Evaluation of Fe uptake and translocation in transgenic and non-transgenic soybean plants using enriched stable Fe-57 as a tracer

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fat-Soluble Bioactive Components in Colored Rice Varieties

Bioactive components in rice vary depending on the variety and growing condition. Fat-soluble components such as gamma-oryzanol, tocopherols, tocotrienols, carotenoids, and fatty acids were analyzed in brown, sugary brown, red, and black rice varieties using established high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and GC methodologies. In addition, these colored rice varieties were further analyzed using a high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) (LTQ-Orbitrap XL) to identify the [M-H](-) ions of gamma-oryzanol, ranging from m/z 573.3949 to 617.4211. The highest content of tocopherols (alpha-, 1.5; gamma-, 0.5 mg/100 g) and carotenoids (lutein 244; trans-beta carotene 25 mu g/100 g) were observed in black rice; tocotrienols (alpha-, 0.07; gamma-, 0.14 mg/100 g) in red rice, and gamma-oryzanol (115 mg/100 g) in sugary brown rice. In all colored rice varieties, the major fatty acids were palmitic (16:0), oleic (18:1n-9), and linoleic (18:2n-6) acids. When the gamma-oryzanol components were further analyzed by LC-MS/MS, 3, 10, 8, and 8 triterpene alcohols or sterol ferulates were identified in brown, sugary brown, red, and black rice varieties, respectively. Such structural identification can lead to the elucidation of biological function of each component at the molecular level. Consumption of colored rice rich in beneficial bioactive compounds may be a useful dietary strategy for achieving optimal health.

SILICON IN ROW AND NITROGEN IN TOPDRESSING FERTILIZATION ON RICE UNDER DRY LAND AND SPRINKLER IRRIGATION CONDITIONS

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of silicon application adjusted with nitrogen fertilization via top-dressing on grain productivity, the silicon contents of the soil, in the plant tissue and nitrogen contents in dry and irrigated conditions. The experimental outlining was from designed blocks with subdivided parcels and four repetitions. The treatments consisted of culture system (dry and irrigated) and the under parcels by the combination of silicon (0 and 100 kg ha(-1)), in magnesium and calcium silicate form (with 23% of SiO2), and four doses of N (urea) via top-dressing (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha(-1)). Silicon application at sowing furrow was a viable technique because it provided significant increase in the content of this element in the root growth of rice. The application of silicon in the sowing furrow did not change the content of the element nor the nitrogen nutrition in rice plants. The nitrogen application reduced the silicon content and increased nitrogen nutrition in rice plants. Silicon application at sowing furrow provided no increase in rice grain yield. When there was no water limitation to nitrogen fertilization enhanced linearly on rice grain yield, whereas under water stress the effect of nitrogen fertilization was limited.

Resistência de cultivares de milho convencional e transgênico à Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Produção Vegetal) - FCAV

Leaf gas exchange and yield of three upland rice cultivars

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Agronomic efficiency and grain quality of upland rice cultivars as a function of nitrogen topdressing

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of the particle size of maize, rice, and sorghum in extruded diets for dogs on starch gelatinization, digestibility, and the fecal concentration of fermentation products

The influence of rice, maize, and sorghum raw material particle size in extruded dry dog food on the digestibility of nutrients and energy and the fecal concentration of fermentation products was investigated. Three diets with similar nutrient compositions were formulated, each with 1 starch source. Before incorporation into diets, the cereals were ground into 3 different particle sizes (approximately 300, 450, and 600 mu m); therefore, a total of 9 diets were in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement (3 cereals and 3 particle sizes). Fifty-four beagle dogs (12.0 +/- 0.1 kg BW) were randomly assigned to the diets, with 6 dogs per diet. The digestibility was measured with the chromium oxide method. The data were evaluated with ANOVA considering the carbohydrate source, grinding effect, and interactions. The means were compared with the Tukey test and polynomial contrasts (P < 0.05). With the same grinding procedure, rice was reduced to smaller particles than other cereals. The cereal mean geometric diameter (MGD) was directly related to starch gelatini-zation (SG) during extrusion. For rice diets, the MGD and SG did not change nutrient digestibility (P > 0.05); only GE digestibility was reduced at the largest MGD (P < 0.01). For maize and sorghum diets, the total tract apparent nutrient digestibility was reduced for foods with greater MGD and less SG (P < 0.01). A linear reduction in nutrient digestibility according to cereal particle size was observed for sorghum (r(2) < 0.72; P < 0.01). Higher concentrations of fecal total shortchain fatty acids (SCFA) were observed for sorghum diets (P < 0.05) than for other diets. The rice diets led to the production of feces with less lactate (P < 0.05). The increase in raw material MGD did not influence fecal SCFA for rice diets, but for the dogs fed maize and sorghum foods, an increase in propionate and butyrate concentrations were observed as MGD increased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, for dogs fed different particle sizes of the cereal starches in the extruded diets, the digestibility and fecal characteristics were affected, and this effect was ingredient dependent.

Transgenic cotton-fed Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) affects the parasitoid encarsia desantisi Viggiani (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) development

Cotton cultivars expressing Cry proteins are widely used to control lepidopteran pests. The effects of transgenic plants containing insecticidal Cry proteins on non-target species must be comprehended for a better and rational use of this technology for pest management. We investigated the influence of the Bt cotton cultivars NuOPAL and FM 975 on biological parameters of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), a non-target pest of Bt cotton cultivars and on its parasitoid Encarsia desantisi Viggiani (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). The experiments were conducted in a climatized room, and the non-transgenic near isolines were used for rearing whiteflies as control hosts. The effects of the Bt cotton cultivars on the period of embryonic and larval development and the percentage of adult emergence of B. tabaci were assessed. The period required for embryonic, larval, and pupal development and the percentage of emergence and longevity of E. desantisi females were determined using Bt cotton-fed and non-Bt cotton-fed B. tabaci as hosts. Both Bt cotton cultivars resulted in a decrease of approximately 20% of adult emergence of B. tabaci. Differently, an increase of approximately 10% of adult emergence of E. desantisi was observed for parasitoids that used hosts fed with both Bt cotton cultivars. However, female parasitoid longevity decreased when their hosts were fed on Bt cotton cultivars. Our data suggest that the use of Bt cotton cultivars in association with the biological control agent E. desantisi could be functional for the management of B. tabaci in Bt cotton crops.

The urochloa foliar blight and collar rot pathogen rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA emerged in South America via a host shift from rice

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Physicochemical and structural characteristics of rice starch modified by irradiation

This work evaluated the physicochemical and structural properties of rice starch of the cultivars IAC 202 and IRGA 417 modified by irradiation. Starch samples were irradiated by (60)Co in doses 1, 2 and 5kGy, on a rate of 0.4kGy/h. A control not irradiated was used for comparison. The granule morphology and A-type X-ray diffraction pattern were not altered by irradiation. There was an increase in amylose content, carboxyl content and acidity with irradiation. Gamma radiation did not affect the thermal properties of IAC202, but increased gelatinization temperature of IRGA417, in the higher dose (5kGy). The number of long chains of amylopectin was reduced and short chains were increased for IAC202, whereas for IRGA 417, the opposite was observed, probably due to cross-linking of starch chains. Starches had their physicochemical and structural properties modified by irradiation differently.

Behavior of Orius insidiosus preying on Aphis gossypii reared on transgenic and conventional cotton varieties

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)