Plantas do cerrado brasileiro com atividade contra Mycobacterium fortuitum

Mycobacterium fortuitum is a rapidly-growing species of bacteria, ubiquitous in the environment and related to important human mycobacterioses. It has been isolated from blood, abscesses, the endocardium and surgical and traumatic wounds. This mycobacterium is hard to treat, being recognized in the literature as resistant even to the drugs used in the treatment of tuberculosis. The objective of this study was to screen extracts prepared from plants of the Brazilian cerrado (extended savanna-like belt) with known activity against M. fortuitum, employing the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA) as the analytical method. Out of 26 extracts tested against M. fortuitum, the nonpolar extract of Quassia amara (in methylene dichloride) gave the best result (MIC 62.5μg/ mL), followed by the nonpolar extracts of Syngonanthus macrolepsis, Davilla elliptica and Turnera ulmifolia, with equal MICs of 125μg/ml. The polar extracts (in ethanol and methanol) obtained from the same plants were considered inactive, since the MIC values determined were above 500μg/mL and not significantly different from those of extracts from other plants, without known activity.

Precisão de plantas planialtimétricas em função do posicionamento de pontos em irradiadas de campo

The present experiment aimed to study the influence of point positioning in an irradiated field to produce a planialtimetric plant. A planialtimetric evaluation was carried out in a 14-acre experimental area with well-defined topographic variations. Planialtimetric maps were designed using manual procedures, Datageosis and Topoesalq. Datageosis built all the curves after numerical surface modeling. Topoesalq provided only height reports and the drawing of curves was done manually. The third method was a manual procedure. Because there were planialtimetry representation differences, longitudinal profiles were used in the sites where there was a great divergence among plants. When obtained profiles and plants were compared, it was verified that the one produced by Datageosis represented the relief plant better. Later, only the irradiated field points were evaluated and each point presented positioned readings before and after each relief map variation. The processing through the three methods resulted in significant plants of the local planialtimetry, according to the control profiles. It was concluded that the planning of the field procedure should be suitable to the posterior treatment method of obtained data in order to make a planialtimetric plant to accord to the evaluated local topography.

Comparação de dois métodos de aplicação de fungicidas, irrigação por gotejamento e pulverização convencional no controle do mofo cinzento (Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr.) em vasos com plantas de lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn.)

Plan disease control techniques are used through the irrigation water, which reduces the labor and it improves application uniformity with smaller contact of the operator with toxic products, lower environmental impact and lower production cost. In order to control Botrytis cinerea the lisianthus culture, this work aimed to evaluate two fungicide application methods with different treatments. The fungicides were: thiophanate methyl (50 g i.a. L-1), thiophanate methyl + chlorothalonil (50 g i.a. L-1 + 35 g i.a. L-1) and iprodione (50 g i.a. L-1). Number of lesions, number of diseased floral buttons and height of the lisianthus plants were evaluated. It was possible to deduce, that in the growth stage (number of lesions in the plant) as well as in the final stage (number of floral buttons) of the lisianthus culture, the most efficient treatments were 2 (thiophanate methyl + chlorothalonil) and 3 (iprodione). Considering that treatment 2 is a mixture of two fungicides, a systemic and a contact one, independently of application methods, the mixture increased efficiency in relation to treatment 1 (thiophanate methyl). Thus, chemigation was as efficient as spreading technique.

Conhecimento popular sobre plantas medicinais em comunidades rurais de mata atlântica - Itacaré, BA, Brasil

This study's goal was to caryy out an ethnobotanical survey focusing on the knowledge and use of medicinal plants within two rural communities (Marambaia and Camboinha), which are situated in an Environmental Protection Area in Atlantic Forest of Southern Bahia, Brazil. These communities use medicinal plants as an important therapeutic activity, which permits the rural inhabitants to be self-sufficient regarding health care. Data were collected through interviews with 26 families (24% of the total). The medicinal plants collected (98 species) were catalogued, identified and deposited at the Herbarium Rio Clarense (HRCB). They belong to 40 families so that Lamiaceae was the most cited. The majority of these species (78%) are cultivated, usually in backyards by local inhabitants. The leaf is the most common part of the plant used in medicinal preparations. The species with the greatest number of citations were Chenopodium ambrosioides L. and Lippia alba (Mill) N.E. Br. These species are also associated with the highest number of therapeutic uses. Use agreement and diversity index from this survey were compared to other surveys conducted in Brazilian Tropical Forests.

Atividade mutagênica de plantas medicinais

The number of studies of genotoxic activity of medicinal plants has been growing alongside with their increasing therapeutic use and scientific interest in proving their effectiveness for a variety of pharmacological purposes. This reflects the fact that many of the plants used by great numbers of people, in spite of their proven pharmacological value, can also cause harmful changes in the DNA. The risks are greater when alternative treatments are applied in an uncontrolled way, without due attention to correct botanical identification, to the part of the plant that should to be used and to the method of preparation and administration. In this review, aspects of the mutagenic activity of some medicinal plants are discussed.

Alterações morfoanatômicas em plantas de Lithraea molleoides (Vell.) Engl. submetidas ao alagamento

Flooding effects in Lithraea molleoides plants were studied. Young plants were kept under drained and flooded soil over a period of 35 days. For growth and development analyses, the length and diameter of stem and main root and the dry weight of roots, stem, and leaves were measured. For anatomical studies, sections of fresh and fixed roots, stem bases and leaves were made using standard procedures in vegetal anatomy. The stress reduced the dry weight increment of plants without causing the death of roots or the abscission of leaves. In the stem base, flooding induced the hypertrophy of lenticels and the increase of intercellular space and reduction lower starch contents, in the cortex. Plants flooded displayed greater percentage of cortical intercellular space in the secondary roots and lower investment in secretory structure formation in the stem base. It can be suggested that flooding reduced the recourses allocation to growth. These recourses could be used in morphological alterations, such as hypertrophied lenticels and increase of intercellular spaces, that could contribute to plants survival during stress period, probably, due maintenance of aerobic respiration.

Enraizamento de plantas cultivadas in vitro

The adventitious rooting process of in vitro cultured plantlets is a technique that has been employed for the vegetative propagation of a significant number of native and exotic species. Many factors are associated with the rooting stage influencing positive and/or negatively the establishment of micropropagation protocols. The objective of this work was a literature review of the main inherent factors concerning in vitro rooting process including the correlation among others the endogenous and exogenous auxins levels, juvenility, genotype, mineral nutrition, culture medium conditions, addition of growth regulators and other substances as phenolic compounds and active coal besides growth environmental conditions of in vitro cultures. Although the complete elucidation of all processes involved with rooting of in vitro cultured plants has not been achieved so far, a comprehensive study of the main factors that interfere on rooting is fundamental for the establishment of new researches that might contribute for the rooting of economically important plants.

Arranjo espacial de plantas de milho em sistema plantio direto

The interaction of management practices that increases plant density and reduces row spacing by spatial arrangement, if well planned, can be an excellent opportunity for the producers to increase their profitability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation effects of plant spatial distribution in two maize hybrids cultivated in a no-tillage system on the production components. The study was conducted in the CECA/UFAL. The treatments consisted of the cultivation of two hybrids of maize, FORT and AGN 30A00, in row spacings of 0.80 and 0.40 m and with plant densities of 60,000 and 70,000 plants ha -1. The statistical design was randomized blocks in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial scheme, with three replications. From the results obtained, it may be concluded that neither the row spacing reduction nor plant density increase, as isolated practices, do not increase grain yield in the tested cultivars. The association of the reduction in row spacing and increase in plant population resulted in significant gain in grain productivity for the hybrid FORT.

Influência de solos de diferentes texturas no desenvolvimento de plantas de Eucalyptus urograndis submetidas a déficit hídrico

The studies were developed with plants of Eucalyptus urograndis under greenhouse conditions, at Paulista State University (UNESP), Botucatu - SP, from March to July, 2005. The objective was to evaluate hydric stress influence on morphological and physiological characteristics of plants in clayay (1) and medium (2) soil texture. Two water treatment were used: -0.03 and -1.5 MPa minimum soil water potentials (□w). Plants from soil 2 and - 1.5MPa showed 43% reduction on leaf área, 34% on base stem diameter, 54% on aerial vegetal dry matter and plants from soil 1 presented 42.3% reduction on leaf área, 39,5% base stem diameter and 42% dry matter root reduction in relation to -0.03 MPa. The lowest leaf water potential (□f) value was-17.166 MPa on □w = -1.5 MPa and soil 2 and the greatest one on soil 1 and □w = -0.03 MPa., -6.766 MPa. The treatment -0.03MPa showed about 11,3% higher transpiration values than those plants from -1.5MPa. The higher Rs value (2.149 s.cm-1) occurred on plants under -1.5MPa and soil 2. There was significant correlation between Tf and Rs, and the treatmens from medium soil were more sensitive, reaching until 32°C.

La bioseguridad de las plantas transgénicas

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Interferěncia da comunidade infestante sobre plantas de Eucalyptus grandis de segundo corte

Currently Brazil is one of the leading paper and pulp producers in the world market, where Sao Paulo State boasts the greatest production. Because of the pulp prices falling in the world market and the low costs of a second coppice rotation, two experiments (started May and December, 2000) were conducted to evaluate the effects of weeds and of weed-free periods (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months) on the growth of Eucalyptus grandis second coppice plants. The field trials were set up in a randomized block design with four replicates and the experimental plots consisted of three rows of fve plants. The December weed community was composed mainly of Brachiaria decumbens (Surinam grass) and Panicum maximum (Guinea grass) and the May weed community was composed mainly by B. decumbens and Digitaria insularis (Sour-grass). Weeds had a low negative influence on growth, diameter development and macronutrients content of E. grandis second coppice plants. In both experiments, slight reductions in growth were observed only between the fully weeded and weed-free periods, after 18 months.

Efeito da chuva sobre a ação do herbicida imazapyr no controle de plantas daninhas aquáticas

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different periods of rainfall that occurred after the application of the imazapyr herbicide on the control efficiency of Pistia stratiotes and Eichhornia crassipes. We studied 10 mm rainfall, applied for 5' at different time periods (0h, 2h, 4h, 6h, 8h, 12h, 24h, not simulated rainfall) after the application of imazapyr formulation Arsenal NA, 250 g ai ha -1 (1.0 L cp ha -1). The experiment had completely randomized design with four replications. Plants were evaluated at 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after application (DAA), and the results submitted to analysis of variance by F test and treatment means compared by Tukey's test (p <0. 05). The occurrence of rainfall up to 6 hours after herbicide application, plants of P. stratiotes, negatively affected its efficiency and control; rainfall intervals over 8 hours had no effect in control. The occurrence of rainfall at all time intervals did not affect the control of E. crassipes plants.

Influência de laminas de chuva no controle de plantas daninhas, semeadas em diferentes profundidades no solo, com aplicação de herbicidas pré-emergentes

The aim of this work was to evaluate the control in pre-emergence of the weeds brachiaria grass (Brachiaria decumbens) and goosegrass (Eleusine indica) in different depths in the ground, for the oxyfluorfen and isoxaflutole herbicides, applied in pre-emergence condition and submitted of different rain blades. The experimental design was entirely at random, with four repetitions. Each set was consisted of plastic vases with substratum capacity of 4L, filled with arenaceous ground, increased of brachiaria grass and goosegrass seeds in the depths: 0,5; 1,0; 3,0; 6,0 and 9,0 cm. Doses of 37,5 g a.i. ha -1 of isoxaflutole and 720 g a.i. ha -1 of oxyfluorfen were used. The rain blades was 5, 10 and 20 mm applied with a stationary rain simulator, beyond a treatment without rain. Visual evaluations of control at 7 and 14 days had been carried through after application of the herbicides, counting of germinated plants and dry biomass of plants without application. The development of both weeds was inhibited by herbicides, reaching 100% of control, in all depth levels. The different rain blades had not influenced the control of the weeds. In the biggest depth of sowing (9,0 cm), the emergence was above 45% to B. decumbens and 36% to E. indica in treatments without herbicides application.

Utilização de extratos de plantas medicinais e óleo de Eucaliptus no controle in vitro de Microsporum canis

INTRODUCTION: Microsporum canis is the most common cause of canine and feline dermatophytosis and thus has an important zoonotic role. OBJECTIVES: the aim of this study was to determine the antifungal action of medicinal plant extracts and of eucalyptus oil against pathogenic fungus Microsporum canis. METHODS: the extracts were prepared by mixing 300 g of previously washed leaves with 450 mL of distilled water. Then the material was triturated, filtered, sterilized and conserved at 10 + 2 oC. Fifteen milliliters of sterilized medium Sabouraud dextrose (Difco) at a temperature of 55 + 1 oC was added in Petri dishes containing the extracts in one, two, three, four and five mm concentrations. The fungus was inoculated once the medium was solidified. The inoculated dishes were maintained in B.O.D. incubator at 36 ± 0,5 oC until the fungus developed in the controls. RESULTS: the extracts from Punica granatum, Mangifera indica and Eucalyptus spp reduced the growth of fungus, but the extracts from Cymgopogom nardus, Tagetes minuta, Ruta graviolens, Cyperus rotundus, Annona moricata and Calendula spp leaves and flowers boosted the growth of fungus. The other extracts and the eucalyptus oil neither show any fungicidal action nor encourage mycelium growth. CONCLUSIONS: the use of most tested extracts and eucalyptus oil is not suitable for the treatment of Microsporum canis dermatophytosis due to lack of inhibitory effects. The extracts from Cymgopogom nardus, Tagetes minuta, Ruta graviolens, Cyperus rotundus, Annona moricata and from of Calendula spp leaves and flowers help the development of the fungus making clear that phytotherapy should be properly used, otherwise it can worsen the problem. However; extracts from Mangifera indica, Punica granatum and Eucalyptus spp. can be used as fungistatic.

Deficiências de macronutrientes em plantas de soja cv. BRSMG 68 (Vencedora) cultivada em solução nutritive

Soybean is a crop of great importance for Brazil, and knowledge of their nutritional status allows production and high quality products. Thus, the present work aimed to evaluate the culture of the soybean cv. BRSMG 68 (Vencedora), submitted to macronutrients omission on the development, nutritional status and the visual symptomatology of nutrient deficiency. The design used was completely randomized, with seven treatments that corresponded to the complete (macro and micronutrients) solution and the individual omission of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S. The treatments were applied two weeks after the emergency of the soybean. The nutrient solution was constantly oxygenated and replaced weekly, and the pH monitored daily remained around 5. After six weeks of application of the treatments, the height of the plants, number of leaves, stem diameter was evaluated, matter dry accumulated in the roots, it leaves aerial and the nutritional state and the characterization of the visual symptoms. The macronutrient deficiency promoted a decrease in production of root and shoot dry mass of soybean cultivar BRSMG 68 (Vencedora) in nutrient solution, for the full treatment. The most limiting nutrient for dry matter production of soybean compared to complete treatment were N, S and K, with decreases of 90, 76 and 73%, respectively. Individual omissions resulted in morphological changes, which were translated by characteristic visual symptoms of nutritional deficiency of the respective nutrient.