Natural parasitism of lepidopteran eggs by Trichogramma species (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in agricultural crops in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The genus Trichogramma Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) includes insect egg parasitoids that are widely used throughout the world as control agents of pest insects. The aim of this study was to identify the species of Trichogramma naturally associated with the eggs of lepidopteran pests of the following agricultural and horticultural crops: collards, Brassica oleracea L. (Brassicales: Brassicaceae); papaya, Carica papaya L. (Capparales: Caricaceae); tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. (Solanales: Solanaceae); cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz (Malpighiales: Euphorbiaceae); banana, Musa sp. L. (Zingiberales: Musaceae); passion fruit, Passiflora sp. Degener (Malpighiales: Passifloraceae); sugarcane, Saccharum sp. L. (Poales: Poaceae); and corn (maize), Zea mays L. (Poales: Poaceae); and an invasive species (Sodom?s apple milkweed, Calotropis procera Aiton; Gentianales: Apocynaceae) in the semiarid region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. We report natural parasitism by Trichogramma in eggs of Agraulis vanillae vanillae (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Antichloris eriphia F. (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), Danaus sp. (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Diatraea saccharalis F. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), Erinnyis ello L. (Lepidopera: Sphingidae), and Protambulyx strigilis L. (Lepidopera: Sphingidae). In total, 2,242 specimens of Trichogramma were obtained, belonging to the species T. pretiosum Riley, T. manicobai Brun, Moraes & Soares, T. marandobai Brun, Moraes & Soares, and T. galloi Zucchi. These species of Trichogramma may be candidates for biological control programs of lepidopteran pests in the semiarid region of Minas Gerais and in other semiarid regions.

Atividade antimalárica de plantas medicinais da biorregião do Araripe-CE em modelo murino - Plasmodium berghei

Malaria, also popularly known as maleita , intermittent fever, paludism, impaludism, third fever or fourth fever, is an acute infectious febrile disease, which, in human beings, is caused by four species: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae and P. ovale. Malaria, one of the main infectious diseases in the world, is the most important parasitoses, with 250 million annual cases and more than 1 million deaths per year, mainly in children younger than live years of age. The prophylactic and therapeutic arsenal against malaria is quite restricted, since all the antimalarials currently in use have some limitation. Many plant species belonging to several families have been tested in vivo, using the murine experimental model Plasmodium berghei or in vitro against P. falciparum, and this search has been directed toward plants with antithermal, antimalarial or antiinflammatory properties used in popular Brazilian bolk medicine. Studies assessing the biological activity of medicinal plant essential oils have revealed activities of interest, such as insecticidal, spasmolytic and antiplasmodic action. It has also been scientifically established that around 60% of essential oils have antifungal properties and that 35% exhibit antibacterial properties. In our investigation, essential oils were obtained from the species Vanillosmopsis arborea, Lippia sidoides and Croton zethneri which are found in the bioregion of Araripe-Ceará. The chemical composition of these essential oils was partially characterized and the presence of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. The acute toxicity of these oils was assessed in healthy mice at different doses applied on a single day and on four consecutive days, and in vitro cytotoxicity in HeLa and Raw cell lines was determined at different concentrations. The in vivo tests obtained lethal dose values of 7,1 mg/Kg (doses administered on a single day) and 1,8 mg/Kg (doses administered over four days) for 50% of the animals. In the in vitro tests, the inhibitory concentration for 50% of cell growth in Hela cell lines was 588 μg/mL (essential oil from C. zethneri after 48 h), from 340-555 μg/mL (essential oil from L. sidoides, after 24 and 48 h). The essential oil from V. arborea showed no cytotoxicity and none of the essential oils were cytotoxic in Raw cell lines. These data suggest a moderate toxicity in the essential XVIII oils under study, a finding that does not impede their testing in in vivo antimalarial assays. Was shown the antimalarial activity of the essential oils in mice infected with P. berghei was assessed. The three species showed antimalarial activity from 36%-57% for the essential oil from the stem of V. arborea; from 32%-82% for the essential oil from the leaves of L. sidoides and from 40%-70% of reduction for the essential oil from the leaves of C. zethneri. This is the first study showing evidence of antimalarial activity with these species from northeast Brazil. Further studies to isolate the active ingredients of these oils are needed to determine if a single active ingredient accounts for the antimalarial activity or if a complex integration of all the compounds present occurs, a situation reflected in their biological activity

The flora and vegetation of rocky outcrops in three municipalities in the northern region of Ceará, Brazil: phytosociological characterization

This study aims to identify the flora and vegetation of rocky outcrops of low altitude and confined in the municipalities of Sobral, Groaíras and Santa Quitéria (Ceará state, Brazil), to propose a phytosociological classification for the xerophilous communities. We selected five stations in areas with high proportion of bare rock (> 80%), and the field work were conducted in March 2014 and 2015 respectively (3º 56’ S and 40º 23’ W, 4º 01’ S and 40º 05’ W, 4º 07’’ S and 40º 08’ W, 4º 09’ S and 40º 09’ W and 4º 03’ S and 40º 00’ W). Floristic relevés were made following the Braun-Blanquet classic sigmatist method. The minimum areas of the floristic relevés vary between 8 e 16 m². All the plant species growing in cracks, crevices and vegetation "spots" that can be found in these habitats were identified. The classification of the relevés was made through the Twinspan. The floristic list is composed of 89 species, distributed in 61 genera and 29 families. Fabaceae was the most representative in species richness, 20 species, followed by Poaceae (10 spp.), Euphorbiaceae (7 spp.) and Convolvulaceae (6 spp.). 22 Brazilian endemisms have been identified. Based in the phytosociological analysis and in the classification results we identified five groups and two communities can be clearly distinguished: community of Pilosocereus gounellei FA.C.Weber) Byles & Rowley and Encholirium spectabile Mart. ex Schult. & Schult.f. and the community of Crateva tapia L. and Combretum leprosum Mart..

The flora and communities Carnaubal Palm Forest in the northern region of Ceará - Brazil

The “dicótilo-palmácea” mixed forest is found in the fluvial plains (floodplains) of watercourses on the Ceará semiarid region (Brazil), distinguishing from the surrounding vegetation (caatinga) by the prevalence of larger tree species. In the river’s margins, presenting high variability in the extension of the riverbanks, arise floodplains in pedologic complexes mainly composed by neossols and argissols, resulting from the deposition of sediments. In these areas of high fertility soils and subjected to flooding during part of the year, it develops a particular type of riparian vegetation dominated by carnauba palm tree (Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E. Moore) forming a particular type of riparian forest, designated by carnaubal palm forest. We aimed to carry out floristic and phytosociological surveys of carnauba palm forests located in the northern region of Ceará. The classical sigmatist method of Braun-Blanquet was applied and classification analysis (Twinspan) was perfomed. The field work occurred in March 2014 and 2016 in eight areas: Fazenda Pedra Branca (03º 37’ 10’’ S e 40º 18’ 30’’ W, 104 m asl), Vale do Rio Bom Jesus (04º 04’ 42’’ S e 39º 57’ 08’’ W, 200 m asl), Lagoa do Peixe (03º 56’ 28’’ S e 40º 23’ 23’’ W, 97 m asl), Fazenda Peixes (04º 06’ 03’’ S e 40º 32’ 43’’ W, 114 m asl), Fazenda Natividade (04º 02’ 50’’ S e 40º 29’ 03’’ W, 109 m asl), Fazenda Morro Alto (02º 53’ 42’’ S e 39º 54’ 51’’ W, 16 m asl), Fazenda Araticum (03º 04’ 58’’ S e 40º 09’ 36’’ W, 19 m asl) and Fazenda Experimental da UVA (03º 37' 04'' S 40º 18' 18'' W, 200 m asl).The floristic list consists of 170 species, distributed between 127 genera and 50 families. Twenty-seven Brazilian endemic species were identified, from which 8 are exclusive of the Caatinga biome. The Fabaceae was the most representative family, with the highest number of species (28), followed by Poaceae (17), Malvaceaea (14), Euphorbiaceae (12), Asteraceaea (9), Convolvulaceae and Rubiaceae (9). The dominant life forms were therophytes (34%), phanerophytes (30%) and chamaephytes (18%). Two communities were identified as a result of the classification analysis using the Twinspan.

The flora and vegetation in an area of the Caatinga in Taperuaba, Sobral, Ceará state, Brazil

The Caatinga, covering about 800.000 km2, is the predominant vegetation type of the semi-arid region of Brazil. The Caatinga biome comprises several phytophysiognomies and floristic compositions, with many endemic species, especially in Fabaceae, Cactaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Bignoniaceae e Combretaceae. Despite considerable advances, the Brazilian semi-arid needs more studies and inventories of biodiversity, especially the Ceará state. On the basis of these considerations, the present study aims to identify the flora and vegetation, in order to characterize the phytophysiognomy in an area of the Caatinga, in locality of Taperuaba, municipality of Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. Field work was conducted in March 2015 and 2016 respectively, in three transects. The life-forms were established in accordance of Raunkiaer´s system. The floristic list is composed of 87 species, distributed in 66 genera and 36 families. The flora comprises 22 Brazilian endemic species. The most representative family was Fabaceae with 15 species, followed by Malvaceae (7) Convolvulaceae (6), Euphorbiaceae (5) and Poaceae (5). The biological spectrum had a high proportion of therophytes (29,9%), chamaephytes (29,9%) and phanerophytes (26,4%). In the area were identified two phytophysiognomies: outcrops communities highlighting succulent phanerophytes (Pilosocereus chrysostele (Vaupel) Byles & G.D. Rowley subsp. cearensis P.J. Braun & Esteves and P. gounellei (F.A.C. Weber) Byles & Rowley), chamaephytes (Encholirium spectabile Mart. ex Schult. & Schult. f. and Lepidaploa chalybaea (Mart. ex DC.) H. Rob.) and therophytes (Mitracarpus baturitensis Sucre), mixed with communities including small trees and shrubs on deeper soil, composed of Cereus jamacaru DC., a succulent phanerophyte, and many woody phanerophytes, such as Cordia oncocalyx Allemão, Crateva trapia L., Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth., M. tenuiflora (Willd.) Poir., Poincianella bracteosa (Tul.) L.P. Queiroz and P. pyramidalis (Tul.) L.P. Queiroz.

Anelagem de árvores como tratamento silvicultural em florestas naturais da Amazônia brasileira.

São avaliadas a eficácia de dois tipos de anelagem de árvores, como tratamento silvicultural para florestas naturais da Amazônia e a resistência de oito espécies arbóreas ao tratamento de anelagem, em 5 ha, na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós, à margem da BR 163, km 69, no município de Belterra, Pará. As espécies escolhidas foram: Carapa guianensis (andiroba, Meliaceae); Pouteria heterosepala (abiu, Sapotaceae); Hevea guianensis (seringueira, Euphorbiaceae); Helicostylis pedunculata (muiratinga-folha-peluda, Moraceae); Couratari oblongtfolia (tauari, Lecythidaceae); Sclerolobium crysophyllum (taxi-vermelho, Leguminosae); Virola melinonii (ucuuba-da-terra-firme, Myristicaceae); Bixa arborea (urucu-da-mata, Bixaceae). Os dois tipos de anelagem: anelagem completa e anelagem com entalhes foram analisados em três classes diamétricas, perfazendo seis tratamentos. De cada espécie foram escolhidas duas árvores, perfazendo um total de dezesseis árvores em cada tratamento. Tanto a anelagem completa quanto a anelagem com entalhes podem ser considerados tratamentos eficazes quando utilizado em desbastes, pois já aos cinco anos mostraram uma taxa de mortalidade alta. A anelagem completa se mostrou mais indicada como tratamento silvicultural, porque mostra a maior taxa de mortalidade em todos os tratamentos e dificulta a recuperação da área anelada. As espécies Pouteria heterosepala, Helicostylis pedunculata, Hevea guianensis e Couratari oblongifolia se mostraram mais resistentes a ambos os tipos de anelagem, com uma taxa de mortalidade considerada baixa. Nas espécies Sclerolobium crysophyllum, Virola melinonii, Bixa arborea e Garapa guianensis, a anelagem pode ser aplicada com sucesso, considerando que aos cinco anos já atingiram uma taxa média consideravelmente alta (maior que 60%), sem a utilização de arboricidas.

Dinâmica da composição florística após a colheita de madeira em uma área de terra firme na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós (PA).

Avaliou-se a dinâmica da composição florística em uma floresta explorada na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós, na Amazônia brasileira. As árvores foram distribuídas em estratos: estrato 1 (15 cm DAP (diâmetro a 1,30m do solo) < 45cm), estrato 2 (45 cm 5 DAP <75 cm) e estrato 3 (DAP 75cm). Antes da exploração havia 136 espécies distribuídas em 36 famílias botânicas e 96 gêneros. A exploração causou grandes mudanças na composição florística, principalmente em relação as arvores com DAP > 45cm. O numero de espécies esta crescendo gradualmente, porem ainda não atingiu a diversidade original. As famílias Leguminosae, Moraceae, Euphorbiaceae e Lecythidaceae resistiram à exploração, mantendo grande numero de espécies com a possibilidade de manter também a sua importância na diversidade florística da área.

Coleção de DNA vegetal da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental: inventário atual.

Várias estratégias de conservação de germoplasma estão disponíveis e devem ser conduzidas em conjunto para serem mais representativas e eficientes. Dentre elas tem-se a conservação de DNA, valiosa fonte de informações para subsidiar o manejo de Bancos Ativos de Germoplasma. Mas, para cumprir esse papel necessita ser inventariada e organizada. Assim, realizou-se o inventário das amostras de DNA vegetal conservadas na coleção da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental. No período de maio a julho/2016 foi realizado inventário com 100% de cobertura das amostras de DNA vegetal que compõem a coleção de DNA da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental para serem organizadas por família, espécie e documentadas para viabilizar seu manejo. A coleção apresentou 9.574 amostras de DNA, sendo grande parte deles representantes de acessos dos BAG?s conservados em nível de campo. As amostras agregaram 8 famílias, 12 gêneros e 21 espécies, com a família Arecaceae sendo a melhor representada seguida da Euphorbiaceae. Portanto, essa coleção apresenta possibilidade de fornecer subsídios para o manejo dos BAG?s bem representados, além de fornecer políticas relacionadas à sua coleta, conservação, documentação e melhoramento genéticos das espécies.

Levantamento florístico associado a indivíduos de Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl. (Anacardiaceae) em diferentes ambientes.

Esse trabalho tem por objetivo realizar o levantamento florístico associado a indivíduos de Schinopsis brasiliensis, em diferentes ambientes, visando verificar a influência da situação de campo nessa associação. O levantamento foi realizado no Campo Experimental da Caatinga, pertencente à Embrapa Semiárido, em três áreas com diferentes ambientes. Em cada área, foram selecionados dez indivíduos de Schinopsis brasiliensis. O levantamento florístico foi realizado em cada individuo, registrando-se todas as espécies, com DNS menor que 3,0 cm, encontradas no limite estabelecido pelo diâmetro de copa. Foram registradas 76 espécies pertencentes a 34 famílias botânicas, sendo Euphorbiaceae (14,47%), Fabaceae (10,53%) e Poaceae (9,09%) as que se destacaram. O maior número de espécies associadas a indivíduos de S. brasilienses foi registrado na Caatinga em regeneração (n=51), seguida pela Caatinga preservada (n=43) e plantio adensado (n=33), mostrando que o manejo pode estar refletindo na diversidade de plantas encontrada sob a copa das árvores dessa espécie.