked paprika. These practices maintain the main quality parameters of dried peppers and paprika. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

“Pimentón de La Vera” smoked paprika is a traditional kind of smoked paprika, the production of which is regulated by a protected designation of origin. The traditional drying/smoking process provides the “Pimentón de La Vera” smoked paprika with a peculiar flavour which has gained acceptance in multiple markets. However, this process also gives rise to non-desirable substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This paper attempts to ascertain the consumption levels of smoked paprika per person in Spain in order to establish the intake of PAHs derived from this food spice. With this purpose in mind, a research study was carried out using questionnaires in three different smoked paprika consumption scenarios: food companies, households and restaurants. The results from this research proved that the average consumption of smoked paprika per person per year in Spain is 139 g. Overall, the intake of PAHs derived from smoked paprika was proven to represent a negligible fraction of the total intake, with this ingredient being far behind the PAH contribution represented by other food products. These results could help consolidate the smoked paprika production sector by providing evidence of the scarce contribution of smoked paprika to PAH intake and justifying the traditional production with smoke drying, which is the differentiating quality trait of this spice.

No abstract