Caracterização da captura incidental de tartarugas marinhas pela pesca de espinhel pelágico no Nordeste do Brasil

The marine turtles biological characteristics and the impact they have been suffering in consequence of human activities have caused in the last decades the decrease of populations to unsustainable levels. All four of the species described in this paper are registered as endangered in a list by IUCN: Caretta caretta, Lepidochelys olivacea, Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriacea. The main causes of such impact include several fishing activities, mostly the surface longline. This paper discusses the monitoring of two foreigner longline fleet along the North East Brazilian coast between October of 2004 and September of 2005. Both operated in the West South Atlantic, one using the Chinese technique and the other the American. The American method s target species is the swordfish (Xiphias gladius), and it is characterized by using squid as bait, J 9/0 offset 5º hook, light sticks and night soaking. It also operates in shallower waters than the Chinese method. The source of information about the efforts and the catches came from onboard observers and were used to calculate the catching rate of turtles over 1000 hooks (CPUE). The American equipment caught more turtles (CPUE = 0,059; N= 103), mainly D. coriacea, while the Chinese longline caught mainly the L. olivacea and presented a CPUE= 0,018 (N= 89). The hooks were most frequently found attached to the mouth of C. caretta, C. mydas, and L. olivacea. The D. coriacea were most frequently caught by hooks externally attached to different parts of their body. There was no significant difference between the hook type catching and most turtles were still alive when released. The results suggest a greater potential of turtle catching by the American method. Besides the statistic tests have showed less interaction between the Chinese equipment and marine turtles, the catches of this fishing technique could have been underestimated due to miscommunication between the onboard observer and the vessel s crew plus the retrieve of the longline during night time

Atividade antioxidante de fucanas e galactanas extraídas de algas marinhas

Studies made with polysaccharides of seaweed have demonstrated that these present important biological and pharmacological activities. These composites had presented "scavenging" activity of free radicals, which is important in the mediation of the inflammatory process and in the pathology of diverse disease. Recently, this "scavenging" property has taken some researches to evaluate the antioxidant capacity from various polysaccharides. Considering the limited research with polysaccharides and knowing its largely employed by the pharmaceutical and foodstuffs industries, we have objective to verify the actions from fucans and galactans as antioxidants. The fucans are found in brown seaweed and the galactans (carrageenans) in red seaweed. The fucans were obtained from seaweed Padina gymnospora (F0.5 e F1.1 fractions), common to our coastline and one another fucan, fucoidan, was of origin commercial and extracted from seaweed Fucus vesiculosus. The λ, κ e ι carrageenans were also of origin commercial. The antioxidant activities were tested in superoxide and hydroxyl systems to generated free radicals and for the inhibition of the lipid peroxidation. The results obtained to inhibition of formation the superoxide radicals demonstrated that all polysaccharides presented scavenging activity of superoxide radicals. The fucoidan, F0.5 and F1.1 fractions presented IC50 of 0.058; 0.243 and 0.243 mg/mL, respectively, while IC50 of the λ, κ and ι carrageenans were 0.046; 0.112 and 0.332 mg/mL, respectively. The results to inhibition of formation the hydroxyl radicals demonstrated that all sample had low effect in the inhibition of the formation of these radicals, except the F0.5. For these radicals the IC50 were 0.157 and 0.353 mg/mL to the fucoidan and F1.1, respectively and 0.357; 0.335 and 0.281 mg/mL to λ, κ and ι carrageenans, respectively. All the samples were capacity to inhibition the peroxidation, it present the IC50 of 1.250; 2.753 and 2.341 mg/mL to fucoidan, F0.5 and F1.1, respectively. Already the λ, κ and ι carrageenans presented the IC50 of 2.697; 0.323 and 0.830 mg/mL, respectively. With these findings, we conclude that polysaccharides used in this study presented activity antioxidant, and that fucoidan and the λ carrageenan show a significant "scavenging" activity for the radicals superoxide and the κ carrageenan a significant inhibitory activity for the lipid peroxidation

Bioprospecção de polissacarídeos sulfatados de macroalgas marinhas do litoral do Rio Grande do Norte: caracterização de uma heterofucana extraída da alga marron sargassum filipendula que induz apoptose em células hela

The coast of Rio Grande do Norte has more than 100 species of seaweed, mostly unexplored regarding their pharmacological potential. The sulfated polysaccharides (PS) are by far the more seaweed compounds studied, these present a range of biological properties, such as anticoagulant activity, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antioxidant properties. In this study, we extract sulfated polysaccharide rich-extracts of eleven algae from the coast of Rio Grande do Norte (Dictyota cervicornis; Dictiopterys delicatula; Dictyota menstruallis; Dictyota mertensis; Sargassum filipendula; Spatoglossum schröederi; Gracilaria caudata; Caulerpa cupresoides; Caulerpa prolifera; Caulerpa sertularioides e Codim isthmocladum), and these were evaluated for the potential anticoagulant, antioxidant and antiproliferative. All polysaccharide extracts showed activity for anticoagulant, antioxidant and/or antiproliferative activity, especially D. delicatula and S. filipendula, which showed the most prominent pharmacological potential, thereby being chosen to have their sulfated polysaccharides extracted. By fractionating method were obtained six fractions rich in sulfated polysaccharides to the algae D. delicatula (DD-0,5V, DD-0, 7V, DD-1,0v, DD-1,3v, DD-1,5v and DD-2,0) and five fractions to the alga S. filipendula (SF-0,5V, SF-0,7V, SF-1,0v, SF-1,5v and SF-2,0v). For the anticoagulant assay only the fractions of D. delicatula showed activity, with emphasis on DD-1, 5v that presented the most prominent activity, with APTT ratio similar to clexane® at 0.1 mg/mL. When evaluated the antioxidant potential, all fractions showed potential in all tests (total antioxidant capacity, hydroxyl and superoxide radicals scavenging, ferrous chelation and reducing power), however, the ability to chelate iron ions appears as the main mechanism antioxidant of sulfated polysaccharides from seaweed. In antiproliferative assay, all heterofucanas showed dose-dependent activity for the inhibition of cell proliferation of HeLa, however, with the exception of SF-0,7V, SF- 1,0v and SF-1,5v, all fractions showed antiproliferative activity against MC3T3, a normal cell line. The heterofucana SF-1,5V had its antiproliferative mechanism of action evaluated. This heterofucan induces apoptosis in HeLa cells by a pathway caspase independent, promoting the release of apoptosis Inducing Factor (AIF) in the cytosol, which in turn induces chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation into 50Kb fragments. These results are significant in that they provide a mechanistic framework for further exploring the use of SF-1.5v as a novel chemotherapeutics against human cervical cancer.

Atividades anticoagulante e antioxidante de extratos brutos ricos em polissacarídeos sulfatados das macroalgas marinhas marrons Canistrocarpus cervicornis, Dictyota mertensii e Dictyopteris delicatula e de Heterofucanas de Canistrocarpus cervicornis

In the present study, extracts rich-sulfated polysaccharides were obtained from three different species of Dictyotales (a class of brown macroalgae): Canistrocarpus cervicornis, Dictyota mertensii and Dictyopteris delicatula and their anticoagulant and antioxidant activities were evaluated. All extracts showed anticoagulant activity on aPTT assay, but not on PT assay. Extracts also exhibited total antioxidant activity, superoxide radical scavenging capacity and ferric chelating property. The extract from C. cervicornis showed the best results and was choose to have their sulfated polysaccharides fractioned and subsequently analysed. Thus, six fractions (CC-0.3, CC-0.5, CC-0.7, CC-1.0, CC-1.2 and CC-2.0) were obtained by proteolysis followed by sequential acetone precipitation. Agarose gel eletrophoresis stained with blue toluidine, confirmed the presence of sulfated polysaccharides in all fractions. Chemical analyses showed that all fractions presented heterofucans mainly constitued by fucose, galactose, glucuronic acid and sulfate. Any fraction changed the PT. However, all fractions were able to double the aPTT on a dose-dependent manner. CC- 0.3, CC-0.5, CC-0.7 and CC-1.0 needed only 0.100 mg/mL to double the aPTT, result only 1.25 times higher than the Clexane® (0.080 mg/mL), a commercial low molecular heparin. The heterofucans presented appreciable total antioxidant capacity, low capacity on scavenging hydroxyl radical and good efficiency on scavenging superoxide radicals (except CC-1.0). CC-1.2 showed 43.1 % on superoxide radical scavenging. This result was higher than that showed by the same concentration of gallic acid (41.8 %), a known antioxidant. Furthermore, the heterofucans showed excelent activity on ferrous chelating activity (except CC-0.3). CC-0.5, CC-0.7 and CC-1.0 showed the highest activities with 47.0 % of ferrous chelating activity, a result 2.0 times lesser than that exhibited by the same concentration of EDTA. These results clearly indicated the beneficial effects of heterofucans extracted from C. cervicornis as potential anticoagulant and antioxidant agents. However additional steps of purification, structural studies, besides in vivo experiments are needed for these fucans may be used as therapeutic agents

Formulação de bloco intertravado cerâmico com adição de resíduos urbanos e industriais

The production of waste from urban and industrial activities is one of the factors of environmental contamination and has aroused attention of the scientific community, in the sense of its reuse. On the other hand, the city of Salvador/Ba, with approximately 262 channels, responsible for storm water runoff, produces every year, by the intervention of cleaning and clearing channels, a significant volume of sediments (dredged mud), and thus an appropriate methodology for their final destination. This study aims to assess the influence of incorporation of these tailings in arrays of clay for production of interlocked block ceramic, also known as ceramic paver. All the raw materials from the metropolitan region of Salvador (RMS) were characterized by x-ray fluorescence, x-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (TG and TDA), particle size analysis and dilatometry. With the use of statistical experimental planning technique, ternary diagram was defined in the study region and the analyzed formulations. The specimens were prepared with dimensions of 60x20x5mm³, by uniaxial pressing of 30 MPa and after sintering at temperatures of 900°, 1000º and 1100ºC the technological properties were evaluated: linear shrinkage, water absorption, apparent porosity, apparent specifies mass, flexural rupture and module. For the uniaxial compression strength used cylindrical probe body with Ø 50 mm. The standard mass (MP) was prepared with 90% by weight of clay and 10% by weight of Channel sediment (SCP), not being verified significant variations in the properties of the final product. With the incorporation of 10% by weight of manganese residue (PFM) and 10% by weight of the Ceramic waste (RCB) in the mass default, in addition to adjusting the plasticity due to less waste clay content, provided increased linear firing shrinkage, due the significant concentration of K2O, forming liquid phase at low temperature, contributing to decreased porosity and mechanical resistance, being 92,5 MPa maximum compressive strength verified. After extract test leachate and soluble, the piece containing 10% of the PFM, was classified as non-hazardous and inert material according to NBR10004/04 ABNT. The results showed the feasibility on using waste, SCP, RCB and PFM clay mass, at temperatures above 900ºC, paver ceramic production, according to the specifications of the technical standards, so that to exceed the 10% of the PFM, it becomes imperative to conduct studies of environmental impacts

Estimação e compensação de não linearidades inerentes aos atuadores dos processos industriais

The oscillations presents in control loops can cause damages in petrochemical industry. Canceling, or even preventing such oscillations, would save up to large amount of dollars. Studies have identified that one of the causes of these oscillations are the nonlinearities present on industrial process actuators. This study has the objective to develop a methodology for removal of the harmful effects of nonlinearities. Will be proposed an parameter estimation method to Hammerstein model, whose nonlinearity is represented by dead-zone or backlash. The estimated parameters will be used to construct inverse models of compensation. A simulated level system was used as a test platform. The valve that controls inflow has a nonlinearity. Results and describing function analysis show an improvement on system response

Avaliação da atividade antimalárica de extratos obtidos de algas marinhas no litoral do Rio Grande do Norte

Malaria is a major parasitic disease worldwide, accounting for about 500 million cases and causing 2 million to 3 million deaths annually. Four species are responsible for transmitting this disease to humans: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale. The parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs and the usual limitations of the vector control implications are contributing to the spread of the disease. The most of significant advances in the search for new antimalarial drugs is based on natural components, the main ones being currently used antimalarial drugs derived from plants. Research on natural products of marine origin (particularly algae) show that some species possess antiplasmodial activity. Knowing that the coast of Rio Grande do Norte is home to several species of algae, the present study was to evaluate, for the first time, the antimalarial activity of ethanolic extracts of seaweed Spatoglossum schroederi, Gracilaria birdiae and Udotea flabellum against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain tests and in vitro using the murine model (Plasmodium berghei) for evaluation in vivo. These species were ground, macerated with ethanol for 24 hours and the extracts concentrated in rotaevaporador (45 ° C ± 5 ° C). For in vitro tests, the extracts were diluted and tested at concentrations between 100 and 1.56 μg/ml (seven concentrations in triplicate), in order to obtain IC50 of each extract. The cytotoxicity tests with macrophages and BGM were performed using the MTT colorimetric assay. BGM macrophages and cells were distributed in 96 wells per plate (1x 105 to macrophages and 1x104 cells per well for BGM) and incubated for 24h at 37 ° C. The ethanol extracts were diluted and tested at concentrations of 100 to 1,56 μg/ml (seven concentrations in triplicate). After periods of 24 hours of incubation with the extracts, 100 μg of MTT was added to each well, and 3 hours elapsed, the supernatant was removed and added 200 μl of DMSO in each well. The absorbance of each well was obtained by reading on a spectrophotometer at 570 nm filter. To evaluate the acute toxicity in vivo, Swiss mice received a single dose (oral) 2000 mg/kg/animal of each extract tested. The parameters of acute toxicity were observed for 8 days. For in vivo tests, Swiss mice were inoculated with 1x105 erythrocytes infected with P. berghei. The treatment was given first to fourth day after infection with 0.2 ml of the extracts in doses of 1000 and 500 mg//g animal. The negative control group received 0.2 ml of 2% Tween-20, whereas the positive control group received sub-dose of chloroquine (5 mg/kg/animal). The assessment of antimalarial activity was done by suppressing suppressing the parasitemia at 5 and 7 days after infection. The growth inhibition of parasites was determined relative to negative control (% inhibition = parasitaemia in control - parasitemia in sample / parasitemia control x 100), the mortality of animals was monitored daily for 30 days The results showed that algae Spatoglossum schroederi and Udotea flabellum showed antimalarial activity in vitro, with reduced parasitemia of 70.54% and 54, respectively. The extracts of the three algae tested showed moderate to high cytotoxicity. Algae S. schroederi and U. flabellum were active against P. berghei only at doses of 500 mg / kg with reduction ranging from 54.58 to 52.65% for the fifth day and from 32.24 to 47.34% for the seventh day, respectively. No toxicity was observed in vivo at the dose tested, over the 8 days of observation. Although preliminary data, the bioactive components in those possible seaweed may be promising for the development of new anti-malarial drugs

Bioprospecção de extratos metanólicos de macroalgas marinhas do litoral do Rio Grande do Norte: avaliação das atividades anticoagulante, antioxidante e antiproliferativa

Seaweeds are organisms known to exhibit a variety of biomolecules with pharmacological properties. The coast of Rio Grande do Norte has over 100 species of seaweeds, most of them not yet explored for their pharmacological potential. Sugars and phenolic compounds are the most studied of these being assigned a range of biological properties, such as anticoagulant , antiinflammatory, antitumor and antioxidant activities. In this work, we obtained methanolic extracts from thirteen seaweeds of the coast of Rio Grande do Norte (Dictyota cervicornis; Dictiopterys delicatula; Dictyota menstruallis; D. mertensis; Sargassum filipendula; Spatoglossum schröederi; Acanthophora specifera; Botryocladia occidentalis; Caulerpa cupresoides; C. racemosa; C. prolifera; C. sertularioides e Codium isthmocladum). They were evaluated as anticoagulant and antioxidant drugs, as well as antiproliferative drugs against the tumor cell line HeLa. None of the methanolic extracts showed anticoagulant activity, but when they were evaluated as antioxidant drugs all of extracts showed antioxidant activity in all tests performed (total antioxidant capacity, sequestration of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, ferric chelation and reductase activity), especially the algae D. mentrualis, D. cilliolata and C. prolifera, who had the greatest potential to donate electrons.In addition, the ability of iron ions chelation appears as the main antioxidant mechanism of the methanolic extracts of these seaweeds mainly for the extract of the C. racemosa seaweed, which reached almost 100% activity. In the MTT assay, all extracts showed inhibitory activity at different levels againts HeLa cells. Moreover, D. cilliolata (MEDC) and D. menstrualis (MEDM) extracts showed specific activity to this cell line, not inhibiting the viability of 3T3 normal cell line, so they were chosen for detailing the antiproliferative mechanism of action. Using flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy and in vitro assays we demonstrated that MEDC and MEDM induced apoptosis in HeLa cells by activation of caspases 3 and 9 and yet, MEDC induces cell cycle arrest in S phase. Together, these results showed that the methanolic extracts of brown seaweed D. menstrualis and D. cilliolata may contain agents with potential use in combatting cells from human uterine adenocarcinoma. This study also points to the need for more in-depth research on phytochemical and biological context to enable the purification of biologically active products of these extracts

Tartarugas marinhas da Bacia Potiguar/RN: diagnóstico, biologia alimentar e ameaças

This work aimed to study the diversity and distribution of marine sea turtles stranded in Potiguar Basin, Rio Grande do Norte, as well as aspects related to feeding behavior associated with human impacts. The study was conducted through the analysis of data from stranded animals, recorded in a daily monitoring in an area bounded on the north by the municipality of Aquiraz, in the state of Ceará, and the east by the municipality of Caicara do Norte, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Stranded dead animals were necropsied and for the analysis of the diet of animals, esophagus, stomach and intestines were fixed in 10% formalin and after that, the stomach contents were sorted and stored in 70% alcohol. Representative fragments of these organs were removed for making histological slides, with a view to histological characterization of the digestive tract. 2.046 occurrences of turtles were recorded during the period from 01/01/2010 to 31/12/2012. The Chelonia mydas species showed the highest number of records and it was observed in 66.81 % (N = 1,367) of cases; followed by Eretmochelys imbricata with 4.45 % (N = 91) and by Lepidochelys olivacea with 1.22% (N = 25). The Caretta caretta and Dermochelys coriacea species were, respectively, 0.93 % (N = 19) and 0.05 % (N = 1) records of strandings. In 26.54 % of cases, it was not possible to identify the species. Regarding the spatial distribution, the stretch A was the one that had the highest number of strandings and a larger number of records were registered in the warm months of the year. The dietary analysis showed that C. mydas fed preferentially on algae; C. caretta had a diet with a predominance of the item "coral´s fragments" and E. imbricata species showed preference for an animal origin material. Related to this anthropic interaction, 57.14 % (n = 76) of animals that died at the rehabilitation s base, showed cause of death due to complications from ingesting debris. According to the data presented, the Potiguar Basin presents itself as an area with important diversity and distribution of marine sea turtle as well is characterized as a feeding and nidification area for these species

Avaliação da atividade antioxidante e antiproliferativa do extrato aquoso de frutas tropicais

The antioxidant activity of aqueous extracts of five edible tropical fruits (Spondias lutea, Hancornia speciosa, Spondias purpurea, Manilkara zapota and Averrhoa carambola) was investigated using different methods. The amount of phenolic compounds was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The M. zapota had Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) higher than the other fruits. Extracts showed neither reducing power nor iron chelation (between 0.01 and 2.0 mg/mL). H. speciosa exhibited the highest superoxide scavenging activity (80%, 0.5 mg/mL). However, at high concentrations (8.0 mg/mL) only A. carambola, S. purpurea and S. lutea scavenging 100% of radicals formed. M. zapota and S. purpurea had higher phenolic compound levels and greater OH radical scavenging activity (92 %, 2.0 mg/mL). Antiproliferative activity was assessed with 3T3 fibroblasts and cervical tumor cells (HeLa). The most potent extract was S. purpurea (0.5 mg/mL), which inhibited HeLa cell proliferation by 52%. The most fruits showed antioxidant and antiproliferative properties, characterizing them as functional foods.

Avaliação da atividade turística sobre a composição e a distribuição das macroalgas marinhas nos recifes de Pirangi (Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil)

The reef area of Pirangi beach has been experiencing antropogenic actions, mainly due to tourism activity. In order to evaluate these effects, surveys on seaweeds were conducted at nine stations located over the fringing reef. Benthic community (seaweeds/corals) were identified using the photoquadrat method, with 50 meters random transects located paralleled to the coast. The general categories evaluated in each transect were: rock, sand, seaweeds, corals and mollusks. Data achieved were processed at Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions software. A total of 30 seaweed species, 5 coral species and 1 mollusk species were identified. There was a high dominance of short algae at stations with high tourism pressure, whereas frondose algae usually occurred at places without human interference. Seaweeds with the highest percent cover were composed by Sargassum vulgare (59%), Caulerpa racemosa (47%) and Dictyopteris delicatula (33%). Cluster analyses considering benthic organisms revealed five benthic features: (1) submersed area characterized by a diversified marine flora; (2) area with dominance of Caulerpa racemosa and presence of Millepora alcicornis; (3) area with high cover of Sargassum vulgare; (4) trampling area characterized by bare rocks, short algae and Zoanthus sociatus and (5) area with high coverage of Palythoa caribaeroum. Obtained data suggest that the studied area has been damaged by tourism activities. Furthermore, observed differences in algal communities may be a good indicator of ecosystem health of Pirangi reefs

Reconfigurações industriais das regiões metropolitanas do Nordeste: uma análise a partir do emprego formal

Industrial development experienced by Brazil from the 1950s, changed the concentration of population in the country. The process of development of domestic industry, concentrated in urban areas, crowded growing portion of the population.The Southeast region during the first stage of industrialization driven by the state, with the implementation of Plan goals, captained the major industrial projects implemented in the period and became the main industrial center of the country.In the decade from 1960 to 1980 the state action was marked by numerous regional development projects, softening the industrial concentration and Brazilian investment redirected to the Northeast.The second National Development Plan implemented in the 1970s led to major investments Northeast.This period marked the widespread urban growth and institutionalization of the first metropolitan areas in Brazil.The change of this developmental process is altered with the fiscal and financial crisis of the state in the 1980s and 1990s and spending cuts aimed at national development, reorienting the economy to liberal policies of economic liberalization and reduction of activity in the economy.Industrial policy was relegated to local development plans from the 1990s to the federating units fitting the wide use of tax incentives, the "war tax" to the continued industrialization process.In this context of the national economy work seeks to analyze the industrial setting in the metropolitan areas of Fortaleza, Recife and Salvador between 1995 and 2010.Although the metropolitan areas of Fortaleza, Recife and Salvador are the main urban centers of the Northeast, responsible for the advancement of industrial development, reconfigurations occurred between 1995 and 2010 by changing the level of industrial specialization built by regional division of labor in these regions.The work will be carried out by the method of descriptive analysis of the literature review on regional and urban development.Constitute quantitative method as the secondary data analysis of formal employment from the Annual Social Information (RAIS) Ministry of Labour and Employment (MTE).Using data RAIS / MTE analyzes the industrial specialization index using the Locational Quotient (LQ).Thus, it is assumed as a parameter analysis QL> 1, when the region has become specialized in a particular sector or QL <1, when the region does not have expertise in industrial sector analyzed.The conclusion of study indicates that there was in these metropolitan areas maintained the same bias hub.Fiscal policies, the states, was not successful in diversifying the productive structure and the Northeast region itself.This result is demonstrated by the need and dependence on state investments in the region to promote development.Industrial policies of recent years have been positive to meet the objectives of employment generation, but there must be specific policies for better diversification of production, in addition to integrating the economy of the Northeast sector and regionally

Acidez do solo e calagem em pomares de frutíferas tropicais

A produtividade agrícola nos trópicos é afetada, principalmente, pelos fatores ligados à acidez do solo (pH, saturação por bases, acidez potencial, disponibilidade de nutrientes). A calagem é uma prática bem conhecida para corrigir a acidez do solo em culturas anuais, ainda que não seja praticada com a regularidade necessária. Entretanto, em culturas perenes, a incorporação de corretivos é mais complexa, devido às características desse grupo de plantas e à carência de informações científicas sobre o assunto. em condições de acidez, a calagem promove a neutralização do Al3+, a elevação do pH e o fornecimento de Ca e Mg, possibilitando a proliferação de raízes, com reflexos positivos no crescimento da parte aérea das plantas. Contudo, devido à baixa solubilidade e à lenta movimentação do calcário ao longo do perfil do solo, há obrigatoriedade de se fazer distribuição uniforme e incorporação profunda, antecedendo a implantação do pomar, a fim de garantir o eficiente aproveitamento de água e de nutrientes contidos nessas camadas. A calagem deve ser considerada um investimento, pois seus benefícios perduram além de um ano ou de uma safra agrícola. Isso se deve ao efeito residual dos corretivos de acidez do solo, sendo o tempo de duração desse efeito dependente de vários fatores, entre os quais: condições edafoclimáticas, cultura, manejo da área e tipo de corretivo empregado. em geral, partículas maiores de calcário têm efeito residual mais prolongado, sendo empregadas na implantação dos pomares. No entanto, a relação entre o tamanho da partícula e o efeito residual tem sido pouco pesquisada, devido à necessidade de estudos de longa duração. em função das elevadas doses de adubos nitrogenados utilizadas nos pomares de altos rendimentos, a acidez do solo aumenta, como resultado do processo de nitrificação. em pomares já implantados, o procedimento atualmente utilizado pelos produtores é a incorporação superficial do calcário na área. As recomendações talvez fossem outras, caso houvesse maior subsídio da pesquisa, tendo em vista os diversos problemas fitossanitários que podem ocorrer, direta ou indiretamente da prática da incorporação do corretivo, tais como redução do sistema radicular, ferimento das raízes e consequente risco de infecções, com disseminação de pragas e doenças no pomar. O objetivo desta revisão é apresentar os principais resultados de pesquisas sobre o assunto, mostrando os efeitos da calagem sobre a fertilidade do solo, a nutrição e a produtividade de frutíferas de grande importância econômica para o Brasil, bem como discutir a duração do efeito residual dos corretivos e a dose mais ecônomica a ser aplicada nos pomares de frutas em implantação e em produção.

Degradação in vitro de tecidos da lâmina foliar e do colmo de gramíneas forrageiras tropicais, em função do estádio de desenvolvimento

O experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da idade sobre o potencial de degradação dos diferentes tecidos da lâmina foliar e do colmo de capim-braquiária (Brachiaria decumbens), capim-gordura (Melinis minutiflora) e capim-tifton 85 (Cynodon sp). Foram amostradas a 7ª (capim-braquiária e capim-gordura) e a 11ª (capim-tifton 85) lâminas foliares, no dia da exposição da lígula e 20 dias após. Por meio de observações ao microscópio foram estimadas a extensão da digestão in vitro dos tecidos da lâmina e do colmo e a redução na espessura da parede de células do esclerênquima do colmo. Lâminas foliares e segmentos de colmos jovens apresentaram maiores áreas digeridas. Permaneceram intactos os tecidos com células de parede espessada e lignificada, a bainha parenquimática dos feixes, o esclerênquima, o xilema e a epiderme do colmo. Tecidos com células de parede delgada, normalmente não-lignificada, o mesofilo, o floema e o parênquima, desapareceram completamente. O avanço na idade reduziu a digestão do mesofilo, em lâminas de capim-braquiária e capim-gordura, e do parênquima em colmos, principalmente de capim-gordura. A epiderme na lâmina foliar foi parcialmente digerida, independentemente da idade e da espécie. Embora aparentemente intactas, células esclerenquimáticas do colmo sofreram redução da espessura da parede com a incubação em líquido ruminal. A porcentagem de redução variou de 7 a 37% e a taxa de redução da espessura de 0,007 a 0,018 µm/h.

Características anatômicas da lâmina foliar e do colmo de gramíneas forrageiras tropicais, em função do nível de inserção no perfilho, da idade e da estação de crescimento

Foram avaliados os efeitos da idade, do nível de inserção da folha no perfilho e da estação de crescimento (verão ou outono), sobre a proporção de tecidos e a espessura da parede celular em lâminas foliares e segmentos de colmo de capim-braquiária (Brachiaria decumbens), capim-gordura (Melinis minutiflora) e capim-tifton 85 (Cynodon sp). Lâminas foliares das posições inferior e superior do perfilho foram colhidas no dia da exposição da lígula e 20 dias após. Foram determinadas as proporções relativas de epiderme, xilema, floema, bainha parenquimática dos feixes, esclerênquima, parênquima no colmo e mesofilo na lâmina foliar. Foram medidas as espessuras das paredes dos vasos de metaxilema e do esclerênquima da lâmina e do colmo. A proporção de tecidos em lâminas foliares não foi alterada pela idade nem pela estação de crescimento, sendo a espessura da parede de células do esclerênquima da lâmina a única característica modificada pela idade. Lâminas do nível de inserção superior apresentaram mais elevadas proporções de esclerênquima, bainha parenquimática dos feixes e xilema e células do esclerênquima e do metaxilema com paredes mais espessas, enquanto as lâminas do nível de inserção inferior se destacaram por apresentar mais elevada proporção de mesofilo e paredes celulares mais delgadas. Enquanto a proporção de parênquima decresceu, a área relativa de esclerênquima e as espessuras das paredes celulares variaram diretamente com a idade do colmo e foram maiores, em geral, no verão.