Pulp fruit added to culture medium for in vitro orchid development

As an additive in in vitro culture media, fruits have a great potential for facilitating economical orchid production because of lower technology requirements and the ease of obtaining raw materials to formulate culture media. We studied the in vitro growth of Cattleya bicolor Lindl. grown in a simplified culture medium supplemented with different kinds of fruit pulp. The experimental design was completely randomised, with eight seedlings per replication and ten replications per treatment, for a total of 80 seedlings per treatment. The culture medium was made using 150 g L -1 of pulp (without peel or seed) from the following fruits: ripe Santa Cruz tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.), dwarf bananas (Musa cavendishii L.) of intermediate ripeness, light green chayote (Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw), ripe papaya (Carica papaya L.) or green coconut (Cocos nucifera L.).The treatment control was MS 50 %. The treatments and the control were kept in a growth chamber for seven months before evaluating seedling survival percentage, shoot height, number of leaves, rooting percentage, root number, root length and dry masses of shoot and roots. The highest percentages of seedling survival were obtained using MS 50 %, banana and coconut medium. The seedling survival and rooting percentages illustrate that it is possible to emphasise the culture medium MS 50% and the culture medium supplemented with coconut on the most traditional culture medium with banana or tomato pulp. For the in vitro development of Cattleya bicolor Lindl., a simplified culture medium supplemented with coconut pulp is the most suitable for use as an alternative to MS 50%. A simplified culture medium supplemented with papaya pulp is not recommended for the in vitro development of Cattleya bicolor Lindl.

Estudo da secagem de polpa de coco verde em leito de jorro e viabilidade de sua utilização na indústria

Pós-graduação em Engenharia e Ciência de Alimentos - IBILCE

Avaliação de desempenho de fibras lignocelulósicas na sorção de óleos diesel e biodiesel

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

O gênero microstrates lacordaire (Curculionidae : Baridinae): sistemática, filogenia e evolução da associação com palmeiras hospedeiras

A revisão e análise filogenética do gênero Microstrates são apresentadas com base em caracteres descobertos durante o estudo e naqueles já utilizados na literatura. Foram reconhecidas onze espécies, que podem ser identificadas pela chave apresentada. Duas espécies novas são descritas: Microstrates almiri, sp. n., Caxiuanã, PA e M. piririma sp. n., Monte Alegre, PA. Microstrates bipunctatus Hustache, 1951 é considerada sinônimo de M. cocois Bondar, 1941. O estudo das relações filogenéticas das espécies de Microstrates resultou na seguinte hipótese, expressa parenteticamente como: ((m. cocoscampestris (M. abbreviatus (M. rufus, M. cucullus, M. bondari)))). Pela primeira vez são apresentadas as palmeiras hospedeiras de M.almiri sp. n., M. piririma sp. n. e M. rufus Hustache, 1951. As espécies M. almiri sp. n. e M. piririma sp. n., coletadas no estado do Pará, representam o primeiro registro do gênero para a região Amazônica. Todas as espécies são redescritas e as estruturas mais importantes para a identificação estão ilustradas. A coleta de curculionídeos em diferentes espécies de palmeiras nos estados do Pará e amazonas corroborou a hipótese de associação exclusiva de Microstrates com as palmeiras dos gêneros syagrus, Butia e Cocos, e que cada espécie de Syagrus e Butia hospeda apenas uma única espécie de Microstrates. A sobreposição e otimização (Farris, 1970) dos gêneros de palmeiras hospedeiras sobre o cladograma de Microstrates mostra a seguinte hipótese: a associação com o gênero Syagrus é plesiomórfica, com o gênero Butia é apomórfica e com o coqueiro (cocos nucifera) é devida a eventos de colonização.

Atributos de solos sob cultivo de frutíferas em sistemas de manejo convencional, em transição e orgânico no norte do estado do Piauí

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Aproveitamento da polpa de coco verde submetida ao congelamento rápido e lento

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Applying boron to coconut palm plants: effects on the soil, on the plant nutritional status and on productivity boron to coconut palm trees

Boron, one of the micronutrients frequently found in low levels in tropical soils affects nutrition and productivity of coconut palm trees essentially cultivated in tropical climates. The objective of this research study was to evaluate the effect of boron on the nutritional status of the plant and its productivity when artificially applied to the culture soil. The experiment was carried out in a four year old, artificially irrigated, dwarf coconut palm orchard in Brazil, between January, 2005 and October, 2006. The soil was a red yellow Latosol (B: 0.18 mg dm(-3)). The treatments consisted in the application of five boron dosages: zero, 1, 2, 4, and 6 kg ha(-1). In the field, the treatments were arranged according to a completely randomized block design, with four replications. Boron (borax) dosages were applied in equal halves directly into the soil in the months of January and February of 2005. Boron concentration in the soil and plant and plant productivity were evaluated. The higher palm tree production was associated to levels of 0.6mg dm(-3) of B in the soil and 23.5mg kg(-1) in leaves. Ninety five percent of palm trees maximum production was obtained with the use of a boron dosage of 2,1kg ha(-1).

Fibras naturais: características químicas e potenciais aplicações

This study has as objective determining the chemical properties that serve as the basis for potential scientific and technological applications of seven species of fibrous plants cultivated in Brazil, which are: Banana” (Musa spp.), “Coco” (Cocos nucifera), Curauá (Ananas erectifolius), Fique (Furcraea andina), Piteira” (Furcraea gigantea), Sisal(Agave sisalana) and “Taboa” (Typha domingensis). The tests for determining the percent dry completely, extractives soluble in cold water, in hot water, in sodium hydroxide 1% and in ethanol-toluene, and the percentages of ash, hydrophobicity, lignin, holocellulose and cellulose were performed at the Department of Environmental Sciences, Agronomy College (FCA) of UNESP – Botucatu, São Paulo State. It also presents a literature review about these fibers and their potential applications. Differences between the results obtained and those found by other authors are possibly explained by variations on the origin of plant material, the harvest season, the climate and soil where they were grown. However, the results and the methodology used, serve as a basis for further studies with natural fibers

Características Físico-Químicas, energéticas e desempenho da fibra de coco na sorção de óleo diesel e biodiesel

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

Status of Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae) as a Pest of Coconut in the State of Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil

The coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer, is one of the main pests of coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) in northeastern Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of the coconut mite and other mites on coconut palms in the state of So Paulo and to estimate the possible role of predatory mites in the control of this pest. The effect of cultivated genotypes and sampling dates on the mite populations was also estimated. We sampled attached fruits, leaflets, inflorescences, and fallen fruits. The coconut mite was the main phytophagous mite found on attached and fallen fruits, with average densities of 110.0 and 20.5 mites per fruit, respectively. The prevalent predatory mites on attached and fallen fruits were Proctolaelaps bulbosus Moraes, Reis & Gondim Jr. and Proctolaelaps bickleyi (Bram), both Melicharidae. On leaflets, the tenuipalpids Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijsks) and Tenuipalpus coyacus De Leon and the tetranychid Oligonychus modestus (Banks) were the predominant phytophagous mites. On both leaflets and inflorescences, the predominant predatory mites belonged to the Phytoseiidae. Neoseiulus baraki (Athias-Henriot) and Neoseiulus paspalivorus (De Leon), predators widely associated with the coconut mite in northeastern Brazil and several other countries, were not found. The low densities of the coconut mite in So Paulo could be related to prevailing climatic conditions, scarcity of coconut plantations (hampering the dispersion of the coconut mite between fields), and to the fact that some of the genotypes cultivated in the region are unfavorable for its development.

Can the red palm mite threaten the Amazon vegetation?

The red palm mite Raoiella indica Hirst (Tenuipalpidae) was first reported in the New World in 2004, dispersing quickly and widely while adopting new plant species as hosts. Since then, it has caused severe damage in this region, especially to coconut (Cocos nucifera L.). It was first found in Brazil in 2009, in the northern Amazonian state of Roraima. In the present study, native and introduced plants were sampled between March 2010 and February 2011 in sites of the 15 Roraima municipalities, to estimate its distribution and the associated mite fauna. In addition, monthly samples were taken from a coconut plantation in Mucajai throughout the same period, for an initial appraisal of the levels R. indica could reach. It was found in 10 municipalities, on 19 plant species of four families. Six species are reported for the first time as hosts. Among the associated predators, 89.1% were Phytoseiidae, most commonly Amblyseius largoensis (Muma), Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark & Muma and Euseius concordis (Chant). The highest densities of R. indica, 1.5 and 0.35 mites/cm2 of leaflet (approx total of 331 and 77 mites/leaflet), were reached respectively in March 2010 and February 2011. The highest density of phytoseiids on coconut (0.009 mites/cm2 or about 2 mites/leaflet) was reached in November 2010. The average densities of R. indica recorded for Roraima were comparable to those reported for countries in which the mite is reportedly economically damaging. The dispersal of R. indica through the Amazon forest may result in damage to cultivated and native palms, and plants of other families, if the projected increase in both the frequency and the severity of drought events occurs. Parts of the Amazon have undergone periods of low rainfall, a condition that appears to favour the biology of this mite. Its eventual arrival to northeastern Brazil may result in heavy economic and ecological losses.

Study of adsorption isotherms of green coconut pulp

Brazil is considered one of the largest producers and consumers of tropical fruits. Green coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) stands out not only for its production and consumption, but also for the high amount of waste produced by coconut water industry and in natura consumption. Therefore, there is a need for utilization of this by-product. This study aims to study the adsorption isotherms of green coconut pulp and determine its isosteric heat of sorption. The adsorption isotherms at temperatures of 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 °C were analyzed, and they exhibit type III behavior, typical of sugar rich foods. The experimental results of equilibrium moisture content were correlated by models present in the literature. The Guggenheim, Anderson and De Boer (GAB) model proved particularly good overall agreement with the experimental data. The heat of sorption determined from the adsorption isotherms increased with the decrease in moisture content. The heat of sorption is considered as indicative of intermolecular attractive forces between the sorption sites and water vapor, which is an important factor to predict the shelf life of dried products.

AMS radiocarbon dates and pollen analysis of ODP Hole 175-1078C

ODP Site 1078 situated under the coast of Angola provides the first record of the vegetation history for Angola. The upper 11 m of the core covers the past 30 thousand years, which has been analysed palynologically in decadal to centennial resolution. Alkenone sea surface temperature estimates were analysed in centennial resolution. We studied sea surface temperatures and vegetation development during full glacial, deglacial, and interglacial conditions. During the glacial the vegetation in Angola was very open consisting of grass and heath lands, deserts and semi-deserts, which suggests a cool and dry climate. A change to warmer and more humid conditions is indicated by forest expansion starting in step with the earliest temperature rise in Antarctica, 22 thousand years ago. We infer that around the period of Heinrich Event 1, a northward excursion of the Angola Benguela Front and the Congo Air Boundary resulted in cool sea surface temperatures but rain forest remained present in the northern lowlands of Angola. Rain forest and dry forest area increase 15 thousand years ago. During the Holocene, dry forests and Miombo woodlands expanded. Also in Angola globally recognised climate changes at 8 thousand and 4 thousand years ago had an impact on the vegetation. During the past 2 thousand years, savannah vegetation became dominant.