Efeitos de fungicidas alternativos em folhas de Carthamus tinctorius L. (Asteraceae), potencial espécie para cultivo em agricultura familiar

The currently main development model on global society is driven by an economic rationality that endangers the environment and social justice. More and more, attention to this way of production and consumption is increasing, boosting research for sustainable development, with an environmental rationality that can harmonize nature preservation and welfare of all socioeconomic classes. One of the efforts on this sense is changing the sources supplying the energy demand, replacing fossil fuels for renewable and cleaner sources, such as biofuels. Carthamus tinctorius (safflower) is an oilseed crop with potential for biodiesel production, with good oil yield and chemical profile, allied to good adaptation to climates such like the northeastern semiarid lands of Brazil. With public policies fomentation, the use of this species may be an interesting alternative for family farming. In farming in general, the use of pesticides to prevent and combat diseases and plagues is common, which is not a sustainable practice. Thus, there are researched alternative, less dangerous substances. In this study, it was aimed to assess if neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extract (20% m/v) and Bordeaux mixture (copper sulfate) have effects on safflower. It was also aimed to verify acceptance of farmers on safflower crop in Apodi, a municipality in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, in view of it being localized in the aimed region for this crop cultivation. Besides that, understanding that the farmers’ knowledge and inclination to adopt the crop is fundamental for the introduction of this species and socioeconomic growth due to its exploration. In addition, a booklet with basic information on safflower was produced. In the field experiment, the fungicides were pulverized on plants cultivated in field experimental plots, with collection of leaf samples for analysis on anatomy, cuticle, and epicuticular wax morphology, the protective layer that interfaces with the surrounding ambient. In Apodi, forty-five farmers from Potiguar Cooperative of Apiculture and Sustainable Rural Development (COOPAPI) underwent semi-structured interviews, which also addressed their assessment on currently cultivated crops and perception of pesticide uses and sustainable alternatives. After comparing using analysis of variance, it was found that there was no difference between treatments in the experiment, as well as no anatomical or morphological modifications. Safflower acceptation among farmers was wide, with 84% of interviewees believing in a perspective of good incomes. The current scenario, comprised of low crop diversity, fragile in face of droughts and plagues, can partially explain this opinion. The booklet was effective in catching people attention for the species potential. There was wide acknowledgement on the importance of alternative pesticides, justified by health security. Based on the assessed parameter in the results of this research, the treatments here utilized may be recommended as fungicides for safflower. Given the crop susceptibility to fungi in heavy rainy period, it is advised that its potential introduction on the region shall be focused on semiarid areas.

Estrutura genética de populações de Amphobotrys ricini, agente causal do mofo cinzento da mamoneira

The gray mold, causal organism Amphobotrys ricini, is one of the major diseases of castor bean. Difficulties in managing plant disease arises form the limited understanding of the genetic structure of A. ricini, their complexity and variability make it difficult to control. Genetic structure can be used to infer the relative impact of different forces that influence the evolution of pathogen populations, that allow to predict the potencial for pathogen populations to envolve in agricultural ecosystems. Growers protect their crop by applying fungicides, but there aren t fungicides to provide significant control of gray mold of castor bean. The objectives of this work were use RAPD to determine the genetic structure of A. ricini subpopulations in Paraíba and assay the sensitivity of A. ricini isolates to azoxystrobin and carbendazim. To determine the genetic structure of A. ricini subpopulations in Paraíba, 23 isolates were colleted from two different geographic location (subpopulation). These isolates were analysed by RAPD using 22 random decamer primers, purchased from OPERON, produced a total of 80 markers polimorphics. The resulting matrixes were analysed using PopGene version 1.32. Sensitivity to azoxystrobin and carbendazim of 30 isolates, colleted form Paraíba and Alagoas, was estimated based on spore germination and colony growth inhibition. The stock solutions were added toV8 medium after sterilization to produce final concentrations of 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 µg/ml of carbendazim and 0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 µg/ml of azoxystrobin. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS to estimate the dose that inhibited fungal growth by 50% (ED50 values). The genetic diversity within subpopulations (Hs=0,271) accounted for 92% of the total genetic diversity (Ht=0,293), while genetic diversity between subpopulations (Gst = 0,075) represented only 7,5%. The estimated number of migrants per generation (NM ) was 6,15. Nei s average gene identity across 80 RAPD loci was 0,9468. Individual ED50 values, for the 30 isolates screened for their sensitivity to azoxystrobin, ranged From a maximum of 0,168 µg/ml to a minimum of 0,0036 µg/ml. The ED50 values for carbendazim varied within the range of 0,026 to 0,316 µg/ml