Filocrono e número de folhas da canola em diferentes condições ambientais

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o número de folhas e o filocrono de genótipos de canola, em resposta a variações térmicas associadas com datas de semeadura. Foram realizados dois experimentos, em delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com arranjo fatorial de genótipos por datas de semeadura (5x2, em 2009, e 2x3 em 2010) e quatro repetições. O número de folhas do caule principal e do primeiro ramo foi determinado três vezes por semana. O filocrono foi estimado pelo inverso do coeficiente angular entre a soma térmica e o número de folhas, para os subperíodos da roseta e do alongamento do caule. O número de folhas no caule variou de 11,5 a 16,4; nos ramos, este número foi, em média, 70% menor. O número de folhas no caule foi maior em semeaduras precoces, e o inverso ocorreu no ramo. O filocrono foi maior no subperíodo da roseta e variou entre 21,4 e 52,9 graus-dia por folha conforme o genótipo e a data de semeadura. Semeaduras tardias aumentaram o filocrono. Genótipos de ciclo precoce apresentam número de folhas e filocrono menores que genótipos de ciclo médio ou longo, e a variabilidade entre os genótipos acentua-se em semeaduras tardias.

Desempenho agronômico de canola em diferentes espaçamentos entre linhas e densidades de plantas

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho agronômico da canola em diferentes espaçamentos entre linhas e densidades de plantas. O delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso foi utilizado com quatro repetições, em arranjo de parcelas subdivididas. As parcelas foram constituídas pelo espaçamento entre linhas (17, 34, 51 e 68 cm), e as subparcelas pelas densidades de plantas (15, 30, 45 e 60 plantas por metro quadrado). Os experimentos foram conduzidos em 2011 e 2012. Avaliações foram feitas quanto a: número de ramos secundários, terciários e quaternários; número de síliquas nos ramos primários, secundários, terciários e quaternários; número de síliquas por planta; número de grãos por planta; massa de mil grãos; rendimento de grãos; produção biológica aparente por planta; produção de palha e de grãos por planta; e índice de colheita. Os maiores números de ramos, síliquas por planta, e grãos por planta, bem como a maior produção de massa total na planta foram obtidos ao se utilizar a densidade de 15 plantas por metro quadrado. O maior rendimento de grãos por área é obtido ao se utilizar o espaçamento de 17 cm entre linhas e a densidade de 45 plantas por metro quadrado.

Produtividade de grãos e componentes de produção da canola de acordo com fontes e doses de nitrogênio

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a resposta da canola a fontes e doses de nitrogênio aplicadas na semeadura. O experimento foi conduzido em Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico típico, com textura muito argilosa. Utilizou-se delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, em arranjo fatorial 7x2, com sete doses de N em superfície na semeadura (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 e 120 kg ha-1), duas fontes de N (sulfato de amônio e ureia) e quatro repetições. O experimento foi realizado com o híbrido Hyola 61, por dois anos, e foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis: altura de planta, número de plantas por metro quadrado, massa de matéria seca da parte aérea, massa de síliquas por planta, massa de mil grãos, produtividade de grãos, e teores de proteína e de óleo nos grãos. As variáveis não foram influenciadas pelas fontes de N. A maior produtividade de grãos é alcançada com 88 kg ha-1 de N. Doses crescentes de N aumentam os teores de proteína e diminuem os de óleo nos grãos de canola.

Qualidade e produtividade de sementes de canola (Brassica napus) após aplicação de dessecantes em pré-colheita

A cultura de canola é indicada nos esquemas de rotação de culturas, bem como para diversificação agrícola e cobertura vegetal do solo no período de inverno na Região Sul do Brasil. Contudo, a colheita mecanizada é uma das operações mais críticas do sistema de produção, uma vez que os frutos do tipo síliqua apresentam maturação desuniforme, gerando grandes perdas de produtividade devido à deiscência natural. O uso de dessecantes químicos permite uma colheita com as síliquas em maturação mais uniforme, porém é importante a manutenção da qualidade do produto obtido. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o efeito da aplicação de herbicidas dessecantes na produtividade e na qualidade fisiológica e sanitária das sementes de canola cultivar Hyola 401. Os herbicidas utilizados foram o glufosinato de amônio (0,5 kg ha-1), carfentrazone-ethyl (0,03 kg ha-1), paraquat (0,4 kg ha-1) e diquat (0,3 kg ha-1), mais a testemunha sem aplicação. A qualidade das sementes foi avaliada por meio dos testes de germinação, de envelhecimento acelerado, de condutividade elétrica, de emergência em areia, de velocidade de emergência e de sanidade. A aplicação dos produtos dessecantes permitiu uma antecipação de sete dias na colheita das sementes de canola. A produtividade de sementes não foi afetada pela dessecação. A aplicação do glufosinato de amônio e carfentrazone-ethyl reduziu (P<0,05) os teores de proteína das sementes. A utilização dos produtos químicos não apresentou efeitos negativos na qualidade fisiológica das sementes.

Potencial alelopático de extratos aquosos de genótipos de canola sobre Bidens pilosa

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de extratos aquosos de plantas de genótipos de canola na germinação e comprimento da radícula de picão-preto (Bidens pilosa). Os tratamentos estudados foram constituídos dos genótipos de canola Hyola 420, Hyola 401, Hyola 43, Hyola 60, Hyola 61, Y 3000, H 1432, Dln 03-02, Dln 03-04, Sdh 03-01, Sdh 03-07, Sw-2797 e Sw-Eclipse, nas concentrações de extrato aquoso a 100, 75, 50, 25 e 0%. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial com dois fatores 12 x 4 (genótipos e concentração do extrato), com quatro repetições. O experimento foi conduzido em caixas gerbox com papel de germinação embebido nos extratos das plantas de canola, sobre os quais foram dispostos aquênios de picão-preto. Sete dias após a semeadura, avaliou-se o número de aquênios germinados e o comprimento das radículas. Os resultados revelaram que os extratos de canola influenciam negativamente a germinação de aquênios e o comprimento da radícula de Bidens pilosa. Para alguns genótipos, as baixas concentrações de extratos estimularam tanto o crescimento da radícula quanto a porcentagem de germinação dos aquênios; em altas concentrações, os genótipos não diferiram na germinação dos aquênios e no comprimento da radícula.

Quantifying seed production by volunteer canola (Brassica napus) and Sinapis arvensis

Volunteer canola (Brassica napus) and Sinapis arvensis are well identified weeds of different cropping systems. Quantitative information on regarding seed production by them is limited. Such information is necessary to model dynamics of soil seed banks. The aim of this work was to quantify seed production as a function of the size of those weeds. A wide range of plant size was produced by using a fan seeding system performed at two sowing dates (environments). Plant size varied from 3 to 167 g per plant for canola and from 6 to 104 g per plant for S. arvensis. Seed production ranged from 543 to14,773 seeds per plant for canola, and from 264 to 10,336 seeds per plant for S. arvensis. There was a close relationship between seed production per plant and plant size which was well-described by a power function (y = 130.6x0.94; R² = 0.93 for canola and y = 28x1.27; R² = 0.95 for S. arvensis). There was also strong relationships among the number of pods produced in individual plants and the quantity of seeds produced (g per plant) with the size of the plant. The relationships found in this study can be used in dynamic seed bank models of volunteer canola and S. arvensis.

COMPETITIVE ABILITY OF CANOLA HYBRIDS WITH WEEDS

ABSTRACTThe objective of the study was to assess the relative competitive ability of canola hybrids in the presence of turnip (Raphanus sativus) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) in different ratios of plants in the mixture. The experiments were conducted in a greenhouse, in a completely randomized design with four replications. Treatments were arranged in ratios of canola against turnip or ryegrass: 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100. Competitive analysis of the species was accomplished by means of diagrams usually applied to replacement series and also by the relative competitiveness indices. Fifty days after the emergence of the species, measurements of leaf area and shoot dry mass were performed. There was a competition between canola hybrids and weeds, with reduction for all variables. There was a differential competitive ability among canola hybrids in the presence of turnip and/or ryegrass. Canola hybrid Hyola 433 was more competitive in the presence of turnip than Hyola 61, 76 and 571 CL. Hyola 61, 76, 433 and 571 CL do not differ in terms of competition ability when growing with ryegrass.

Phytotoxic Activity of Parthenium Against Wheat and Canola Differ With Plant Parts and Bioassays Techniques

Phytotoxic effects of invasive weed Parthenium hysterophorus were studied by using whole plant, leaf and root aqueous extracts at 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10% (w/v) concentrations against germination and early seedling growth of wheat and canola. Studies were carried out both in Petri plates with filter paper as substratum placed in controlled conditions and soil-filled plastic pots placed in open environments. Pronounced variation was noted for phytotoxic activity of different plant parts of parthenium, aqueous extract concentrations, test species, and bioassay techniques. Aqueous parthenium extracts either inhibited or delayed the germination and suppressed seedling growth of test species over control. For both test species, all the germination attributes were suppressed to a greater extent in Petri plates than in plastic pots. Leaf extracts were more suppressive to germination of test species than whole plant and root extracts. Increasing extract concentration beyond 2.5% caused significant reduction in seedling dry biomass of both test species. Aqueous parthenium extract diminished chlorophyll contents of wheat and canola by 32-63% and 29 69%, respectively. Nevertheless, an increase of 9-172% and 22-60% in phenolic contents of wheat and canola was recorded. Canola appeared to be more susceptible than wheat at all extract concentrations. Present study concluded that bioassays conducted under controlled condition using filter paper as substratum may be misleading due to over estimation of allelopathic response and variation in potential of receiver and donor species. Furthermore, it implies that threshold concentrations of allelochemicals for test species in Petri plates are rarely reached under field conditions.

The interaction of meal-related, rhythmic and homeostatic mechanisms and the generation of thirst and drinking

One of the primary goals of the study of thirst is to understand why drinking occurs under ad libitum or natural conditions. An appreciation of the experimental strategies applied by physiologists studying thirst from different perspectives can facilitate progress toward understanding the natural history of drinking behavior. Drinking research carried out using three separate perspectives - homeostatic, circadian rhythms, and food-associated - generates types of information about the mechanisms underlying drinking behavior. By combining research strategies and methods derived from each of these approaches, it has been possible to gain new information that increases our appreciation of the interactions between homeostatic mechanisms and circadian rhythms in the modulation of water intake and how these might be related to drinking associated with food intake under near natural conditions

Faster gastric emptying of a liquid meal in rats after hypothalamic dorsomedial nucleus lesion

The effects of dorsomedial hypothalamic (DMH) nucleus lesion on body weight, plasma glucose levels, and the gastric emptying of a liquid meal were investigated in male Wistar rats (170-250 g). DMH lesions were produced stereotaxically by delivering a 2.0-mA current for 20 s through nichrome electrodes (0.3-mm tip exposure). In a second set of experiments, the DMH and the ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) nucleus were lesioned with a 1.0-mA current for 10 s (0.1-mm tip exposure). The medial hypothalamus (MH) was also lesioned separately using a nichrome electrode (0.3-mm tip exposure) with a 2.0-mA current for 20 s. Gastric emptying was measured following the orogastric infusion of a liquid test meal consisting of physiological saline (0.9% NaCl, w/v) plus phenol red dye (6 mg/dl) as a marker. Plasma glucose levels were determined after an 18-h fast before the lesion and on the 7th and 15th postoperative day. Body weight was determined before lesioning and before sacrificing the rats. The DMH-lesioned rats showed a significantly faster (P<0.05) gastric emptying (24.7% gastric retention, N = 11) than control (33.0% gastric retention, N = 8) and sham-lesioned (33.5% gastric retention, N = 12) rats, with a transient hypoglycemia on the 7th postoperative day which returned to normal by the 15th postoperative day. In all cases, weight gain was slower among lesioned rats. Additional experiments using a smaller current to induce lesions confirmed that DMH-lesioned rats had a faster gastric emptying (25.1% gastric retention, N = 7) than control (33.4% gastric retention, N = 17) and VMH-lesioned (34.6% gastric retention, N = 7) rats. MH lesions resulted in an even slower gastric emptying (43.7% gastric retention, N = 7) than in the latter two groups. We conclude that although DMH lesions reduce weight gain, they do not produce consistent changes in plasma glucose levels. These lesions also promote faster gastric emptying of an inert liquid meal, thus suggesting a role for the DMH in the regulation of gastric motility

The C-peptide response to a standard mixed meal in a group of Brazilian type 1 diabetic patients

In order to analyze the different parameters used in the interpretation of C-peptide response in a functional test, we compared a group of 26 type 1 diabetics aged 21.1 ± 8.2 years, with a diabetes duration of 7.9 ± 6.7 months, with a group of 24 non-diabetic subjects aged 25.0 ± 4.4 years. A standard mixed meal of 317 kcal was used as a stimulus. Blood sampling for C-peptide determinations was performed at regular intervals. Although all the studied C-peptide variables were significantly lower in the diabetic group (P<0.0001), some overlapping of parameters was observed between the two groups. The highest degree of overlapping was found for basal value (BV) (30.8%) and percent increase (42.31%), and the lowest for incremental area, absolute increase, peak value (PV) (3.8%), and total area (7.7%) (c2 = 31.6, P<0.0001). We did not observe a definite pattern in the time of maximum response among the 21 diabetics who showed an increase in C-peptide levels after the stimulus. In this group, however, there was a highly significant number of late responses (120 min) (c2 = 5.7, P<0.002). Although BV showed a significant correlation with PV (rS = 0.95, P<0.0001), the basal levels of C-peptide did not differentiate the groups with and without response to the stimulus. We conclude that the diabetic group studied showed delayed and reduced C-peptide responses, and that the functional test can be an important tool for the evaluation of residual ß cell function.

Acute blood volume expansion delays the gastrointestinal transit of a charcoal meal in awake rats

The present study evaluates the effect of blood volume expansion on the gastrointestinal transit of a charchoal meal (2.5 ml of an aqueous suspension consisting of 5% charcoal and 5% gum arabic) in awake male Wistar rats (200-270 g). On the day before the experiments, the rats were anesthetized with ether, submitted to left jugular vein cannulation and fasted with water ad libitum until 2 h before the gastrointestinal transit measurement. Blood volume expansion by iv infusion of 1 ml/min Ringer bicarbonate in volumes of 3, 4 or 5% body weight delayed gastrointestinal transit at 10 min after test meal administration by 21.3-26.7% (P<0.05), but no effect was observed after 1 or 2% body weight expansion. The effect of blood volume expansion (up to 5% body weight) on gastrointestinal transit lasted for at least 60 min (P<0.05). Mean arterial pressure increased transiently and central venous pressure increased and hematocrit decreased (P<0.05). Subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and yohimbine (3 mg/kg) prevented the delay caused by expansion on gastrointestinal transit, while atropine (0.5 mg/kg), L-NAME (2 mg/kg), hexamethonium (10 mg/kg), prazosin (1 mg/kg) or propranolol (2 mg/kg) were ineffective. These data show that blood volume expansion delays the gastrointestinal transit of a charcoal meal and that vagal and yohimbine-sensitive pathways appear to be involved in this phenomenon. The delay in gastrointestinal transit observed here, taken together with the modifications of gastrointestinal permeability to salt and water reported by others, may be part of the mechanisms involved in liquid excess management.

Meal-feeding scheme: twenty years of research in Brazil

Naomi Shinomiya Hell was the first researcher to investigate the physiological adaptations to a meal-feeding scheme (MFS) in Brazil. Over a period of 20 years, from 1979 to 1999, Naomi's group determined the physiological and metabolic adaptations induced by this feeding scheme in rats. The group showed the persistence of such adaptations even when MFS is associated with moderate exercise training and the performance to a session of intense physical effort. The metabolic changes induced by the feeding training were discriminated from those caused by the effective fasting period. Naomi made an important contribution to the understanding of the MFS but a lot still has to be done. One crucial question still remains to be satisfactorily answered: what is the ideal control for the MFS?

Sildenafil delays the intestinal transit of a liquid meal in awake rats

Sildenafil slows down the gastric emptying of a liquid test meal in awake rats and inhibits the contractility of intestinal tissue strips. We studied the acute effects of sildenafil on in vivo intestinal transit in rats. Fasted, male albino rats (180-220 g, N = 44) were treated (0.2 mL, iv) with sildenafil (4 mg/kg) or vehicle (0.01 N HCl). Ten minutes later they were fed a liquid test meal (99m technetium-labeled saline) injected directly into the duodenum. Twenty, 30 or 40 min after feeding, the rats were killed and transit throughout the gastrointestinal tract was evaluated by progression of the radiotracer using the geometric center method. The effect of sildenafil on mean arterial pressure (MAP) was monitored in a separate group of rats (N = 14). Data (medians within interquartile ranges) were compared by the Mann-Whitney U-test. The location of the geometric center was significantly more distal in vehicle-treated than in sildenafil-treated rats at 20, 30, and 40 min after test meal instillation (3.3 (3.0-3.6) vs 2.9 (2.7-3.1); 3.8 (3.4-4.0) vs 2.9 (2.5-3.1), and 4.3 (3.9-4.5) vs 3.4 (3.2-3.7), respectively; P < 0.05). MAP was unchanged in vehicle-treated rats but decreased by 25% (P < 0.05) within 10 min after sildenafil injection. In conclusion, besides transiently decreasing MAP, sildenafil delays the intestinal transit of a liquid test meal in awake rats.

Nutrients in the cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) leaf meal at three ages of the plant

The high number of cassava cultivars adapted to many different regions provides a wide variation in the chemical composition of cassava leaves meal (CLM). Therefore, the contents of some nutrients in CLM from five cultivars at three ages of the plant were investigated in order to select the cultivars and ages with superior levels of these nutrients. When the plants were 12 months old, the highest levels of crude protein (CP), beta-carotene, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and sulfur were observed. The IAC 289-70 cv. showed the highest levels of magnesium, as well as considerable contents of CP, beta-carotene, iron, zinc and sulfur, which did not differ statistically from the cultivars showing the highest levels of these nutrients.