Briquetting of charcoal from sugar-cane bagasse fly ash (scbfa) as an alternative fuel

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

Reuse of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) to produce ceramic materials

Sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) is a residue resulting from the burning of bagasse in boilers in the sugarcane/alcohol industry. SCBA has a very high silica concentration and contains aluminum, iron, alkalis and alkaline earth oxides in smaller amounts. In this work, the properties of sintered ceramic bodies were evaluated based on the concentration of SCBA, which replaced non-plastic material. The ash was mixed (up to 60 wt%) with a clayed raw material that is used to produce roof tiles. Prismatic probes were pressed and sintered at different temperatures (up to 1200 degrees C). Technological tests of ceramic probes showed that the addition of ash has little influence on the ceramic properties up to 1000 C. X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis data showed that, above this temperature the ash participates in the sintering process and in the formation of new important phases. The results reported show that the reuse of SCBA in the ceramic industry is feasible. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influência da composição química do substrato no cultivo de Pleurotus florida

Com o objetivo de avaliar a influência da composição química do substrato no cultivo do cogumelo comestível Pleurotus florida, seis resíduos agrícolas foram testados: palha de arroz, palha de feijão, palha de trigo, folha de bananeira, palha de sorgo e sabugo de milho. O substrato palha de feijão apresentou resultados semelhantes para a produção (189,8 g kg-1), eficiência biológica (89,2%) e número de cogumelos (12) à palha de arroz, substrato utilizado tradicionalmente no cultivo de Pleurotus em escala comercial. Não foi possível atribuir apenas a um fator químico as altas produções e eficiências biológicas observadas em palha de arroz e palha de feijão e muito menos para a baixa produção em palha de sorgo (77,8 g kg-1) e sabugo de milho (53,2 g g-1). No geral, substratos com relação C/N em torno de 45 (N = 1,0%), maior conteúdo de cinzas, acrescido de altos teores de P, K, Ca, Mg and Mn foram os melhores para o cultivo de P. florida.

Cellulose nanowhiskers from coconut husk fibers: Effect of preparation conditions on their thermal and morphological behavior

Cellulose nanowhiskers were prepared by sulfuric acid hydrolysis from coconut husk fibers which had previously been submitted to a delignification process. The effects of preparation conditions on the thermal and morphological behavior of the nanocrystals were investigated. Cellulose nanowhisker suspensions were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction. Results showed that it was possible to obtain ultrathin cellulose nanowhiskers with diameters as low as 5 nm and aspect ratio of up to 60. A possible correlation between preparation conditions and particle size was not observed. Higher residual lignin content was found to increase thermal stability indicating that by controlling reaction conditions one can tailor the thermal properties of the nanowhiskers. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Soil management and nitrogen fertilization for sprinkler-irrigated upland rice cultivars

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

Genetic Structure of Populations of the Rice-Infecting Pathogen Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA from China

Sheath blight disease (SBD) on rice, caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA, is one of the most devastating rice diseases on a global basis, including China (in Eastern Asia), the world's largest rice-growing country. We analyzed the population genetics of nine rice-infecting populations from China using nine microsatellite loci. One allopatric population from India (Southern Asia) was included in the analyses. In total, 300 different multilocus genotypes were found among 572 fungal isolates. Clonal fractions within rice fields were 16 to 95%, suggesting that sclerotia were a major source of primary inoculum in some fields. Global Phi(ST) statistics (Phi(ST) = 42.49; P <= 0.001) were consistent with a relatively high level of differentiation among populations overall; however, pairwise comparisons gave nonsignificant R(ST) values, consistent with contemporary gene flow among five of the populations. Four of these populations were located along the Yangtze River tributary network. Gene flow followed an isolation-by-distance model consistent with restricted long-distance migration. Historical migration rates were reconstructed and yielded values that explained the current levels of population subdivision. Except for one population which appeared to be strictly clonal, all populations showed evidence of a mixed reproductive mode, including both asexual and sexual reproduction. One population had a strictly recombining structure (all loci were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium) but the remaining populations from China and the one from India exhibited varying degrees of sexual reproduction. Six populations showed significant F(IS) values consistent with inbreeding.

Divergence Between Sympatric Rice- and Maize-Infecting Populations of Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA from Latin America

The basidiomycetous fungus, Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group (AG)-1 IA is a major pathogen in Latin America causing sheath blight (SB) of rice Particularly in Venezuela. the fungus also Causes banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) oil maize, which is considered all emerging disease problem where maize replaced traditional rice-cropping areas or is now planted in adjacent. fields Our goals in this study Were 10 elucidate (i) the effects of host specialization on gene flow between sympatric and allopatric rice and maize-infecting fungal populations and (ii) the reproductive mode of the fungus, looking for evidence of recombination in total, 375 isolates of R. solani AG1 IA sampled from three sympatric rice and maize fields in Venezuela (Porutuguesa State) and two allopatric rice fields from Colombia (Meta State) and Panama (Chiriqui State) were genotyped Using, 10 microsatellite loci Allopatric populations from Venezuela. Colombia. and Panama were significantly differentiated (Phi(ST), of 0 16 to 0 34). Partitioning of the genetic diversity indicated differentiation between sympatric populations from different host species, with 17% of the total genetic variation distributed between hosts while only 3 to 6% wits distributed geographically among the sympatric Venezuelan Fields We detected symmetrical historical migration between the rice- and the maize-infecting populations from Venezuela Rice- and maize-derived isolates were able to infect built rice and maize but were more aggressive Oil their original hosts, consistent with host specialization. Because the maize- and rice-infecting populations are still cross-pathogenic, we postulate that the genetic differentiation was relatively recent and mediated via a host shift. An isolation with nu.-ration analysis indicated that the maize-infecting population diverged from the rice-infecting population between 40 and 240 years ago Our findings also suggest that maize-infecting Populations have a mainly recombining reproductive system whereas the rice-infecting Populations have a Mixed reproductive system in Latin America

Highly polymorphic microsatellite loci in the rice- and maize-infecting fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group 1 IA

Ten polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from the rice- and maize-infecting Basidiomycete fungus Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group AG-1 IA. All loci were polymorphic in two populations from Louisiana in USA and Venezuela. The total number of alleles per locus ranged from four to eight. All 10 loci were also useful for genotyping soybean-infecting R. solani AG-1 isolates from Brazil and USA. One locus, TC06, amplified across two other AG groups representing different species, showing species-specific repeat length polymorphism. This marker suite will be used to determine the global population structure of this important pathogenic fungus.

Divergence Between Sympatric Rice- and Soybean-Infecting Populations of Rhizoctonia solani Anastomosis Group-1 IA

Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group (AG)-1 IA causes soybean foliar blighting (aerial blight) and rice sheath blight diseases. Although taxonomically related within the AG-1 complex, sister populations of R. solani AG-1 IA infecting Poaceae (rice) and Fabaceae (soybean) are genetically distinct based on internal transcribed spacer rDNA. However, there is Currently no information available regarding the extent of genetic differentiation and host specialization between rice- and soybean-infecting populations of R. solani AG-1 IA. We used 10 microsatellite loci to compare sympatric R. solani AG-1 IA populations infecting rice and soybeans in Louisiana and one allopatric rice-infecting population from Texas. None of the 154 multilocus genotypes found among the 223 isolates were shared among the three populations. Partitioning of genetic diversity showed significant differentiation among sympatric populations from different host Species (Phi(ST) = 0.39 to 0.41). Historical migration patterns between sympatric rice- and soybean-infecting populations from Louisiana were asymmetrical. Rice- and soybean-derived isolates of R. solani AG-1 IA were able to infect both rice and soybean, but were significantly more aggressive on their host of on-in, consistent with host specialization. The soybean-infecting Population from Louisiana was more clonal than the sympatric rice-infecting population. Most of the loci in the soybean-infecting populations were Out of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE.), but the sympatric rice-infecting population from Louisiana was mainly in HWE. All populations presented evidence for a mixed reproductive system.

Strategy of specification of management areas: rice grain yield as related to soil fertility

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Grain quality of upland rice cultivars in response to cropping systems in the Brazilian tropical savanna

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Water supplied by sprinkler irrigation system for upland rice seed production

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

Equine poisoning by coffee husk (Coffea arabica L.)

Background: In Brazil, coffee (Coffea arabica) husks are reused in several ways due to their abundance, including as stall bedding. However, field veterinarians have reported that horses become intoxicated after ingesting the coffee husks that are used as bedding. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether coffee husk consumption causes intoxication in horses.Results: Six horses fed coast cross hay ad libitum were given access to coffee husks and excitability, restlessness, involuntary muscle tremors, chewing movements and constant tremors of the lips and tongue, excessive sweating and increased respiration and heart rates were the most evident clinical signs. Caffeine levels were measured in the plasma and urine of these horses on two occasions: immediately before the coffee husks were made available to the animals (T0) and at the time of the clinical presentation of intoxication, 56 h after the animals started to consume the husks (T56). The concentrations of caffeine in the plasma (p < 0.001) and urine (p < 0.001) of these animals were significantly greater at T56 than at T0.Conclusions: It was concluded that consumption of coffee husks was toxic to horses due to the high levels of caffeine present in their composition. Therefore, coffee husks pose a risk when used as bedding or as feed for horses.

The Allium cepa bioassay to evaluate landfarming soil, before and after the addition of rice hulls to accelerate organic pollutants biodegradation

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

Thermoregulation by an Australian murine rodent, the ash-grey mouse (Pseudomys albocinereus)

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