Conservation and use of palm trees in Brazil's landscaping

Palm trees belong to the Arecaceae family and are widely utilized in landscaping of tropical countries. Although there are many species, just a few are used in Brazil's landscaping, the majority coming from other countries. So, this study had the objective to characterize the plants in the collection of palm trees at UNESP/FCAV, Campus of Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The germination of seeds was also studied to increase the production of seedlings for use in landscaping, as this is the biggest difficulty for spreading new species. The introduction of new species in the collection was accomplished. It was also made a survey of major pests and diseases that occur in the collection. The most common pests found were: Brassolis sophorae, Parisoschoenus obesulus, Rhynchophorus palmarum and Coraliomela sp., and the most common disease causing fungi: Colletrotrichum sp., Curvularia sp., Bipolaris sp., Helminthosporium sp., Alternaria sp., Phyllosticta sp., Pestalotia sp., Exosporium palmivorum and Ceratocystis pardoxa.

Geoinformação na gestão dos recursos hídricos em sub-bacia hidrográfica

By remote sensing, geodatabase digital processing, information and expeditions to Capivara's sub-basin, was possible to identify the changes in the landscape mainly the expansion of eucalyptus, sugar-cane, and orange trees, being the last two, mainly on the Periferic Depression of Basaltic Cuesta. A significant portion of the soil on this geological area is formed from sandstones, providing high permeability to them, making them important places to groundwater recharge areas as sensible to contamination by pesticides. Throughout last decade was observed that the native vegetation fragments stabilization, keeping a reason of 26.5% on the land used between 2000 and 2010. The pasture decrease being substituted by eucalyptus, sugar-cane and orange trees call attention for the changes in the agribusiness model demanded by the current economic and social necessity. Pasture decrease followed by erosions decrease on sub-basin is evidence that these two aspects are strongly related.

Wavelets and decision trees for target detection over sea surface using cosmo-skymed SAR data

We are investigating the combination of wavelets and decision trees to detect ships and other maritime surveillance targets from medium resolution SAR images. Wavelets have inherent advantages to extract image descriptors while decision trees are able to handle different data sources. In addition, our work aims to consider oceanic features such as ship wakes and ocean spills. In this incipient work, Haar and Cohen-Daubechies-Feauveau 9/7 wavelets obtain detailed descriptors from targets and ocean features and are inserted with other statistical parameters and wavelets into an oblique decision tree. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Daños causados por cancro cítrico en la producción de naranja dulce 'Valencia'

The citrus canker, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri, is one of the main citrus diseases and has threatened the world's citriculture. In this study, the damage caused by citrus canker was quantified in a sweet orange culture, cv. Valencia [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.], grafted over 15 year-old Rangpur lime (C. limonia Osb.), in the municipality of Guatambu, SC, Brazil, in the crop of 2004/05. Evaluations of the number of fruits per plant (NF), fruit yield per plant (P), citrus canker incidence on the fruit (IFR), and incidence (IL) and severity (SV) of citrus canker on 80 leaves per orange tree were performed in the harvest period, applying diagrammatical scales. Plants had large variation in SV (0.16%-1.09%), IL (12.50%-56.25%) and IFR (12.30%-56.09%). Linear regressions were significant between IL x SV, NF x SV, P x IFR, and NF x IFR. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the mean estimated values of IL in different quadrants of the crowns of the orange trees (N, S, L and O). Each 1% increase in IFR reduced 2.16 kg and 21.3 fruits per tree.

Relationship between citrus productivity and indicators of uniformity in trickle irrigation system

In trickle irrigation systems, the design is based on the pre-established emission uniformity (EU) which is the combined result of the equipment characteristics and its hydraulic configuration. However, this desired value of the EU may not be confirmed by the final project (in field conditions) and neither by the yield uniformity. The hypotheses of this research were: a) the EU of a trickle irrigation system at field conditions is equal to the emission uniformity pre-established in the its design; b) EU has always the lowest value when compared with other indicators of uniformity; c) the discharge variation coefficient (VC) is not equal to production variation coefficient in the operational unit; d) the difference between the discharge variation coefficient and the productivity variation coefficient depends on the water depth applied. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between EU used in the irrigation system design and the final yield uniformity. The uniformity indicators evaluated were: EU, distribution uniformity (UD) and the index proposed by Barragan & Wu (2005). They were compared estimating the performance of a trickle irrigation system applied in a citrus orchard with dimensions of 400m x 600m. The design of the irrigation system was optimized by a Linear Programming model. The tree rows were leveled in the larger direction and the spacing adopted in the orchard was 7m x 4m. The manifold line was always operating on a slope condition. The sensitivity analysis involved different slopes, 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12%, and different values of emission uniformity, 60, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 and 94%. The citrus yield uniformity was evaluated by the variation coefficient. The emission uniformity (EU) after design differed from the EU pre-established, more sharply in the initial values lower than 90%. Comparing the uniformity indexes, the EU always generated lower values when compared with the UD and with the index proposed by Barragan. The emitter variation coefficient was always lower than the productivity variation coefficient. To obtain uniformity of production, it is necessary to consider the irrigation system uniformity and mainly the water depth to be applied.

Citrus aurantium L. essential oil exhibits anxiolytic-like activity mediated by 5-HT1A-receptors and reduces cholesterol after repeated oral treatment

Background: The current treatments for anxiety disorders and depression have multiple adverse effects in addition to a delayed onset of action, which has prompted efforts to find new substances with potential activity in these disorders. Citrus aurantium was chosen based on ethnopharmacological data because traditional medicine refers to the Citrus genus as useful in diminishing the symptoms of anxiety or insomnia, and C. aurantium has more recently been proposed as an adjuvant for antidepressants. In the present work, we investigated the biological activity underlying the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of C. aurantium essential oil (EO), the putative mechanism of the anxiolytic-like effect, and the neurochemical changes in specific brain structures of mice after acute treatment. We also monitored the mice for possible signs of toxicity after a 14-day treatment.Methods: The anxiolytic-like activity of the EO was investigated in a light/dark box, and the antidepressant activity was investigated in a forced swim test. Flumazenil, a competitive antagonist of benzodiazepine binding, and the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY100635 were used in the experimental procedures to determine the mechanism of action of the EO. To exclude false positive results due to motor impairment, the mice were submitted to the rotarod test.Results: The data suggest that the anxiolytic-like activity observed in the light/dark box procedure after acute (5 mg/kg) or 14-day repeated (1 mg/kg/day) dosing was mediated by the serotonergic system (5-HT1A receptors). Acute treatment with the EO showed no activity in the forced swim test, which is sensitive to antidepressants. A neurochemical evaluation showed no alterations in neurotransmitter levels in the cortex, the striatum, the pons, and the hypothalamus. Furthermore, no locomotor impairment or signs of toxicity or biochemical changes, except a reduction in cholesterol levels, were observed after treatment with the EO.Conclusion: This work contributes to a better understanding of the biological activity of C. aurantium EO by characterizing the mechanism of action underlying its anxiolytic-like activity. © 2013 Costa et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Controle em pós-colheita de Penicillium digitatum em laranja-pera com microrganismos e tratamento térmico

The consumer market demands food without pesticide residues. Therefore, this study focused on evaluating the control of green mold in Pera orange trees with biocontrol agents (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis (QST 713)), associated or not with heat treatment. The fruit was obtained in packinghouse before processing, being washed and disinfected with the use of Sodium Hypochlorite. Fruits submitted to these treatments were stored from 11 to 28 days at temperature of 10 °C and RH 90%±5 or for eight days at 20 °C and 90%±5. In general, the heat treatment reduced the disease severity determine by the area under the disease progress curve in the fruit and the incidence of natural postharvest disease in Pera oranges. On the other hand, biocontrol agents did not control the disease, showing that the organisms tested did not present curative activity against the green mold.

Water availability determines the richness and density of fig trees within Brazilian semideciduous forest landscapes

The success of fig trees in tropical ecosystems is evidenced by the great diversity (+750 species) and wide geographic distribution of the genus. We assessed the contribution of environmental variables on the species richness and density of fig trees in fragments of seasonal semideciduous forest (SSF) in Brazil. We assessed 20 forest fragments in three regions in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Fig tree richness and density was estimated in rectangular plots, comprising 31.4 ha sampled. Both richness and fig tree density were linearly modeled as function of variables representing (1) fragment metrics, (2) forest structure, and (3) landscape metrics expressing water drainage in the fragments. Model selection was performed by comparing the AIC values (Akaike Information Criterion) and the relative weight of each model (wAIC). Both species richness and fig tree density were better explained by the water availability in the fragment (meter of streams/ha): wAICrichness = 0.45, wAICdensity = 0.96. The remaining variables related to anthropic perturbation and forest structure were of little weight in the models. The rainfall seasonality in SSF seems to select for both establishment strategies and morphological adaptations in the hemiepiphytic fig tree species. In the studied SSF, hemiepiphytes established at lower heights in their host trees than reported for fig trees in evergreen rainforests. Some hemiepiphytic fig species evolved superficial roots extending up to 100 m from their trunks, resulting in hectare-scale root zones that allow them to efficiently forage water and soil nutrients. The community of fig trees was robust to variation in forest structure and conservation level of SSF fragments, making this group of plants an important element for the functioning of seasonal tropical forests. © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Mixing Eucalyptus and Acacia trees leads to fine root over-yielding and vertical segregation between species

The consequences of diversity on belowground processes are still poorly known in tropical forests. The distributions of very fine roots (diameter <1 mm) and fine roots (diameter <3 mm) were studied in a randomized block design close to the harvest age of fast-growing plantations. A replacement series was set up in Brazil with mono-specific Eucalyptus grandis (100E) and Acacia mangium (100A) stands and a mixture with the same stocking density and 50 % of each species (50A:50E). The total fine root (FR) biomass down to a depth of 2 m was about 27 % higher in 50A:50E than in 100A and 100E. Fine root over-yielding in 50A:50E resulted from a 72 % rise in E. grandis fine root biomass per tree relative to 100E, whereas A. mangium FR biomass per tree was 17 % lower than in 100A. Mixing A. mangium with E. grandis trees led to a drop in A. mangium FR biomass in the upper 50 cm of soil relative to 100A, partially balanced by a rise in deep soil layers. Our results highlight similarities in the effects of directional resources on leaf and FR distributions in the mixture, with A. mangium leaves below the E. grandis canopy and a low density of A. mangium fine roots in the resource-rich soil layers relative to monospecific stands. The vertical segregation of resource-absorbing organs did not lead to niche complementarity expected to increase the total biomass production. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Physico-chemical characterization of seed oils extracted from oranges (Citrus sinensis)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Applying machine learning based on multiscale classifiers to detect remote phenology patterns in Cerrado savanna trees

Plant phenology is one of the most reliable indicators of species responses to global climate change, motivating the development of new technologies for phenological monitoring. Digital cameras or near remote systems have been efficiently applied as multi-channel imaging sensors, where leaf color information is extracted from the RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) color channels, and the changes in green levels are used to infer leafing patterns of plant species. In this scenario, texture information is a great ally for image analysis that has been little used in phenology studies. We monitored leaf-changing patterns of Cerrado savanna vegetation by taking daily digital images. We extract RGB channels from the digital images and correlate them with phenological changes. Additionally, we benefit from the inclusion of textural metrics for quantifying spatial heterogeneity. Our first goals are: (1) to test if color change information is able to characterize the phenological pattern of a group of species; (2) to test if the temporal variation in image texture is useful to distinguish plant species; and (3) to test if individuals from the same species may be automatically identified using digital images. In this paper, we present a machine learning approach based on multiscale classifiers to detect phenological patterns in the digital images. Our results indicate that: (1) extreme hours (morning and afternoon) are the best for identifying plant species; (2) different plant species present a different behavior with respect to the color change information; and (3) texture variation along temporal images is promising information for capturing phenological patterns. Based on those results, we suggest that individuals from the same species and functional group might be identified using digital images, and introduce a new tool to help phenology experts in the identification of new individuals from the same species in the image and their location on the ground. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seasonal variation in leaf traits between congeneric savanna and forest trees in Central Brazil: Implications for forest expansion into savanna

The ecology of forest and savanna trees species will largely determine the structure and dynamics of the forest-savanna boundaries, but little is known about the constraints to leaf trait variation imposed by selective forces and evolutionary history during the process of savanna invasion by forest species. We compared seasonal patterns in leaf traits related to leaf structure, carbon assimilation, water, and nutrient relations in 10 congeneric species pairs, each containing one savanna species and one forest species. All individuals were growing in dystrophic oxisols in a fire-protected savanna of Central Brazil. We tested the hypothesis that forest species would be more constrained by seasonal drought and nutrient-poor soils than their savanna congeners. We also hypothesized that habitat, rather than phylogeny, would explain more of the interspecific variance in leaf traits of the studied species. We found that throughout the year forest trees had higher specific leaf area (SLA) but lower integrated water use efficiency than savanna trees. Forest and savanna species maintained similar values of predawn and midday leaf water potential along the year. Lower values were measured in the dry season. However, this was achieved by a stronger regulation of stomatal conductance and of CO2 assimilation on an area basis (A area) in forest trees, particularly toward the end of the dry season. Relative to savanna trees, forest trees maintained similar (P, K, Ca, and Mg) or slightly higher (N) leaf nutrient concentrations. For the majority of traits, more variance was explained by phylogeny, than by habitat of origin, with the exception of SLA, leaf N concentration, and A area, which were apparently subjected to different selective pressures in the savanna and forest environments. In conclusion, water shortage during extended droughts would be more limiting for forest trees than nutrient-poor soils. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Effect of pectin extracted from citrus pulp on digesta characteristics and nutrient digestibility in broilers chickens

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

Growth and carbon isotopes of Mediterranean trees reveal contrasting responses to increased carbon dioxide and drought

Forest dynamics will depend upon the physiological performance of individual tree species under more stressful conditions caused by climate change. In order to compare the idiosyncratic responses of Mediterranean tree species (Quercus faginea, Pinus nigra, Juniperus thurifera) coexisting in forests of central Spain, we evaluated the temporal changes in secondary growth (basal area increment; BAI) and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) during the last four decades, determined how coexisting species are responding to increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations (Ca) and drought stress, and assessed the relationship among iWUE and growth during climatically contrasting years. All species increased their iWUE (ca. +15 to +21 %) between the 1970s and the 2000s. This increase was positively related to Ca for J. thurifera and to higher Ca and drought for Q. faginea and P. nigra. During climatically favourable years the study species either increased or maintained their growth at rising iWUE, suggesting a higher CO2 uptake. However, during unfavourable climatic years Q. faginea and especially P. nigra showed sharp declines in growth at enhanced iWUE, likely caused by a reduced stomatal conductance to save water under stressful dry conditions. In contrast, J. thurifera showed enhanced growth also during unfavourable years at increased iWUE, denoting a beneficial effect of Ca even under climatically harsh conditions. Our results reveal significant inter-specific differences in growth driven by alternative physiological responses to increasing drought stress. Thus, forest composition in the Mediterranean region might be altered due to contrasting capacities of coexisting tree species to withstand increasingly stressful conditions. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Influence of potassium and sodium nutrition on leaf area components in Eucalyptus grandis trees

Background and Aims: Recent studies showed a positive tree response to Na addition in K-depleted tropical soils. Our study aimed to gain insight into the effects of K and Na fertilizations on leaf area components for a widely planted tree species. Methods: Leaf expansion rates, as well as nutrient, polyol and soluble sugar concentrations, were measured from emergence to abscission of tagged leaves in 1-year-old Eucalyptus grandis plantations. Leaf cell size and water status parameters were compared 1 and 2 months after leaf emergence in plots with KCl application (+K), NaCl application (+Na) and control plots (C). Results: K and Na applications enhanced tree leaf area by increasing both leaf longevity and the mean area of individual leaves. Higher cell turgor in treatments +K and +Na than in the C treatment resulting from higher concentrations of osmotica contributed to increasing both palisade cell diameters and the size of fully expanded leaves. Conclusions: Intermediate total tree leaf area in treatment +Na compared to treatments C and +K might result from the capacity of Na to substitute K in osmoregulatory functions, whereas it seemed unable to accomplish other important K functions that contribute to delaying leaf senescence. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.