Eficácia de herbicidas na dessecação de aveia-preta para formação de cobertura morta em plantio direto

A dessecação da aveia-preta (Avena strigosa schieb) para formação de cobertura do solo foi feita com sulfosate nas doses de 96, 288 e 480 g/ha e paraquat + diuron nas doses de 100+50, 200+100 e 300+150 g/ha em volumes de aplicação de 100, 214 e 325 l/ha de calda. A formulação de paraquat + diuron adicionou-se um surfactante não-iônico a 0,1% v/v. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições e os tratamentos foram dispostos em esquema de parcelas subdivididas. Nas parcelas, estudaram-se as doses dos herbicidas e nas subparcelas, os volumes de aplicação. O Sulfosate dessecou a aveia-preta nas doses de 288 e 480 g/ha, nos três volumes de aplicação, não se observando qualquer rebrota aos 32 dias após a pulverização. A formulação de paraquat + diuron foi ineficiente na dessecação da aveia-preta.

Interferência de plantas daninhas sobre a produtividade da mandioca (Manihot esculenta)

O manejo inadequado das plantas daninhas é uma das principais causas da baixa produtividade da cultura da mandioca no Brasil. Objetivou-se com este trabalho identificar as espécies de plantas daninhas infestantes da cultura da mandioca e o grau de interferência que estas exercem sobre o cultivo, em função do período de convivência com a cultura. Dois experimentos foram realizados em áreas adjacentes, no município de Viçosa-MG, utilizando-se o cultivar Cacauzinha, do grupo das mandiocas mansas. O delineamento experimental adotado foi em blocos casualizados, com sete tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos do primeiro experimento foram compostos por períodos iniciais de convivência da cultura com as plantas daninhas: 25, 50, 75, 100 e 125 dias após o plantio (DAP); no segundo experimento, as plantas de mandioca, inicialmente, permaneceram livres das plantas daninhas pelos mesmos períodos. Em ambos os experimentos adotou-se o espaçamento de 1,0 x 0,5 m, sendo a área útil da parcela constituída pelas duas linhas centrais, deixando-se 1,0 m em cada extremidade como bordaduras frontais, totalizando 8,0 m². As plantas daninhas foram avaliadas aos 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325 e 350 DAP. As características produtividade de raízes, peso da parte aérea, índice de colheita, teor de amido e matéria seca das raízes foram avaliadas aos 12 meses após o plantio. As espécies de plantas daninhas que predominaram na área experimental foram: Bidens pilosa, Raphanus raphanistrum, Cyperus rotundus e Commelina benghalensis, com a primeira delas predominando em quase todas as épocas de coletas. Os períodos de convivência com as plantas daninhas não interferiram nos índices de colheita, teor de amido e matéria seca das raízes. Todavia, considerando a produtividade de raízes, o final do período anterior à interferência foi próximo dos 25 dias, e o período crítico de prevenção da interferência situou-se entre 25 e 75 DAP. Cultivos realizados após 75 DAP não afetaram as características da cultura da mandioca avaliadas.

Desenvolvimento da cultura de mandioca sob interferência de plantas daninhas

Um dos fatores que afetam o desenvolvimento da planta da mandioca é o controle inadequado das plantas daninhas. Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o desenvolvimento da cultura de mandioca sob interferência de plantas daninhas. Foram realizados dois experimentos: no primeiro, os tratamentos foram compostos por períodos de convivência da cultura da mandioca com as plantas daninhas por 25, 50, 75, 100 e 125 dias após plantio e, no segundo, as plantas de mandioca permaneceram livres das plantas daninhas pelos mesmos períodos preestabelecidos. Avaliações de altura de plantas e diâmetro de caule foram realizadas aos 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325 e 350 dias após o plantio. Nas colheitas dos experimentos, realizadas aos 330 dias após plantio, avaliou-se o número e o diâmetro das raízes por planta. A convivência por intervalo igual ou superior a 50 dias após o plantio reduziu o diâmetro de caule e a altura das plantas de mandioca, assim como o número e comprimento de raízes tuberosas. O controle das plantas daninhas nessa cultura deve ser iniciado em torno de 25 dias após o plantio.

Effect of nitrate and ammonium on the growth and protein concentration of Microcystis viridis Lemmermann (Cyanobacteria)

Cyanobacteria are a very important group in aquatic systems, particularly in eutrophic waters. Therefore studies about their success in the environment are essential. Many hypotheses have tried to explain the dominance of Cyanobacteria, and several emphasized the importance of various nitrogen sources for the success of the group. In this study, we measured the effect of ammonium and nitrate on the growth and protein concentration of Microcystis viridis (Cyanobacteria). This species is well-known because bloom formation in eutrophic waters. The study was carried out, in experimental batch cultures, using the WC medium with different nitrogen sources: ammonium, nitrate, ammonium + nitrate (50% ammonium + 50% nitrate) and ammonium at different concentrations (to test for possible NH4+ toxicity). Protein, ammonium and nitrate concentrations were measured at end of each experiment, whereas samples for cell counts were taken daily. Results showed that Microcystis viridis grew faster with ammonium (µ = 0.393 day-1) than with nitrate (µ = 0.263 day-1) and ammonium + nitrate (µ = 0.325 day-1). This pattern is explained by the metabolism of ammonium that presents higher uptake and assimilation rates than nitrate. Maximum cell concentration, however, was higher in the ammonium + nitrate treatment, followed by nitrate treatment. Higher protein concentration were observed in the treatment with nitrate. In the ammonium toxicity test, no difference between the control and NH4+ at 50% was found. Thus, the ammonium concentrations used in these experiments were not toxic. Our results suggest that Cyanobacteria is able to grow on both nitrogen sources even if ammonium may allow faster growth and bloom development.

Allozyme variation in a natural population of Stryphnodendron adstringens in the Rio Preto State Park, southeastern Brazil

Leaves and fruits from 63 Stryphnodendron adstringens trees were sampled in the Rio Preto State Park to analyze allozyme segregation, tissue specific expression of allozyme loci, and their genetic parameters. The enzyme systems ADH, EST, ACP, PGM, PGI, GDH, G6PDH, GOT, IDH, LAP, MDH, PER and SKDH were assessed by means of starch-gel electrophoresis. The polymorphic systems PGI, IDH, MDH and GOT demonstrated a dimeric quaternary structure, while EST and PER were monomeric. The total expected genetic diversity (H E) for leaves and seeds were 0.325 and 0.244 respectively. The effective number of alleles per locus (A E) was 1.58 in leaves and 1.42 in seeds. The values of H E and A E observed in S. adstringens were comparatively higher than the average values seen in allozyme studies of other woody plants. The values of the fixation indices for the population, considering leaves (f = 0.070) and seeds (f = 0.107), were not significant. The high values of genetic diversity and of effective number of alleles per locus, as well as the non-significant fixation index and the adjustments of the Hardy-Weinberg proportions between generations for the pgi-1, mdh-2 and idh-1 loci, indicated random mating in this population. The enzyme systems EST and PER demonstrated their best resolution in leaf tissues, while the MDH, IDH, PGI and GOT systems demonstrated their best resolution in seed tissues.

Cholesterol changes the fatty acid composition of rat enterocytes

The effect of free cholesterol on the fatty acid composition and growth of rat fetal enterocytes was investigated in the absence and presence of 10% (v/v) fetal calf serum. Cholesterol caused a significant reduction of cell number after 6 and 12 h in culture. The fatty acid composition of enterocytes cultured in the presence of serum was also changed by the presence of 20 µM cholesterol. The fatty acid profile was determined by HPLC using fluorescence detection (325 nm excitation and 395 nm emission). Cholesterol (20 µM) increased the proportion (given in percentage of the total fatty acids) of the following fatty acids in cultured cells: lauric (by 42%), oleic (by 34%), linoleic (by 44%) and gamma-linolenic (by 20%) acids and reduced the proportion of palmitic (by 12%), stearic (by 20%), arachidonic (by 21%) and docosahexaenoic (by 44%) acids. In addition to modifying the content of individual fatty acids, cholesterol increased the polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio from 0.48 to 0.67 and the unsaturation index from 67.12 to 75.30. This is the first evidence that cholesterol modifies fatty acid composition possibly via de novo fatty acid synthesis and desaturation.

Simultaneous α-amylase and protease production by the soil bacterium Bacillus sp. SMIA-2 under submerged culture using whey protein concentrate and corn steep liquor: compatibility of enzymes with commercial detergents

Protease and α-amylase production by a thermophilic Bacillus sp. SMIA-2 cultivated in liquid cultures containing 0.25% (w/v) starch as a carbon source reached a maximum at 18 hours (47 U.mg-1 Protein) and 36 hours (325 U.mg-1 Protein), respectively. Culture medium supplementation with whey protein concentrate (0.1%, w/v) and corn steep liquor (0.3%, w/v) not only improved the production of both enzymes but also enabled them to be produced simultaneously. Under these conditions, α-amylase and protease production reached a maximum in 18 hours with levels of 401 U.mg-1 protein and 78 U.mg-1 protein, respectively. The compatibility of the enzymes produced with commercial laundry detergent was investigated. In the presence of Campeiro® detergent, α-amylase activity increased while protease activity decreased by about 27%. These enzymes improved the cleaning power of Campeiro® detergent since they were able to remove egg yolk and tomato sauce stains when used in this detergent.