A paisagem, as aldeias e os montes de Vila Ruiva e Vila Alva

Dissertação de Mestrado, Arquitetura Paisagista, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2016

Estudio de factibilidad para la industrialización y comercialización de los productos derivados de la soya, elaborados por el comité de mujeres de mitaza afiliadas a CONFRAS.

La industrialización y Comercialización para los productos derivados de la Soya elaborados por el Comité de Mujeres de Mizata comprende el establecimiento de una planta de producción que agilice y mejore la calidad de los productos que actualmente se elaboran y un plan de mercado que facilite la comercialización de dichos productos. Considerando lo anterior se desarrolló un estudio de factibilidad con el objetivo de determinar la disponibilidad de recursos para la industrialización y comercialización de los productos a base de Soya; para lograr dichos propósitos se desarrolló un diagnóstico de la situación actual fundamentado en los siguientes objetivos: Conocer la existencia de demanda potencial insatisfecha de los productos derivados de la soya en el Municipio de Teotepeque. Identificar características, gustos y preferencias de los compradores potenciales. Conocer los productos derivados de la soya que tendrán más aceptación o demanda en el Municipio de Teotepeque. La metodología de la investigación se basó por medio de la aplicación del método científico; el cual sigue un proceso lógico y esquematizado permitiendo solucionar un problema emitiendo un juicio. El tipo de investigación que se aplicó para efectos de este estudio es descriptiva ya que especifica las características importantes de posibles compradores de los productos derivados de la soya, así como las características de los oferentes de dichos productos. Por tal motivo se diseñaron los instrumentos para la recolección de los datos, dirigidos a los pobladores del Municipio de Teotepeque y miembros del Comité de Mizata. Los resultados más importantes que se obtuvieron son: En el estudio de mercado se determinó que los productos derivados de la Soya tienen un mercado potencial insatisfecho en el Municipio de Teotepeque. Los compradores actuales de los productos derivados de la Soya son en su mayoría mujeres entre edades de 26 a 45 años cuyos ingresos mensuales oscilan entre $200 a $250 dólares mensuales. Los productos derivados de la soya que tienen mayor aceptación o demanda en el Municipio de Teotepeque es en primer lugar el café, en segundo lugar el chocolate, en tercer lugar la horchata y finalmente el cereal; preferentemente en presentaciones de libra y con empaque hermético, higiénico y sencillo. Fundamentado en lo anterior y en cada uno de los estudios realizados en esta investigación, se concluye que en la actualidad existe factibilidad para la industrialización y comercialización de los productos derivados de la Soya elaborados por el Comité de Mujeres de Mizata afiliadas a la Confederación de Federaciones de la Reforma Agraria Salvadoreña (CONFRAS).

A review of maize-beans and maize-cowpea intercrop systems in the semiarid Northeast Brazil.

Fifty-one experiments on maize -beans and 34 on maize-cowpea intercropping systems conducted mostly in semiarid Northeast Brazil were analysed to get an understanding of the performance of these intercrops in terms of their productivity as well as stability. Both the intercrop systems produced higher yields over their respective sole crops under a wide range of agroclimates; the average advantage with maize-beans was 32%, while that from maize-cowpea was 41%. The optimum row proportion for maize-beans was one maize: three beans, requiring 59% of sole crop maize population and 75% sole bean population. In maize-cowpea, alternate rows or one maize: two cowpea arrangement with about 50% of sole maize density and 100% of sole cowpea population seemed to be optimum. The intercrops failed less frequently compared to sole crops to meet specified incomes or yields. Sorghum seemed to be a good alternative to the traditional cereal because of its improved and consistent performance. Future research needs are discussed for further yield improvement in these two intercrop system.s

SORGO: estenda sua safrinha com segurança: programa 22: Centro-Oeste/Sudeste.

O sorgo produz bem em condições ambientais adversas, como a seca. A cultura do sorgo tem sido uma boa opção para produção de grãos e forragem nas situações em que o falta de água oferece maiores riscos para outras culturas, como o milho. Outra vantagem do sorgo é sua baixa suscetibilidade a micotoxinas (problema comum no milho), o que confere a este cereal grande aceitação para composição de rações para animais domésticos, suínos e aves, que são muito sensíveis à presença de micotoxinas. O agrônomo e pesquisador da Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, Cícero Beserra de Menezes, traz mais informações sobre o Sorgo: estenda sua safrinha com segurança.

MANEJO de plantas de cobertura para sistema de rotação de culturas: programa 24: Centro-Oeste/Sudeste.

A prática de se utilizar plantas de cobertura associadas a um sistema diversificado de rotação de culturas para uso em plantio direto tem ajudado de forma sistemática na melhoria da qualidade dos solos da região e impactado de forma positiva na produtividade de grãos e de cereais, como soja e milho. A agrônoma e pesquisadora da Embrapa Cerrados Arminda Moreira de Carvalho e o extensionista da Emater Distrito Federal Marconi Moreira trazem mais informações sobre essa prática.

MANEJO de plantas de cobertura para sistemas de rotação de cultura: programa 24: Norte.

A prática de se utilizar plantas de cobertura associadas a um sistema diversificado de rotação de culturas para uso em plantio direto tem ajudado de forma sistemática na melhoria da qualidade dos solos da região e impactado de forma positiva na produtividade de grãos e de cereais, como soja e milho. A agrônoma e pesquisadora da Embrapa Cerrados Arminda Moreira de Carvalho e o extensionista da Emater Distrito Federal Marconi Moreira trazem mais informações sobre essa prática.

Effects of a free school breakfast programme on school attendance, achievement, psychosocial function, and nutrition: a stepped wedge cluster randomised trial

BACKGROUND: Approximately 55,000 children in New Zealand do not eat breakfast on any given day. Regular breakfast skipping has been associated with poor diets, higher body mass index, and adverse effects on children's behaviour and academic performance. Research suggests that regular breakfast consumption can improve academic performance, nutrition and behaviour. This paper describes the protocol for a stepped wedge cluster randomised trial of a free school breakfast programme. The aim of the trial is to determine the effects of the breakfast intervention on school attendance, achievement, psychosocial function, dietary habits and food security.

METHODS/DESIGN: Sixteen primary schools in the North Island of New Zealand will be randomised in a sequential stepped wedge design to a free before-school breakfast programme consisting of non-sugar coated breakfast cereal, milk products, and/or toast and spreads. Four hundred children aged 5-13 years (approximately 25 per school) will be recruited. Data collection will be undertaken once each school term over the 2010 school year (February to December). The primary trial outcome is school attendance, defined as the proportion of students achieving an attendance rate of 95% or higher. Secondary outcomes are academic achievement (literacy, numeracy, self-reported grades), sense of belonging at school, psychosocial function, dietary habits, and food security. A concurrent process evaluation seeks information on parents', schools' and providers' perspectives of the breakfast programme.

DISCUSSION: This randomised controlled trial will provide robust evidence of the effects of a school breakfast programme on students' attendance, achievement and nutrition. Furthermore the study provides an excellent example of the feasibility and value of the stepped wedge trial design in evaluating pragmatic public health intervention programmes.

Phytochemicals and biofunctional properties of buckwheat: a review

A growing trend for nutraceutical and gluten-free cereal-based products highlights the need for development of new products. Buckwheat is one of the potential candidates for such products and the present paper reviews the functional and nutraceutical compounds present in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum). The vital functional substances in buckwheat are flavonoids, phytosterols, fagopyrins, fagopyritols, phenolic compounds, resistant starch, dietary fibre, lignans, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which make it a highly active biological pseudocereal. Cholesterol-lowering effects that lessen the problems of constipation and obesity are important health benefits that can be achieved through the functional substances of buckwheat.

Explaining commodity prices through asymmetric oil shocks: evidence from nonlinear models

Linkages between oil and 25 other commodity prices are examined using annual data for 1900 to 2011. We identify long-run relationships using both linear and nonlinear ARDL models and capture short-run causalities through asymmetric Granger causality tests. Nonlinearity can't be rejected for the relationship between oil and most other commodity prices. Long-run positive impacts of oil price increases are found for 20 commodities and short-run negative impacts for 13 commodity prices. Oil prices don't have much impact on beverage or cereal prices once endogeneity is accounted for, but they have substantial impact on metal prices.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the production of fermented beverages

Abstract: Alcoholic beverages are produced following the fermentation of sugars by yeasts, mainly (but not exclusively) strains of the species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The sugary starting materials may emanate from cereal starches (which require enzymatic pre‐hydrolysis) in the case of beers and whiskies, sucrose‐rich plants (molasses or sugar juice from sugarcane) in the case of rums, or from fruits (which do not require pre‐hydrolysis) in the case of wines and brandies. In the presence of sugars, together with other essential nutrients such as amino acids, minerals and vitamins, S. cerevisiae will conduct fermentative metabolism to ethanol and carbon dioxide (as the primary fermentation metabolites) as the cells strive to make energy and regenerate the coenzyme NAD+ under anaerobic conditions. Yeasts will also produce numerous secondary metabolites which act as important beverage flavour congeners, including higher alcohols, esters, carbonyls and sulphur compounds. These are very important in dictating the final flavour and aroma characteristics of beverages such as beer and wine, but also in distilled beverages such as whisky, rum and brandy. Therefore, yeasts are of vital importance in providing the alcohol content and the sensory profiles of beverages. This Introductory Chapter reviews, in general, the growth, physiology and metabolism of S. cerevisiae in alcoholic beverage fermentations.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the production of whisk(e)y

Whisky is a major global distilled spirit beverage. Whiskies are produced from cereal starches that are saccharified, fermented and distilled prior to spirit maturation. The strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae employed in whisky fermentations is crucially important not only in terms of ethanol yields, but also for production of minor yeast metabolites which collectively contribute to development of spirit flavour and aroma characteristics. Distillers must therefore pay very careful attention to the strain of yeast exploited to ensure consistency of fermentation performance and spirit congener profiles. In the Scotch whisky industry, initiatives to address sustainability issues facing the industry (for example, reduced energy and water usage) have resulted in a growing awareness regarding criteria for selecting new distilling yeasts with improved efficiency. For example, there is now a desire for Scotch whisky distilling yeasts to perform under more challenging conditions such as high gravity wort fermentations. This article highlights the important roles of S. cerevisiae strains in whisky production and describes key fermentation performance attributes sought in distiller's yeast, such as high alcohol yields, stress tolerance and desirable congener profiles. We hope that the information herein will be useful for whisky producers and yeast suppliers in selecting new distilling strains of S. cerevisiae, and for the scientific community to stimulate further research in this area.

Potential new sources of wheat curl mite resistance in wheat to prevent the spread of yield-reducing pathogens

The wheat curl mite (WCM), Aceria tosichella Keifer (Trombidiformes: Eriophyidae), is a major pest in cropping regions of the world and is recognised as the primary vector of several yield-reducing pathogens, primarily affecting wheat. Management of WCM is complicated due to several aspects of the mite's biology and ecology; however, commercially viable mite resistant wheat varieties may offer practical long-term management options. Unfortunately, mite populations have adapted to previously identified sources of resistance, highlighting the need for further sources of resistance and the value of stacking different resistances to give greater degrees and longevity of control. In this study we assessed the susceptibility of 42 wheat-derived genotypes to mite population growth using a new experimental method that overcomes methodological limitations of previous studies. Experimental wheat lines included a variety of wheat genotypes, related Triticeae species, wheat-alien chromosome amphiploids, and chromosome addition or substitution lines. From these we identify new promising sources of WCM resistance associated with Thinopyrum intermedium, Th. ponticum and Hordeum marinum chromosomes. More specifically we identify group 1J and 5J chromosomes of the L3 and L5 wheat-Th. intermedium addition lines as new sources of resistance that could be exploited to transfer resistance onto homoeologous wheat chromosomes. This study offers new methods for reliable in situ estimations of mite abundance on cereal plants, and new sources of WCM resistance that may assist management of WCM and associated viruses in wheat.

Nitrogen use efficiency and optimization of nitrogen fertilizer application for stable yields and high quality of cereals grown in conservation agriculture

In most agroecosystems, nitrogen (N) is the most important nutrient limiting plant growth. One management strategy that affects N cycling and N use efficiency (NUE) is conservation agriculture (CA), an agricultural system based on a combination of minimum tillage, crop residue retention and crop rotation. Available results on the optimization of NUE in CA are inconsistent and studies that cover all three components of CA are scarce. Presently, CA is promoted in the Yaqui Valley in Northern Mexico, the country´s major wheat-producing area in which from 1968 to 1995, fertilizer application rates for the cultivation of irrigated durum wheat (Triticum durum L.) at 6 t ha-1 increased from 80 to 250 kg ha-1, demonstrating the high intensification potential in this region. Given major knowledge gaps on N availability in CA this thesis summarizes the current knowledge of N management in CA and provides insights in the effects of tillage practice, residue management and crop rotation on wheat grain quality and N cycling. Major aims of the study were to identify N fertilizer application strategies that improve N use efficiency and reduce N immobilization in CA with the ultimate goal to stabilize cereal yields, maintain grain quality, minimize N losses into the environment and reduce farmers’ input costs. Soil physical and chemical properties in CA were measured and compared with those in conventional systems and permanent beds with residue burning focusing on their relationship to plant N uptake and N cycling in the soil and how they are affected by tillage and N fertilizer timing, method and doses. For N fertilizer management, we analyzed how placement, time and amount of N fertilizer influenced yield and quality parameters of durum and bread wheat in CA systems. Overall, grain quality parameters, in particular grain protein concentration decreased with zero-tillage and increasing amount of residues left on the field compared with conventional systems. The second part of the dissertation provides an overview of applied methodologies to measure NUE and its components. We evaluated the methodology of ion exchange resin cartridges under irrigated, intensive agricultural cropping systems on Vertisols to measure nitrate leaching losses which through drainage channels ultimately end up in the Sea of Cortez where they lead to algae blooming. A throughout analysis of N inputs and outputs was conducted to calculate N balances in three different tillage-straw systems. As fertilizer inputs are high, N balances were positive in all treatments indicating the risk of N leaching or volatilization during or in subsequent cropping seasons and during heavy rain fall in summer. Contrary to common belief, we did not find negative effects of residue burning on soil nutrient status, yield or N uptake. A labeled fertilizer experiment with urea 15N was implemented in micro-plots to measure N fertilizer recovery and the effects of residual fertilizer N in the soil from summer maize on the following winter crop wheat. Obtained N fertilizer recovery rates for maize grain were with an average of 11% very low for all treatments.

El efecto de la definición regulatoria de banda ancha sobre la difusión y la competencia del mercado de servicios de Internet fijo en Colombia

A partir de la dinámica evolutiva de la economía de las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones y el establecimiento de estándares mínimos de velocidad en distintos contextos regulatorios a nivel mundial, en particular en Colombia, en el presente artículo se presentan diversas aproximaciones empíricas para evaluar los efectos reales que conlleva el establecimiento de definiciones de servicios de banda ancha en el mercado de Internet fijo. Con base en los datos disponibles para Colombia sobre los planes de servicios de Internet fijo ofrecidos durante el periodo 2006-2012, se estima para los segmentos residencial y corporativo el proceso de difusión logístico modificado y el modelo de interacción estratégica para identificar los impactos generados sobre la masificación del servicio a nivel municipal y sobre las decisiones estratégicas que adoptan los operadores, respectivamente. Respecto a los resultados, se encuentra, por una parte, que las dos medidas regulatorias establecidas en Colombia en 2008 y 2010 presentan efectos significativos y positivos sobre el desplazamiento y el crecimiento de los procesos de difusión a nivel municipal. Por otra parte, se observa sustituibilidad estratégica en las decisiones de oferta de velocidad de descarga por parte de los operadores corporativos mientras que, a partir del análisis de distanciamiento de la velocidad ofrecida respecto al estándar mínimo de banda ancha, se demuestra que los proveedores de servicios residenciales tienden a agrupar sus decisiones de velocidad alrededor de los niveles establecidos por regulación.

Análisis de los posibles efectos del TLC con Estados Unidos en el subsector del maíz

En el marco del desarrollo del sector primario en Colombia, se observa la existencia de una serie de situaciones o factores adversos que le impiden alcanzar su productividad y competitividad, entre los cuales destacan los altos costos de la materia prima e insumos utilizados en los procesos productivos de siembra y cosecha, la inexistencia de políticas públicas que garanticen un verdadero apoyo al campesinado colombiano, como los subsidios y/o estrategias de protección a la producción nacional, estas últimas, como barrera a la entrada en grandes volúmenes de productos importados, resultantes de los acuerdos internacionales donde se les da mayor participación a los productos importados, como ha sido en los últimos años, los provenientes de Canadá y Estados Unidos, este último, con la firma del TLC. Lo anterior ha coadyuvando a una reducción en las áreas de cultivo, así como en el rendimiento por hectáreas; como es el caso de la agrocadena de cereales, entre los que destaca el maíz amarillo, el cual ha experimentado un alto incremento en su volumen de importación, resultado de los excedentes exportables dados en la producción agrícola norteamericana, siendo los subsidios que a través de la ley Farm Bill, el gobierno norteamericano le otorga a los productores agropecuarios, un incentivo importante para tal fin. Con base en esto, los precios internacionales de comercialización del maíz amarillo han presentado una tendencia de decrecimiento, imposibilitando a los productores colombianos afrontar esta situación. Por medio de esta investigación se busca evaluar y esclarecer los posibles efectos del TLC de Colombia con Estados Unidos sobre los productores de maíz, y así mismo porporcionar alternativas de solución tanto para los campesinos como para el gobierno, identificando las principales variables que afectan la producción del cereal